The 2012/2013 A-League season will begin in October with the Melbourne derby but football fans will have to wait another two weeks for the first-ever Sydney derby.
The new draw has some surprises in it, with a shortened finals series, and returns to regional areas with games in Dunedin, Launceston and Campbelltown.
The season will start on Friday night, October 5, with the massive Melbourne derby at Etihad Stadium.
Sydney FC will then take on Wellington Phoenix and the yet-to-be-named Western Sydney will play the Central Coast Mariners.
This is at a ‘To Be Announced’ venue, as the new club doesn’t have yet have a stadium, name or colours. Time to make some decisions, FFA.
It’s a little disappointing that a Sydney derby won’t have happen in the first round, but perhaps the FFA doesn’t want to put all its eggs all in one basket and build the anticipation for round three. The move also will allow fans to develop some cohesion with chants, outfits, flags and banners.
The first week will also see a grand-final rematch with Brisbane Roar against Perth Glory, which should be a much-anticipated game.
Week three will see Melbourne take on old rivals Adelaide at Etihad, the season’s first F3 derby with the Mariners travelling to Hunter Stadium, and the debut of the Sydney derby at a venue to be announced. ANZ Stadium perhaps? This will be a blockbuster.
Recent rivals the Roar and the Mariners will clash in week eight at Bluetongue Stadium.
The FFA has got it right with again starting the competition after the AFL and NRL seasons are finished, giving the A-League maximum exposure. By introducing a shorter finals series, the FFA has hoped to increase more tension and excitement.
It will only go for three weeks, not four, and the top two placed teams will receive the first week off. That will be the only advantage for the top team as the finals will be a knockout comp with elimination in every game.
This season there will also be a Boxing Day game, Adelaide at home to the Roar, as well as three games on December 27. There will also be two New year’s Eve matches and three games on New Year’s Day. Another plus is the return of the Australia Day fixtures, with three games to be held around the country.
The A-League will head to Launceston on January 12, Campbelltown on February 9 and Dundein on March 3. It’s good to see the community round continued, though there is no spot for Bathurst or other venues such as Port Macquarie, Morwell or any others which is a bit of a shame. Shouldn’t we be taking games to places like Canberra, Geelong and Cairns?
Overall though the FFA has done a decent job with this draw. It may not be flawless, but it’s a step in the right direction. Bring on season eight.
Brian
Guest
Only problem is someone could csneak into 6th like Sydney from memory last year win 3 games and take the title. Still i suppose Chelsea won the champs league
nordster
Guest
Highest ranked team so they wont know till week of, guarantees 1st host if they get thru
Midfielder
Guest
Wonders aloud how the will pick the stadium for the Grand Final...
apaway
Guest
Funnily enough, Kasey, one of those 0-0 draws was against Sydney FC in the first round and was a cracker of a game. As an aside, I don't think there has been a 0-0 result at the Euros yet.
MV Dave
Guest
Winning the Championship/Premiership Double takes precedent over some far off cup comp. it's 2-0 to the Victory on that front. :)
Kasey
Guest
6-0 its always the same with you lot, never anything new and you'd trade every single one of those 6 goals for a half respectable record in Asia. Who put the ball in the Victory net? Who put the ball in the Victory net? Half of f*cking Asia!
MV Dave
Guest
Sorry Kasey but it will take more than one season to redress the balance...6-0 cough cough...1-0 cough...the first GF in particular was the perfect game :) sheez even Sarkies scored!
Kasey
Guest
Yes we all remember the 'jokes' about being Melbourne Draw FC ;) It was a good year for us Reds to address the cross Border rivalry balance before Ange has a chance to work his magic:)
Kasey
Guest
'Was' whiskeymac, past tense now:) The Preliminary Final was a farce. Its all part of the learning curve for FFA and the gradual building of the League. Baby steps and onwards we go(hopefully upwards at the same time). Each year one or two 'little' things get addressed/fixed by the FFA and its all part of getting to where we football fans want the league to be. The CEO of AUFC Mr. Glenn Elliot was very enthusiastic about the new media rights deal for the league at last night's AUFC Members meeting. He categorically said that the new TV rights deal would cover the Salary cap for all 10 teams meaning no club should have an excuse bar ineptitude for trading in the Red going forward. People shutting their eyes and hoping against hope that Soccer will shoot itself in the foot and go away are set to be sorely disappointed in the next 10-20 years.
MV Dave
Guest
Not wrong there...in fact Victory drew their first 5 home games of the season and all at Etihad!! It was 'season horribilis''.
whiskeymac
Guest
agreed the prelim final is a farce IMO
Kasey
Guest
I have to say at face value I'm a fan of cutting back the finals series to make each game that much more cut throat. No more trying to sell the turd of a game that was the preliminary final. just keep winning to advance. Over in 3 short sharp weeks and to the point. definitely looks to be a case of less is more. No more double chance for the premiers though. Elimination Final 1 = 3v6 Elimination Final 2 = 4v5 Semi Final 1 = 1st v WinnerEL1 Semi Final 2 = 2ndv WinnerEL2 Grand Final = SF1 v SF2
TomC
Guest
Really disappointing not to have a game in Canberra. You'd think the FFA could at least throw us some kind of bone after the incredibly disrespectful way they treated the Canberra bid. Oh well. Will have to drive up and watch the West Sydney team at some point.
Kasey
Guest
It had to have been a bit frustrating for the MVC media dept to start last year with 2 0-0s in a row in front of 40k+, 0-0s aren't as common in football as the hating soccer-bashers would like to make out so to start out with two on the trot was terribly bad luck, a precursor to a rather average season by MVC standards.
Kasey
Guest
There's a 3 game half-marathon on New Years day: 01Jan2013: MHT v NUJ WSW v MVC BNR v WPX
MV Dave
Guest
Plenty to like about in the draw for the Victory...2 Etihad derbies for a start with the chance to draw 40,000 plus crowds plus the pre Xmas Cracker vs MH at AAMI! Other highlights are the away trip to BR in round 2, 4 games in Sydenee, 2 in Adelaide and a Cup Eve match vs the Kiwis at Etihad. Hopefully the advertising for the opening game gets into full swing which generates a sense of excitement and anticipation...then all we need is a Victory win in a high scoring encounter!
GibbonsMcGibbons
Guest
Brisbane played MV last NYE - can't recall the crowd figure exactly but it was pretty healthy (about 15K from memory). The matches occur early enough in the evening to combine a trip to the football then the NYE celebration. As for foxtel ratings - you may be right.
langou
Roar Guru
Good decision not to start with a Sydney Derby. “First ever games” genuinely attract big crowds so by delaying the derby you get the big “first ever game” crowd and then the big derby crowd. I am disappointed they have got rid of the all 10 teams play on the same day thing that they did last year. I thought that was a brilliant concept and something they could develop as an annual event.
JasonA
Guest
Overall it's a solid draw. Concerned about boxing day and new years eve. Can't see those games getting a crowd or ratings. If the game was on FTA they would rate really well. Well maybe not NYE -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Griffo
Roar Guru
Saw your post after I submitted mine - that is good. FFA probably giving the season draw some airtime before big WS announcements.