Under Eddie McGuire’s presidency, Collingwood have become a powerhouse off the field and have been consistently good on it, winning only their second flag since 1958.
The trouble with Eddie is the longer he is president the more he seems to want to comment on other clubs.
Not long ago he insisted North Melbourne needed to wear a clash guernsey as a home team against Collingwood, or he threatened to make the Pies fans a no show.
Now Eddie has the Swans in his sight. It is not just the cost of living he wants to whinge about, it’s the draw.
For those of you living under a rock, the Sydney Swans played Greater Western Sydney and the Gold Coast in Rounds 1 and 2.
While whinging about this and calling for an equitable draw, Eddie seems to have forgotten he is president of the side who is most consistently favoured by the draw year after year.
In 2011, when the Pies started their premiership defence, they could forget about going to the airport. It was not until Round 14 the Pies were scheduled to play interstate.
I don’t recall Eddie complaining then.
When they finally did go interstate it was one of their four trips out of Victoria for the year. This year the premiers will make 11 trips interstate, including back to back trips to Adelaide either side of the bye.
The Victorian teams outnumber the interstate sides, so will always travel less. However year after year Collingwood travel less than their fellow Victorian sides, a fact Eddie seems none to fussed about when he calls for an equitable draw.
When Sydney ran onto the MCG for the grand final last year it was their second trip to the ground for the year. Had Collingwood won the preliminary final clash and played the grand final themselves it would have been their 17th game there for the year.
As a point of comparison, Melbourne Football Club, the traditional tenant of the MCG, played just 13 games at the ground.
Another fact neglected by Eddie is that his club always is guaranteed the ANZAC Day game, as well as the Queen’s Birthday clash.
Collingwood do allow the Queen’s Birthday to be Melbourne’s home ground, but it’s still one out exposure on a public holiday.
While Collingwood and Essendon have created the ANZAC tradition, it cannot be denied it provides the two clubs a massive reward both in terms of finance and publicity. There are plenty of other rivalries that would draw a crowd and put their hands up to play this game.
Essendon have hardly been a powerhouse this last decade, nor have Carlton. However due to rivalries, Collingwood play both these teams twice.
While Eddie is right, an even fixture would be great, to start talking about unfair advantages to other clubs seem a bit rich given the consistent leg up his side has received – and no doubt will continue to receive – year after year.
Port Man Pat
Guest
Eddie has been dribbling bias Collingwood crap for years. A clash guernsey for Port when we play Collingwood in Adelaide is unfair and just shows that Eddie holds himself and his club giver than the rest, and Victoria above the rest of the country. Eddie give it a rest. Crawl back under your rock and go phone a friend... If you have any left!
DArren
Guest
Eddie should not use his media jobs to push the anti Sydney barrow. If Richard Colless went on air and bagged Collingwood like that he'd get crucified. Worry about your own club Ed, and grow another chin, you haven't got enuf
Nostradamus
Guest
Correct and consequently a more even comp and more blockbusters - wouldnt you do that if you were in charge and get 1.25 BN. All footy codes draws are compromised...see above The Swans are notoriously slow starters so playing the lowly teams gives them a chance. The deal with the RAS means the Sydney derby/bridge thing is at easter always so thats the way thendeal was done...
Floreat Pica
Guest
I for one hope a conference system is never considered- to me it goes against the entire premise of expansion to then split teams.
Floreat Pica
Guest
Thus further expansion of team numbers will be the only way to resolve this over a single season (without splitting the comp).
Phelpsy
Guest
Can someone list the travel of all Victorian clubs ... I'm sure the disparity is that not that large .
Phelpsy
Guest
Can someone list the travel of all Victorian clubs ... I'm sure the disparity is that not that large .
Me Too
Guest
Last year collingwood had a days break or better in seven of its last eight games. Almost all of them at the mcg. As one of just four VFL clubs to refuse a request to suspend competition during ww1 it is an insult to have them represent our diggers on Anzac day. Eddie is whining about an equitable draw based on one year. Look at collingwoods draw over the last decade and compare it with other Victorian clubs. They rarely travel and play over 70% of their games at their home ground, which happily for them is also where all their finals are played - even when finishing below an opponent that calls Etihad home. The afl needs to introduce a rolling draw - equity in the draw must come before all else. Revenue raising must take place from within the constraints of a fair competition.
Nostradamus
Guest
Right and take over the cricket season then you would be complaing anbout that - some people just dont understand - all footy draws have a compensating formula to even the competition - the NRL draw is compromised because the premier has to fly to England just before the season starts for a game and the best teams lose their top players to SOO and Tests, the A League draw is compromised because the top teams have to play in Asia the next season so their A league form suffers, the Rugby Union season has Super 15, then tests then o/s tests so the top players are slow to recover in the following Super 15 season, the NFL winners end up with the worst draw the following year (fact), the EPL has a holidays for internationals and midweek European comps so the top teams are affected but the lack of a salary cap means its still lopsided
Diablo
Guest
The AFL likes to manipulate the draw so we will never have a fair one. Blockbuster games will always be played twice to maximise crowds and TV ratings. Struggling teams will always be given an easy draw to artificially even up the competition. That's why AD ruled out a conference system. While it's not perfect it would of been much fairer than the current system but of course, the AFL wouldn't have been able to fix the draw so it's not going to be considered.
Matt F
Roar Guru
I'm not a fan of that idea. All games should be worth the same. It creates a disincentive for some teams when they have a 2 point game coming up as it is worth less. As a Swans fan, the idea that beating GC once is worth the same as beating Hawthorn twice, which we would have to do this season under that system, just doesn't work.
langou
Roar Guru
I don’t have a problem if they keep it at 22 rounds and have it so that you play each team four times over three years. At least that means Collingwood will play interstate the same amount of times as every other Vic side. Kangeroos get as many blockbusters against the top sides as every other club. Teams that played GWS twice last year, would only play them once this year and next year ect. This is not perfect and teams do get better and worse over a three year period so it will still wont be an even draw but it is so much better than what we have at the moment which is an absolute farce.
Hawker
Guest
everyone did play each other twice when there was 12 teams. The league has obviously expanded to 18 teams who still play 22 games
Damo
Guest
The creative solution is 2 points per win when two clubs meet twice (preferably in blocks at the season's beginning and end), but 4 points per win when two clubs meet only once (preferably in a block as the season's middle 12 rounds). That way each club gets the opportunity to gain the same number of points during the season, against every other club, regardless of how often they meet. And logically, it's the local derbies and blockbusters that happen twice, and on this basis kick off and then end the season each in a big way. But on reflection, perhaps 22 rounds against 17 opponents isn't really that bad ? All it means is that a genuine top-4 club with a hard draw, will just finish 6th and then win through anyway.
Kev
Guest
On that basis increase it to a 34 week season then.
Nostradamus
Guest
Perhaps the 1.25BN TV rights might give you a little clue....
mds1970
Roar Guru
There's no easy solution. 17 rounds is too few, 34 is too many. The draw is the way it is. Just get on with it and stop looking for excuses.
Lee
Guest
I think several posters are missing the point. If you (or Eddie, or any other club president) want to complain about unfair fixtures then the answer is to either play each club once (with home ground advantage changing each year), or to play them twice each year. Otherwise the draw is always going to be unfair to everyone. Of course, saying that the draw is unfair at the start of the year is giving a hostage to fortune: better hope you don't lose to one of the 'easy' teams!
Kev
Guest
langou is spot on. I've followed AFL all my life and I still don't understand this notion of playing some teams once and others twice. Either play everyone once or everyone twice. I could even see merit in going down the path of the NFL and having just 17 games as every single game has more riding on it.
Nostradamus
Guest
I think I would prefere easy games towards the ned when I've got injuries. Eddie suffers from ADD