Fan feedback wanted

[j s]

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=213937

Here's your chance to have a say in what you think the AFL should consider in preparing the 2006 fixture and themed rounds ahead of a series of meetings next week in which the framework of the draw will be determined.

-Should all teams play a similar number of Friday night games, or should the prime-time slot be reserved for the better teams?
- Should the MCG host more Friday night games
- How do fans in South Australia and Western Australia feel about Saturday afternoon
- Is there a place for more twilight games?
- Would you support Monday night football?
- How many games on Mother's Day?
- Who should play who in round 22?
- How should the bye week be structured?
- Who should open the season, and play on Easter Thursday?
- Should there be footy on Good Friday?
- Are there any other developing markets that should be tapped?

[BonBon]

Using js' second quote, here's what I've come up with. (Oh and, the themes for rounds are useless).

*I don't care how games the MCG host on Friday night.

*I don't care how the SA and WA people feel. If it affected them that much, they'd scoot to over to the east.

*No, there is not another place for twilight games.

*I would only support Monday night football if the Swans weren't playing.

*It doesn't matter who plays who in Rd 22. You could put those teams for Rd 1 and it wouldn't make a difference. It would matter only in terms of percentage.

*The bye week should be structed so that whoever plays the round after or before, has had either played on the Friday so it works out they've had ample time for resting etc.

*Who should play on Easter Thursday and open up the season? Anybody AFAIC.

*Yes, there should be footy on Good Friday. Religious people don't have to attend of they don't wish to. If they go, the food bars at the ground should cut out any meat they serve and replace it with lots of fish.

I have my own suggestion.

*Teams get atleast 5-6 days rest before they play the next round.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by BonBon
*Teams get atleast 5-6 days rest before they play the next round.

This is in the players collective bargaining agreement and is required now by law.

[BonBon]

Originally posted by Mike_B
This is in the players collective bargaining agreement and is required now by law.

It is only fair for everyone.

[Thunder Shaker]

My ideas:
BYE WEEK:
The sides that play in the second week have a disadvantage the following week if they play an opponent that played in the first week because they will have had less rest. Therefore, sides that play in the second week of bye week should only play other second-week sides in the following week.
eg:
Round 13 Week 2: Ess vs St K, Syd vs Coll
Round 14: Ess vs Syd, St K vs Coll

GRASSROOTS WEEKEND
This would be a good theme round for the bye week. When there are no AFL games in Melbourne, football fans could get their football fix by attending local league games. Grassroots weekend would be more successful if done this way.

DRAW REQUESTS
* Carlton should play in Sydney in 2006. (The last four Swans-Blues games have all been in Melbourne.)
* Collingwood should play in Perth.
* Melbourne should play Brisbane at Carrara in rounds 1 to 6 when the MCG is unavailable.

ROUND 22 - Possible ideas:
* Minimise travel in the last round
* Play sides that are evenly matched because the games could decide placings in the finals

GLORY ROUND
Possible replacement for Heritage round. Each club wears a strip in which it has won a premiership. Fremantle have won no flags, so they wear purple.

[Mike_B]

Originally posted by Thunder Shaker
DRAW REQUESTS
* Carlton should play in Sydney in 2006. (The last four Swans-Blues games have all been in Melbourne.)

The Blues last played here in Rd 1 2003, so I would be surprised if they don't play up here next year. Similar to Port - before they played here this year, the last time was 2002 (that kick after the siren, and game where BBBH got rubbed out for 5).

[liz]

Come up with a draw with no names inserted. Will need to be two pairs of two teams which alternate each other playing home and away. Insert WC / Freo in one pair of these places and Port / Adelaide in the other pair.

Then allocate all other teams to the places at random. Once draw is in place, look at what games fall on the weekends of the "big games" (eg ANZAC) and select a game or two to be played on that date, trying to rotate over the years so that players from most clubs get the chance to play in these types of game.

[Norris Lurker]

If a non-Victorian team is stripped of a home final due to the MCC contract and a Victorian team gets an unearned home final, the non-Victorian team is compensated by the Victorian team playing their home game interstate the next season. For example, if Adelaide qualified for a home prelim final against Melbourne but the MCC contract forced it to be played at the MCG, then Melbourne would play their home game against Adelaide the next season at AAMI. Even though a home & away game is less value than a final, it's the fairest compensation.


-Should all teams play a similar number of Friday night games, or should the prime-time slot be reserved for the better teams?
No Friday nights for Sydney or Brisbane as long as the current TV arrangements are in place. Other clubs should have at least 1 home & 1 away Friday night per season.

- Should the MCG host more Friday night games
The current number is probably about right. Better to play day games at the MCG and night at the Dome where they can close the roof.

- Is there a place for more twilight games?
Only if there's a live telecast in Sydney.

- Would you support Monday night football?
Only if there's a live telecast in Sydney.

- How many games on Mother's Day?
3.

- Who should play who in round 22?
Port v Adelaide, West Coast v Freo. Sydney and Brisbane both to have home games due to higher likelihood of interstate travel in finals. So in summary, no non-Victorian club to travel interstate in round 22; at least for as long as the MCC finals contract remains in place.

- How should the bye week be structured?
5/3 or 4/4, ensure a Friday, Saturday and Sunday game every week.

- Who should open the season, and play on Easter Thursday?
Don't mind.

- Should there be footy on Good Friday?
I don't see why not. As far as religious objections go, church on Good Friday is in the morning or early afternoon, so a Good Friday night game wouldn't clash.

- Are there any other developing markets that should be tapped?
Not for next season, but if the Gold Coast games are a success next year it could raise a case for a 17th club.