Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers

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Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers

Post by Beaussie »

Starting to get excited about the return of footy. Liking the idea being floated of a 3 game grand final series too. :thumbleft:


Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers
By Damian Barrett

THE AFL has unveiled a new timeslot – 6.05pm Sunday evening – in its return batch of matches for the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

Rounds two to five of the season, suspended after round one due to the COVID-19 pandemic, were publicly released Monday afternoon.

One of the most anticipated matches of the year has been scheduled for the Friday timeslot of round three, when Western Bulldogs play GWS at Marvel Stadium. The two teams have developed a fierce rivalry, with two late 2019 games among the most fiery of recent times.
West Coast and Fremantle will play all matches in the rounds two, three, four and five block in south-east Queensland, and the two South Australian teams will do the same for rounds three, four and five.

The Crows will play the Power at Adelaide Oval in round two, before basing themselves on the Gold Coast.
All four SA and WA teams will be absorbing one "home" game each while based in south-east Queensland.

Metricon Stadium, the Suns' home ground will be used for double headers in rounds three and four.

Collingwood and Richmond will kick-off the AFL's resumption at the MCG on Thursday June 11 at 7.40pm.

The Friday night fixture for round two will be a home game for Geelong against Hawthorn.
AFL general manager of clubs and broadcasting Travis Auld said the initial rounds of resumption were designed around highlighting traditional rivalries.

"To re-launch the season we have focused on scheduling blockbuster match-ups across these four weeks, particularly in the Thursday and Friday night primetime slots," Auld said.

"As we navigate through the remaining 108 games plus finals, we will continue to be adaptable with our scheduling, ensuring our fixtures align with the relevant state government restrictions in place at the time.

"It is important for us to stay flexible and agile throughout this season, but we are looking forward to matches getting underway and supporters being able to watch their clubs and players in action again."

Collingwood's four games in the rounds three to five block see it play St Kilda, GWS (at Giants Stadium) and Essendon, which is the Anzac Day "replacement" game.

Bar the round two Showdown, all matches in the four-week block will be played on the eastern seaboard.

Rounds six and seven are expected to be announced after round three.

The AFL is hopeful that SA and WA continue to relax COVID-19 enforced restrictions, which would ultimately allow the four teams based in those states to play matches at home, this removing the requirement to be based in south-east Queensland.

Matches for the remainder of the season will mostly fall into the "now traditional" Thursday to Sunday structure.


Toyota AFL Premiership Season

Round Two

Thursday, June 11
Collingwood vs. Richmond, MCG, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, June 12
Geelong vs. Hawthorn, GMHBA Stadium, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, June 13
Brisbane vs. Fremantle, Gabba, 1:45pm AEST
Carlton vs. Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 4:35pm AEST
Port Adelaide vs. Adelaide, Adelaide Oval, 7:10pm ACST
Gold Coast vs. West Coast, Metricon Stadium, 7:40pm, 7:40pm

Sunday, June 14
Greater Western Sydney vs. North Melbourne, Giants Stadium, 1:05pm AEST
Sydney Swans vs. Essendon, SCG, 3:35pm AEST
St Kilda vs. Western Bulldogs, Marvel Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

Round Three

Thursday, June 18
Richmond vs. Hawthorn, MCG, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, June 19
Western Bulldogs vs. Greater Western Sydney, Marvel Stadium, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, June 20
North Melbourne vs. Sydney, Marvel Stadium, 1:45pm AEST
Collingwood vs. St Kilda, MCG, 4:35pm AEST
Geelong vs. Carlton, GMHBA Stadium, 7:40pm AEST
Brisbane vs. West Coast, Gabba, 7:40pm AEST

Sunday, June 21
Gold Coast vs. Adelaide, Metricon Stadium, 1:05pm AEST
Essendon vs. Melbourne, MCG, 3:35pm AEST
Fremantle vs. Port Adelaide, Metricon Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

Round Four

Thursday, June 25
Sydney vs. Western Bulldogs, SCG, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, June 26
Greater Western Sydney vs. Collingwood, Giants Stadium, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, June 27
Port Adelaide vs. West Coast, Metricon Stadium, 1:45pm AEST
St Kilda vs. Richmond, Marvel Stadium, 4:35pm AEST
Essendon vs. Carlton, MCG, 7:40pm AEST
Gold Coast vs. Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, 7:40pm AEST

Sunday, June 28
Brisbane vs. Adelaide, Gabba, 1:05pm AEST
Melbourne vs. Geelong, MCG, 3:35pm AEST
Hawthorn vs. North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

Round Five

Thursday, July 2
West Coast vs. Richmond, Metricon Stadium, 7:40pm AEST

Friday, July 3
Collingwood vs. Essendon, MCG, 7:50pm AEST

Saturday, July 4
Carlton vs. St Kilda, MCG, 1:45pm AEST
Geelong vs. Gold Coast, GMHBA, 4:35pm AEST
Western Bulldogs vs. North Melbourne, Marvel Stadium, 7:40pm AEST
Brisbane vs. Port Adelaide, Gabba, 7:40pm AEST

Sunday, July 5
Adelaide vs. Fremantle, Metricon Stadium, 1:05pm AEST
Sydney vs. Melbourne, SCG, 3:35pm AEST
Greater Western Sydney vs. Hawthorn, Giants Stadium, 6:05pm AEST

https://www.afl.com.au/news/435830/fixt ... le-headers
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Re: Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers

Post by Fred »

I would have thought they would have had the suns and Lions playing each other in the early rounds to save travel... instead suns are flying to Geekinf ?
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Re: Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers

Post by Beaussie »

Fred wrote: Mon May 25, 2020 7:24 pm
I would have thought they would have had the suns and Lions playing each other in the early rounds to save travel... instead suns are flying to Geekinf ?
Suns are at home.

Perhaps the AFL are holding out in hope of crowds for a local derby like in Sydney.
There will be no Sydney derby until at least a month into the AFL's revised season - but both the Swans and Giants are hopeful that supporters will be able to come along when it happens.

Sydney's two clubs emerged as the big winners from Monday's fixture announcement, with both teams required to travel outside NSW only once between rounds two and five, giving them a chance to build some early momentum to back up their first-up wins in March.

They've also been handed plum time slots on free-to-air television, with three of the Swans' four games to be shown nationwide on the Seven Network, while GWS will play consecutive Friday night blockbusters against the Western Bulldogs (away) and Collingwood (home).

Surprisingly, the AFL opted against scheduling a cross-town clash in Sydney during the initial chunk of the season. Part of the motivation, Giants chief executive David Matthews said, is so the league has "flexibility" around fixturing, which may come in handy during a logistically challenging season.

But there is also a chance that by holding it back until later in the year, crowds might be allowed to attend by then.

"If it's able to be slotted in at a point where crowds are allowed in some form, that'd be really beneficial," Matthews said.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/swans- ... 54w9c.html
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Re: Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers

Post by leeroy*NRL* »

I like the idea of the Sunday Night Game, I actually perfer this than the Thursday Night Game.
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Re: Fixture reveal: New timeslot, primetime crackers, double-headers

Post by Terry »

I see the fumblers are only going to play 16 minutes plus time on per quarter when they eventually come back. That's down from 25 minutes years ago & 20 minutes pre C-19. They've effectively gone from 120 minutes to 100 minutes or about 17% less game time.

Could this be reflected in the revised broadcast deal. There's much less time for ads i.e. revenue for each game. I'd say their going to get quite a broadcast haircut. Surely the super fit little pettles could still punch out the 20 minutes. I mean it's not like they do anything too hard. Except maybe the eternal search for the fumbled ball on the ground. That's gotta be hard on their wittle backs i spose lololololol!!!!!!!!!!!
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