Next Seasons Fixture

[GVGjr]

Mark Stevens has just tweeted that the Dogs will see a significant increase in prime time slots next season


Dogs set for significant rise in prime time footy .. Crows also to be rewarded .. Quality of footy, not reputation rules

[SlimPickens]

Needs to happen. We are the best team to watch in the league (not that I'm biased or anything).

[bulldogtragic]

What is a significant increase on Zero Friday Nights?

1 would be infinitely increased compared to 0. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath with the AFL...

[GVGjr]

What is a significant increase on Zero Friday Nights?

1 would be infinitely increased compared to 0. Forgive me if I don't hold my breath with the AFL...

My guess is 3 Friday night games, 4 Saturday night games.

Getting our supporters there might be a challenge

[bulldogtragic]

My guess is 3 Friday night games, 4 Saturday night games.

Getting our supporters there might be a challenge

As a supporter base we just have to try. If they give us Etihad (usual Friday venue) and say Collingwood, Richmond & North for the three the crowds should be really good.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

WOOF.net.au is Football - love this would make a good t shirt

[F'scary]

My guess is 3 Friday night games, 4 Saturday night games.

Getting our supporters there might be a challenge

I'd be a definite for all of those Saturday nighters and I'd be bring my crew with me.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Hoping for 4 Friday Night games.

Also hoping our supporter base pulls their finger out and attends said games. Membership numbers will be interesting, there's never been more excitement around the club and the costs/payment options mean there are no excuses IMO.

[Pickenitup]

The Age reporting that we will play Saints at etihad round 1 on a Saturday night.
I thought we were going to play Pies on a Saturday at the G?

[boydogs]

There are downsides to Friday nights. The exposure is obviously a plus, but as a supporter the big Friday night game you would normally sit down to is your own team's, and then there is nothing much to look forward to for the rest of the weekend. As a player, unless you were on the previous Friday as well they mean a 5 or 6 day break leading in

[bornadog]

PG was pushing playing Hawks at the G instead of Tassie, on top of the opening with Collingwood and Friday nights

[BornInDroopSt'54]

PG was pushing playing Hawks at the G instead of Tassie, on top of the opening with Collingwood and Friday nights

Good call Il Presidente, stuff us supporting the Hawks and their bankrolling and advantage in Tassie. Give us the G!

[GVGjr]

There are downsides to Friday nights. The exposure is obviously a plus, but as a supporter the big Friday night game you would normally sit down to is your own team's, and then there is nothing much to look forward to for the rest of the weekend. As a player, unless you were on the previous Friday as well they mean a 5 or 6 day break leading in

The supporters have been crying out for Friday night games so you have to take the ups and downs that go with it. I really hope we can draw our fans to the games. The upside is it gives people a better chance to also go to Footscray games.

We can live with 6 day breaks and I can see that there is a potential we would do a Friday night game one week with a Thursday night game the following.

The amount of people that have said to me they like watching us play must have been a compelling reason to the AFL.

[Go_Dogs]

Good news.

I find it pretty convenient to head to game at Etihad on a Friday night, and the G too for that matter, and I believe quite a few of our supporters would be in the same boat. It isn't the best family friendly time slot, but it's good for neutrals, so if we're playing exciting football and playing against another strong team, we should be able to draw the crowds, particularly AFL members.

[Torpedo]

Long term, its great exposure for our main sponsors and it can only help to secure ongoing sponsorship deals and hopefully increase memberships as well. Prime time dogs will be good for club, 7(in what must have been a disastrous year for 7) and the afl generally. Also we feature through more tv ads promoting the Friday game and it provides more print coverage of us in lead up, as the only game on Friday. More coverage in Saturday papers too. Often we get lost in the torrent of articles about other teams (read pies/tiges/dons) because of their support in Melbourne. Regardless of possible 6 day lead ins, its wonderful promo for the club and something we desperately need to grow the club into the future. All we have to do is' come to play' as the commentators say.

[Eastdog]

It's about time we get a few Friday nights also having a good spread on Saturday and Sunday games at the good time slots. If we lose on Friday night though it's not the best weekend after. Im hoping we can play more of our away Victorian games at the MCG. While as Doggies supporters we like Etihad and play our best footy there we need to get our away record up.

[Eastdog]

As a supporter base we just have to try. If they give us Etihad (usual Friday venue) and say Collingwood, Richmond & North for the three the crowds should be really good.

Yep for sure BT. Some weeks I can't go for a certain reason but if you have no reason why you can't go then you should go.

[LostDoggy]

Crowds or not, I think the best benefit of getting Friday night slots is the free to air coverage that comes with it. Yes our crowds need work, but we really need to get more free to air coverage if we are to convert the neutrals.

[Rocco Jones]

Crowds or not, I think the best benefit of getting Friday night slots is the free to air coverage that comes with it. Yes our crowds need work, but we really need to get more free to air coverage if we are to convert the neutrals.

Spot on.

[Flamethrower]

What we know so far from the fixture currently before clubs & the media rights partners....

Round 1
Carlton v Richmond MCG, Thursday night
No Good Friday game
Sydney v Collingwood ANZ
Melbourne v GWS MCG
Western Bulldogs v St KIlda Etihad, Saturday night
Hawthorn v Geelong MCG, Easter Monday
Gold Coast Suns at home,
West Coast Eagles v Brisbane Lions in Perth

Round 2
Brisbane Lions v North Melbourne GABBA
St Kilda at home for Riewoldt's 300th game
Hawthorn v West Coast MCG
Richmond v Collingwood

Western Bulldogs to get at least 3 Friday night games & 1 Thursday night game.

Fixture will be officially released October 29th.

[bulldogtragic]

Just give us the Good Friday game already. Also Eddie and PG lobbied for a dogs-pies opener. Mustn't have lobbied hard enough.

[GVGjr]

Well after all the build up, our first round game is against Freo in a Sunday at Etihad.

[boydogs]

Well after all the build up, our first round game is against Freo in a Sunday at Etihad.

Which sounds OK until you realise it's Easter Sunday. Not a good start

[G-Mo77]

Well after all the build up, our first round game is against Freo in a Sunday at Etihad.

Well we should be happy it's not Gold Coast or GWS. They'll say this is our blockbuster game.

We better be rewarded elsewhere, I'm tired of this shit!

[bulldogtragic]

Well after all the build up, our first round game is against Freo in a Sunday at Etihad.

I'm happy I wasn't holding my breath after all...

[SonofScray]

The AFL can GAGF. Sick of the rigged draw, it is the most blatant evidence of all the other really ordinary administrative protocols that exist in the game and sets the bar so low for the integrity of the competition it allows a heap of other stuff in other areas to go unchecked.

[G-Mo77]

I'm happy I wasn't holding my breath after all...

Love the Ben Folds sig.

[Greystache]

New season, same garbage. The AFL just don't get it.

5 years in a row we play an interstate team round 1.

[bulldogtragic]

New season, same garbage. The AFL just don't get it.

5 years in a row we play an interstate team round 1.

Equalisation is apparently defined as 'treating you equally shit every year'. On this basis, we do have true equalisation.

[Flamethrower]

What happened? I heard from multiple sources that we were playing St Kilda at Etihad on Saturday night in round 1, and the Herald Sun now publishes the round 1 fixture and we get Fremantle at 1pm on Easter Sunday. The rest of the round 1 draw is exactly as I was told though.....maybe they didn't want Port v Freo again and flip flopped oppos...Port now play St Kilda instead.

The more things change the more they stay the same......despite the rhetoric out of AFL House we continue to be treated like the ugly step sister of the competition.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I'm more concerned with finding out what round/s we travel to Perth

[bornadog]

I'm more concerned with finding out what round/s we travel to Perth

Hopefully not round 1 for the 100th time.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

New season, same garbage. The AFL just don't get it.

5 years in a row we play an interstate team round 1.

It's absolute crap.

Don't get me started on the BS "blockbuster" that is Carlton v Richmond - this annoys me more than playing yet another interstate side on a Sunday.

[Greystache]

It's absolute crap.

Don't get me started on the BS "blockbuster" that is Carlton v Richmond - this annoys me more than playing yet another interstate side on a Sunday.

What? The team that hasn't won a final in 15 years vs the team that's "won" 4 wooden spoons in the same period, what's not to get excited about! :rolleyes:

The fact we get to see those two teams or Collingwood virtually every other Friday night for the rest of the season just adds to the spectacle. Especially seeing as they finished 7th, 12th, and 18th unrespectively, just like the season before.

[Pickenitup]

I have heard a little whisper our first Friday Night game will be a home game at ES against The Hawks

[Scraggers]

So we know, that we play
Richmond,
Port Adelaide,
Geelong,
GWS &
Collingwood twice.
We play
Hawthorn,
West Coast,
Fremantle,
North Melbourne,
Sydney,
Adelaide,
Melbourne,
St Kilda,
Essendon,
Gold Coast,
Brisbane, &
Carlton once.

Of the top 6 teams (2015), four were interstate; and we know that we play one of them (Freo) at home.

With the promise of three/four Friday night games, this could be another good FIXture for us in 2016

[Bulldog Joe]

My understanding of the rules around weighting of the draw is as follows
1-6
minimum of 1 double up and a maximum of 2

7-12
minimum of 2 and maximum of 3

13-18
minimum of 1 and maximum of 2

So that is at least one of top 6 will be played twice and at least one of bottom 6 will be played twice.

Since we only had 1 Perth trip in 2015, I expect 2 in 2016.
It is not as if we are Collingwood.

[boydogs]

That's right BJ


– Sides ranked 7-12 on the ladder will have a minimum of one and a maximum of two double-meetings with sides ranked in the top third bracket (1-6). They will have at least two but no more than three double-meetings with teams in the same bracket. They will have a minimum of one and a maximum of two double-meetings with sides ranked 13-18.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-fixture-model-set-to-challenge-big-victorian-clubs-20130903-2t2c9.html

[GVGjr]

We are playing the Suns again at Cairns in 2016.

We get such a great crowd there as well.

[Ozza]

We are playing the Suns again at Cairns in 2016.

We get such a great crowd there as well.

We're undefeated there aren't we?

[LostDoggy]

We are playing the Suns again at Cairns in 2016.

We get such a great crowd there as well.

Lock in J.Macrae 3 votes

[Axe Man]

No NAB game at Whitten Oval next year is disappointing.

Dogs’ NAB Challenge opponents revealed (http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-10-27/2016-nab-challenge-fixture-revealed)

Giants, Demons and Pies…they’ve been revealed as the Western Bulldogs NAB Challenge opponents in 2016.

The AFL released the 2016 NAB Challenge fixture on Tuesday, with the Western Bulldogs to commence their involvement in the pre-season competition with a Thursday evening away-fixture against the GWS Giants at StarTrak Oval in Canberra.

Ten days later, the Bulldogs will then face-off against Melbourne at suburban Melbourne venue Highgate Oval (Cragieburn), before facing Collingwood at Etihad Stadium the following weekend in their final pre-season hitout before the start of the 2016 Toyota AFL Premiership Season.

The Bulldogs will have just over two weeks between their final NAB Challenge match and their home and away season opener.

As revealed on Sunday, the Western Bulldogs will face Fremantle in Round 1 on Easter Sunday at Etihad Stadium on 27 March 2016.

Match 1
Thursday, 25 February
GWS Giants vs. Western Bulldogs
StarTrack Oval
7:10pm EDT

Match 2
Sunday, 6 March
Western Bulldogs vs. Melbourne
Highgate Oval, Craigieburn
2:05pm EDT

Match 3
Saturday, 12 March
Collingwood vs. Western Bulldogs
Etihad Stadium
1:10pm EDT

[Murphy'sLore]

Well, there's our Collingwood blockbuster.

[Ozza]

2 of the same teams as last year, with GWS replacing the Tigers game.

[bornadog]

Carton zero Friday night matches.

[Prince Imperial]

Yes, it is disappointing not to have any matches at WO but be scheduled one at Craigieburn - don't think it is anywhere near either ours or Melbourne's heartlands.

The last NAB game against Collingwood appears to be a rather poor attempt at a sweetner for not scheduling a round 1 clash.

[Twodogs]

I'd call it a piss poor attempt personally.

[bornadog]

from The HUN


WESTERN Bulldogs will become footy’s television darlings next season.The Dogs will play half of their games at night in 2016.
The Herald Sun can reveal Luke Beveridge’s men are slated to play three Friday night games and up to eight Saturday night games.

The increased night time exposure rewards the Dogs for their meteoric rise to finals next season.

[Mofra]

That's great for us overall although Saturday night games can be a struggle for me to attend

[KT31]

Carton zero Friday night matches.

Not good enough for a Friday night game but good enough to open the season.:rolleyes:

[Remi Moses]

This whole contrived b/s tradition fixturing is just insane.
They'll get a crowd because it's round 1, as would every other side opening the season.
Might be the first ever opening game I rearrange the sock and jock draw

[Sedat]

Awesome, we get the brain-dead commentary team of BT, Darce and Richo for 8 games next season. We haven't had the charms of Bruce, Dennis and Lingy on a Friday night for a couple of years - can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to Bruce fawning over Bont like the creepy old man at a work Xmas party, and Lingy telling us such compelling insights as how Stringer "goes in hard and doesn't take a backward step" :rolleyes:

Another 7 more years of that piece-of-shit network ruining our TV footy watching experience - I wonder how long they'll continue to make us watch their rancid telecast in standard definition :rolleyes::rolleyes:

[Ozza]

Can't really be whinging about lack of exposure when we get 11 night games.

Good result for the club.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Awesome, we get the brain-dead commentary team of BT, Darce and Richo for 8 games next season. We haven't had the charms of Bruce, Dennis and Lingy on a Friday night for a couple of years - can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to Bruce fawning over Bont like the creepy old man at a work Xmas party, and Lingy telling us such compelling insights as how Stringer "goes in hard and doesn't take a backward step" :rolleyes:

You just get the feeling that first Bonti goal will be SO important, don't you?

;)

[bornadog]

Awesome, we get the brain-dead commentary team of BT, Darce and Richo for 8 games next season. We haven't had the charms of Bruce, Dennis and Lingy on a Friday night for a couple of years - can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to Bruce fawning over Bont like the creepy old man at a work Xmas party, and Lingy telling us such compelling insights as how Stringer "goes in hard and doesn't take a backward step" :rolleyes:

Another 7 more years of that piece-of-shit network ruining our TV footy watching experience - I wonder how long they'll continue to make us watch their rancid telecast in standard definition :rolleyes::rolleyes:

If you go to the games, you won't have to worry about the commentary and you can watch the replays on mute. ;)

[Sedat]

If you go to the games, you won't have to worry about the commentary and you can watch the replays on mute. ;)
I can never get to the Saturday night matches but I will be at the 3 Friday night games with bells on!

[G-Mo77]

In all honesty the Arvo games suit me so much better, early Saturday games my personal favorite. All that aside I am rapt to hear we are being given some FTA exposure in prime time.

[bornadog]

I can never get to the Saturday night matches but I will be at the 3 Friday night games with bells on!

suggest get your digital radio and listen on abc, and mute TV :)

[Scraggers]

Any idea when the full fixture comes out?

[LostDoggy]

Any idea when the full fixture comes out?

Thursday I believe

[azabob]

Can't really be whinging about lack of exposure when we get 11 night games.

Good result for the club.

Ozza, how dare you post something remotely positive.

Great outcome if true.

[Greystache]

Can't really be whinging about lack of exposure when we get 11 night games.

Good result for the club.

It depends if the 8 Saturday night games are all on Foxtel or not.

[Remi Moses]

The drip fed info sounds good. Personally prefer Saturday night over Friday, but commercially it's imperative .
The less 4.40, 3.20 Sunday games the better

[Ozza]

It depends if the 8 Saturday night games are all on Foxtel or not.

I would be guessing that 5 of the 8 would be in Victoria - meaning almost certainly free to air.

[always right]

Sounds like a great result for the club....but obviously it won't suit every supporter. For those who have weekend family sport commitments, Saturday nights are fantastic.

[KT31]

Sounds like a great result for the club....but obviously it won't suit every supporter. For those who have weekend family sport commitments, Saturday nights are fantastic.

Love Saturday night games, the days local footy commitments are over and we all sit down the rooms, have a few ales and watch the game.

[Axe Man]

Indigenous Round (10) we will play Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday 29 May at 3:20pm.

Obviously a Collingwood home game but at least it will provide some more experience at the MCG in front of a decent crowd.

[GVGjr]

Indigenous Round (10) we will play Collingwood at the MCG on Sunday 29 May at 3:20pm.

Obviously a Collingwood home game but at least it will provide some more experience at the MCG in front of a decent crowd.

You can see the march to the G will be on this week.

Should be a great round.

[Pickenitup]

We are playing Cats In Geelong On A Friday Night according to K rock

[The Bulldogs Bite]

We are playing Cats In Geelong On A Friday Night according to K rock

Dislike. Hate that ground, and they should only play interstate sides in Geelong.

[boydogs]

We are playing the Suns again at Cairns in 2016.

We get such a great crowd there as well.

Bonti made the front page of our paper

http://cairnspost.newspaperdirect.com/epaper/viewer.aspx

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CSWpMW6WoAArfLZ.jpg

[Remi Moses]

Caffe latte there boydogs?;)

[Remi Moses]

We are playing Cats In Geelong On A Friday Night according to K rock

Wow! Our supporters will be able to flock there in droves :mad:

[boydogs]

Caffe latte there boydogs?;)

Lol, not my pic

http://puu.sh/l0Og2/8b3073c656.jpg

[KT31]

Wow! Our supporters will be able to flock there in droves :mad:

Once again the AFL contradict themselves, we cant have a home final because of crowd numbers but can play a Friday night game in Geelong.
Roughly 10,000 extra at the final will miss 15,000 plus in Geelong :rolleyes::mad:

[The Underdog]

I have to say on first glance it's hard to complain about much aside from the Freo bookends.

[1eyedog]

Good draw for us until we get to round 23. First final played coming back from Perth, let's hope we have 4th spot sewn up so we can send the VFL team over.

[Axe Man]

Sunday, March 27 Western Bulldogs v Fremantle ES 1:10PM

Saturday, April 02 St Kilda v Western Bulldogs ES 7:25PM

Sunday, April 10 Western Bulldogs v Hawthorn ES 3:20PM

Saturday, April 16 Carlton v Western Bulldogs ES 7:25PM

Saturday, April 23 Western Bulldogs v Brisbane Lions ES 7:25PM

Friday, April 29 North Melbourne v Western Bulldogs ES 7:50PM

Saturday, May 07 Western Bulldogs v Adelaide Crows ES 7:40PM

Sunday, May 15 Melbourne v Western Bulldogs MCG 3:20PM

Sunday, May 22 GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs SPO 3:20PM

Sunday, May 29 Collingwood v Western Bulldogs MCG 3:20PM

Sunday, June 05 Western Bulldogs v West Coast Eagles ES 3:20PM

Saturday, June 11 Port Adelaide v Western Bulldogs AO 1:10PM

Saturday, June 18 Western Bulldogs v Geelong Cats ES 7:25PM

Round 14 BYE

Saturday, July 02 Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs SCG 4:35PM

Saturday, July 09 Western Bulldogs v Richmond ES 7:25PM

Saturday, July 16 Western Bulldogs v Gold Coast Suns CS 7:25PM

Saturday, July 23 Western Bulldogs v St Kilda ES 7:25PM

Friday, July 29 Geelong Cats v Western Bulldogs SS 7:50PM

Saturday, August 06 Western Bulldogs v North Melbourne ES 7:25PM

Friday, August 12 Western Bulldogs v Collingwood ES 7:50PM

Sunday, August 21 Essendon v Western Bulldogs ES 4:40PM

Saturday, August 27 Fremantle v Western Bulldogs DS 12:00PM

[Axe Man]

Good draw for us until we get to round 23. First final played coming back from Perth, let's hope we have 4th spot sewn up so we can send the VFL team over.

There's a week off after the last round before finals so not an issue.

[The Underdog]

Good draw for us until we get to round 23. First final played coming back from Perth, let's hope we have 4th spot sewn up so we can send the VFL team over.

There's a week off before finals

[1eyedog]

There's a week off before finals

edit. sorry saw above posts too late.

[NoseBleed]

12 Night games, 7 Late/Twilight games, 3 Early.
3 Friday, 12 Sat, 7 Sunday.
14 Doglands, 2 MCG, 1 Adelaide, 1 SCG, 1 Perth, 1 Geelong, 1 Cairns, 1 Western Sydney
Play Once: Adel, BrLi, Carl, Esse, GCSu, GSWe, Hawt, Melb, Port, Ric, WCEa, Sydn
Play Twice:Coll, Freo, Geel, NoMe, StKi
Breaks (Days): 6=8, 7=9, 8=2, 9=1, 14=1

[LostDoggy]

Really like the look of the draw.

- Start with 7 games at Etihad
- Travel to Perth once and not until Round 23 (with a bye to follow anyway)
- Home games against Pies, Tigers, Hawks, North, Geelong & Saints = Big crowds


Tough draw in terms of teams we play twice, Freo & North both top 4 and Geelong and Collingwood looking highly likely to improve. But will be a good test for us.

[always right]

No complaints this year. Much harder draw but if we're good enough it won't matter.

[bornadog]

We need to keep winning at Etihad and sow up finals.

[LostDoggy]

Finish Top 4 next year and surely we would get a home final @ ES?
Wouldn't we???? :rolleyes:

[LostDoggy]

16 games in Melb, 1 @ Sleepy hollow,
Great fixture for us and really no omplaints here.;)
More chances and opportunities for all our supporters to get along and see the boys excite and light it up!!

#Giddyup ;)

[bulldogsman]

2 games at the G is the only disappointment for mine. Apart from that, it's very nice. The best draw we've had in ages.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

2 games at the G is the only disappointment for mine. Apart from that, it's very nice. The best draw we've had in ages.

Yeah this is disappointing, really was hoping for 5.

Otherwise, a good (but challenging) draw.

[Ozza]

Huge result to have only 2 x twilight games for the season.

Personally, the twilight games don't bother me, but I know that everyone whinges about them, and that attendances are even poorer for our twilight matches - so this should be a really good result.

Getting to play the pies, tigers and hawks at home is great.

[The Pie Man]

Friday night in Geelong doesn't count - should be a ratings winner I guess, but play it in Melbourne!

[LostDoggy]

Does the week off after round 23 disadvantage teams who finish top 4?

[always right]

Does the week off after round 23 disadvantage teams who finish top 4?

How so?

[Ozza]

How so?

I suspect jaytee is thinking that if you are top 4, and win during week one - then by prelim final day - you've only played once in the best part of 4 weeks (one game in 3 weeks/rounds - plus the week off pre match).

[jazzadogs]

Friday night in Geelong doesn't count - should be a ratings winner I guess, but play it in Melbourne!

Surely given our 'heartland' is the west, Geelong is just as easy to get to as Melbourne? A train from Melbourne to Geelong on a Friday night would take about 50 minutes, more than enough time after work to get there.

I admit it's a strange choice, but Melbourne people talk about Geelong like it's three hours away!

[KT31]

Surely given our 'heartland' is the west, Geelong is just as easy to get to as Melbourne? A train from Melbourne to Geelong on a Friday night would take about 50 minutes, more than enough time after work to get there.

I admit it's a strange choice, but Melbourne people talk about Geelong like it's three hours away!

Agree distance is not an issue but the ground has limited capacity for opposition supporter's and you need to take out a second mortgage to pay for seating.
Happy for Geelong supporters though, if we had a traditional home ground I would love the opportunity to play a night game against them there.
All in all it is a decent fixture and a big plus on previous years, it gives us a great chance to entice sponsorship and increase our membership.

[LostDoggy]

I suspect jaytee is thinking that if you are top 4, and win during week one - then by prelim final day - you've only played once in the best part of 4 weeks (one game in 3 weeks/rounds - plus the week off pre match).

Pretty much!

Also all teams are getting that all important week break at a cruical time of year. I don't think that week off during the 2nd week of finals will be as beneficial.

[craigsahibee]

Agree distance is not an issue but the ground has limited capacity for opposition supporter's and you need to take out a second mortgage to pay for seating.
Happy for Geelong supporters though, if we had a traditional home ground I would love the opportunity to play a night game against them there.
All in all it is a decent fixture and a big plus on previous years, it gives us a great chance to entice sponsorship and increase our membership.

This is just hypocrisy on the AFL's part. What happened to maximising potential crowd numbers? Just doesn't make sense.

[bornadog]

This is just hypocrisy on the AFL's part. What happened to maximising potential crowd numbers? Just doesn't make sense.

the ground capacity will be reduced as they have started on the new stand.

The finished product will look pretty good.

http://www.g21.com.au/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/simonds_stadium_aerial_.jpg?itok=r0IIlw1a

[Sedat]

To hell with Kardinia Park (and Aurora Stadium for that matter). Thankfully we aren't playing in Tassie again this year.

Draw looks pretty good on first glance.

[BulldogBelle]

Im curious about how sponsorship contracts are struck and would love the insight of someone that may have dealt with these in the past.
Do said contracts usually have clauses/stipulations that tie payments to increases/decreases in tv audience exposure?
(I would hope so, because next year's fixture would generate additional incremental revenue from existing sponsors)

[jeemak]

The fixture looks alright.

Playing in Geelong on a Friday night is pretty shit though.

Victorian teams shouldn't have the advantage Geelong does at the expense of other Victorian teams. We have to play all Victorian teams without a home ground advantage but Geelong gets to play teams with a significant one.

It's bullshit.

Try getting to any part of Melbourne within a 25km radius of the city on a Friday evening within 40 minutes for a Friday night game. Then try and get the 75km to Geelong on a Friday afternoon in the same time. It's basically a quasi interstate trip in Friday afternoon peak, and with the added time to avoid that peak, it's a massive penalty having to have our team wait for the game preparation to kick in.

[jeemak]

Im curious about how sponsorship contracts are struck and would love the insight of someone that may have dealt with these in the past.
Do said contracts usually have clauses/stipulations that tie payments to increases/decreases in tv audience exposure?
(I would hope so, because next year's fixture would generate additional incremental revenue from existing sponsors)

Mate, which sponsorship categories are you referring to? They're pretty broad, some are geared towards the grounds used, others are geared towards TV and radio, whilst some are about affiliations. Each are subject to different terms.

[chef]

Don't have a problem with playing in Geelong, its their home game so i dont get what the complaints are about.

[The Underdog]

Don't have a problem with playing in Geelong, its their home game so i dont get what the complaints are about.

Yeah, I don't get it. We bitch about no Friday night games, then we get 3 and the location of one isn't good enough. We have our first 8 games at Etihad for crying out loud and only travel 5 times, two of those are to Sydney and one of which is our choice. I haven't been to a Geelong game for about 13 years so the fact that it's live on free to air tv is a huge win for me.

[LostDoggy]

Don't have a problem with playing in Geelong, its their home game so i dont get what the complaints are about.

Ditto. I am guessing Geelong would be rapt to be hosting a stellar team on a Friday night at home, not every game can be scheduled to our advantage.

I think this year's fixture is brilliant, at first look, 12 night games, 3 Friday nights is 3 more than we've had for the previous two years. The only downside that I can see will be commentary about how we have a soft draw, and that's the only reason we are top spot undefeated with To, Boyd and Stringer 1&2 for the Coleman.

[whythelongface]

Think the draw is very positive. Provides us with plenty of exposure. No issue with the Geelong home game. We haven't had a Friday night game for 3 years so 3 games next year provides us with a really good opportunity to build on our momentum.

Does anyone have issues with the bye after the last round? I find it really strange that there will be no games on a weekend between the last round and the finals. Effectively two weeks without a game of football leading into Finals.

Has the AFL panicked in regards to teams resting players in the last round. Teams may still rest players, depending on their ladder position, in the last round even with the bye weekend. I just think it is a ludicrous decision and one that didn't need to be made (I understand that the decision helps us greatly as we are travelling home from Perth).

[Mantis]

Happy with the draw, if we can maintain our strong form at ES we should push for top 4.

Why is round 23 a 'floater'? With the extra week off it shouldn't matter when you play should it?... Are teams going to complain if they only have a 12 day break as opposed to a 14 day break?

[Rocco Jones]

Happy with the draw, if we can maintain our strong form at ES we should push for top 4.

Why is round 23 a 'floater'? With the extra week off it shouldn't matter when you play should it?... Are teams going to complain if they only have a 12 day break as opposed to a 14 day break?

I agree. Perhaps it's about giving prime time spots to games that matter most.

[Bulldog4life]

Think the draw is very positive. Provides us with plenty of exposure. No issue with the Geelong home game. We haven't had a Friday night game for 3 years so 3 games next year provides us with a really good opportunity to build on our momentum.

Does anyone have issues with the bye after the last round? I find it really strange that there will be no games on a weekend between the last round and the finals. Effectively two weeks without a game of football leading into Finals.

Has the AFL panicked in regards to teams resting players in the last round. Teams may still rest players, depending on their ladder position, in the last round even with the bye weekend. I just think it is a ludicrous decision and one that didn't need to be made (I understand that the decision helps us greatly as we are travelling home from Perth).

It actually suits us because we will be coming back from WA in round 23. A great draw overall for us in many aspects including as I said the week off before the finals.

[Greystache]

Happy with the draw, if we can maintain our strong form at ES we should push for top 4.

Why is round 23 a 'floater'? With the extra week off it shouldn't matter when you play should it?... Are teams going to complain if they only have a 12 day break as opposed to a 14 day break?

It's a good point. I can only think it's so they can avoid a potential disaster like Carlton vs Hawthorn II being locked in for Friday night.

[whythelongface]

It actually suits us because we will be coming back from WA in round 23. A great draw overall for us in many aspects including as I said the week off before the finals.

I agree it is very favourable towards us. Certainly no complaints there. But I find it very odd indeed that there is a bye weekend between the final H&A rounds and the finals. It is just a bizarre move by the AFL to try and minimise teams from resting players prior to the finals period.

[Axe Man]

It's actually a shame that there's a week off after the last game - a round 23 match against Freo has been a guaranteed win for the opposition for a number of years now!

[LostDoggy]

Happy with the draw, if we can maintain our strong form at ES we should push for top 4.

Why is round 23 a 'floater'? With the extra week off it shouldn't matter when you play should it?... Are teams going to complain if they only have a 12 day break as opposed to a 14 day break?

The explanation provided was so they can schedual a potential winner finishes 8th or winner finishes top 4 battle on the Friday, Monday or even Tuesday night. Which I don't mind the idea of.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I really like the idea of a week off before finals.

Opens it up a bit, wouldn't be surprised if we saw sides outside the top four be able to make a GF. An extra week can make a big difference IMO.

[Smads57]

Agree with most posters that the draw is good for the footy club and is for me personally as a supporter.

[LostDoggy]

First impressions of the draw are positive. I like the week off before the finals to allow all teams to field best possible teams in R23 without compromising finals chances.

The sense of anticipation is an ordeal when we have a bye mid-year though, immediately pre-finals will be unbearable.

8 Melbourne games, including 7 at Etihad, to open the season is a big plus for the footy department. No dicky Tassie games against Melbourne clubs. Really like all the Sat night games.

Overall, a good fixture I reckon.

[bornadog]

Replacement Game


Access members unable to attend our home match played in Cairns against the Gold Coast SUNS in Round 17 will be provided general admission access to the Round 8 away game against Melbourne at the MCG.

[Eastdog]

Replacement Game

So if we don't use our membership for the Cairns game we can use it for the away replacement game.

[boydogs]

So if we don't use our membership for the Cairns game we can use it for the away replacement game.

That's right ED

[Dry Rot]

Sunday, May 22 GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs SPO 3:20PM


Saturday, July 02 Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs SCG 4:35PM



Woo Hoo! 2 games in Sydney!

See you all up here. :D

[Bulldog4life]

Woo Hoo! 2 games in Sydney!

See you all up here. :D

Maybe will be there Dry Rot. We always go to one interstate game a year. Out of Cairns and Sydney this year.