Recently, Gold Coast Suns coach Rodney Eade slammed the current format of the NAB Challenge, saying it was unfair that his side had to travel to the other side of the country to play the West Coast Eagles in a meaningless match.
Complicating matters further, the Suns will also have to travel to Perth twice within the first ten rounds of the premiership season, first to face Fremantle in Round 2, and then eight weeks later to face the Eagles again in Round 10.
Having also travelled to and from Burpengary for their first match against the Brisbane Lions, the long return trip to the west means the Suns will have racked up the second-most kilometres of travel by any side (9082 km), with only the Adelaide Crows (9382 km) racking up more time in the air throughout the NAB Challenge.
Therefore, in protest, Eade flew a weakened Gold Coast side, still missing their captain Gary Ablett Jr, to Joondalup for the clash against the Eagles, which the Suns lost by just three points after leading for the majority of the match.
It was a gutsy effort from the club and following on from their win over the Brisbane Lions last month, it appears as though the Suns are getting set to put behind a horrid 2015 season which saw them finish 16th on the ladder.
A season in which they were expected to contend for finals under Eade, who replaced foundation coach Guy McKenna at the end of 2014, instead turned to one of unrelenting disappointment as injuries and disciplinary issues involving key players plagued the club. Instead of going forwards, they went backwards.
Ablett Jr and recruit Nick Malceski missed too many matches between them due to injury, while Charlie Dixon and Harley Bennell were traded out of the club after both got caught up in controversy midway through the season.
However, the big name that has landed on the holiday strip is Matt Rosa, who was a part of the West Coast Eagles side that rose from wooden spooners in 2010 to preliminary finalists in 2011.
Essendon is another club that also has the right to complain about the current format of the NAB Challenge.
Last year, they had to travel to Sydney’s Olympic Park precinct three times: first for a NAB Challenge match against the GWS Giants at Spotless Stadium, second for their season opener against the Sydney Swans at the nearby ANZ Stadium, and then another trip to Spotless Stadium to again face the Giants.
This year, like the Suns, the Bombers also have to travel west three times. First for the NAB Challenge closer against the West Coast Eagles at Domain Stadium; they will then visit the ground again for their only meetings against both Fremantle and West Coast in Rounds 11 and 15 respectively.
As a matter of fact, season 2016 will be the second year in a row that the Bombers don’t play either the Dockers or Eagles in Melbourne, and the sixth in a row they’ve played the former team for the only time in the season in Perth.
Back on topic now, and under the NAB Challenge reform that Suns coach Rodney Eade has proposed, the two Queensland and two Sydney clubs would clash against each other. The two WA and two Adelaide clubs would also clash against each other; and the ten Victorian clubs would face their three opponents in regional areas.
“I just think it makes sense,” Eade said. “I don’t think the people who organise the NAB draw actually talk to the people who worked out the main AFL draw.”
If Eade gets his way, then this is what the 2017 fixture could look like.
Week 1
Game 1: Hawthorn versus Melbourne, Waverley Park
Game 2: Adelaide Crows versus Fremantle, Woodville Oval
Game 3: Carlton versus Collingwood, Ikon Park
Game 4: Sydney Swans versus Gold Coast Suns, Blacktown International Sportspark
Game 5: North Melbourne versus Richmond, Arden Street Oval
Game 6: Port Adelaide versus West Coast Eagles, Alberton Oval
Week 2
Game 7: St Kilda versus Western Bulldogs, Moorabbin Oval
Game 8: GWS Giants versus Brisbane Lions, StarTrack Oval
Game 9: Essendon versus Geelong Cats, Windy Hill Oval
Game 10: Melbourne versus North Melbourne, Casey Fields
Game 11: West Coast Eagles versus Adelaide Crows, HBF Arena, Joondalup
Game 12: Richmond versus Hawthorn, Punt Road Oval
Week 3
Game 13: Brisbane Lions versus Sydney Swans, Burpengary Regional Sports Park
Game 14: Geelong Cats versus Carlton, Simonds Stadium
Game 15: Fremantle versus Port Adelaide, Leederville Oval
Game 16: Western Bulldogs versus Essendon, Whitten Oval
Game 17: Gold Coast Suns versus GWS Giants, Metricon Stadium
Game 18: St Kilda versus Collingwood, Moorabbin Oval
Week 4
Game 19: Geelong Cats versus Collingwood, Simonds Stadium
Game 20: Gold Coast Suns versus Brisbane Lions, Metricon Stadium
Game 21: Western Bulldogs versus Richmond, Etihad Stadium
Game 22: North Melbourne versus Hawthorn, Blundstone Arena
Game 23: GWS Giants versus Sydney Swans, Spotless Stadium
Game 24: Adelaide Crows versus Port Adelaide, AAMI Stadium
Games 25 and 27: Etihad Stadium double header: Essendon versus Carlton followed by a three-hour break then Melbourne versus St Kilda
Game 26: West Coast Eagles versus Fremantle, Domain Stadium
Key points
* The NAB Challenge would last four weeks, with six matches in the first three weeks and a full, final week of nine matches.
* In the first two weeks, venues which don’t regularly host AFL matches will be used, as is always the case during the NAB Challenge.
* Some teams may play games on their own training grounds, or on those where they have a contract to play on (e.g. North Melbourne at Blundstone Arena).
* Each interstate team will play at least two games in their own state during the NAB Challenge.
* Simonds and Metricon Stadiums will be used in weeks three and four, and will each host two matches.
* Etihad Stadium will host three matches in the final week, including a double-header on the final day. Game 26, the Western Derby, will be played in between for television broadcasting purposes.
* Local derbies will be played in the final week, with Domain Stadium, AAMI Stadium, Metricon Stadium and Spotless Stadium to host them. This is to ease the season preparations for, in particular, the West Coast Eagles and Port Adelaide, who are due to start their seasons away in Round 1 of the 2017 AFL season.
* Final week matches will be played under the regular season rules, but will still retain the super-goal (worth nine points).
What do you think of Rodney Eade’s NAB Challenge proposal? Do you think it will work out? Or should it be scrapped altogether in favour of simply trial matches that some clubs can organise between themselves?
Martin
Roar Rookie
Rodney Eade does not appreciate the upside in travelling to Perth. It's not just about giving opportunities to the second 20 or so players on a team's list. There's also the whole experience of getting to know Perth, sailing down the Swan River, the white sandy beaches, bushwalking and Rottnest Island. There's also a brand new domestic airport terminal for Virgin Australia customers.
vocans
Guest
There is no doubt travel should be better arranged and co-ordinated with the season draw. And there is no doubt the NAB has been rendered meaningless to all but rusted on supporters and the afficionados of the game. That is a shame. There is however the important saving grace that it is now seeing much more AFL in the regions, and that's exciting for them.
Samantha
Roar Rookie
Damn agreeing with with a Collingwood fan again ... killing me ;). No sense in making teams travel far for practice matches. No reason anyone should be flying cross country. Let North and Hawthorn play each other in Tassie (they are used to trip and will never play each other down there in the home and away season anyway.
Samantha
Roar Rookie
back then memberships only started to be sold then didn't they? I could be wrong but it seems like memberships go on sale earlier now, plus all the auto renewals. All those early numbers mean once the NAB roles around the members that used to flock to sign up, already have.
Franko
Guest
Yeah, I never really understood why they did that. Clubs used to use it as a basis for membership also. You're team did well in the pre-season comp and membership numbers would sky rocket.
Josephine
Roar Pro
I think a basic point that sums up this whole article is that teams are travelling way too much and way too far just some practice match where some teams field strong teams and others don't. It needs a mix up- if it doesn't work it doesn't work but something needs to be done to change it.
me too
Guest
The NAB cup is a perfect example of how to ruin a competition. For many years it grew in stature and had a much higher quality of matches, drawing large crowds to finals, which also came with some prestige. Then the AFL pulled the rug on it. It is absolutely meaningless now and is purely used as low grade exhibition practice games by the AfL and the clubs. a real pity as with 18 clubs a strong NAB would give fans a much greater chance of seeing their club win a trophy.
MJ
Guest
Too much advantage to the Vic clubs, and in reality the best teams don't whinge about the travel requirements anyway. As a Bulldog member and fan I'd actually prefer to play an interstate team on their turf. I'd find out more regarding the character of a youngster or recruit if they were placed in the pressure of a road game without the additional burden of points being on the line. Plus I also think the SA and WA clubs would prefer not to beat the crap out of each other.
Avatar
Roar Guru
Ahhh... didn't pick that up. But for the moment I have (temporarily) placed training grounds for the majority of matches. Perhaps a few matches will be shifted as I should have done in the first place.
Neil from Warrandyte
Guest
I think you missed one important thing with your draw- 'the 10 Victorian clubs would play in regional areas', not old suburban grounds.