2021 Fixture

[The Adelaide Connection]

A lot remains up in the air, but what should be on our wishlist for the 2021 fixture? How will it look?

Commercially at least, I think we want the Pies first up again. I think we desperately need a win to get our young group going, so in that regard, I wouldn't mind getting North Melbourne as an away game first up, followed by a Friday night home game against Collingwood.

I hope we pull Freo and Adelaide in the away games, for obvious reasons. WC and Port away can almost be marked down as an "L" but I think we will be ok against them at Etihad. Maybe even play Port down in Ballarat.

Latest fixture talk:

Eddie McGuire urges AFL to consider radical plan to combat COVID in 2021 season

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire believes the AFL should consider starting the 2021 season in mid-February in order to increase the chances of getting a season away in the face of any potential COVID-19 setbacks.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan said in September the league was aiming to return to its regular start window of late March in 2021, by which time he was hopeful some fans would be able to attend.

With a recent surge in COVID-19 cases in South Australia, McGuire said it was an indication the AFL should look to commence its 2021 season as soon as possible, which would then allow it to potentially complete even more games by year’s end.

“It’s why I’ve been pushing we should be starting the footy season in mid-Feb. I just think if we get them away quickly at the MCG, Marvel Stadium, kids are back at school, everyone’s desperate to watch a game of footy again,” he said on Triple M’s Hot Breakfast.

“Even then, you could have a break in the middle of the season, a three-week break for the Olympics, then if you’ve got the 17 games done you might come back and play another 10 games and get a 27, 28-game season.

“If the broadcasters are up for it then it could help mitigate the salary cap issues. Players tell me all the time they’d rather play more games and train less.

“Of course time is of the essence, if you’re going to do something like that it has got to happen now, the decision would have to be made in the next two-to-three weeks.”

McGuire is part of the AFL’s competition committee, which is set to meet on Wednesday to discuss a variety of issues.

[Bulldog Joe]

Re: 2021 Fixture

Well Eddie, why worry about pre-season at all.

Players return to training in January, surely they can be ready to play by Thursday 14th and we can ignore the cricket season and just get on with it.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: 2021 Fixture

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/footy-frenzy-on-the-cards-2021-fixture-may-be-delayed-until-february-20201119-p56g58.html

'Footy frenzy' on the cards, 2021 fixture may be delayed until February

The AFL fixture for next year is unlikely to be released until February, just weeks before play is to begin, and is further expected to only be revealed in monthly instalments as it was this year.

Club presidents and chief executives met with the AFL on Thursday for a wide-ranging briefing with the AFL telling them they were looking at a range of options, including not releasing the fixture until at least February and, when they do, only release four rounds at a time.

It is likely at that time they would also reveal which teams a club would play twice in the season, but little more detail beyond that.

The league said they remain attracted to the idea of squeezing in another 'footy frenzy', with games every day for 20 days, as happened this year as the league crammed matches into its reconfigured fixture because of the pandemic.

That proved popular with broadcasters and fans but it was also a unique situation with lockdown in Victoria leading to more people watching TV than might be the case in an ordinary year.

The AFL is planning for the season to fresume at a normal time and with 50 per cent crowds in Victoria next year while full capacity crowds are being planned for every other state. They do not expect a return to hubs.

The recent South Australian outbreak was a reminder of the fragility of the situation around the country and how the competition will have to remain flexible going into next year.

The AFL likes the flexibility the rolling fixture provided, enabling the league to schedule the best games in the best timeslots, and is exploring how that would be possible in a regular season with full crowds, corporate events and travel.

The AFL still expects the AFLW season to be nine weeks with a three weeks finals series.

AFL Players may be less open to a compressed fixture after the AFL's unilateral decision to reduce interchange rotations caught them by surprise on Wednesday.

Sources at clubs were also angry and bewildered that the decision to reduce interchange rotations from 90 to 75 per team per match had already been made before the competition committee met on Wednesday to discuss potential rule changes for the 2021 season.

The process, which saw the decision made before AFL-funded research relating to the impact of reducing interchanges had been tabled, upset players after they spent the season agreeing to quick shifts in the fixture and shorter breaks between games to ensure the season was completed during the coronavirus pandemic.

Patrick Dangerfield, who is president of the AFL Players' Association and on the competition committee, expressed his disquiet at the decision, particularly after such a taxing year, telling SEN on Thursday he was not a fan of reduction.

"We are just going to have to live with them as players," Dangerfield said.

However he wasn't the only person disappointed with the competition committee unaware of the controversial moves until they joined the meeting on Wednesday and were told the AFL Commission had approved the decisions.

Several members of the committee were concerned that the effect of reducing interchange rotations could not be properly assessed until the length of quarters and breaks between goals were confirmed.

The AFL is yet to decide on the length of quarters for next season although sources expect it to either return to 20-minute quarters plus time on or increase from 16 to 18 minute quarters from 2020 to 2021.

The interchange decision wasn't the only one affecting the AFL in 2021 with the league also changing the rules relating to what players standing on the mark can do after a free kick or mark is paid to an opponent and the location of the mark for kick ins.

The AFL also decided to trial a rule in next year's VFL and East Coast competition, which will see a minimum of three players from each team having to be stationed inside the 50-metre arcs (including one player from each team in the goalsquare) all all kick-ins and boundary throw-ins.

The radical shift will be monitored to see whether it should be introduced into the AFL in 2022.

The AFL is yet to determine a fixture for 2021 although they are discussing several options with clubs at the moment with uncertainty still surrounding the effect COVID-19 will have on the competition next season.

A compressed fixture would need player buy-in again in 2021 if the AFL wanted to repeat this season's football frenzy however sources said decisions made without consultation made gaining player approval more difficult.

Several players remain concerned about a heightened risk of injury and the desire of the AFL to increase fatigue to open up the game however AFL football operations boss Steve Hocking said player welfare was a consideration in only reducing the cap by 15 rotations when he spoke to the media after the decision.

Club sources also expressed concern that the potential for rule changes were not flagged before the trade period with the reduction in interchange changing the value of several players in the market.

The pandemic has made wide consultation on many issues difficult in 2020 but the process for these changes was in stark contrast to the exhaustive, evidence-driven process the AFL managed before nine rule changes were implemented ahead of the 2018 season in an effort to increase scoring.

The competitition committee was introduced in 2018 with members to sit on the panel for three years before being replaced with Essendon, Carlton, Fremantle, Melbourne, Western Bulldogs and St Kilda the clubs to not yet have had a representative on the committee.

[Axe Man]

Re: 2021 Fixture

Full-time footy is back: 20-min quarters, AFL to reveal floating fixture

The AFL Commission has endorsed a return to 20-minute quarters and a partially floating fixture for 2021

FULL-TIME footy is back, with the AFL committing to 20-minute quarters in 2021.

And the floating fixture will return, with the League set to lock in the timeslots for only the first six rounds of next season.

After reducing quarter lengths to 16 minutes plus time-on this year due to the condensed nature of the season following the outbreak of COVID-19, the AFL Commission has ticked off a return to normal.

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan had long flagged a return to 20-minute quarter lengths, something the League resisted to revert to for the 2020 AFL Finals Series.

The half-time break will consist of a 20-minute block with quarter-time and three-quarter time breaks to run six minutes.

There will be a 50-second gap following a goal to the resume of the centre restart, down from 60 seconds in 2020.

The 20-minutes plus time-on quarter lengths will also be consistent with the 2021 VFL and East Coast Second-Tier Competition.

By December, the AFL has committed to releasing a fixture that will be scheduled fully up until round six, which includes Anzac Day.

The rest of the season's match-ups will also be set, however rounds seven to 23 won't include the date, timeslots and choice of TV broadcaster.

Clubs have been informed the release of the rest of the season will be on a flexible basis in line with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with hope to give clubs at least four weeks' notice before each fixture 'drop'.

It has been planned for the rest of the season to be released in blocks of four to six rounds.

[comrade]

Re: 2021 Fixture

Lachie Hunter likes this.

[Sedat]

Re: 2021 Fixture

One of the joys of the off-season is hearing precious little from entitled dickheads like Dangerfield. Hasn't he got some waves to catch down at Moggy Creek and leave us all the fark alone until next year?

[Scraggers]

Re: 2021 Fixture

Makes it hard to plan a trip from interstate when you’re not going to know if and when your team is playing

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: 2021 Fixture

Makes it hard to plan a trip from interstate when you’re not going to know if and when your team is playing

It’s a nightmare. I have airfare credit (from cancelled flights and through travel credit through Amex) to use and I’d like to use it to see a few games. If I don’t book it in soon I will forfeit them.

[The Adelaide Connection]

Re: 2021 Fixture

AFL COMMUNITY SERIES FIXTURE 2021 (All times AEDT)

WEEK 1

Thursday February 18

Geelong Cats vs Essendon — GMHBA Stadium, 7.10pm

Friday February 19

West Coast Eagles vs St Kilda — Leederville Oval, 7.40pm

Saturday February 20

Collingwood vs Hawthorn — Morwell Recreation Reserve, 3.10pm

GWS Giants vs Sydney Swans — Blacktown International Sportspark, 6.10pm

Sunday February 21

Port Adelaide vs Carlton — Bennett Oval (Whyalla, SA), 5.10pm

WEEK 2

Friday February 26

Fremantle vs Melbourne — Fremantle Oval, 7.10pm

Saturday February 27

Richmond vs Western Bulldogs — Lavington Sports Ground (Albury, NSW), 3.10pm

Gold Coast Suns vs Brisbane Lions — Metricon Stadium, 7.40pm

Sunday February 28

North Melbourne vs Adelaide — North Hobart Oval, 2.10pm

WEEK 3

Wednesday March 3

Sydney Swans vs Collingwood — C.ex Coffs International Stadium, 7.10pm

Thursday March 4

St Kilda vs Geelong Cats — RSEA Park, 7.10pm

Friday March 5

GWS Giants vs Essendon — Manuka Oval, 7.40pm

Saturday March 6

Western Bulldogs vs Gold Coast Suns — Victoria University Whitten Oval, 1.40pm

Carlton vs Brisbane Lions — Ikon Park, 4.40pm

Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide — UTAS Stadium, 7.40pm

Sunday March 7

Adelaide Crows vs Richmond — Flinders University Stadium (Noarlunga), 1.10pm

Melbourne vs North Melbourne — Casey Fields, 4.10pm

West Coast Eagles vs Fremantle — David Grays Arena (Mandurah), 7.10pm

[Eastdog]

Re: 2021 Fixture

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=HSWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.heraldsun.com.au%2Fsport%2Fafl%2Fnews%2Fafl-fixture-2021-adam-treloarcollingwood-grudge-match-locked-in-as-full-round-1-schedule-confirmed%2Fnews-story%2F83c37d8887bb68c4068da40f8a2da511&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium

Can't get into the article but it looks will be playing the Pies in Round 1.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2021 Fixture

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscri...s&mode=premium

Can't get into the article but it looks will be playing the Pies in Round 1.

Adam Treloar’s much-anticipated grudge match with his former side Collingwood will showcase a bumper Round 1 next March as football and crowds return to Melbourne as part of the AFL’s COVID-19 fightback.

While the traditional Richmond-Carlton clash will kickstart the 2021 season at the MCG on March 18, much of the opening round attention will come the following night at the same venue with Treloar’s first game for the Western Bulldogs against the Magpies.

Treloar’s acrimonious split with Collingwood and his last-minute trade to the Bulldogs was one of the biggest shocks of the off-season.

The AFL is set to reveal the first six rounds of the 2021 season on Monday or Tuesday, but will remain flexible as it monitors the ever-changing nature of the pandemic’s impact on Australia.

But the Herald Sun can reveal the full round of matches in week one, where games will be played across four days and five states, with other highlights including:

● Richmond potentially unveiling two premiership flags – its 2019 and 2020 ones – on the opening night of the season against old rivals Carlton, who could also unveil its big trade acquisitions Zac Williams and Adam Saad.

● Jeremy Cameron facing the Adelaide Oval cauldron against the wooden spoon Crows in his first game for Geelong.

● Joe Daniher wearing the Brisbane Lions jumper for the first time at the Gabba against Sydney, the side he tried to join in the previous trade period but spurned this time around.

● David Noble kicking off his North Melbourne coaching career against flag fancies Port Adelaide, while Ben Rutten’s first official match as Essendon senior coach will come against the club’s bitter rival Hawthorn.

Treloar was shocked to learn the Magpies wanted to trade him as part of their salary cap squeeze post-season, despite the fact the explosive midfielder had five more seasons to run on a lucrative contract.

He had been desperate to stay at Collingwood, and made that fact clear to the club at the end of the season. Treloar’s partner, Kim Ravaillion, who will spend 10 months in Queensland next year as she looks to reignite her netball career, recently criticised the Magpies for their lack of support.

Treloar claimed Nathan Buckley told him some senior players wanted him out of the club, which the Magpies coach continues to deny.

The rift between Collingwood and Treloar was so messy that Magpies fans were furious when the 27-year-old was traded to the Western Bulldogs in the dying moments of the trade period.

He was one of four Collingwood players – along with Jaidyn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi – who found new homes during the AFL’s exchange window.

Thursday, March 18

Richmond v Carlton, MCG, 7.25pm

Friday, March 19

Collingwood v Western Bulldogs, MCG, 7.50pm

Saturday, March 20

Melbourne v Fremantle, MCG, 1.45pm

Adelaide v Geelong, Adelaide Oval, 4.35pm

Essendon v Hawthorn, Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm

Brisbane Lions v Sydney, Gabba, 7.45pm

Sunday, March 21

North Melbourne v Port Adelaide, Marvel Stadium, 1.10pm

Greater Western Sydney v St Kilda, Giants Stadium, 3.20pm

West Coast v Gold Coast, Perth Stadium, 6.10pm

[Eastdog]

Re: 2021 Fixture

I'm hoping for more daytime games (Sat or Sun Arvo) next year but the Fri and Sat night games are very good as well particularly more for the Free to air tv side of things.

[Bornadog]

Re: 2021 Fixture

While the traditional Richmond-Carlton clash will kickstart the 2021 season at the MCG on March 18,

What rubbish by the HUN, traditional clash - made up tradition.

[Happy Days]

Re: 2021 Fixture

Free win.

[GVGjr]

Re: 2021 Fixture

What rubbish by the HUN, traditional clash - made up tradition.

Why would the HUN say anything else? It's been the season starter for a while now