Jeff Kennett slams Hawthorn's 2019 fixture as disrespectful
HAWTHORN president Jeff Kennett has lashed out at the club’s 2019 fixture, saying it did not reflect the Hawks' status as one of most successful clubs of the modern era. See how your club reacted.
HAWTHORN president Jeff Kennett has lashed out at the club’s 2019 fixture, saying its lack of blockbuster home games next year is disrespectful.
The Hawks are angry they were slated to host only one Friday night match - against Collingwood in Round 16 - and were overlooked entirely in all eight Thursday night prime time slots.
They will play only one Saturday night game - again another away match against Brisbane at the Gabba in Round 11.
Kennett said the fixture did not honour Hawthorn’s status as one of the best performed clubs of the modern era, playing finals in 10 of the past 12 seasons.
2019 FIXTURE: SEE THE FULL FIXTURE HERE
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PRE-SEASON: FULL 2019 JLT SERIES FIXTURE
PLANNER: FULL 2019 AFLW FIXTURE
“No draw is ever perfect for any team. However, we feel the 2019 fixture does not entirely respect our great club, what it has done for the AFL and our success over the last 11 years,” Kennett said in a letter to members.
The Hawks’ fixture is set to hit one of the league’s most profitable clubs in the hip pocket next season.
Chief executive Justin Reeves said the club’s requests were ignored by the AFL.
“It is disappointing we did not receive any of the priority fixture requests we submitted to the AFL and that we have again been fixtured a home game at Marvel Stadium,” Reeves said.
The Hawks would prefer to play all of their home games at the MCG and in Launceston but will take on struggling Gold Coast at the indoor Stadium in Round 22.
Coach Alastair Clarkson will also face significant hurdles on the field, with Champion Data rating Hawthorn’s fixture the second-hardest in the league.
New Hawk Chad Wingard will take on his old team Port Adelaide in Round 10 in Tasmania.Collingwood received a bumper draw with as many as 10 Thursday and Friday night games, including a possible blockbuster finish to the season against Essendon in Round 23.
It means the Magpies will reclaim their crown as football’s television darlings in 2019.
But the Western Bulldogs were underwhelmed it missed out on the Good Friday night game, declaring the AFL should spread the marquee matches more evenly around the league.
The Dogs received one of the AFL’s softest fixtures but will again be off Broadway in 2019, playing only one Friday night game.
“Our major disappointment is again missing out on being involved in a Good Friday game, after the great success of the inaugural event in 2017, when we successfully partnered with North Melbourne,” chief executive Ameet Bains said.
“We firmly believe opportunities for marquee games need to be more evenly shared across the competition.
Regardless, we will continue to support this concept, and the Good Friday appeal, in the strong hope that we can again be part of this fixture in 2020.”
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Originally published as Jeff Kennett slams Hawthorn's 2019 fixture as disrespectful