The issue with AFL is that they have games spread from Thursday to Sunday. So they can’t flex a team from Saturday to Friday or to Thursday without it affecting their break from previous week.
With NFL, they have Thursday, Sunday & Monday games for majority of the season. So they can flex teams without too many issues with rest because most play Sunday.
AFL can technically ‘flex’ a Sunday twilight into 3:20pm or Sunday early to 3:20pm etc but I doubt 7 or Fox cares about that timeslot a lot since only Thursday & Friday are the prime time slots
Id like to see each team get a game in each major timeslot (Thurs Night, Fri Night, Sat Afternoon, Sat Night, Sun Afternoon - you could split Sat/Sun afternoon into early/late too)
I think each team does get a 7 produced game in 2026. So I think that’s good because no one wants a game between bad teams or a good team vs bad team in prime time slots.
No thanks - we need the best teams and best matchups in Thursdays and Fridays. If the league wants to grow the game and stakeholders want more money then you need to be strategic with scheduling.
Teams that are under performing and draw low national television crowds e.g. West Coast and North Melbourne should not be appearing in these slots.
Yep that’s exactly correct. And North gets a 7 produced match for Good Friday. Eagles gets a 7 produced game with a Sunday Night game.
So that means all teams gets featured on a 7 produced match in the first 15-16 rounds. If teams with low amount performs well for the season then they might get more 7afl matches
There was once upon a time in the 10s decade when:
in 2017, the Brisbane Lions received only one Seven-produced game (against Essendon at home in round two). The Lions had finished 17th the previous season (only the Bombers finished lower), and they eventually won the wooden spoon at the end of that season in what was Chris Fagan’s first year at the helm.
in 2019, the Gold Coast Suns did not receive a single Seven game (and IIRC they also weren’t given one in the original 2020 fixture which as we all know was discarded and redrawn due to the COVID-19 pandemic), and only got one (an away game against Melbourne) the previous season.
But in recent years, with both Queensland teams doing very well, both have (or will, in the Suns’ case) seen an increase in Seven games for next season.
In 2023, the GWS Giants did not have a single Seven-produced game at Engie Stadium and next season will not have a Seven-produced home game for at least the first 15 rounds, not even in Canberra.
This is mainly due to GWS wanting family friendly Saturday & Sunday arvo games so they get to maximise the crowds. Last 2 seasons 7 showed the GWS opening round game but this season it’s a Saturday Twilight
Another interesting point to make is that their Opening Round game against Hawthorn next season will not go head-to-head with the Matildas vs South Korea Asian Cup match that takes place at the neighbouring Accor Stadium on the Sunday.
It’s completely unnecessary. Unless it directly affects his game then why the need to step down? I’ll never understand this train of thought. Your personal life should have nothing to do with your work. As long as you are still doing your job then it shouldn’t matter what he does in his personal life. Stepping down won’t change anything. He’ll still be in the spotlight so the whole bad role model excuse is null and void here.
Interesting coincidence: In the last 30 years, a team with a compass reading has won a premiership to a degree since 1996, defeating Sydney in all 3 occassions
1996: North Melbourne def Sydney by 43 points to win the Gold Cup
2006: West Coast def Sydney by 1 point to win their 3rd premiership and the closest grand final in 29 years
2016: Western Bulldogs def Sydney by 22 points to win their 2nd flag and break a 62-year premiership drought
A first-time premier and to add salt in the wound for Melbourne fans, an expansion cup grand final with either Petracca or Oliver winning a flag at the MCG the year after leaving the Dees
They won a flag but it was in Perth 5 years ago due to COVID
