the 2017 FIXture thread

[desertsaint]

Love the extra Friday nights.
So we double up against Sydney, Melbourne, West Coast, North Melbourne, Richmond
We finished in the middle of the second six (7-12), and double against 3 top eight teams and the best of the bottom six - 2nd, 7th, 8th, plus 11th and 13th. Also double up against the two giant interstate teams. Almost the hardest possible matchings for our placing. In a lucky universe we would get 6, 10,11,12,18.

[noddy04]

Cant wait for Rounds 12 and 19 .

[mad saint guy]

Very good draw commercially although fairly tough in terms of winning enough games to make finals. Even with steady improvement I think 12-13 wins is likely given we won't have as many 'free hits' as this year.

[Con Gorozidis]

14 games at Etihad. I really don't think we can complain much. Suddenly we have a huge home ground advantage.

[Con Gorozidis]

14 games at Etihad
6 interstate
2 at the G
4 Friday night games

Poor result for QLD supporters with no trip North

There was no Sydney game in 2015.
Get a cheap flight to the scg in July.

[Con Gorozidis]

No qld games

Nothing in NSW last year.

[loris]

For Saints supporters in the West - at long last we get to see 2 games here again.

Only thing, I don't like the West Coast match being the second match of the season - we still get hellish hot weather early April. At least it's a late evening start and the sun will be on the wane, tho that often doesn't cool us down that much if it's been a blast furnace day.

Plenty of water on the plane coming over boys!


PS. I wish I'd ordered a members cap instead of a scarf ....... wrong choice there Loris!

[WellardSaint]

For Saints supporters in the West - at long last we get to see 2 games here again.

Only thing, I don't like the West Coast match being the second match of the season - we still get hellish hot weather early April. At least it's a late evening start and the sun will be on the wane, tho that often doesn't cool us down that much if it's been a blast furnace day.

Plenty of water on the plane coming over boys!


PS. I wish I'd ordered a members cap instead of a scarf ....... wrong choice there Loris!

I got a cap...swap with you if you like?

[kosifantutti]

149 more sleeps.

[Griggsy]

Thought the pride game was our initiative, or was it both clubs as Sydney will host this season.

2 v Richmond, 2 v north all in the back half of the season should see us finish strong like last season matched with winnables against Gold Coast, Melbourne, freo and port.

Think the 2 demons games will be crucial to progressing so heres hoping we keep the streak alive.

[chook23]

Very good draw commercially although fairly tough in terms of winning enough games to make finals. Even with steady improvement I think 12-13 wins is likely given we won't have as many 'free hits' as this year.

Agree

Will have to improve just to hold ground.....

[darylcowie]

It looks like 12 wins again from the look of it, with a similar slow start for the first half of the season and a flurry of wins towards the end, which together with an improved percentage should see us just make the eight.

I see us having wins vs Brisbane (H), Carlton (H), Collingwood (H), Essendon (H), Gold Coast (H), Melbourne (x2), North (x2), Richmond (x2) and West Coast (H).

[sunsaint]

No qld games

Nothing in NSW last year.

Where would you prefer to play an interstate game
NSW or QLD ?

[saintspremiers]

7 night games which is good and 6 interstate is not many.

Stop whinging about qld games. We've played there over the odds for years

[saintbrat]

2 Perth games are School holidays in Vic -assists travellers

[Harvey To Hayes]

Stop whinging about qld games. We've played there over the odds for years

Absolute bulls*** but whatever you're telling the story...

[Joffa 5]

Stop whinging about qld games. We've played there over the odds for years

There's a large passionate Saints following up here that stumps up the membership fee every year to support the club. It's nice to get to see the boys play up here at least once a year for our troubles so we're well within our rights to be disappointed.

[samuraisaint]

It looks like 12 wins again from the look of it, with a similar slow start for the first half of the season and a flurry of wins towards the end, which together with an improved percentage should see us just make the eight.

I see us having wins vs Brisbane (H), Carlton (H), Collingwood (H), Essendon (H), Gold Coast (H), Melbourne (x2), North (x2), Richmond (x2) and West Coast (H).

Agree with the 12, but I think we will get them against Melbourne (x2), Brisbane (H), Collingwood (Away but at Etihad), Hawthorn (A), Carlton (H), North (x2), Gold Coast (H), Fremantle (in Perth!), Richmond (H), Essendon (H).

Probably agonisingly close to finals again, but the final match against Richmond could hold the key to our hopes, and I think they will beat us next year at the MCG at this stage. The Hawthorn and Fremantle games should be our best chances of wins interstate.

[loris]

Thought the pride game was our initiative, or was it both clubs as Sydney will host this season.

.

It was agreed to be played in the 2 cities. One season a Saints home game, next season a Swans home game.

[shrodes]

From Reddit... we have the toughest pre-bye fixture in the league, though the second easiest post-bye fixture.

Higher number = Finished lower on the ladder = Easier

Luckily only 2 interstate games pre-bye for us. But we need to get runs on the board early.

[shrodes]

Also the club sent out a great little 38 page fixture magazine via email which is worth a look:
https://www.joomag.com/magazine/saints- ... 3763?short

[Devilhead]

Another big plus is that we get our mid season bye in early - Round 11 - after which we return in Round 12 to play Adelaide (in Adelaide) who are coming back from a tough game against Geelong at Simonds - Adelaide get their bye in Round 13

It is similar to this year when we had the early break and then played Geelong on our return who were screaming out for a break - and we beat them

Think this is a big positive and we could be chance to upset the Crows away (if we improve our away form)

We get North coming off their bye in Round 13 but i don't think this will be a problem for us

[saintsRrising]

Should work well for us ok as of the likely Top 4 - Swans, GWS, Dogs, Crows we only play them once.

Bottom 4? Lions, Tigers, North and then????

Not sold on the Crows for top four, or the Dogs. Remember they finished 7th in the H&A.
Freo will definitely bounce back.
Essendon finished below us before the player suspensions and they've lost Carlisle, Hibberd, and Melksham from that team. Carlisle's absence will be noticed at Essendon.
Dee's should be better but so will the Saints.

West Coast will miss Nic Nat. Will still make the finals because they play 12 games in Perth.

.

I have the Hawks and Cats to slide out of Top 4. If so two in.

I too think the loss of Nic Nat will hurt the Weagles. So have gone for Dogs and Crows to slide in.

[saintbrat]

interesting to see responses/ predictions/ comments on the saints draw
many say good But champion data say after a 'dream' 2016 it's the 3rd hardest in 2017

TRADE AND FIXTURE TWO TICKS FOR SAINTS: ANDERSON

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2016/10/27/ ... -anderson/

St Kilda
PROS: The Saints have 14 games at their home base of Etihad Stadium, including 12 of their first 16 games at the venue. In a nod to the Saints' improved form in 2016, they have also been handed four marquee games on Friday night after none in 2016.

CONS: After turning in a number of poor performances away from home in 2016, the Saints will have to make six interstate trips – including two visits to South Australia and Western Australia – next season.

PLAY TWICE: Melbourne, West Coast, North Melbourne, Richmond, Sydney Swans

BYE: Round 11

FIRST FOUR WEEKS: Melbourne (h), West Coast (a), Brisbane Lions (h), Collingwood (a)

LAST FOUR WEEKS: West Coast (h), Melbourne (a), North Melbourne (h), Richmond (a)

SIX-DAY BREAKS: Four

THEY SAY: "We're particularly pleased to have secured four Friday night matches, which is a reflection of the exciting brand of football our team played in 2016," Saints chief executive Matt Finnis.

WE SAY: The four Friday night games St Kilda has been handed points to the club's increased relevancy. With six interstate games scheduled, the Saints will have to drastically improve their record on the road after a concerning 54.3-point average losing margin away from home in 2016. - Ben Guthrie

Twelve of the Saints' first 16 games are at their Etihad Stadium base. Picture: AFL Photos

[saintbrat]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a ... scgnp.html

St Kilda and Greater Western Sydney meeting in Friday night football. What a time to be alive.

When trying to find one match that underpins the essence of the 2017 fixture, you couldn't do much better than this round seven clash between the Saints and Giants at Etihad Stadium.

That a clash between two of the AFL's smallest clubs could feature in the game's marquee timeslot was almost unfathomable not that long ago. After all, these are clubs that are ranked 15th and 17th respectively on the 2016 membership ladder.

GWS has never played a Friday night game, while the Saints' last appearance in the blockbuster spot was in round three last year.

But the old world order has largely been disregarded in next year's fixture, released by the league on Thursday.

On-field performance rather than off-field clout is now clearly the biggest factor used by the AFL when apportioning marquee slots.