2025 Fixture

[Beno88]

Good things
- First three games are all very winnable. Should be 1-2 at the very worst, could easily be 3-0.
- Richmond twice should help our percentage.
- No games in Queensland, Tasmania or at the SCG.
- Collingwood away is at Marvel.
- Home game at the G on a Friday night vs Carlton
- Only travel twice in the second half of the season.
- Only one Sunday twilight game in Melbourne (so far).
- Play Melbourne twice but they have home ground advantage in neither.
- No five day breaks.

Bad things
- Three trips to Adelaide in the first five rounds.
- Six of the 2024 top 8 in the first 9 rounds.
- Three games in NT/WA.
- Back to back six day breaks in Round 7 & 8.
- GWS twice, neither at home.
- Final three games all away matches.

[SinCitySainter]

We get the sharp end of the fixture pineapple again.
Not really surprising the AFL wanted to slap Bassett and basically tell him to keep his mouth shut.
Once Perryman moved the option of giving us nothing for Battle was off the table so the fixture was the best way of doing it.
We have to remember our place we are here to simply make up the numbers, accept our licks and say "thank you Sir may I have another".

[SaintWiki]

Good things
- First three games are all very winnable. Should be 1-2 at the very worst, could easily be 3-0.
- Richmond twice should help our percentage.
- No games in Queensland, Tasmania or at the SCG.
- Collingwood away is at Marvel.
- Home game at the G on a Friday night vs Carlton
- Only travel twice in the second half of the season.
- Only one Sunday twilight game in Melbourne (so far).
- Play Melbourne twice but they have home ground advantage in neither.
- No five day breaks.

Bad things
- Three trips to Adelaide in the first five rounds.
- Six of the 2024 top 8 in the first 9 rounds.
- Three games in NT/WA.
- Back to back six day breaks in Round 7 & 8.
- GWS twice, neither at home.
- Final three games all away matches.

Yeah that Cairns game has been an issue - for some unknown reason we are probably just as well off playing Port in Adelaide..

[chook23]

Whingers gotta whinge

Hopefully the super fit elite young athletes can recover from an 80 minute plane ride

Not whingeing The_Dud

Just pointing out how different fixtures are

It is likely to impact

Analysis for Carlton

There’s no doubt that Carlton is smack-bang in the middle of the premiership window, so 2025 is the year they’ll want to pounce on what is an incredibly favourable fixture.

[darylcowie]

12 wins at most from that draw, so no finals again and still living in mid table.

[Baz_Kitchner_Wall]

Love your work Nostradamus

[SinCitySainter]

I think 12 is optimistic to be honest, but I hope I am wrong.
We could conceivably have only 2 or 3 wins by round 10.
If we don't make the finals at least we can kiss any chance of a big fish free agent goodbye.

[Baz_Kitchner_Wall]

You don't think our list will develop further next year? That some clubs may go backwards? That our list may be stronger post draft with 2 top 10 picks. The top 10 are ready to go in this draft. That we don't have a top-line coach ? I have a different view but so be it. I am bullish.

[SaintPav]

We finished 12. Out of 6 teams we play twice, why do we play 4 teams who finished in the 8 twice?

[chook23]

See Herald Sun

Mark Robinson:


There's A smell in the air about the Saints disgraceful 2025 fixture

After St Kilda president Andrew Bassat’s clips at the AFL Draft system, you’d have every right to be sceptical about their 2025 fixture compared to some other clubs, writes Mark Robinson.

[TheGreatZacsby]

I tend to agree we got shafted in this fixture. Essendon, Carlton and dare I say Richmond have a better draw than us.

We need to make finals at least next year. How else are we going to attract a Brayshaw or a LDU?

[St Dave]

I don't understand the complaining. If we aren't good enough to beat the teams around us we can't count on beating them in the finals. There can be better draws sure, but if your plan is just to dodge hard games until the finals that just sounds like a straight sets exit on top of a poor draft pick to me.

Feels like it draw is pretty good as Beno listed. We manage to dodge the Gabba and the SCG and they would be the only lock losses I would expect. Port in Adelaide and Freo in Perth will be tough, but if we want to be a serious contender we should be pushing to win both those games.

Only 2 interstate games in the last 11 should help keep us fresh running in to the finals if we can be challenging.

[saynta]

join the dots on a tricky start for St Kilda.

Chairman Andrew Bassat ripped the AFL for its draft rules at the best fairest, saying the system was broken and favoured the wealthier clubs.

In return, the Saints will play three of the top-four clubs in the first five rounds, and six finalists in the first nine weeks of the season. There are two trips to Perth.

A disgraceful FIXTURE compared to Carlton

We have been shafted

Yep, bent over and royally reamed.

[chook23]

See Herald Sun

St Dave

[SaintPav]

FMD

Some people should look up strawman.

[saynta]

Whingers gotta whinge

Hopefully the super fit elite young athletes can recover from an 80 minute plane ride

Do you ever have something nice to say?

[saynta]

See Herald Sun

Mark Robinson:


There's A smell in the air about the Saints disgraceful 2025 fixture

After St Kilda president Andrew Bassat’s clips at the AFL Draft system, you’d have every right to be sceptical about their 2025 fixture compared to some other clubs, writes Mark Robinson.

The fat f**&k got something right for once.

[Bruce G McAbee]

According to Fox Footy, Carlton has the 3rd easiest draw, Western Bulldogs the 7th easiest, Geelong the 8th and Sydney the 9th.
We come in at 10, so Sydney, last year's Grand Finalist gets an easier draw than we do.
I feel like giving it away because the corrupt AFL doesn't want us to succeed.
I hope Bassett blasts them again.

[samuraisaint]

Likes:
Richmond twice
Geelong and Swans at home
Carlton at the MCG
Suns in Melbourne
Freo twice - bit of a rivalry there.
No games in Tasmania, Queensland or at the SCG help us
Dislikes
Port and Adelaide in Adelaide
'Dogs twice
North and Eagles only once
Playing a bulls*** game against Melbourne in Alice Springs instead of at the G
Collingwood only once away at Marvel
Only two games at the MCG - WTF?
Neutral
Giants twice
Only face Essendon once -you never know how they're going to go
Geelong at Geelong - don't mind going there - we may even win there one day.

[St Dave]

According to Fox Footy, Carlton has the 3rd easiest draw, Western Bulldogs the 7th easiest, Geelong the 8th and Sydney the 9th.
We come in at 10, so Sydney, last year's Grand Finalist gets an easier draw than we do.
I feel like giving it away because the corrupt AFL doesn't want us to succeed.
I hope Bassett blasts them again.

That same fox footy article doesn't have us in the 'Losers' category, but you wouldn't know that from the whinging on here.

You know what 10th is in an 18 team comp? As close to as even draw you could get. Just slightly worse than an average draw. If we can't play finals with an even draw we are better off losing for the better draft pick.

And you know why good teams draws can be slightly easier? Because they can't play themselves so that is one less good team they need to play, especially for teams like Sydney and Geelong who never have to face travelling to play themselves which are up there with the hardest games for the rest on the comp. This is probably why they added the 6-6-6 groupings for who you play more than once, so top 6 teams play an extra top 6 team.

[The_Dud]

Whingers gotta whinge

Hopefully the super fit elite young athletes can recover from an 80 minute plane ride

Not whingeing The_Dud

Just pointing out how different fixtures are

It is likely to impact

Analysis for Carlton

There’s no doubt that Carlton is smack-bang in the middle of the premiership window, so 2025 is the year they’ll want to pounce on what is an incredibly favourable fixture.

2 years ago we had one of the easiest draws in the league (possibly THE easiest) and do you think the usuals said ‘thank you’ or do you think they still found things to whinge about?

Swings and roundabouts.

People carry on about Collingwood getting looked after, how’s their draw?

[St Dave]

See Herald Sun

St Dave

I haven't given a crap about Robbos opinion in the past, certainly not going to start now when he is spitting out obvious clickbait like that.

[chook23]

Whingers gotta whinge

Hopefully the super fit elite young athletes can recover from an 80 minute plane ride

Not whingeing The_Dud

Just pointing out how different fixtures are

It is likely to impact

Analysis for Carlton

There’s no doubt that Carlton is smack-bang in the middle of the premiership window, so 2025 is the year they’ll want to pounce on what is an incredibly favourable fixture.

2 years ago we had one of the easiest draws in the league (possibly THE easiest) and do you think the usuals said ‘thank you’ or do you think they still found things to whinge about?

Swings and roundabouts.

People carry on about Collingwood getting looked after, how’s their draw?

You have highlighted my point

Favoured or not

The fixture is a sham

[Dave McNamara]

Having to wait till September to play enough games at the MCG is a fair enough complaint. And I'm all for the Pres' having another go at Gestapo HQ over that one.

However, who we play once or twice? Not sure that matters...?

Every year, what looks a tough or an easy draw, based on the previous season's form, can turn out quite differently. Top teams drop back unexpectedly. Lower teams pick up unexpectedly.

Just one example.
2022, an ageing Skunks team finished 17th. Then, in the off-season they paid to lose Ted Grundy, Treleaor(sp?) and Stephenson.
2023, a (very) arguably weaker Skunk's team... made a Prelim'...

[bigcarl]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/

Robbo: There’s a smell in the air about St Kilda’s disgraceful 2025 fixture

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... b1beb938ce

The Saints will be reluctant to go public, but take it as read they are filthy about why the league delivered them a schedule that could have their finals aspirations done by the start of Round 10.

Not compared to Carlton anyhow. The Blues finished eighth and St Kilda 12th in 2024, yet the boys on Royal Parade have had the red carpet rolled out to begin their 2025 campaign.

In what is a dream start – although no guarantee of success – Carlton plays only one top-four opponent from 2024 in the first nine rounds – against Geelong at the MCG in Round

In contrast, the Saints play three of the top-four clubs from 2024 in the first five rounds, and six finalists in the first nine weeks of the season. They are Geelong, Port Adelaide, GWS Giants, Western Bulldogs, Brisbane Lions and Carlton.