The FIXture is in

[kosifantutti]

The five teams we play twice are all currently in the 8 which puts us way out in front of everyone else.

[SaintPav]

We get punished for having a tiny bit of success.

f*** you AFL

[Enrico_Misso]

How good is the AFL fixture?

[chook23]

as mentioned earlier we have a real tough draw... could easily slip down the ladder a bit

[saynta]

Sux to be us

[samuraisaint]

We don't play either wof the top 2 again though. #Winning!

[The_Dud]

Won’t have a hard draw next year after this years finish!

[desertsaint]

we always have a hard draw, regardless. they fit in the marquee games, then shuffle us around them. we are an afterthought.

[SaintPav]

That’s a 40% differential. That is a massive disadvantage.

Port and West Coast, particularly Port only having 1 is interesting.

Like I said, massive disadvantage.

[SaintPav]

No guarantees next year of having a softer draw under current system.

[lewdogs]

Our FIXture this year was a joke from the moment it was revealed.

Not only doubling up against 3 top 4 sides, our others were West Coast and Sydney, both interstate teams (to go with Port and Geelong who we play at Kardinia).

We have had the hardest draw so often, I think squiggle did an article about it, not just when we do well but the AFL couldn't help but take that opportunity to completely root us.

If the AFL wants to get real they need to draw it randomly. If it's about making money fine but at least admit the competition is a farce.

[The Fireman]

this fixture really showed where we are at.

[SaintPav]

The fixture hitherto hasn't been the issue. It's what's coming that will probably get ugly.

[cwrcyn]

Looks like a stitch up

[Sainter_Dad]

If we were in the 8 it would be one less team we could play against in the 8.

I feel sorry for Norf - ALL of their remaining games are against teams above them on the ladder - and FFS - NONE of Melbourne's games are against teams above them!!!!!! WTF

If we are going to make the Eight and be competitive we would need to beat these teams anyway - if not - and we are only going to get into the 8 to make up numbers - I would rather not be there

But Mum - he got more chocolate than me - seriously!

Yep - it is a conspiracy:
Fixture;
Travel;
Umpires;
Days Rest;

ALL OF IT - Just to keep St Kilda down

How about we kick straight and win a few?

[The_Dud]

If we were in the 8 it would be one less team we could play against in the 8.

I feel sorry for Norf - ALL of their remaining games are against teams above them on the ladder - and FFS - NONE of Melbourne's games are against teams above them!!!!!! WTF

If we are going to make the Eight and be competitive we would need to beat these teams anyway - if not - and we are only going to get into the 8 to make up numbers - I would rather not be there

But Mum - he got more chocolate than me - seriously!

Yep - it is a conspiracy:
Fixture;
Travel;
Umpires;
Days Rest;

ALL OF IT - Just to keep St Kilda down

How about we kick straight and win a few?

Open your eyes Sainter_Dad, can’t you see it’s obvious the AFL reposition the goalposts at the end of every quarter so it’s harder for us to kick straight?!?

Also it would have been polite of the AFL to use that crystal ball of theirs to let us know how much of a failure the likes of DH and Hill would be so we could save ourselves some grief!

[saynta]

Looks like a stitch up

Plus one.

[GSG]

we always have a hard draw, regardless. they fit in the marquee games, then shuffle us around them. we are an afterthought.

Agree – you’re hitting the nail right on the head. Every year, more marquee games are introduced, none of them involving St Kilda. This, as you said, means St Kilda has to be slotted in wherever possible, regardless of ladder position. And if we do get one, such as Good Friday, Heaven help us if we have a bad game. Punishment is swift.

[Sainter_Dad]

we always have a hard draw, regardless. they fit in the marquee games, then shuffle us around them. we are an afterthought.

Agree – you’re hitting the nail right on the head. Every year, more marquee games are introduced, none of them involving St Kilda. This, as you said, means St Kilda has to be slotted in wherever possible, regardless of ladder position. And if we do get one, such as Good Friday, Heaven help us if we have a bad game. Punishment is swift.

Previous comments still applies - Kick Straight - Win Games - Get Marquee Games

Remind me how attractive our Marquee games have been again?

We have the weapons - We have the feet - We always seem to shoot ourselves in one with the other.

[lewdogs]

If we were in the 8 it would be one less team we could play against in the 8.

I feel sorry for Norf - ALL of their remaining games are against teams above them on the ladder - and FFS - NONE of Melbourne's games are against teams above them!!!!!! WTF

If we are going to make the Eight and be competitive we would need to beat these teams anyway - if not - and we are only going to get into the 8 to make up numbers - I would rather not be there

But Mum - he got more chocolate than me - seriously!

Yep - it is a conspiracy:
Fixture;
Travel;
Umpires;
Days Rest;

ALL OF IT - Just to keep St Kilda down

How about we kick straight and win a few?

Open your eyes Sainter_Dad, can’t you see it’s obvious the AFL reposition the goalposts at the end of every quarter so it’s harder for us to kick straight?!?

Also it would have been polite of the AFL to use that crystal ball of theirs to let us know how much of a failure the likes of DH and Hill would be so we could save ourselves some grief!

You know you can be unhappy with our performance and still think our fixture is a joke?

Why not just play the top 4 every week then, if we are good enough we should win and make finals.

The difference between doubling up against Sydney and doubling up against North is massive. Our lack of form has simply exacerbated what was already a ridiculously hard fixture.

[cwrcyn]

Exactly

[cwrcyn]

Richmond, Brisbane, and Port Adelaide get much easier draws than us.....that makes sense

[GSG]

we always have a hard draw, regardless. they fit in the marquee games, then shuffle us around them. we are an afterthought.

Agree – you’re hitting the nail right on the head. Every year, more marquee games are introduced, none of them involving St Kilda. This, as you said, means St Kilda has to be slotted in wherever possible, regardless of ladder position. And if we do get one, such as Good Friday, Heaven help us if we have a bad game. Punishment is swift.

Previous comments still applies - Kick Straight - Win Games - Get Marquee Games

Remind me how attractive our Marquee games have been again?

We have the weapons - We have the feet - We always seem to shoot ourselves in one with the other.

So, Melbourne, who got the Queen’s Birthday fixture, ALWAYS played well, in fact they played so well that they needed the AFL’s help to lift themselves off the bottom. And what about Collingwood and Essendon. They keep ANZAC Day no matter how well or badly they play. Richmond and Carlton now have the opening game of the season. Carlton playing well?? So don’t give me the old chestnut that it is all our fault because we don’t play well.

[desertsaint]

that some would even argue, let's just make the top four and reduce the number of top four teams we play, is a head shaker. the whole point of the afl's bracket system is the exact opposite of that argument. you make top six you play more top six teams. it's simple and fair in theory, and the rule is there so that teams outside the top six have a better chance of climbing the ladder. but yes, lets just accept a hurdle that the afl deliberately try and reduce for other teams. the simple matter is that the rule aint applied fairly. that's all the sane amongst us are asking for. when a sporting compeition is deliberately slanted to advantage the rich over the poor, it's no longer a competition, it's scripted entertainment, with chosen character types for teams. we are the poor sucker that everyone either laughs at or feels for. the afl may enjoy that script, but i aint paying to watch that show.

[cwrcyn]

There's a select little cabal within the AFL and we ain't in it. It's been that way for decades. AFL is happy to drop turds on us because they know we won't whinge. Why don't we whinge? Because if we do they'll drop more turds on us. Meanwhile a select few Victorian clubs get the gold class treatment.