by Andrew Gigacz
When the 2009 fixture was released on this day last year, I for one was not surprised to see the Western Bulldogs heading off for six interstate matches, NONE of which were to be covered on free-to-air TV. In fact it was actually an improvement on 2008, in which the Dogs were handed the same treatment seven times.
Equally unsurprising to most last year, would have been the fact that none of Melbourne’s five interstate matches were available to non-Fox subscribers.
In terms of generating supporters, these two teams have enough going against them without this sort of treatment. But that appears to be of no concern to the AFL. On Monday they released the fixture for the 2010 NAB Cup. Of the ten Melbourne-based sides, all but two of them will either play in Melbourne or have their games shown on either Seven or Ten. And who are those sides? No drum roll required. Melbourne and the Bulldogs of course.
So the question I have is, with the AFL fixture due out any day now, what’s your tip for:
(a) how many times the Dees and the Dogs will have to head beyond the Victorian boundary and
(b) how many of those games will make to a Melbourne free-to-air television station?
About Andrew Gigacz
Well, here we are. The Bulldogs have won a flag. What do I do now?
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Nice complaining Gigs,
(a) Dees: 5, Dogs: 6
(b) Dees: 1, Dogs: 2
The Dogs have shown they are a genuine performer and if playing against a big team interstate (Adelaide, Brisbane) then it should be shown free-to-air. The Dees are rebuilding, and with the excitement the forward line holds at Melbourne, it should produce at least one interstate match on normal telly
Gigs, thanks for that complaint, and thanks for bringing the Dees into it.
Melbourne had no interstate free to air ones this year or last year.
6 games interstate for the Dogs (no improvement) but only 4 on pay-TV (some improvement).
An inequitable fixture undermines the integrity of the competition in my view. It compromises what the game is supposed to be- fair for all.
I have a sensitive and supportive brother who barracks for Essendon.
I raised this particular matter with him once. “Stiff shit!”
Pamela, given the AFL’s tinkering with the draw to suit certain parties, it probably won’t surprise you to discover that FAIR FOR ALL TEAMS is an anagram of AFL’S AMORAL REFIT…
I see the Pies have their last 6 games at the MCG. Guess they need all the help they can get.
Suppose it also gives Leon Neon time to dig his hole, in which he jumps and disappears, come September.
If you’re going to win the flag, you have to beat the teams placed in front of you. The Pies (for example) may whinge that they have to play the Cats, Saints and Dogs twice but they’re going to have to play those teams in the finals and beat them if they want to hold the cup aloft. I say, Get on with the job.
Spot on Cousin Steve…
The schedule and the associated spin from the AFL justifying the schedule is a complete load of bollocks.
Cats v Saints only once in 2010.
Why?
Because by playing each other only once, it supposedly gives the match greater ‘currency’ and whets our appetite even more.
What complete crap!
If I hear Gillon Mclachlan crap on about the schedule one more time, I’ll spew up! (Terry Wallace style).
Back to the form guide.
Flynny, you’d just like to spiflicate some of those suits down at the AFL, wouldn’t you?
Very interesting and entertaining fixture.
I’m just curious about the Carlton V Geelong Monday afternoon game on April 26. Is it a public holiday?
I didn’t think it was a public holiday. Who’d wanna see those two teams anyway?
Who’d wanna be at school while a footy game’s on??!! They’re the sort of nightmares I have.
Great first half of the fixture for the Dees- in the first 12 rounds we only leave Melbourne once for our home game against Port in Darwin.
Who likes the introdcution of 1:10 games in perth on Saturday arvo? I do.
oh- and something else. I thought Richmond were gonna have just 2 home games at Docklands?
They have 3, Port Adelaide, Freo and St.Kilda.
Gigs,
I’m not a fan of spin (unless we’re talking Pauli spin matrices or leg spin bowling).
Spin, getting Barted, vacuuming (for some reason I hate doing it) and getting 3 legs of the quaddie are about the only things that give me the brace and bits.
Flynnie – to avoid getting Barted are you backing Faint Perfume in race 3 on Saturday?
See under Crio’s column for my tips.
Hopefully nice tips Dips.
Crio,I’m not complaining about my teams draw.I don’t care if it’s supposedly ‘hard. It’s the artifical manipulation of the competition I object to. Ah! who cares? It;s only money and ratings.
Very delecious fixture in the words of Bruce McAvaney, i spent all of lunch and play lunch looking it up. Very excited at the prospect of home games at Etihad against each interstate side
I’m just glad to hear someone say “play lunch” instead of “recess”. Well done, JB.
ROFL PLAY LUNCH!!!! hahahah!!
nawww thats so cute!! :)
well Josh, its seems the closest homegame to my bday is Saturday, May 8 Collingwood vs North Melbourne MCG.
ill be the one in the pink tiara and featherboa! you have to let this game go from now josh, its my 18th you have to let us win, even if its only by a bit!!
Im gonna see if i can go to that game lol
Yeah gotta keep the spirit of primary school allowed, recess sounds too “prisony”
But Danielle, what if it’s a Kangaroos supporter’s 18th birthday…?
hmmm, well i dunno!!
but i suffered enough on my 17th i deserve to be happy for once!!
You wanna be happy? Just switch your allegiance to the Bulldogs… ;-)
Gigs,
Do mwe move Round One’s game.
Dogs and Collingwood at the MCG would drag in more than Eddie-had Stadium.
Actually, just looking at the draw properly then, switch to North if you want happiness. We have only 5 interstate matches and play two finalists from this year twice. Roos 2010!
Dogs want a home match for Brad Johnson’s 350th though
146 days, 2 hours and 33 minutes until the first bounce of Richmond v Carlton!
Crio, your suggestion (comment 27) is way too logical for the AFL to consider it.
nice try gigs, its appealing b/c you do have Prince Higgins and giansiracusa BUT as the fiance of Jack Anthony and Nathan Brown i cant leave Collingwood, also the fact that my dad will disown me if i do! lol
i might be speaking too soon but i see a granny between the Dogs and the Lions, onyl because Collingwood will tease me and only get as far as the semi!!!
*sobs**
CANT WAIT TILL next year!!!! I’m gonna be looking over the fixture every day until March 25!
lol josh wouldnt u love that?
ZOMG DANNI IS GONNA BE A ROO!! :p
Nah i cant leave my boys, north has always been my adopted second team as soon as Sav left us to there.
What about the prelminary Danni? lol starting a new fixture right now, season starts with a 15 point win to Carlton
Danielle, I like your vision of the Bulldogs-Brisbane Granny. (I never knew you had Grannyvision…)
Peter, perhaps Gillon thought the AFL were producing a movie; lots of hype,spin, publicity etc –
I’m happy to settle for a few ordinary games of footy.
first 5 games at the G for the Dees!
and a friday night home game against the Dogs in Round 7!
that too josh!
if u watch my cousins baptism vidoe you can hear my cousin the day after the loss to Geelong saying:
“sorry about collingwood”
and then u get my reply of “yeah- HEARTBREAKERS”
Seriously im gonna end up an emtional mess if they keep leading me on every year!!
:(
lol yerp Gigs i see the future alright! :)
please non of this Danielle business jst call me Danni!
:)
Sorry. Danni it is from now on.
I like my fixture already! Up to Round 3
I have a mixed view towards the fixture.
The good factor of the fixture from my perspective is that their are more interstate game on Free to Air TV compared to previous and that means more LIVE matches.
I don’t like the slot for Carlton v Geelong in Round 5 2:10 on a Monday, I think I’ll be at school at that time of the day! with Anzac Day on the Sunday, unless we get a public holiday.
I think we get a day off for the 26th because our holiday on ANZAC day is on a day off anyway, but if school is on i’m gonna be staying home to watch the game.
I like how they are broadcasting Saturday afternoon Perth matches.
yes more Mitch Brown for everyone!! :)
i had the number 16 painted on my cheek in bright yellow zinc for our aths carni today. for more info check out my comment on steves hawthorn b&f.
lol i sound like an Advertisement!!
You’re probably right but I can remember the last time we had Anzac Day on a Sunday, I think it was 2004, and we didn’t get the day off on the Monday.
Yeah it was 2004, i just asked Mum if i could have the day off on the day and she said yeah
lol my parents would never allow me to skip a school day, unless I’m sick of course.
Port Adelaide is seriously considering a merger with the Port Adelaide Magpies. I dunno what would change but yeah
Yeah I heard this afternoon. I’d doubt Port would risk losing 120+ years of tradition even though the Power are in financial dire straits.
Must confess that paid TV is one of my biggest beefs!
Only 10% of SAn’s subcribe to Foxtel, and of course we get 16 Foxtel games during 2010. Yes unlike Melb and The Bulldogs, we do get Foxtel games telecast through the Free to Air stations, but thats all we get – the actual game. Straight into the game only!- no pre or post match analysis, no player or coach interviews, clubroom views and definitely no club song.
The worst time to be allocated a Foxtel Broadcast is when your players are having big milestone games interstate, (such as Tyson Edward’s 300th last year). We didn’t get to experience the hype and buildup to it, like we would have if the telecast was filmed by channel 7 and 10.
I simply refuse to subcribe to Foxtel, at $100 a month, I just wouldn’t get true value from the subscription and in any case why should I load the pockets of filthy mega rich media barrons!
However back to the article, I just can’t understand why the AFL are disadvantaging both Melb and Bulldog supporters like this. You have to wonder whether they ultimately want a couple of these teams to fold under, because their certainly not helping their cause to remain viable.
To Josh, the Port Adelaide Magpies is not the only SANFL team to be in financial strive, I think they’re only just one of the many SA teams in strive! I’m pretty concerned about the SANFL competition, as I enjoy the standard of that competition and usually attend quite a few games each year and certainly wouldn’t want teams to buckle under! (its only a 9 team comp at the moment, and in my opinion should be increased to 10 teams, not reduced further)