Should we persist with Darwin games?

[Ghost Dog]

On one hand, a magnificent development opportunity ( loved the ten footage of Harbrow and Lindsay mixing it with the locals, classic)

On the other, could see the absolute exhaustion of players and wonder how it will affect us next week. Quite an investment of time and energy at a key period in the year.

Your thoughts?

Not sure about it myself...:confused: a lota ins and outs.

[Dazza]

I think provided we have the mid year break or the bye next year following the game we play in Darwin it's well worth going up there. If we come out flat next week my thoughts could quickly change haha.

[LostDoggy]

Do we really need to keep selling games interstate? I mean we have made good strides financially off-field. You'd think that eventually we wouldn't need to sell games anymore? Have the club made an indication of when this would be?

[Remi Moses]

I think we should play up there on the proviso that the break follows the game. Having said that we did win against the Crows in 06 after the Darwin game.

[The Coon Dog]

I think we should play up there on the proviso that the break follows the game.

Yup, agree totally.

[Ghost Dog]

Our presence, albiet small , in NT makes us a more proactive club, diversity wise.
that's one thing for sure.

Imagine all the rough diamonds in that area!!! Would be interesting to see in the next few years if we can take advantage of that recruiting ground. Not really sure how all that works. Anyone in the know re recruiting here can comment on how much of an advantage playing a game a year in Darwin will give us? Wonder what the players themselves think.

[The Coon Dog]

Our presence, albiet small , in NT makes us a more proactive club, diversity wise.
that's one thing for sure.

Imagine all the rough diamonds in that area!!! Would be interesting to see in the next few years if we can take advantage of that recruiting ground. Not really sure how all that works. Anyone in the know re recruiting here can comment on how much of an advantage playing a game a year in Darwin will give us? Wonder what the players themselves think.

Player in Darwin gives us no extra credit there for recruiting purposes.

[GVGjr]

Do we really need to keep selling games interstate? I mean we have made good strides financially off-field. You'd think that eventually we wouldn't need to sell games anymore? Have the club made an indication of when this would be?

I think selling home games to play interstate is still very much part of the plan. It may not always be Darwin.

[LostDoggy]

Good $$$, a lot of work has been put in to this game by the club on and off field. Based on past results, keep playing Port up there, winning and expanding our brand. The key is to have the following week off - players looked wrecked at the end of the game.

[GVGjr]

I think we should play up there on the proviso that the break follows the game. Having said that we did win against the Crows in 06 after the Darwin game.

It's probably very hard to do but perhaps a draw that has us playing on a Friday night the week before the Darwin game then Saturday up in Darwin and then the following Sunday would work well for us.

I'm with mjp on his Darwin thread. If the club wants the 'home' game in Darwin to balance the books then we just have to wear the the consequences of that.

[Ghost Dog]

Good $$$, a lot of work has been put in to this game by the club on and off field. Based on past results, keep playing Port up there, winning and expanding our brand. The key is to have the following week off - players looked wrecked at the end of the game.

Right. good marketing plus. Fastest growing capital city in Aust is Darwin (2.6%) (http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mediareleasesbytitle/AF8693FEEF5896DFCA25741C0077EF91?OpenDocument)


players looked wrecked at the end of the game.

There was one telling close up of Boyd with half an esky of ice on his head, looking totally r**ted. Light week on the track this week I imagine.

[BulldogBelle]

l think we have to keep playing up there for $$$ but we need the game b4 the bye.

l hope we don't pay the price against Freo this week.

[LostDoggy]

Get a good stadium deal and get rid of these games. Lets see peoples attitudes about this game if we look flat against Fremantle. It's the money Vs success debate. Yes we need the money but does it cost us 4 points the following week and in a season as close as this we need the 4 points.

[Topdog]

Is there still going to be a mid season break with the bye happening next year? Might be very difficult to get a week off after the Darwin game if there is no mid season break.

[LostDoggy]

Obviously I love the deal living in Darwin and I'm certain we've increased our supporter base as a result of the time invested thus far. Last night was a relatively cool night early 20's with quite low humidity. That said, it is still taxing conditions to play in. We've almost got a home ground advantage here now so if we need to sell a game it may as well be Darwin. The local paper today called us their "Darwin Dogs"

On a side note, it was good to meet a few members from Melbourne.

[Greystache]

Is there still going to be a mid season break with the bye happening next year? Might be very difficult to get a week off after the Darwin game if there is no mid season break.

There'll be a mid-season break but not all teams will get it I suspect, given that some teams will get 2 byes and others 1 due to the season being the odd number of 22 games.

It's easily enough orchestrated into the draw, we say to the AFL everytime we play in Darwin we want either the mid-season break or the bye the following week. I'm sure the league would be happy to oblige if it means we continue playing there.

[Ghost Dog]

Obviously I love the deal living in Darwin and I'm certain we've increased our supporter base as a result of the time invested thus far. Last night was a relatively cool night early 20's with quite low humidity. That said, it is still taxing conditions to play in. We've almost got a home ground advantage here now so if we need to sell a game it may as well be Darwin. The local paper today called us their "Darwin Dogs"

On a side note, it was good to meet a few members from Melbourne.


Good to hear from a local on this.

[LostDoggy]

Yup, agree totally.


I also agree with this fixturing of before the mid season break, but when the fixture was done for this game last year Freo were not travelling all that well. So maybe the club thought the timing was ok for this year, coming back to play Freo the next week. ....easy !!!! Little did we know that it would be such an important game and Freo would be IN the 4 and we would be 5th :eek:

[jazzadogs]

For those who were at the game, what was the ratio of Dogs to Port supporters?

I fear that, because Port will now be the 'away' team for all Darwin matches, they will begin to build their own supporter base up there. At the start of the game, I thought the cheers were much louder for Port goals than Dogs goals.

I hope they play up there for at least one more year, because I want to go next year haha!

[Flamethrower]

At this stage we only play in Darwin once more......the current contract is as follows:

2010 - Bulldogs and Melbourne home games v Port
2011 - Bulldogs and Richmond home games v Port
2012 - Richmond and Melbourne home games v Port

By 2013 the landscape will have changed significantly, with 2 new teams and Melbourne based teams looking to play home games in Hobart, so who knows if there will be games in Darwin, Canberra, Cairns or even Auckland.

[w3design]

Would only like it if we had the game leading into the break. Would prefer to play those games out of Geelong

[LostDoggy]

Would only like it if we had the game leading into the break. Would prefer to play those games out of Geelong

This:)

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I like the fact that we have been playing games up at the top end and would hope that it continues for a few more years. I would rather play up their than Canberra, Tas or New Zealand.

Ideally we should have this with a non game week to follow.

I thought it was fantastic to here all the young kids called Brad (Brad Johnson), Chris (Chris Grant), now Gilbee & Cooney. We look like we are getting traction up there. I would like to see us get some benefits for the investment we make. Guarantee perks (Draft options)

I would even like the possibility of playing two home game back to back, well maybe depending on the well being of the playing group?

[boydogs]

By 2013 the landscape will have changed significantly, with 2 new teams and Melbourne based teams looking to play home games in Hobart, so who knows if there will be games in Darwin, Canberra, Cairns or even Auckland.

GC v Bendigo in the VFL was played in Cairns yesterday - think they are trying to get a GC AFL game up there

[LostDoggy]

Id love it if we played up in Dawin for the next few years....ive never been up here before....this is my 1st time being up here and its awesome.....have seen so many bulldog fans...and lots have come up from Melbourne....Of course wed love to keep all our home games in Melbourne...but its great to come up here for a holiday and plan it around the doggies game here haha...

[gohardorgohome]

I just got back from NZ last week. They have no AFL news or scores at all in the Christchurch newpaper.

We'd be crazy to get involved over there. No interest at all.

[chef]

According to an article in the H/S(can't find a link), Eade is quoted as saying 'we'd certainly love to play every home game in Melbourne. It looks like we'll do that next year, so...it's a plus'

[cammo78]

There'll be a mid-season break but not all teams will get it I suspect, given that some teams will get 2 byes and others 1 due to the season being the odd number of 22 games.

It's easily enough orchestrated into the draw, we say to the AFL everytime we play in Darwin we want either the mid-season break or the bye the following week. I'm sure the league would be happy to oblige if it means we continue playing there.

Every team will have 2 x byes next season - there will be rounds with multiple byes (perhaps 5 clubs at a time) to even things out across the year.

[Mantis]

According to an article in the H/S(can't find a link), Eade is quoted as saying 'we'd certainly love to play every home game in Melbourne. It looks like we'll do that next year, so...it's a plus'

The same article states that Richmond & North will play 'home' games in Darwin for the next 2 years followed by GWS & WC in the following two years.

It looks like our time in Darwin is over (unless we get fixtured to play up there as the away team)

[Desipura]

The same article states that Richmond & North will play 'home' games in Darwin for the next 2 years followed by GWS & WC in the following two years.

It looks like our time in Darwin is over (unless we get fixtured to play up there as the away team)

Great to hear!

[bornadog]

There is a concern about having a bye after the Darwin match but what about the special preparation the players have to go through in the weeks leading up to the Darwin game. Surely training in a heat chamber etc effects the players performance.

[chef]

The same article states that Richmond & North will play 'home' games in Darwin for the next 2 years followed by GWS & WC in the following two years.

It looks like our time in Darwin is over (unless we get fixtured to play up there as the away team)

With Port putting their hand up to be the away team whenever possible, hopefully we never have to play there again.

[Greystache]

Every team will have 2 x byes next season - there will be rounds with multiple byes (perhaps 5 clubs at a time) to even things out across the year.

You mean like a mid-season break exactly as I described.

[Sedat]

The same article states that Richmond & North will play 'home' games in Darwin for the next 2 years followed by GWS & WC in the following two years.

It looks like our time in Darwin is over (unless we get fixtured to play up there as the away team)
The minute we had to start sharing Darwin with all the Johnny-come-lately's this season, there is virtually no reason to stay there and continue to cultivate this market. Such a shame as we have developed a stong affinity with the Darwin public over the last 6 years, and have a very good on-field record up there. The perfect scenario that some of us suggested on BF about 5 years ago was to have 2 matches a season in Darwin - this would have been a profound home ground advantage to us, not to mention a boon for our coffers, but the AFL it its infinite wisdom has decided to dilute this market for us (mind you, the AFL are doing the same to Hawthorn and their hard-won gains in Tasmania). Playing Port in Darwin every year (who are playing 2 away games a season there) hardly constitutes a compelling home ground advantage - the fact that they are rubbish at the moment is a moot point, for when they become a strong club again it places us under the pump.

I like the idea of a home away from home that brings in significant incremental revenue to the club but it has to be at a venue that is 'ours'. If no such venue exists, let's play 11 games at home.

[Stefcep]

I'll tell you after the Freo game.

[LostDoggy]

I spent the week in Darwin and had the misfortune to spend $90 on one of the most appalling Bulldog functions in history: 'Sunset with the Bulldogs' on Friday night.

A disgrace from start to finish; the only interesting thing that could be taken out of it was when a member of the audience asked David Smorgan whether it was fair that Port Adelaide get two 'away' games a year in Darwin to build their supporter base when Melbourne clubs sacrifice their home games to make it happen.

Smorgan clearly thought that the question was stupid and stated firmly that our seven years in Darwin were completely useless in terms of building a supporter base. He said that we had only twenty members in the Northern Territory and implied that having the good will of the people of Darwin was irrelevant because it doesn't make you any money.

He told the guy who asked the question 'not to worry about that'. Port Adelaide were welcome to the Territory and they will not benefit from it.

I didn't much care for the tone of his response (or his fanatical answer to a question on Jason Akermanis), but at least he was honest. Our time in Darwin is finished and we couldn't care less about it.

We've been playing for the pay cheque, and as the pay cheque is to now be given to other clubs, we won't be back.

[LostDoggy]

Saying we're financially secure is jumping the gun. Let's see how we go if we fail to make the GF this year, drop back down to the bottom of the ladder in years to come and the membership dries back up.

[LostDoggy]

I spent the week in Darwin and had the misfortune to spend $90 on one of the most appalling Bulldog functions in history: 'Sunset with the Bulldogs' on Friday night.

A disgrace from start to finish; the only interesting thing that could be taken out of it was when a member of the audience asked David Smorgan whether it was fair that Port Adelaide get two 'away' games a year in Darwin to build their supporter base when Melbourne clubs sacrifice their home games to make it happen.

Smorgan clearly thought that the question was stupid and stated firmly that our seven years in Darwin were completely useless in terms of building a supporter base. He said that we had only twenty members in the Northern Territory and implied that having the good will of the people of Darwin was irrelevant because it doesn't make you any money.

He told the guy who asked the question 'not to worry about that'. Port Adelaide were welcome to the Territory and they will not benefit from it.

I didn't much care for the tone of his response (or his fanatical answer to a question on Jason Akermanis), but at least he was honest. Our time in Darwin is finished and we couldn't care less about it.

We've been playing for the pay cheque, and as the pay cheque is to now be given to other clubs, we won't be back.
I also went to the Darwin function and agree 100% that it was terrible.
The last two bulldog functions I have been two go from the best ever "Hall of Fame", to the worse ever at Darwin. I believe most of the blame for the Darwin stuff up belongs to the venue "the Trailer club". but the club reps could have done a bit more, disgusting that people paying that sort of money missed out on food.