AFL announces key fixture details for 2011

[The Coon Dog]

Adam McNicol - AFL Website - 7 September

NEXT year's AFL fixture will consist of 19 rounds of eight games and five rounds of seven games to accommodate the introduction of the Gold Coast Suns.

For next season only - given the competition will expand to 18 teams in 2012 - all 17 clubs must have two byes to enable a 22-game season to be completed across 24 weekends of football.

Having looked at various options to construct a 187-match season, the AFL decided this would be the most appropriate way to breakdown the season.

Article in full...

* Took me a little while to get that, but simply all sides will play 22 games & have 2 byes in a 24 week season.

Of those 24 weeks, 19 of them will feature 8 games & the remaining 5 weeks will feature 7 games.

[LostDoggy]

Yeah I read it too, took me a bit to get my head around it.

In summary I think it is going to work out well.

[AndrewP6]

Sounds good to me... GO DOGS!

[The Coon Dog]

I guess the timing of your 2 byes is crucial. If you had one very near the start or end of the season, it would be similar to now as you would then have 1 bye mid season.

Ideally it would be good to have your 2 byes in rounds 8 & 16. You would then have blocks of 7,7 & 6 games, nice & evenly spaced.

[LostDoggy]

Ideally it would be good to have your 2 byes in rounds 8 & 16. You would then have blocks of 7,7 & 6 games, nice & evenly spaced.

Yeah that would be ideal - It will be interesting to see which teams win out and who gets the raw deal of how their Bye's are scheduled.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Yeah that would be ideal - It will be interesting to see which teams win out and who gets the raw deal of how their Bye's are scheduled.

Gold Coast are already losers.

A bye in the first week is the worst possible outcome. It will put their preperation back a week and then they only get one mid-season break.

[Mofra]

Gold Coast are already losers.

A bye in the first week is the worst possible outcome. It will put their preperation back a week and then they only get one mid-season break.

The AFL wanted to protect the Richmond/Carlton curtain raiser hype and the hype of GC17's first game. It was probably the only way they could do it.

I certainly expect they wont be claiming the AFL hasn't supported them enough

[jazzadogs]

I doubt Malthouse will complain about Collingwood's fixture

[LostDoggy]

I doubt Malthouse will complain about Collingwood's fixture

He will complain with no merit for his complaint, he reckons they got a bad draw this year.
If a bad draw equals the last 8 games at your home (MCG) not many trips interstate, then they got a bad draw.

[Desipura]

He will complain with no merit for his complaint, he reckons they got a bad draw this year.
If a bad draw equals the last 8 games at your home (MCG) not many trips interstate, then they got a bad draw.

I will play Devils Advocate. If every team wants to play Collingwood as a home game (so they can get generate revenue), is that their fault?
Other than interstate games (for memeory they play 5 this year), where else can Collingwood play games? Etihad Stadium is too small for Collingwood to play against the majority of big drawing Victorian teams.
We have been lucky or unlucky enough to play them twice at our home ground the last 2 seasons.

[NoName]

Anyone know when the draw is released for next season?

[MrMahatma]

Timing of the byes will be crucial I think. Keeping guys fresh is vital. Anything before Rd 4 is a waste and wouldn't want one in Rd 22.

[KT31]

Timing of the byes will be crucial I think. Keeping guys fresh is vital. Anything before Rd 4 is a waste and wouldn't want one in Rd 22.

A bye after a interstate trip would also be a bonus.

[LostDoggy]

Anyone know when the draw is released for next season?

Late October according to AFL.com.au

[NoName]

Late October according to AFL.com.au

Thanks.