"Richmond given kind fixture": Mike Sheahan (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

Richmond given kind card in fixture with Ten of first 11 matches in Victoria

    by: Mike Sheahan
    From: Herald Sun
    October 29, 2011

IF you're a Richmond supporter, embrace next season's AFL fixture with genuine enthusiasm.

City Hall probably didn't go out of its way to help, but the end result should please the Richmond faithful.

The Tigers have won "home" game status in the Round 1 MCG fixture against Carlton (Thursday, March 29) and that's just one of several benefits of a friendly program.

Ten of their first 11 matches will be played in Victoria, including seven at the MCG, and they will play only two of this year's finalists - Carlton and Essendon - twice.

Here it is in a nutshell - one only encounter with Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn and West Coast (in Melbourne), 13 games at the MCG and no travel on successive weekends during the season.

The downside of the Richmond program is Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong (at Geelong) in the first month, but it's a program that coach Damien Hardwick hardly could fault.

One from four won't be disastrous given what's in store in the next 12 rounds.

Richmond's return engagements involve Melbourne, Carlton, Fremantle, Essendon and Port Adelaide; Carlton finished fifth, Essendon eighth, Fremantle was next best at 11th.

The Tigers may cite Adelaide, which plays Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney twice, but the Crows have been gifted a draw that new coach Brenton Sanderson might have come up with in his dreams.

Apart from starting and finishing the season with games against Gold Coast, the Crows play only one of the 2011 finalists - Geelong - twice. Richmond should be excited. After finishing 12th with eight wins and a draw, the Tigers must see themselves as poised to challenge. The AFL has provided them with the ideal opportunity to deliver.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ten-of-first-11-at-mcg-as-richmond-given-kind-card-in-fixture/story-e6frf9mx-1226180008134

[TigerTimeII]

bs article, we have been screwed for over a decade with the fixture and we still play many top tams early in the season

[Eat_em_Alive]

I waited top pick up my copy of HUN before posting, Just in case there was an article on each club.
No there isnt, Mike your a piece of t/paper which has been wiped on both sides.....

[MADTIGER2010]

Still spewing we have to play in Cairns in for the next 2 years but it will get us the money. Can't wait to get rid of those games and get our debt out of the way. We'll be a powerhouse again

[Eat_em_Alive]

By the time we get to play at metricon stadium, Gold coast will be at least 3 years old and winning games

[tigtuff12]

...ironic too since you flip a page and they then preach how easy the Dumons draw is...grab the age and the rank our draw "mid table"...not the easiest/not the hardest draw but this is subjective bull with Mighty Mike spoutin off - obviously had to fill some space today...

[The Big Richo]

I reckon he has a good point. It is a great draw.

[Eat_em_Alive]

As do I TBR
My article would have read Kind card dealt to arden st"" 

[Owl]

North and Demons, absolutely, but he is hardly going to bang on about how many concessions his precious Demons get is he.

[Eat_em_Alive]

I was very suprised with the decision to give them two against gws and gcs, and i havent scrutinised thier draw yet either

[tigs2011]

I reckon he has a good point. It is a great draw.

I agree. After round 5 it's a pretty good draw. Unfortunately many Richmond supporters started reading down the list and as they got to round 5 then ranted. Keep reading guys 

[Willy]

I like to adopt a 'rant before read' mentality!

[the claw]

the west did a rating based on where sides finished this yr ignoring away  fixtures and interstate travel.

the new team gws was assigned  1 point. existing teams were then assigned a score based on where they finished last yr - premiers geelong got 18 thru to wooden spooners gc with two.
each teams rating was calculated by adding the scores of the teams they play in 2012.
it goes  from easiest to hardest.
melb 197
ad  198
nm  199
fr  199
gc 201
stk  203
ri  206
gws 206
ca  208
ess  211
wce  211
br  213
ge  213
syd  214
pa  215
wb  219
ha 221
co  228.
of the bottom teams one would have to say its about right for me, ad, nm, fr, gc. looks like br  pa and wb have probably copped the rough end of the stick and we are close to where we should be,

of the top 8 teams stkilda carlton have had a very good draw.

to me we have a very fair and decent draw in fact you could almost say kind draw as far as going head to head goes.
the only gripe is having to play top 4 teams so early as it may damage menbership numbers.

as far as travel goes well the interstate teams in the main travel 10 times each. with victorian clubs travelling either 5 or 6 times.

as for the teams who play each other twice only one side who finished out side the top 8 has to play top 8 sides more than twice and thats the dogs who play ge, syd, stk.

[Coach]

Owl is an ordinary bloke

Mike could actually play

[Jackstar is back again]

It's actually a great draw .no excuses in 2012