2019 Fixture

[mcs]

R1 - Sat 7:25 Western Bulldogs Marvel
R2 - Fri 7:50 Adelaide SCG
R3 - Sat 1:45 Carlton Marvel
R4 - Thu 7:20 Melbourne SCG
R5 - Sat 7:25 Richmond Marvel
R6 - Sat 7:25 GWS SCG
R7 - Sat 4:35 Brisbane Gabba
R8 - Fri 7:50 Essendon SCG
R9 - Sat 7:25 North Blundstone
R10 - Fri 7:50 Collingwood SCG
R11 - Sat 4:35 Geelong GMHBA
R12 - Sun 3:20 West Coast SCG
R13 - Bye
R14 - Fri 7:50 Hawthorn SCG
R15 - Sat 4:35 Gold Coast SCG
R16 - Sat 1:45 Essendon MCG
R17 - Sat 1:45 Carlton SCG
R18 - Sat 6:10 Fremantle Optus
R19 - Sun 3:20 Geelong SCG
R20 - Sat 2:10 GWS Spotless
R21 - Sat 1:40 Port Adelaide Oval
R22 - Fri 7:50 Melbourne MCG
R23 - TBA St Kilda SCG


Teams we play twice - Carlton, Essendon, Geelong, GWS, Melbourne
Venues - SCG (11), Marvel (3), MCG (2), Adelaide Oval (1), Blundstone (1), Gabba (1), GMHBA (1), Optus (1), Spotless (1)
Cities - Sydney (12), Melbourne (5), Adelaide (1), Brisbane (1), Geelong (1), Hobart (1), Perth (1)
Times - Thursday (1), Friday (5), Sat afternoon (5), Sat twilight (4) Sat night (4), Sunday (2), TBA (1)
SCG times - Afternoon (1), Twilight (3), Night (6), TBA (1)
Breaks (not including the bye) - 5 day (1), 6 day (5), 7 day (6), 8 day (6), 9 day (1), TBA (1)

Not a bad draw in terms of who we play double ups against. Carlton being the soft one, but Essendon and Melbourne will be tough. Geelong and GWS we know well in that regard.

Some improvement in terms of balance of day vs night at the SCG, tempered for me and our little Canberra crew by the fact that of the 6 night games confirmed, 5 are Thursday/Friday. For out of Sydney regulars, Thurs/Friday night games are hard work. The 2.10pm start against GWS away on a Saturday arvo is a good one though! Shame the return leg is the only Saturday night game at the SCG (We try not to do double ups during the season so we can maximise how many different teams we get to see the Swans play).

Melbourne based fans worse off compared to last year, but more in line with a normal level (last couple of years have been good for Melbourne based fans in terms of number of games).

A bit odd to play richmond at Marvel and the bombers at the MCG too. But good to see us play Port and Freo away for once!

One year we might get to avoid the trip to Geelong too, but 2019 was not to be that year. Looking forward to going back to Tassie though

Overall a pretty decent draw with something for most.

[jono2707]

I don't really consider games starting at 4.30pm in winter as day games....

[KSAS]

Listened to the AFL 2019 fixture launch on the radio. They announced 8 Thursday night games scheduled & clubs to have 5 day breaks to allow for this to happen, but they play opposition club coming off with no more than a 6 day break. The round before & after the 5 day break, the club must have minimum 7 day break. Thought this was made clear but not when it came to question time when a journalist asked why in R8 are Essendon playing Swans at SCG, after Essendon coming off a 5 day break and the Swans a 6 day break! Was he $&@#ing listening!!!!! Assumed that journo is also a whinging EFC supporter. There's only 1 game played on Thursday nights, so you can't have 2 teams playing with both coming off 5 day breaks anyhow.

[KSAS]

There will be AFL games on 10 of the 11 days between April 18th Round 5 and April 28th Round 6. These are the Easter & ANZAC day rounds respectively, which are back to back next year. Only Tuesday April 23rd is there no footy scheduled during this stretch!

[mcs]

Just adding to Liz's earlier conspiracy theory about the Giants and day/afternoon games (I always love me a good conspiracy theory!). Check out their draw - every home game in Sydney is an afternoon game....

[AB Swannie]

At first glance, it looks like a pretty good draw. We really should be 3-0 to start the season which will be a good launching pad moving forward.

I also have no problems with the AFL scheduling day games for GWS. I personally want GWS to do very well and become a self-sufficient club. There is a risk that they fall off a cliff as they continue to bleed talent.

[barry]

Just adding to Liz's earlier conspiracy theory about the Giants and day/afternoon games (I always love me a good conspiracy theory!). Check out their draw - every home game in Sydney is an afternoon game....

Good for crowds, sheethouse for corporate exposure.

[stevoswan]

We have to wait all the way until the final round of the season for the 'Hannerbury Cup' game.....

[Nico]

We play rounds 2,4,6,8,10 in dew, which we proved poor on in 2018. None of these games are against lower ranked sides. Playing Richmond at Marvel Stadium avoids the MCG dew. So I see the degree of difficulty in the first half of the season as higher than it looks.

[Markwebbos]

We play rounds 2,4,6,8,10 in dew, which we proved poor on in 2018. None of these games are against lower ranked sides. Playing Richmond at Marvel Stadium avoids the MCG dew. So I see the degree of difficulty in the first half of the season as higher than it looks.

Dew presented us with quite a few problems at the SCG. Particularly in round 18.

[Nico]

Low scoring games = poor percentage.

[liz]

Low scoring games = poor percentage.

Not if you also keep the opposition to a low score.

[AnnieH]

Percentage is sooooooooooooooooooooooo important.
Especially when it's the difference between fourth and fifth on the ladder at the pointy end of the season.
My ideal is to keep the opposition to a very low score, and have my score in triple figures.

[AnnieH]

There is a risk that they fall off a cliff ....

And?
No one will cry.

[barry]

And?
No one will cry.

If Giants hit hard times, any of these things are possible:
Giants keep going.
1) Greater drain on AFL funds as propped up from scratch again.
2) Will be longer and harder than first time to establish a viable presence as fans and sponsors will be gun-shy second time around.

Giants fold.
1) All the development work out west will stop, or fall to the swans.
2) Swans will be forced to play a few games at ANZ/Spotless. (Basically reverting to the setup prior to Giants)
3) Less AFL interest in Sydney.
4) AFL will now rely on one team in Sydney, and if Sydney start to fail, AFL support in general from grass roots up will suffer.

Giants merge with Swans.
1) Dont rule this out. AFL is very likely to do something stupid like this.
2) Now Swans will be the major partner, but will lose part of its current identity.

Using your head instead of your heart, The Swans needs a viable Giants.