Champion Data rates Adelaide Crows as having the second-easiest draw in the AFL next year
ADELAIDE has been declared one of the AFL’s big fixture winners, with Champion Data rating its 2019 draw as the second-easiest in the competition as the club eyes more Adelaide Oval sellouts.
ADELAIDE has been declared one of the AFL’s big fixture winners, with Champion Data rating its 2019 draw as the second-easiest in the competition.
The Crows, who will become one of the competition’s road warriors when they play their 10 interstate matches at nine different venues next year, have been given a free kick with double-up games against strugglers Gold Coast and St Kilda.
Between them, the Suns and Saints won just eight games this year, finishing 17th and 16th respectively.
AFL fixture analyst Champion Data says only the Saints have an easier draw than Adelaide next season.
The Crows, who slumped from beaten grand finalist in 2017 to 12th this year in a campaign mired by injuries and a pre-season camp that went horribly wrong, also play hometown rival Port Adelaide (rounds eight and 16), Geelong and premier West Coast twice.
“I’ll leave the judgments about how hard the draw is to the media and our fan base because there is always a good amount of debate that goes into that,’’ Adelaide chief executive Andrew Fagan said.
“From our perspective we know that there is 22 home-and-away games and that if you don’t show up on any of those weekends then you will be really challenged to come away with a win.
“It is a tough competition, an incredibly tough competition, and I expect next year to be no different.’’
Fagan described the Crows fixture as “outstanding’’ because of the number of big Victorian clubs it plays at Adelaide Oval.
Adelaide will open its campaign against Hawthorn at home on Saturday, March 23, and also host blockbusters against Geelong (round three), Richmond (round 13), Essendon (round 18) and Collingwood (round 22).
The Cats and Tigers will be Thursday night encounters.
“Given we are hosting some of the big Victorian clubs which traditionally attract big crowds, I would anticipate the sold-out sign going up at Adelaide Oval quite a few times next year,” Fagan said.
The Crows also have an enticing clash against premier West Coast for Sir Doug Nicholls Round in round 10.
Adelaide will host two Thursday night, one Friday night, four Saturday twilight, two Saturday night and two Sunday twilight games.
But it will be forced to travel far and wide in search of its first premiership since 1998.
The Crows are scheduled to play at Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium and MCG, Geelong’s GMHBA, Ballarat’s Mars, Darwin’s TIO, Sydney’s SCG, Brisbane's Gabba, Gold Coast’s Metricon and West Coast’s Optus.
The only interstate venue they play at twice is Marvel Stadium — against North Melbourne in round four and St Kilda in round six.
Adelaide does not have consecutive away games in the home-and-away season.
“There’s a bit of a changing face with the away fixture for us,’’ Fagan said.
“We are obviously a travelling team and expect to travel every second week but there is a large number of games being taken by Victorian teams outside of Melbourne.
“I think that’s going to become the norm and it doesn’t make a big difference for us.
“From a football perspective we’re comfortable with the fixture.’’
Crows fans will have to wait until round 19 to voice their displeasure at forward Mitch McGovern, who quit Adelaide with two years left on his contract to join Carlton, when they tackle the Blues at the MCG.