AFL 2009

[beastjim]

Well the draw has been released so it would seem it is time for the next installment of the AFL thread. AFL is trialing some new timeslots for when 9 games a week will need to be played, such as Monday and Thursday night (not on holidays) and a Saturday Twilight so that there will be a continuous stream of games on Saturday Night (although they already achieve this with WA games)

ROUND 1
THURSDAY, MARCH 26
Richmond v Carlton MCG (N)

FRIDAY, MARCH 27
Hawthorn v Geelong MCG (N)

SATURDAY, MARCH 28
Collingwood v Adelaide MCG
Brisbane Lions v West Coast G (N)
St Kilda v Sydney TD (N)

SUNDAY, MARCH 29
Melbourne v North Melbourne MCG
Port Adelaide v Essendon AS
Fremantle v Western Bulldogs S (N)

ROUND 2
FRIDAY, APRIL 3
Adelaide v St Kilda AS (N)

SATURDAY, APRIL 4
Geelong v Richmond SS
Collingwood v Melbourne MCG
Carlton v Brisbane Lions TD (N)
Sydney v Hawthorn ANZ (N)

SUNDAY, APRIL 5
Essendon v Fremantle TD
Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne MCG
West Coast v Port Adelaide S (T)

ROUND 3
THURSDAY, APRIL 9
Geelong v Collingwood MCG (N)

SATURDAY, APRIL 11
St Kilda v West Coast TD
Brisbane Lions v Sydney G (N)
Carlton v Essendon MCG (N)

SUNDAY, APRIL 12
Port Adelaide v Melbourne AS
North Melbourne v Hawthorn TD
Fremantle v Adelaide S (T)

MONDAY, APRIL 13
Western Bulldogs v Richmond TD

ROUND 4
FRIDAY, APRIL 17
Brisbane Lions v Collingwood G (N)

SATURDAY, APRIL 18
Sydney v Carlton SCG
Hawthorn v Port Adelaide MCG
St Kilda v Fremantle TD (N)
Adelaide v Geelong AS (N)

SUNDAY, APRIL 19
North Melbourne v Essendon TD
Richmond v Melbourne MCG
West Coast v Western Bulldogs S (T)

ROUND 5
FRIDAY, APRIL 24
Port Adelaide v St Kilda AS (N)

SATURDAY, APRIL 25
Essendon v Collingwood MCG
Hawthorn v West Coast AU (T)
North Melbourne v Richmond TD (N)
Fremantle v Sydney S (N)

SUNDAY, APRIL 26
Geelong v Brisbane Lions SS
Western Bulldogs v Carlton TD
Melbourne v Adelaide MCG (T)

ROUND 6
FRIDAY, MAY 1
North Melbourne v Collingwood TD (N)

SATURDAY, MAY 2
Hawthorn v Carlton MCG
West Coast v Fremantle S
Brisbane Lions v Essendon G (N)
Port Adelaide v Adelaide AS (N)

SUNDAY, MAY 3
Sydney v Richmond SCG
Melbourne v Geelong MCG
Western Bulldogs v St Kilda TD (T)

ROUND 7
FRIDAY, MAY 8
Essendon v Hawthorn TD (N)

SATURDAY, MAY 9
Geelong v Sydney SS
Richmond v Brisbane Lions MCG
North Melbourne v Port Adelaide TD (N)
Carlton v Fremantle C (N)

SUNDAY, MAY 10
Adelaide v Western Bulldogs AS
West Coast v Melbourne S (T)

MONDAY, MAY 11
Collingwood v St Kilda TD (N)

ROUND 8
FRIDAY, MAY 15
Fremantle v Hawthorn S (N)

SATURDAY, MAY 16
Melbourne v Western Bulldogs MCG
Geelong v North Melbourne SS
Brisbane Lions v Adelaide G (N)
Sydney v West Coast ANZ (N)

SUNDAY, MAY 17
Port Adelaide v Richmond AS
Collingwood v Carlton MCG
St Kilda v Essendon TD (T)

ROUND 9
FRIDAY, MAY 22
Geelong v Western Bulldogs TD (N)

SATURDAY, MAY 23
North Melbourne v Fremantle TD
Adelaide v Carlton AS
West Coast v Collingwood S (N)
Richmond v Essendon MCG (N)

SUNDAY, MAY 24
Sydney v Port Adelaide SCG
St Kilda v Brisbane Lions TD
Hawthorn v Melbourne MCG (T)

ROUND 10
FRIDAY, MAY 29
Carlton v West Coast TD (N)

SATURDAY, MAY 30
Western Bulldogs v Sydney MO
North Melbourne v Brisbane Lions TD
St Kilda v Melbourne C (N)
Fremantle v Richmond S (N)

SUNDAY, MAY 31
Adelaide v Hawthorn AS
Essendon v Geelong TD
Collingwood v Port Adelaide MCG (T)

ROUND 11
FRIDAY, JUNE 5
Richmond v Western Bulldogs TD (N)

SATURDAY, JUNE 6
North Melbourne v St Kilda TD
Brisbane Lions v Carlton G (N)
Port Adelaide v Fremantle AS (N)

SUNDAY, JUNE 7
Essendon v Adelaide TD
Hawthorn v Sydney MCG
West Coast v Geelong S (T)

MONDAY, JUNE 8
Melbourne v Collingwood MCG

SPLIT ROUND 12

FRIDAY, JUNE 12
Carlton v St Kilda TD (N)

SATURDAY, JUNE 13
Western Bulldogs v Port Adelaide D (N)
Richmond v West Coast TD (N)

SUNDAY, JUNE 14
Hawthorn v Brisbane Lions AU
Adelaide v North Melbourne AS (T)

FRIDAY, JUNE 19
Essendon v Melbourne TD (N)

SATURDAY, JUNE 20
Sydney v Collingwood ANZ (N)

SUNDAY, JUNE 21
Fremantle v Geelong S (T)

ROUND 13
FRIDAY, JUNE 26
Essendon v Carlton MCG (N)

SATURDAY, JUNE 27
Collingwood v Fremantle MCG
Adelaide v Sydney AS
Brisbane Lions v Melbourne G
West Coast v Hawthorn S (N)

SUNDAY, JUNE 28
Geelong v Port Adelaide SS
North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs MCG
St Kilda v Richmond TD (T)

ROUND 14
FRIDAY, JULY 3
Collingwood v Essendon MCG (N)

SATURDAY, JULY 4
Melbourne v West Coast MCG
Port Adelaide v Brisbane Lions AS
Richmond v Adelaide C (N)
Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn TD (N)

SUNDAY, JULY 5
Sydney v North Melbourne SCG
St Kilda v Geelong TD
Fremantle v Carlton S (T)

ROUND 15
FRIDAY, JULY 10
Western Bulldogs v Collingwood TD (N)

SATURDAY, JULY 11
Sydney v Essendon SCG
Carlton v Richmond MCG
Brisbane Lions v Geelong G (N)
Adelaide v Fremantle AS (N)

SUNDAY, JULY 12
Hawthorn v North Melbourne AU
Melbourne v Port Adelaide MCG
West Coast v St Kilda S (T)

ROUND 16
FRIDAY, JULY 17
Essendon v Western Bulldogs TD (N)

SATURDAY, JULY 18
Carlton v Sydney TD
Geelong v Melbourne SS
Collingwood v Hawthorn MCG (N)
Fremantle v Brisbane Lions S (N)

SUNDAY, JULY 19
Port Adelaide v West Coast AS
Richmond v North Melbourne MCG
St Kilda v Adelaide TD (T)

ROUND 17
FRIDAY, JULY 24
Carlton v Collingwood MCG (N)

SATURDAY, JULY 25
Geelong v Hawthorn MCG
Fremantle v West Coast S (T)
Brisbane Lions v North Melbourne G (N)
St Kilda v Western Bulldogs TD (N)

SUNDAY, JULY 26
Melbourne v Sydney MO
Essendon v Richmond MCG
Adelaide v Port Adelaide AS (T)

ROUND 18
FRIDAY, JULY 31
North Melbourne v Carlton TD (N)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
Western Bulldogs v Fremantle TD
Geelong v Adelaide SS
Sydney v St Kilda SCG (N)
Collingwood v Brisbane Lions MCG (N)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 2
Melbourne v Richmond MCG
Port Adelaide v Hawthorn AS
West Coast v Essendon S (T)

ROUND 19
FRIDAY, AUGUST 7
Carlton v Geelong MCG (N)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 8
Western Bulldogs v West Coast TD
Hawthorn v St Kilda AU
Essendon v Brisbane Lions MCG (N)
Adelaide v Collingwood AS (N)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 9
North Melbourne v Melbourne TD
Richmond v Sydney MCG
Fremantle v Port Adelaide S (T)

ROUND 20
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
Hawthorn v Adelaide MCG (N)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
Richmond v Collingwood MCG
West Coast v North Melbourne S (T)
Brisbane Lions v Western Bulldogs G (N)
Sydney v Geelong ANZ (N)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
Melbourne v Fremantle MCG
Port Adelaide v Carlton AS
Essendon v St Kilda TD (T)

ROUND 21
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
Western Bulldogs v Geelong TD (N)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
Carlton v Melbourne TD
Adelaide v West Coast AS
Brisbane Lions v Port Adelaide G (N)
Richmond v Hawthorn MCG (N)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
St Kilda v North Melbourne TD
Collingwood v Sydney MCG
Fremantle v Essendon S (T)

ROUND 22
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
West Coast v Richmond S (N)

SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
Geelong v Fremantle SS
Hawthorn v Essendon MCG
Carlton v Adelaide TD (T)
Sydney v Brisbane Lions SCG (N)
Port Adelaide v North Melbourne AS (N)

SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
Melbourne v St Kilda MCG
Collingwood v Western Bulldogs TD (T)

Some facts from the people at realfooty.com.au:
All clubs travel a minimum of five times (except Collingwood which travels four times). Richmond travels five times but one of those is a sold game to the Gold Coast. (Special Treatment for Collingwood again)

* Richmond and Carlton will again open the season with a blockbuster at the MCG on a Thursday night. The grand final re-match is the next night.

* The split round has been changed to be five games the first weekend and three the second, ensuring there is a game each day of the second week.

* Women's round has been reinstated after being controversially dumped last year. A new Green round has been introduced in round 20 highlighting the environment. (Maybe they should play only day games, so that the big lights don't have to be turned on)

* Anzac Day falls on a Saturday next year meaning Collingwood and Essendon will not own the day, but they will own the prime slot in Melbourne. There will also be a twilight match that day in Tasmania, and two night games, one at Telstra Dome one in Perth.

* Carlton has been rewarded with more Friday night games (six).

* Three games will played be on the Gold Coast - home games for Carlton, St Kilda and Richmond - but none will host Brisbane as the near neighbour was seen by the home clubs to have an advantage in playing without travelling. (A true test of how AFL is going on the Gold Coast)

* Melbourne gets 13 Sunday games which are commercially unpopular and be sure to anger them. (Time to move maybe then...)

* Round 22 will again have five games on the Saturday to minimise travel leading into the finals. Adelaide and Fremantle will travel in that round after West Coast and Port Adelaide did last season. Richmond and North Melbourne will also travel as the two Victorian-based clubs with the longest period since travelling in a Round 22 match.

* West Coast does not have to travel to Geelong for the first time since joining the AFL. (That's pretty scary that West Coast have had to go to Kardina every year for the past 20)

* Games played in every state and territory.

* Of the 100 home and away games in Victoria the MCG and Telstra Dome share 46 each.

* Of the seven teams that sides play twice they have a 3-4 or 4-3 split of top eight and bottom eight sides from this year.

[Egan]

* West Coast does not have to travel to Geelong for the first time since joining the AFL. (That's pretty scary that West Coast have had to go to Kardina every year for the past 20)

It was a tradition that Eagles would always play at Kardinia. Obviously the AFL are prepared to break this.[/quote]

[yob]

Until all teams play each other twice this really is just a sock puppet display the AFL puts on every year to remind us why the english football league system is the best in the world.

[kilonewton]

ROUND 8
SUNDAY, MAY 17
Collingwood v Carlton MCG

Only one chance to get to a match all season, and this is the one. Quite happy about that!

[Jeffles]

Not a good news day in the expansion areas.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/s ... 32098.html

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/l ... 40751.html

This won't stop the expansion projects but I think some of the poorer Victorian clubs will kick up a stink. Results like this may lead to continued subsidies in the northern states.

Which begs the question - Sydney and Brisbane have been unusually successful of late. Are their fans too comfortable? Do they need success to be viable without subsidies? I guess the same can be said of Melbourne Storm.

I also read Sydney Uni AFC wants to combine with Collingwood to field and Under 18s team in the local comp here. Eddie Everywhere!

[hot_dogma]

If Cousins goes to Richmond I wonder how many neutral female supporters the Tigers will attract?

[beastjim]

Put the Lions loss in some perspective. They actually operated at a profit (around $130,000) however all the money they lost was investments in the stock market. They basically didn't sell any of the shares so its still all there if the shares ever return to previous levels. Not as bas as the headline suggests. They are very well run the Lions, when times were good they earned alot of money, signed good sponsors to long term deals for good money. Times are now harder yet they still operate at a profit without subsidy from the AFL. So for my mind they have proven to be a long time viable club, being completely self suffcient. However it is a certainy that any new club in an area is going to canabulise some of the support for the current team and that is probably the concern.

Can't really comment on the swans, however I still don't really rate the western sydney team as a likely to succeed and even make it to the field. Time will tell however.

[Egan]

HD, remember how desperate Richmond supporters are to actually win something. If they had the option to get Garry Ablett, I am sure they would support the move.

But someone sends me a text message today saying "Forza Eggball" when Cousins got selected...I thought why do they think this is a good thing?

[sevans]

Put the Lions loss in some perspective. They actually operated at a profit (around $130,000) however all the money they lost was investments in the stock market. They basically didn't sell any of the shares so its still all there if the shares ever return to previous levels. Not as bas as the headline suggests. They are very well run the Lions, when times were good they earned alot of money, signed good sponsors to long term deals for good money. Times are now harder yet they still operate at a profit without subsidy from the AFL. So for my mind they have proven to be a long time viable club, being completely self suffcient. However it is a certainy that any new club in an area is going to canabulise some of the support for the current team and that is probably the concern.

Can't really comment on the swans, however I still don't really rate the western sydney team as a likely to succeed and even make it to the field. Time will tell however.

Yeh they didn't seem too worried about it. Like obviously they weren't happy with a loss, but they weren't running around screaming $2m loss OH NO!

It will be interesting to see how the financial crisis and that effects the membership numbers this year, or at all. I don't think tha tthere will be much difference really. I read the Lions already have some 14 000 memberships (getting mine in the new year!!). Is it normal for them to get so many so early? The Hawks are reporting something like 17 000, Melbourne around 10 000 I think. Although I've heard that Norths only have like 4 000. Is that really true? didn't this time last year they have something like 12 000?

Will be interested to see how the Polak rookie listing goes, quite frankly I couldn't care less. If Tigers end up with Cousins then best of luck to them, his what 30 so only has a couple of years left in him, plus his had an history of bad injuries, plus his got a bad name, an probably still on drugs. I'm glad the Lions didn't pick him up.

[wolves and victory man]

If Cousins goes to Richmond I wonder how many neutral female supporters the Tigers will attract?

Hopefully plenty

The more hot girls at the footy, the better perving there is

[Egan]

Cousins being sought by the Western Force

Only for the ARU to say they don't want him

[Rob]

Cousins being sought by the Western Force

Only for the ARU to say they don't want him

I reckon i've got a better chance of playing for the Force than Cousins does.

Publicity stunt.

[Egan]

It was a very clever move though...

Shows that they where thinking outside the box in terms of marketing...

[hot_dogma]

My signature pic

=

WTF!!!

[Egan]

Apparently Richmond have an extra selection in the pre-season draft.

Thank god I am not in Perth when he plays against the weagles...

Gonna be grandmas crying...the reaction is a bit unpredictable really