AFL to consider flexible fixture and Footy Frenzies for 2021 season
The scheduling of the AFL fixture may never be the same again after a COVID-interrupted season opened the league to a range of possibilities. Find out what options are on the table next year.
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The AFL could throw convention out the window with its fixture next year, considering a range of flexible options that could include rolling out the schedule in six-week blocks.
The league and its players are extremely keen on again staging a series of Footy Frenzies that would see teams play three games in a week in one state, likely over a school holiday period.
All options are on the table for the league, which hopes to have its fixture out in late November or early December.
The league is open to an increase in Thursday night games given the roaring success of that time slot and its huge ratings figures.
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The league could fixture rounds without starting times deeper into the fixture so it could “flex” the marquee contests into Thursday and Friday nights when it has more exposed form.
But the biggest departure would be announcing double-up encounters for all teams when it releases the schedule but only locking in who plays who for the first six rounds.
It would allow the league massive flexibility to maximise its fixture for broadcasters and fans as it drip-fed the rounds out in blocks.
The league has always been keen to lock in all but its floating Round 23 fixture so fans can plan interstate travel.
If the league did lose that certainty it would need to find a way for fans to access affordable flights interstate so they could see their teams play.
All of that would be conditional on COVID numbers remaining low across Australia so fans and players can cross borders and continue the 2021 season.
The league is open to compressing the fixture at certain times, which would also allow it time to hand players breaks in the schedule for byes.
A decision will also have to be made on the pre-finals bye after Brisbane and Port Adelaide became the latest qualifying final winners to be dumped in the preliminary final.
The league believes handing clubs a pre-finals bye allows them to be fully fit by finals and adds a layer of unpredictability but Brisbane had to play one game in a month and was run over by Geelong in a 40-point defeat.
Lions coach Chris Fagan conceded after the loss he had immediately pondered the effect of so little football through the finals.
“That thought went through my mind because we’ve only played 17 games this year and because they’re reduced time, it’s probably only the equivalent of playing 12 or 13 games coming into the finals series.
“We’ve seen preliminary finals in past years where the team that won the first week and had the rest would overrun teams late.
“Maybe that has an effect. It’s not an excuse for us losing, we were comprehensively beaten. But I’m not sure it was an advantage to lose that first week – but we’ll take the win, we wanted to win a final and get that invaluable experience.
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Originally published as AFL to consider flexible fixture and Footy Frenzies for 2021 season
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