Our Prez has a crack at the AFL over Opening Round

[Mr Miyagi]

This is music to my ears! Home games at marvel next please, Geoff! The early season start with opening round and going north stuffed us, felt like practive match preseason, and especially with us having the shorter preseason prep on top of it.

“I am all in favour of developing the game in the northern states but (Opening Round) needs to be fairly spread across all the clubs.” All or none. That's the message Collingwood CEO Jeff Browne will pitch to the other 17 clubs and the AFL at next week's CEOs meeting regarding the 2025 Opening Round

Source and more info https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... 155dd4?amp

[The Black and White Lion]

Big ups Geoff. Can't imagine that we would forfeit a game but Geoff does say if they schedule us in Sydney in Round 0 we won't go. I guess that means we're headed to the Gold Coast instead.

[What'sinaname]

Not a hill worth dying for. Given we get an extra juicy fixture of MCG games coming into the finals.

For 2025, we wont have to worry about a shortened preseason.

[Mr Miyagi]

Nah I’m loving we have a prez who’s telling the afl this is what *we* want. Very clearly. After all the charity we do for other clubs and home games.

[Raw Hammer]

Single handed ruined our back to back chances starting so early.

Would rather play genuine home games at the MCG, and actual away games at Marvel (if that means Carlton, Essendon, etc. then so be it, not our problem). Happy to go to Sleepy Hollow too.

[inxs88]

Cmon people it's JEFF!!!!

[Mr Miyagi]

Cmon people it's JEFF!!!!

Jeff will always be Kennett, who I can’t stand!

[neil]

He spelt out to the AFL how poor their decision was this year and wants the lifting to be done by all clubs
Hard to argue with

[What'sinaname]

He spelt out to the AFL how poor their decision was this year and wants the lifting to be done by all clubs
Hard to argue with

Not sure how big of an issue it really is. The two GF's played the PF finalists, which is a difference of one week prep.

Am thinking that if we won the game, we wouldn't be raising this.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

He spelt out to the AFL how poor their decision was this year and wants the lifting to be done by all clubs
Hard to argue with

Not sure how big of an issue it really is. The two GF's played the PF finalists, which is a difference of one week prep.

Am thinking that if we won the game, we wouldn't be raising this.

One week makes a huge difference and having to go interstate to play them first up did as much to destroy our season as injuries have done.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

I felt was great for me anyway as i was in Sydney on holiday so i went to the game v GWS.
Just thought that we were no where near footy mode.
Copped Swans next ouch then Saints in form.
Been chasing our tail since.
Bad move to get involved.
Never again.
Kind of put us out of sinc for the rest of the season.

[Jezza]

Cannot be a coincidence that the Grand Finalists from last year both start 0-3 in the following season, which has never happened in VFL/AFL history.

It was the earliest start to a season in history.

[perthmagpie]

I think it was a huge issue. Finished our season end of September. Started pre season later than every club in principle bar Brisbane. On top of that our premiership team contained a ton of older players who are forced to start their pre season close to Christmas. Then we had our first game before the middle of March. We weren’t ready to bounce into the season. Many of our best players only had a seven week pre season. That’s very challenging in terms of fitness and time spent practicing the game plan.

[Big T]

I like the premise that we are not scared to use our considerable hand in this competition to start to get some equality. We have never been scared to travel. But we do get used to make the league money and tend to get harder draws than most. Good to see us fighting for our rights but in a professional manner.

[jonmac1954]

Of course it was an issue.

When the governing body of the game decides to deliberately punish a team for winning the GF and to do it publicly then it's a brazen statement to the world that YES they are fixing matches and manipulating the competition.