Rnd 1, Mar 24, 2012 - GWS v Sydney Swans

[CJK]

Ha - no one cares about GWS

[jono2707]

The AFL has just confirmed that Richmond-Carlton (sigh again) will open the 2012 season so it appears that this fixture isn't happening, at least not as the standalone season opener.

Good news - the GWS idea was a stupid one anyway...

[erica]

Good news - the GWS idea was a stupid one anyway...

Spoke too soon...http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsartic...5/default.aspx

[Triple B]

St Kilda and Carlton on the Mothers' Day Monday

Wtf is Mothers Day Monday??????

[Bas]

Ha - no one cares about GWS

They were just tricking you and it's the game of the year.......................well first round anyway.

Wtf is Mothers Day Monday??????

As it's clashed with too many good football games, the AFL has moved it next year. The new "SUB" rule for 2012.

Its Prince Vlad's day off and he can make breakfast in bed for his wife.

[Big Al]

Spoke too soon...http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsartic...5/default.aspx

That's good news. Now it's up to the AFL and the 2 clubs to promote it the right way. Plenty of free tickets given to the schools. Ads on television and the print media leading into the game. Hopefully Sheedy will do some trash talking to create interest. It would be nice if Horse forgot he's a nice bloke and respond in kind. Forget the politically correct nonsense and let the players speak their minds. Let them generate an on field hate that rivals the other local derbies.

[jono2707]

Spoke too soon...http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsartic...5/default.aspx

The AFL obviously realises that the only way they won't look ridiculously stupid with a team few people want or care about opening to a virtually empty stadium in an embarrassing start to an ill-conceived campaign is to drag all of us Swans supporters to the game....

[Norris Lurker]

The article in the Herald-Sun website hints at the stand-alone fixture being on Saturday 17th March, ahead of the traditional Richmond v Carlton blockbuster on Thursday 22nd.
Is the whole season being brought forward a week? Or maybe we're going to 24 rounds.......

[Damien]

Arghhh, cool if they want to play GWS first round, but as a stand alone game angers me. A round 2 bye is a disaster and robs us of any momentum that might be gained from a first round game against our new cross town rival .

The promo of the game in Sydney is not affected by how many AFL games are going on outside of Sydney, it makes no sense to me. Going up against the NRL in almost an act of war is particulary stupid also, no need to do it, although I do admit the NRL media is pretty stupid and do enjoy providing free promotion to the AFL.

[Go Swannies]

On the plus side, you'd have to expect that the GWS game will be an easy win for us so it'll be virtually a continuation of the NAB Cup rather than the start of the AFL season so the week between games won't be so significant - but it will take away a bye later in the season when it could either harm (early season) or help (late season) so we'll have to see the fixture for the whole season. But how will 18 teams, rather than 17, affect the standard "2 byes" fixture of 2011 in 2012?

[Jewels]

On the plus side, you'd have to expect that the GWS game will be an easy win for us so it'll be virtually a continuation of the NAB Cup rather than the start of the AFL season so the week between games won't be so significant - but it will take away a bye later in the season when it could either harm (early season) or help (late season) so we'll have to see the fixture for the whole season. But how will 18 teams, rather than 17, affect the standard "2 byes" fixture of 2011 in 2012?

Hasn't it been announced somewhere already that we will be returning to the traditional type of fixture next year with a mid season split round?

[mcs]

Hasn't it been announced somewhere already that we will be returning to the traditional type of fixture next year with a mid season split round?

Yep I'm almost certain the AFL have said there will be no byes next year bar the traditional mid-season one.

[Triple B]

But how will 18 teams, rather than 17, affect the standard "2 byes" fixture of 2011 in 2012?

Do you really need help to work that out?

[Lucky Knickers]

Arghhh, cool if they want to play GWS first round, but as a stand alone game angers me. A round 2 bye is a disaster and robs us of any momentum that might be gained from a first round game against our new cross town rival .

The promo of the game in Sydney is not affected by how many AFL games are going on outside of Sydney, it makes no sense to me. Going up against the NRL in almost an act of war is particulary stupid also, no need to do it, although I do admit the NRL media is pretty stupid and do enjoy providing free promotion to the AFL.

I agree. Although we aren't technically having a bye just a week off for a split round but all adds up to the same - no ability to build momentum when the players are jumping out of their skin to get cracking into the season.
Imagine if they scheduled the Swans for a bye in Round 2 as well! I think there might be a RWO Riot.

[Go Swannies]

Do you really need help to work that out?

Maybe we'll just have 22 rounds, no byes and we play five teams twice, 12 teams once. Or I could wait for the fixture to come out, as I said.