So with the 2018 fixture set to be announced next week, I thought I’d take a gander and try and schedule my ideal Round 1 fixtures for next year.
This is keeping in mind North Melbourne and Gold Coast are locked in while Carlton and Richmond have a monopoly of sorts on the season opener.
Thursday night: Richmond versus Carlton
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground
It’s the traditional match-up to open the AFL season dating to when Chris Judd and Ben Cousins still ran amok for Carlton and Richmond respectively. Despite those two having long retired, the game remains a staple and a crowd-puller. This year shouldn’t be any different, with Richmond getting the chance to unveil their newly minted 2017 premiership flag against an up-and-coming Carlton side in front of a packed MCG. Why mess with tradition if it works?
Friday night: Essendon versus Port Adelaide
Venue: Etihad Stadium
Moving across to Etihad Stadium, we see two of the off-seasons biggest movers and shakers do battle. Essendon, now firmly in the conversation of premiership contention, will debut Devon Smith, Adam Saad and the controversial yet thrilling Jake Stringer to a home crowd. A remodelled Port Adelaide featuring the enigmatic Steven Motlop, Jack Watts and Tom Rockliff will also be out to prove their credentials in what could be a classic between two entertaining sides with big ambitions. It also helps that Essendon’s membership is skyrocketing and Port has a strong travelling fan base.
(Image: Matt King/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Saturday midday: Gold Coast versus North Melbourne
Venue: Cazaly Stadium
This could be either the worst football game ever or a tight, riveting contest. There is no middle-ground. One of the locked in games, this match shapes as the battle of the rebuilds, with Stuart Dew taking the reigns as a senior coach for the first time at the Suns. Much of the interest will be centred on how the Suns deal without Gary ‘the GOAT’ Ablett, the reigning club best and fairest winner who’s now at the Cats. I’d say there’s possible interest to see if Gold Coast can pull a crowd in Cairns with the new draftees, but it feels like a long season is on the cards for both teams.
Saturday twilight: Sydney versus Greater Western Sydney
Venue: Sydney Cricket Ground
One of two derbies on a packed Saturday schedule, we travel to the SCG to see the Battle of the Bridge. Two strong teams in GWS and Sydney will harbour dreams of finals, and this will test each team’s abilities early on. This does need to be Sydney’s home game as GWS will have their fortress turned into a literal farmyard for the Sydney Royal Easter Show. Both house more than enough talent to entertain, though. It should be genuinely refreshing to see a quality game following North and the Suns.
(Image: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Saturday prime time: Collingwood versus Melbourne
Venue: Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne fans, fresh off complaining about the Jack Watts trade, will crack open the cheese platters and caviar as their team yet again tries to make finals with its plethora of exciting players. Overall I am not expecting much from Collingwood, but they can play well on their day and they draw an incredibly good crowd. Nathan Buckley will look to repay the faith of his club with a win.
In an idea mooted by Eddie McGuire, Collingwood are looking to cash-in on its growing rivalry with Melbourne by hosting a game between the two. Melbourne is desperate to hold the rights to the traditional Queen’s Birthday game, so this serves as an interesting prequel and should feature a packed MCG. The last coach who was shown faith was Damien Hardwick, and we all know that story, so who knows?
Sunday midday: St Kilda versus Western Bulldogs
Venue: Etihad Stadium
This fixture is listed mainly because all the other teams were taken out, but the Saints and the Bulldogs both underdelivered last year and will be looking to bounce back. Both triggered some action in the trade period, though nothing of note, and both could make finals – or they could not. Either way no-one would be shocked. This should be a close contest, though.
(Image: AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Sunday midday: Adelaide versus Brisbane
Venue: Adelaide Oval
Watching Adelaide unveil Bryce Gibbs to an already great midfield unit will be good to watch. There is some lingering angst from sections of Crows fans towards Charlie Cameron, which is cool, and Adelaide Oval is a cracking stadium to watch football in. Plus Luke Hodge, love him or hate him, comes out of his short-lived retirement and proves, yes, some people actually want to go to Brisbane. Why? We don’t know.
Sunday twilight: Geelong versus Hawthorn
Venue: Simonds Stadium
Normally an Easter staple, we bring this match forward see the return of Gary ‘the GOAT’ Ablett to the Cattery. That alone is worth the price of admission. With Jeff Kennett returning to Hawthorn as well, it feels like a throwback to 2007-09, a simpler time when Hawthorn hadn’t single-handedly dominated the league and taken the fun out of football and when Geelong had Max Rooke, a footballer’s footballer. These are two rivals to start an awesome Sunday night.
(Image: Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
Sunday prime time: Fremantle versus West Coast
Venue: Perth Stadium
These are the facts:
- Western Australia has an expensive newly developed football ground to open called Perth Stadium; and
- Both West Austraian teams want to open the stadium in Round 1.
The answer is to host the West Australian Derby in Round 1 at Perth Stadum. In what will be a packed house, Fremantle will showcase offensive weapon Nathan Wilson and Brendan Matera alongside the injury-prone and incredibly talented Nate Fyfe. The sheer thought of Ross Lyon’s teams playing offensively is dizzying. Then West Coast are bringing through a new generation and shedding the Dad’s Army tag – which is good and all, but their season relies on Nic Naitanui being fit. If that happens, the Eagles may have something to shout about. Derbies are fiercely contested, and with each team placing emphasis on speed, it should be a terrific way to end.
So, Roarers, how would you schedule Round 1 of 2018?
Adam Daunt
Roar Guru
I know its traditionally a rivalry, I just think in the Mark Neeld era and when Melbourne was utterly terrible it lost some of its gloss and anticipation especially with Collingwood being dominant during some of those times. Nowadays Queens Birthday is a game I genuinely look forward too and it's returning to being the rivalry it once was, hence 'growing'.
Adam Daunt
Roar Guru
Yeah the AFL definitely wouldn't do it for commercial reasons I just think personally, 4 games on a Saturday is a bit much. I can see Hawks and Brisbane, the Hodge angle and all plus since Dangerfield's defection the Adelaide v Geelong games seem to draw well. GMHBA Stadium doesn't roll off the tongue.
Jon boy
Guest
100 % right there WCE......it would be really cool to have something even close to a even competition for what is supposed to AFL not still stuck in the VFL.......but of course it is never going to happen
Johnno
Guest
I think the AFL has got the balance right. It is the Eagles turn to have first game at home....so they get the first game at the new stadium. Freo however get the first night game (see all the lighting), first free to air televised game & the Suns game as an away game. Not often I say this, but well done AFL.
Tricky
Guest
I'd move the derby to Saturday night
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
Have a suspicion that Freo broke the embargo: http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/news/2017-10-26/first-home-game-under-lights-against-bombers Rd. 2 v Essendon, then Rd. 3 an "away" game at Perth Stadium hosting the Suns, plus the first home derby of the season in Rd.6. Four games in Perth over the first six rounds.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
It's Eagles v. Swans. Freo get the first game under lights the following week.
dontknowmuchaboutfootball
Guest
http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-10-26/eagles-swans-to-ignite-perth-stadium-in-r1-2018 Thursday, March 22 Richmond v Carlton, MCG, 7.25pm AEDT Friday, March 23 Essendon v Adelaide, Etihad Stadium, 7.50pm AEDT Saturday, March 24 St Kilda v Brisbane Lions, Etihad Stadium, 3.35pm AEDT Port Adelaide v Fremantle, Adelaide Oval, 4.05pm ACDT Gold Coast v North Melbourne, Cazaly’s Stadium, Cairns, 6.25pm AEST Hawthorn v Collingwood, MCG, 7.25pm AEDT Sunday, March 25 Greater Western Sydney v Western Bulldogs, Canberra, 1.10pm AEDT Melbourne v Geelong, MCG, 3.20pm AEDT West Coast v Sydney, Perth Stadium, 4.10pm AWDT
Wayne
Roar Guru
Already said a derby wont open the new stadium
Pete
Guest
No but building up interest and excitement to the start of a season is about perception and expectations...not about reality.
Cat
Roar Guru
One years top 4 doesn't guarantee they are top 4 quality the next year.
Pete
Guest
I still don’t get why Richmond Carlton has to be the season opener. Surely it should be a rematch between last years grand finalists or at least a top 4 clash. Give us a game for all of us to be excited about as the opener for Christ’s sake.
Cat
Roar Guru
Every team should play every ground. Freo and WCE shouldn't be making annual trips to play in Tassie (that doesn't mean they should never play there either, but no more than any other visiting side). Not much you can do when Collingwood has to play the Bulldogs, Essendon, Carlton, Melbourne, Saints etc. Can't give Brisbane every home game against Collingwood either, that's just 'solving' one imbalance by creating another. If teams only meet once in a season, the next season that those two teams meet only once should be played at the opposite home ground. None of these multi-year streak where one side is always home and the other is never away.
WCE
Roar Rookie
The only way to even begin to start to make things slightly "even" would be to have c/wood play away every second week to say Tasmania, Brisbane etc... instead of a 5 minute walk from there bedroom door as an away game. The AFL smother c/wood with love and tenderness and treat most other teams with discontent and everyone knows it.
Cat
Roar Guru
I am well aware the AFL doesn't care about fairness. I am well aware the AFL doesn't care that they a hypocrites when it comes to their excuse making. I am also aware that unless the Hawks v. Geelong game draws 90k+ (and lets face with with the Hawks bandwagon drying up there is little to no chance of those crowds in the foreseeable future) Geelong loses money (when it is their home game). So that means it is actually not about 'maximising revenue' as you claim but rather its about maximising ultimately useless attendance numbers.
Brian
Guest
about as clueless as you on how the AFL maximises revenue over fairness.
King Bob
Guest
Richmond versus Carlton isn't a tradition worth establishing and keeping. Just no point. Previous attempts to have a derby in round one have fizzled; there wasn't the excitement that builds later in the season. Richmond versus Carlton would be too one-sided. It would be more interesting if the GF was repeated in Adelaide. I would prefer the season started on a Friday night. Geelong vs Sydney would be a good first game.
Johnno
Guest
Spoken like a Victorian and the VFL/AFL. I am a freo supporter and I don't care who gets the first game. It is just great for WA to have a decent stadium at last....and we need to embrace all events, sport and others....at the stadium to make it viable and get the extra seats (increase from 60,000 to 70,000) the only thing I would like is for the stadium to be opened by people who have entertained WA. Football - Bill Walker; Cricket - Kim Hughes; entertainment - Eskimo Jo. These could be whoever you like. But to have a Politician, especially from those that were dragged screaming and kicking to get the stadium, would be ridiculous. Apologies for bringing Politics in. My rant is finished.
13th Man
Guest
Gonna disagree with you there. Yes you've had more success than us but that doesn't give you right to the first game. I think a new stadium deserves a Western Derby. Both clubs are now well and truly part of the furniture here in WA. West Coast also had the last game at Domain so that is the main reason why they played away round 1. Either its a Western Derby or both clubs get to play Round 1 in different games. Why should a team like Essendon get to play before Freo at the new stadium? I think it's fair enough to be a West Coast home game, I'd accept that but Freo should get to play there before an interstate team. Adelaide oval was opened with a Showdown, Perth Stadium should be opened with a Derby, a full house and hopefully a pretty good spectacle.
themadchatter
Guest
Western Bulldogs won the flag in 2016 and then missed the finals this year. To say that Port cannot beat anyone above them is correct for this season, next season is a different story, why are you stating that what happened this year for Port as a basis for outcomes next year? You don't know they won't make the top 8. No one knows whats going to happen. Just have to look at Bulldogs and Richmond for examples. Last year Tigers didn't even make the finals and then boom they won the flag.