Why do some AFL teams play each other once and some twice?

Question

Does anyone know how the draw is arranged? Is it somehow connected to last year's standings? Or based on attendances? Or WHAT????

Answer 1

Generally they try and organise it so that every team plays each other team three times over a two year period. Then they allow exceptions for special events like the Anzac Day match, rivalries like Carlton-Richmond and that sort of thing. Fair or unfair, this is a business too and without the money generated from some of these events the Kangaroos would already be on the Gold Coast and there would be no Western Bulldogs.

Answer 2

Which teams play each other twice is selected on a purely random basis. The only exceptions are the Grand Finalist from the previous year who always play early in the season, and Collingwood and Essendon who contest the ANZAC day clash. The teams that play each other in the first six rounds, play each other again from round 16 to round 22.

There are critics of this system that say it is unfair. Some have suggested the pre-season competition should be eradicated and a new 30 round season be introduced.

Answer 3

good question.  ask the afl.  its such a biased setup.  interstate teams travel far more than the vic. sides,  ask collingwood and essendon.  you have to wonder who rules the roost in the afl sometimes.  but, it dont matter  anyway,  its gonna be a long time before a vic . team wins the flag again.  na na  na..

Answer 4

there is 22 rounds and only 16 teams so some teams have to play twice it is up to chance mainly, but teams like sydney and west cost which were in the grand final will play each other twice because it will be a good match

Answer 5

first of all, correction first seven rounds get replayed

it is incredibly unfair. rich teams collingwood and essendon hardly go interstate have the best facilities and alsohave the big drawing games such as anzac day, which only make them richer.

the afl must do more for the struggling clubs such as the kangaroos, becuase if they dont, they willnot be able to survive for much longer

where as collingwood and essendon could survive for 50 years