2004 AFL Fixtures

[liz]

Originally posted by Charlie
Ok mate, fair points. But TWICE in a row is simply too much. Once, and I'll "live with it", twice, and I simply don't know what to do. I don't want to blindly accept it, but how the hell do you punish the AFL without punishing the club?

I reckon you're probably going to have to get used to it, move to Sydney or start supporting another club because I doubt it will change much so long as the Bulldogs play their home game in Sydney and the Roos their's in Canberra. Essentially those are the two "Melbourne" games that you're missing.

Best hope for a change is probably if the Darwin experiment takes off and the Dogs decide they don't need to play their Sydney game in Sydney.

This is meant neither as a defence of the AFL nor a smug "we're OK up here" comment - merely my interpretation of the way things are. Maybe the Malbourne fan base can take the opportunity of Tony Morwood's appointment in Melbourne to make known how strongly you feel. If the club were able to go to the AFL next year with documentation of the potential strength of a Melbourne membership base with one additional game, they might take more notice. Who knows?

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by DST
But we do know the full story, every year the AFL publishes on their website what each club has marked on their wishlist.

What I mean is we don't know what negotiations there are between the clubs and the AFL in the fixture. The clubs put in their wishlist, but do we know if there is any discussion involved and what form that takes?

[robbieando]

Originally posted by lizz
Maybe the Malbourne fan base can take the opportunity of Tony Morwood's appointment in Melbourne to make known how strongly you feel. If the club were able to go to the AFL next year with documentation of the potential strength of a Melbourne membership base with one additional game, they might take more notice.

Sorry Lizz but thats bull****. For the last few years the Melbourne office has had complaint after complaint on this issue, I have rung up a few times to make my point and I have emailed the club as well. Just because Morwood is new isn't going to make us more likely to make our view known, considering they bloody well know we are pissed off. Also it was found that the drop in Melbourne membership this season was because of the amount of games we got in Melbourne. So if the club doesn't know by now our views, they aren't any more likely to listen now.

You say its out of the clubs control, and on the home and away draw it is, but why doesn't the club ask the AFL to play a Wizard Cup match or even a practice match in Melbourne to make up for the amount of games???? I think you Sydney-siders would be willing to give up one of your 3 pre season matches. Also why isn't the club pro-active in getting most of our non-Victorian games on Free to air TV???

To those who say travel interstate, get your head out of the sand, money doesn't grow on trees.

[Bear]

Originally posted by Charlie
Des - I'm sure that if the Kangas went to AFL headquarters and asked to play Collingwood in Canberra, they'd be laughed out the door. It's not as simple as them deciding where to play their home match - it's a request they put in that can be granted or denied.

It's up to the AFL to recognise the Melbourne Swans fanbase, and deny the request.

That's right - it's a JOINT decision.

The Bulldogs are costing us a Melbourne game and the Swans hierarchy are happy to play along with this as they feel that another game in Sydney is beneficial to the club (more exposure in Syd, etc).

Therefore the blame lies at the feet of the club for agreeing to this game - AND WE MUST DEMAND THAT THIS GAME RETURNS TO MELBOURNE. WE HAVE TO FOCUS OUR ENERGIES ON THIS ONE ISSUE TO GET A CHANGE.

4 GAMES A YEAR IN MELB IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.

NO MORE BULLDOGS HOME GAMES IN SYDNEY AND WE WILL ALL BE HAPPY!

Note - The reason the Kangas play us at Manuke is because we are the biggest crowd pullers in the area. This is also good for us as we get to develop our considerable fan base in NSW/ACT.

[robbieando]

I'm with Bear on this one, we shouldn't be playing the Bulldogs at Home. With Canberra, I can handle it because it helps develop the game in the ACT, but the Bulldogs game is a way to get an extra game in Sydney. Before anyone says that the Bulldogs can ask the AFL to play the game where they like, I say tell the Bulldogs that we aren't going to pay them to do so anymore and see how quick the game is moved back to Melbourne. Thats something the club can do, but doesn't.

[AussieAnge]

Unless and until a full home and away season is arranged (i.e. every club plays each other twice) the fixture will always be flawed. It is a joke that there are only 22 rounds when there are 16 clubs in the comp. I don't know of any other competition where there isn't a full h & a quota. It is a joke. I would much prefer a full season and for the pre-season games to be scrapped. Obviously there may have to be some changes in respect of the length of quarters and numbers of players permitted on the interchange and the senior playing list.

[BAM_BAM]

Originally posted by DST
BAM_BAM,

It has nothing to do with MBH, we have in the past as we have done so this year made the same request for 7 games in Melbourne.

It is the AFL that schedules the draw, all we can do is put up a wish list and from that they will work around it.

But no club gets anywhere near their wishlist

DST

I'm well aware the final decision is with the AFL. My point was that perhaps now we have people interested, from all reports, in how the supporters think, that we should give them a chance to make this known to the AFL.

The club asked for 6 not 7 games according to Ireland. Was this done prior to the appointment of MBH. Is there a chance there for more Melbourne games? Would he have made difference if he had been involved? I don't know.

Perhaps not from the clubs point of view. Perhaps MBH is only really interested in marketing and improving attendance in Sydney. From all I've read this is not the case. He wants to make life better for ALL Swans supporters. I just wanted to say that perhaps there is hope for our Melbourne kin that things may get better. There seems to be someone who is interested in listening to their woes.

Obviously though for the team to be successful the least amount of travel for the players the better. Maybe 6 is all they are willing to ask for.

Just think it was only a couple of weeks ago when everyone loved everyone and the distance between Sydney and Melbourne wasn't that far. It now may as well be from earth to the moon, judging from the posts here.

[Bron]

And more imminently, what about the decision to announce the TLM on chat, when previously it was going to be posted a couple of rounds a night. We've had no updates since last week. This is an issue that should have higher discussion! A decision that puts a heap of us in the dark to benefit a few who can make chat on thursday night!

I'd post in the TLM thread, but I can't! So as this is the current major debate, I just thought that I'd add a tangent.

Please do NOT do the congratulations on chat otherwise the TLM presentation book is going to look pretty slim this year. Please post an official thread. I am already concerned that we won't get the round by round saga to make it a great story as we had last year.

BTW, talking to the Club tomorrow about organising the presentation, so please, let's have something to present.

(off my soapbox now)

[Bleed Red Blood]

I feel so angry right now.

Okay so Im 15 have wanted a Sydney membership all my life get one got to see 5 games down here and no pre-season matches. Next year my Parents probably wont get me a membership for only 4 matches.

The club need to fix this problem.

[Bleed Red Blood]

The Pies only play 4 games outside of melbourne.

[Bleed Red Blood]

The club should have requested to play Geelong before round 6 as we wouldnt have had to play at Skilled Stadium.

[Bleed Red Blood]

The club by club review on afl.com.au said we play 5 games in Melbourne.

[Steve]

Originally posted by robbieando
... I say tell the Bulldogs that we aren't going to pay them to do so anymore and see how quick the game is moved back to Melbourne.

Or the Bulldogs then ask to play that home game in Darwin, in which case we play the away game elsewhere, which could be in Melbourne but could also be in Perth, Adelaide or Launceston.

Personally I'm at ease with it all despite being a Melbourne-based supporter - as I see it:

CONS:
- 2 fewer games to see live in Melbourne

PROS:
- less travel for the side
- 13 games in NSW/ACT
- extra revenue from the Bulldogs game

If only seeing them play live 5 times a year is testing anyone's commitment, personally I'd question how much was there to begin with.

[Bleed Red Blood]

Problem is if this keeps up I'll probably miss all games.

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

Let's get travelling kids!

Originally posted by robbieando
Tough start to the season I think to have to play Brisbane in Brisbane. The games in Victoria well, it sucks that we get 5 again and one HAS to be in Geelong meaning for some it will be 4 games in Melbourne. Still when we play in Geelong the night before the place will be rocking when the crew hits Geelong for the party at Cher's place and the magical tour of Geelong thanks to Ert

Don't like the fact we have to travel to Brisbane, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth in a season again and the trip to Geelong doesn't help that point out. Still its a draw that we can have no real complants about

Re the Brisbane match,considering it is a 6pm twilight start (7pm in the normal states), maybe we could organise a group outing to Movieworld etc etc on the Sunday.

Maybe we could run a Cheer Squad bus trip up there?

Also we have a game in April in Canberra. Why not start planning now?! And aim for 10 buses from Sydney.. and maybe even one from Melbourne.

Let's aim big in 2004 kids. Bugger the rugger (WC= German for loo). Let's start planning for 2004 early.

Those who are the travelling types, I'll let you know when the cheapie fares are out with Qantas and Virgin again. There is only 1 trip to Adelaide as well this year. Hopefully a few will come over, as both Robbie & I can vouch for the fact that a day at the footy in SA is the best in the country. (We'll need to help out by buying some booze for Port's Outer Army BBQ like Robbie & I did this September.)

Of the Melbourne matches the Essendon one at the newly re-configured MCG on May 1 will be a riot (so to speak-good old left wing humour there guys! :-P) whilst for a great pro-Swans atmosphere the Carlton one at Optus Oval is not to be missed, with Melbourne at the Dome being even more likely to be majority Swans.

Let's travel away in force in 2004! Start thinking about things now.

TO THOSE IN WA, @@@@@ UP THYNE EARS!

I'll be getting the ball rolling to have an organised Cheer Squad with flags etc for the West Coast and/or Freo matches in the west this season too. If anyone is interesting in taking a few days to drive around the West as well, we could maybe hire a car etc and see the sights. I'll be contacting the WA Supporters Club to ensure I have people with me next year, hopefully by getting everyone to buy tickets in our allocated area from Patrice at the club.

cheers

JF