George Orwell famously wrote about inequality in Animal Farm, but in the world of Australian Rules football the fixtures are anything but equal and are in fact pigging unfair.
Each team plays each other at least once and a fixture compiler then presumably decides which teams play each other a second time to make up a 23-match home-and-away season. The additional fixtures are decided based on the rankings of the previous season.
It seems to me as a UK follower of the sport that the cause of the inequality of the fixtures is due to the season being too short. The UK’s Premier League lasts nine months and the rugby league season is eight months long. In big old Australia the AFL campaign lasts justs six months.
Here’s an idea: why not extend the season to nine months? Everyone plays each other home and away and there would even be time for an additional bye round to give the players a week off.
While we are sorting out the fixture list let’s also sort out the rules. It’s a tough, combative sport, so stop trying to make it a non-contact competition. Free kicks are proliferating in the game. By the way, my Australian friends, free kicks are awarded or given; they aren’t paid. Money doesn’t change hands, so why use a monetary term?
And while we’re giving the AFL a good old revamp let’s freshen things up. Give other teams a turn at playing on Anzac Day instead of the same tired old participants.
Being marooned in the UK and having to rely on TV, there is one subject that grinds my gears more than any other, and that is the unacceptably amateurish attitude to kits. Can we stop having games played with teams wearing similar guernseys? The recent Geelong versus Collingwood match had one team in dark hoops and the other in dark stripes. The distant shots almost caused an epileptic episode.
At the start of each season every club should register a home kit and an away kit. Every away team must wear a guernsey with totally different colours to the home team. We are in the 21st century and it’s nonsense for clubs to rely on outdated kit traditions every game regardless of the opponent.
Australia may have won the Ashes in cricket but your own game of Australian Rules football should take the suggestions of this Brit to sort itself out.
Penster
Roar Guru
I believe there are sufficient grounds to avoid cricket.
RT
Roar Rookie
1. And did the AFL move a game? 2. Richmond may have asked about frees but I don't think it worked. Many teams have done the same. 3. The umpiring in that 2017 game was atrocious. All the article does is quote him speaking at his press conference. If that is compliance then so be it. Not sure what you were expecting.
Shane
Guest
When you ask the AFL to move Geelongs home games to the MCG. The club has done it many times. Oh, here is the last time Dimma influenced the umpires https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theage.com.au/sport/afl/richmond-talk-to-umpires-about-dusty-who-needs-a-fairer-deal-20190409-p51cbx.html For your pleasure, here is where he combines the two issues with a compliant Melbourne media: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/richmond/damien-hardwick-claims-richmond-copped-raw-deal-against-geelong-with-free-kick-count/news-story/23a2230219e817215a30a6f60bb19f73
Lukey Miller
Guest
Liked most of his thoughts, but he might not be aware of local issues. He is so right about jumper clashes. Other professional games in the world sorted these clashes out many years ago. Not so the conflicted AFL, which is hugely influenced by the powerful Melbourne clubs - try getting Collingwood to don a decent non-clash outfit. On the other hand Hawthorn, who get most things right, come out with the most dreadful alternative strips - 2019 was another absolute shocker.
Lukey miller
Guest
Good to get ideas from someone outside the game. The AFL can be a bit insular and we followers can be a bit the same. Fixturing in the EPL is clearly worlds apart from our situation, unfortunately. It would be great if the fixtures were even and teams played each other twice, but making the season longer is not really an option. The game has become so quick and debilitating that the season is probably already too long (we can't even fit State of Origin in). In the US, for instance, the NFL are able to play many less games in a season than AFL teams due to their huge revenue. The AFL don't really have the option of teams only playing each other only once (17 game qualifying part of the season), because they would cop a hefty drop in tv rights revenue. The best thing for the AFL is that they have a fantastic and unique product, which has captured significant share of a fairly limited audience. How they can fix their fixturing is beyond me and unfortunately the powers to be in the AFL.
Caterv
Roar Rookie
There aren't 23 matches; one round constitutes a bye, leaving 22 matches per club in each home-and-away season. When a Tasmanian club comes in (along with Canberra?), the inequalities of the 22-match draw will be diminished (although not eliminated). Extending the season is a thought best left for those brought up on soccer.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
Not to allow for both to get decent crowds, and for first class cricketers to actually play on Test evnues occasionally. There are only two FC cricket venues in half the states (WA,SA,Vic; one in Tasmania but there’s no full time AFL team there, more in NSW and Qld ) and in none of those cases can the other venues capacity come close to demand for hosting mens internationals of any type. Without spending billions on single use venues that’s just the reality of a low population, high attendance, nation. It does compromise the fixture, and the AFL itself makes it even more compromised both on- and off-field.
RT
Roar Rookie
How does Richmond steal home ground advantage, by hosting Collingwood at the MCG? That's how we lose it. Speaking of losing it, where did you come up with your Dimma comment? He's obviously not paying the umpires enough since we have had the worst free kick differential of all 18 teams for 2 years running. Nice try but you'll need to do better than that.
Chancho
Roar Rookie
I disagree with your definition of pay... you can pay someone a visit… and it pays to keep on the good side of some people... it is not exclusive to money. I certainly agree with your full home and away comment though, but it's not easy when grounds, especially the MCG, are shared with cricket.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Thanks for that, Shane. Just brilliant. Still a little room left on the Tiger Train. Get on board boy. You know it makes sense.
IAP
Guest
True. #Gilmustgo
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
I'll pay that.
Shane
Guest
Hahahahaha, a Richmond supporter saying "nothing to see here". Colour me surprised! Your team is the biggest beneficiary from stealing home ground advantage, to a string of home games leading to finals, to Dimma influencing the umpires in private under the table meetings. Just be happy with your two AFL assisted flags and be quiet.
Shane
Guest
Don't worry mate, you know you have made some good points when you get the Melbourne tossers defending the inequity of AFL on the basis of cricket, and having a crack at you because you are a pom. The sooner we get it out of their recalcitrant hands, the better for the game as a whole.
Shane
Guest
The game isn't being run the way we want it mate.
Shane
Guest
Also don't forget we have the bull dust bye rounds and pre finals bye. What a crock.
Shane
Guest
Because the MCC dictates who and when we play. It's a disgrace. The sooner we get the game out of Melbourne, the sooner it will grow.
RT
Roar Rookie
The inequities are overstated and generally only looked at from one side by anyone complaining. Given soccer has so many more teams, especially with relegation, promotion, and interleague games, clash guernseys are unavoidable so it is a no brainer there. Expansion and the trweaking of jumpers (Collingwood) has caused the problem here. Clash jumpers are fine but let’s keep the traditional colours. Richmond’s alternative is a great example, even though a few seen to hate it.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
That's the one. When they had that horrible final 6 system.
Waggers
Roar Rookie
Totally agree with everything you said. Interesting to get the perspective of someone looking in from the outside