Deep breath… there, finally it’s done. It took some time, and seemed more drawn out than an episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, but eventually Round 1 is complete.
After six long months of waiting, I’m so relieved the footy is back, but Round 1 left me feeling a bit flat.
It has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of the footy, for early in the season, some of it has been exceptional, but it does have to do with the quantity.
What is it with having a split round to open the season? Sorry, but I’m just not a fan.
In 2012, I understood. The arrival of the Giants was a perfect opportunity to put the spotlight on Sydney, and have a showcase, standalone game.
To most footy fans outside Sydney it was like another week of pre-season, then a full round of eight games followed.
But last year we had two games – Adelaide versus Essendon and the Western Derby – then we had to wait a week for the rest of the round. Now this year, more drip-feeding of games. Four matches in week one, then five in week two.
Why the rationing? It has been a famine for so long over summer, we needed a feast, not a couple of snacks. What happens next year? Five then four? Six, then three?
Stop it. Nine games, one round. That’s what I want, and I don’t think I’m alone. Yesterday afternoon, a relaxing Sunday, but no footy on the box to watch! Not a game on TV until 7.40pm.
Have a Thursday game, even a Monday match if you like, Mr Demetriou, but I’m sure I’m not alone when I say I want saturation of footy on my weekend.
Four on Saturday, three on Sunday – or vice versa – or four on each. I don’t care, and thankfully I will have that from this week on.
But from now on, stop it. No more split rounds to open the season.
By all means have one mid-year when the players need to freshen up. They don’t need freshening from the NAB Cup. Like the fans, the players are raring to go. I know having spoken with a few fans that I’m not alone.
GWS and Gold Coast fans for instance. They were on the highest of highs, but have to wait a fortnight to see their team go around again. Swans and Collingwood fans have to wait two long and painful weeks before their boys get a shot at redemption.
So, apart from split rounds not being the way to open a season, what did we learn over Round 1?
Some we kind of knew already. Having come so close last year, Fremantle may be ready to take that step required to win one.
We know no Buddy, no worry for the Hawks. And that yet again, Geelong will be a premiership threat, and incredibly hard to beat at home.
As a result, we saw that Adelaide, Brisbane and Collingwood all ran into good sides in Round 1. For the Crows and Lions, we’ll learn more when they play teams with whom they will battle for spots in the eight.
The alarming thing for Pies supporters though was the magnitude of their loss to that good side, and whether that means they are now below that top level.
As for the other teams touted as potential top-four sides – well Sydney are hopeful their stunning loss to the Giants was just an aberration, and the same goes for the Tiger faithful after their loss to the relative newcomers.
North disappointed their fans yet again, Essendon surprised many by winning despite the off-field drama, Carlton showed they will give poor Mick a stressful 2014, while the West Coast – albeit only beating the Dogs – showed they are likely to be thereabouts this season, with a slick midfield and potent forward line.
The Giants showed they might be ready to arrive a little earlier than anticipated. They probably won’t be playing finals in 2014, but judging purely on their Round 1 performance, they will win a few more games this season than they did in 2012 and 2013 combined.
They will also scare the life out of plenty of other teams, while the Suns may be able to push a little closer, and knock on the door of the top eight in 2014.
The Dogs are a work in progress yet again in 2014, but certainly a work with a lot of upside. Finally we have Melbourne and St Kilda, both expected to be contenders in 2014, but for a wooden trophy rather than a shiny cup.
What did their result tell us? Well, the Demons will continue to get better under Paul Roos. They didn’t win, but there was substantial improvement. They did also lose to a team not expected to win many games this season, that performed better than most anticipated.
While it will be another long year for both clubs, there should still be some highlights, and a flicker of light at the end of a long tunnel.
And now onto next week when there will be nine games, and the one I’m looking forward to the most, GWS v St Kilda. Could the orange army be celebrating again?
Wentworth Park
Guest
"It’s a Melbourne game!" Yes, its the centre of the universe as well. Only a person with a picture of a soccer player could say that. Ha ha ha
Wentworth Park
Guest
"many NSW fans are fickle particularly Sydneysiders" Can you back the comment up with some facts?
Wentworth Park
Guest
Yes I agree with your last comment Macca.
Australian Rules
Guest
ah yes, GWS v Bulldogs.
macca
Guest
While it might be true that Sydney sidres just are more fickle, to me playing a game 2 weeks ago there to thwart the NRL only to leave the city vacant this week kind of deeats the purpose.
Cat
Roar Guru
Screw the gambling addicts, the sooner they are marginalised the better off everyone is.
Norfolk
Roar Rookie
AHH the round should finish on Sunday arvo at 8 pm. For Supercoach Sakes! Multis! Tipping! I'm more than happy to have a Thursday - Sunday schedule. Fits in the weekend. Monday for footy like in league is inconvenient really. The split round was even more horrible because it was all based on Freo/GWS/Gold Coast... the least aesthetically pleasing teams in the AFL. It's a Melbourne game! The interesting things this year How Good are Essendon? Some of the best mids going somehow warrants 9th. How Good is the North Melbourne Midfield? Obviously not nearly as good as Essendon, a team they're supposed to finish above. When will Malthouse turn Carlton in to an elite team? (round 18 surely!) Can Freo play a gmae with 30+ goals in it? Please? Can the Port Adelaide Hipsters please beat Hawks in a Preliminary Final? GWS/Sydney/ Gary Brownlow don't care.
Alicesprings
Guest
Wow..so the AFL could have a record round for crowds next year!
Gregor
Guest
Too much like hard work for the AFL to fixture matches that people want to go and see.Mind you when every Victorian side travels 8 times a year to play the other AFL teams,we will need some more imaginative types in Jolimont House to allocate day/afternoon/twilight/night games on the 15 or so grounds in their portfolio.That's hard.....I mean ,Carlton doesn't leave the state till Round 11.Their split round is playing at Etihad on a Thursday night. The Hawks and Kangaroos thrive on interstate teams having to get to Tassie. Make split round games in Tassie Victorian teams only , in the interests of fairness
Timmuh
Roar Guru
GWS v Giants. Interetsing match-up that one. ;)
John Hamilton
Roar Pro
Don't forget St Kilda have "Home" games in New Zealand.....
John Hamilton
Roar Pro
GAbba, Adelaide Oval, SCG and MCG unavailable. Solution: Give West Coast and Fremantle both home games against Victorian sides (one game Friday night, the other Sunday arvo) This proposal could result in the following opening round: Thursday: Carlton v Richmond (Etihad) Friday: Fremantle v North Melbourne (Subiaco) Saturday: St Kilda v Melbourne (Etihad) Geelong v Adelaide (Simmonds) Gold Coast v Brisbane (Metricon) GWS v Sydney (Spotless) Sunday: Hawthorn v Port Adelaide (Launceston) Western Bulldogs v Essendon (Etihad) West Coast v Collingwood (Subiaco)
John Hamilton
Roar Pro
Not just the MCG - Adelaide Oval, SCG and the Gabba. On average there are 4 games each round at those ovals.
John Hamilton
Roar Pro
Wentworth Park
Guest
"Why are the “Northern AFL” fans so fickle that they will switch allegences with just 1 week without AFL?" You are exaggerating but I'll play along. Basicially, if you can answer that question, you can answer the secrets of the universe. Not even people that live in Sydney conclusively understand why people are happy to follow several codes, only like a winner, are no where near as patriotic about their state as the other states, or attend most sporting matches (like The Ashes or horse racing which don't have competitors) in large numbers. As I said to a mate on the weekend, if the state government gave the SCG "free money" to make the SCG a 100,000 seat venue for the cricket, the SCG would refuse because it would never ever fill up.
joe b
Guest
Each city/state (nsw, qld, sa,wa) is to host a game every weekend i.e. 1 team plays at home and the other plays away. This is a very good strategy that keeps afl in everyone's view every week, in the non vic states, and enables punters to follow 2 teams if they desire. If both teams play at home, in same round, then this will affect this strategy.
Australian Rules
Guest
The record for a single round of football is 371,212 - Round 15 last year. Strangely enough, that included a 7,132 crowd in Canberra - GWS v Giants.
Are you there Harry
Guest
12 months of footy? My marriage couldn't handle it.
Cat
Roar Guru
comparing round 1 v. round one is impossible to do fairly. The only way to truly compare them was if the fixture was exactly the same, otherwise too many variables to make any kind of accurate inference.
alicesprings
Guest
Its a shame that the ess v haw game isn't at etihad..at the G it would get close to 70k..my predictions are pretty close.. Rich v Carl – 80k Ess v Haw – 50k StK v GWS – 30k Port v Adel – 50k Freo v GC – 40k Syd v Coll – 40k Bris v Geel – 25k Melb v WCE – 25k WB v NM – 30k That equals 370k!..Whats the record again??