Part II: 2013 fixture preview

Written By Unknown on Jumat, 11 Januari 2013 | 16.18

North Melbourne will be looking to limit Lance Franklin's influence when the two sides meet in 2013. Picture: Tim Carrafa Source: Herald Sun

THE Hawks twice or the Giants twice? Two trips to Perth or an array of Friday night blockbusters? Six-day breaks or a lengthy spell? These are the quirks that can define a club's season and the careers of coaches and players alike.

Over the next few days SuperFooty will bring you a comprehensive guide to the fixtures of all 18 clubs.

Today we look at Port Adelaide, Richmond and St Kilda.

Over the past few days we've looked at Adelaide, Brisbane, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney.

Tomorrow we finish our preview with Sydney, West Coast and Western Bulldogs.

HAWTHORN:

EASY GAMES:
The Hawks face GWS, Gold Coast and Melbourne – the bottom three sides from 2012 – leading into their bye. That shapes as a soft month they can use to build percentage. They also travel to hostile interstate venues on just four occasions.


CRUNCH GAMES:
The two clashes with Geelong will be pivotal. Shane Crawford wrote on the verge of last year's Easter Monday clash that if the Hawks couldn't topple the Cats then they wouldn't for the year. He was dead right, and they need to leap this rising mental hurdle in Round 1. The Round 7 Grand Final rematch against Sydney at the MCG could also be a testing match crucial to the Hawks' mental belief.

TOUGH GAMES:
An absolute horror start to the season. The Hawks face all 2012 finalists in the first seven rounds, which includes trips to face Adelaide at AAMI Stadium, West Coast in Perth and concludes with the Grand Final rematch. A nightmare start – but if they can escape with a positive win-loss ratio they'll be well on the way to the top four again.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
Hawthorn's opening two months is littered with blockbusters, but you can't go past the Grand Final rematch. The Hawks must be looking for another crack at the Swans and while it might not be September, it shapes as a pivotal game given Alastair Clarkson's draw early. The match against Collingwood in Round 3 will be huge, too, and gives the Hawks the chance to square-off with Clinton Young after he defected to the Westpac Centre.

SUMMARY:
Hawthorn was disappointed the AFL did not fulfil its request to host seven matches at the MCG, while the opening two months loom as a major danger. But, that means the middle chunk of the season is extremely friendly. A SuperFooty poll recently revealed readers think Hawthorn has the toughest fixture – and by some margin.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Geelong (MCG)
Round 2 v West Coast (PS)
Round 3 v Collingwood (MCG)
Round 4 v Fremantle (AS)

Follow Sam Landsberger on Twitter @SamLandsberger


MELBOURNE:

EASY GAMES:
The Dees have a mortgage on the MCG for most the season. In the first 15 rounds, they play just two games away from the home of footy – both interstate trips. Home bouts against Port Adelaide, GWS and Gold Coast in the first seven weeks presents an opportunity for the new-look Dees to create the winning culture Mark Neeld is desperate to implement.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The Round 2 match against Essendon should be interesting. The Dees have the wood over the Bombers and would love that streak to continue. The two games against the Dogs in the back half of the season will also be telling with both clubs in a similar bracket.

TOUGH GAMES:
The three-week stretch of Fremantle away, Hawthorn and Collingwood will test the Demons' improvement. Games against Adelaide away and Geelong in Geelong will also be tough to compete in.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
As if Queen's Birthday wasn't a big enough duel for the Dees, they now to go show off star recruit Chris Dawes against his old Magpie premiership teammates. Added to that Mark Neeld's former stint at the Pies and it shapes as a juicy contest.

SUMMARY:
Only three six-day breaks is a win, as is playing fellow bottom-four sides GWS, Suns and Dogs twice each. But the Dees missed out on Friday night action and must play a home game at Etihad Stadium, against their request.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Port Adelaide (MCG)
Round 2 v Essendon (MCG)
Round 3 v West Coast (MCG)
Round 4 v GWS (MCG)


NORTH MELBOURNE:

EASY GAMES:
Not many. The Roos don't play any of the bottom-four sides twice, but a run of five-straight games again non-finalists from Rounds 14-18 should give a platform to launch a run at September.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The opening five weeks could set up North Melbourne's year. The Roos face Collingwood, Geelong, Sydney in Tasmania, Brisbane and Hawthorn and will be desperate to walk out with a few of wins. They will also be without Brent Harvey for the first six weeks, adding to the early challenges.

TOUGH GAMES:
Plenty. Two trips to Perth and return bouts against Hawthorn, Adelaide Collingwood and Geelong. Eight six-day breaks to boot makes it a hard draw on paper.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
You suspect a few North boys wouldn't mind a crack at Carlton in Round 17, and another look at Chris Judd after last year's chicken-wing gate. The clash with West Coast in Round 8 will also be eagerly-anticipated after North Melbourne's finals capitulation last year. And the Roos' backline will hopefully be devising some new plans for the Round 5 clash with Hawthorn – and 13-goal terroriser Buddy Franklin.

SUMMARY:
A difficult draw on paper, and a mixed bag commercially. Two home Friday night games (three in total) should help boost the bottom line, but the club wasn't overly thrilled with receiving three home Sunday twilight games this season.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Collingwood (ES)
Round 2 v Geelong (ES)
Round 3 v Sydney (BA)
Round 4 v Brisbane Lions (ES)

PORT ADELAIDE

EASY GAMES:
New coach Ken Hinkley will be gifted the chance to ignite his coaching career with winnable games against Melbourne, GWS and Gold Coast inside the first month. The Power travels to Darwin to meet the Dogs and doubled-up against the two expansion sides – but, being the sole club to have suffered defeat against both new franchises, will be wary of those matches.

CRUNCH GAMES:
It has to be the home matches. Port Adelaide hosts Richmond, Brisbane Lions and Carlton at home this year and to leap forward the Power has to restores some fear in a trip to AAMI Stadium.

TOUGH GAMES:
Road trips to face Fremantle, Carlton and Geelong come with warning bells. Hinkley will be hell-bent to compete with Collingwood, Hawthorn and Sydney at home, too.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
Hinkley would love to get one over his mates at Geelong in Round 9, while the next week a few Power players might be eager to atone against Will Minson and his Western Bulldogs, even if Danyle Pearce has departed. The Round 14 Port Adelaide-Collingwood duel – the two clubs John McCarthy played for – promises to include some touching moments and tributes.

SUMMARY:
A commercially strong fixture with home matches big-drawing sides Richmond, Geelong, Collingwood, Hawthorn and Carlton. The Power is also looking forward to farewelling AAMI Stadium in Round 23, where the club won 23 SANFL flags.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Melbourne (MCG)
Round 2 v GWS (AAMI)
Round 3 v Adelaide (AAMI)
Round 4 v Gold Coast (MS)

Port Adelaide Power footballers training at Montefiore Hill and then finishing at McKinnon Parade, North Adelaide. Picture: Dean Martin Source: HWT Image Library


RICHMOND

EASY GAMES:
The Tigers' trademark "easy games" are scattered throughout the season, which isn't a bad result. They open with three matches against non-finalists, giving the chance to sing the song early – something they struggled to do last season. Four of the final five games are at the MCG, with the exception a trip to Skoda Stadium to face GWS.

CRUNCH GAMES:
It starts with Round 1 against Carlton. Can the Tiges finally get some success to start the season? The month leading into Richmond's bye will also be telling – it faces Port Adelaide away, Melbourne, Essendon and the Eagles in Perth. Dare we mention the trip to Cairns to host the Gold Coast?

TOUGH GAMES:
Two trips to Perth and a clash with Sydney at the SCG hurt, but other than that it looks a friendly year for the Tigers. They also meet top-four outfits Collingwood and Hawthorn just once each. The Tigers smashed grand finalists Hawthorn and Sydney last year, can they repeat those performances in 2013?

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
The Blues – courtesy of a Brock McLean shank – nailed Richmond's coffin shut last season, so expect some fireworks in Round 1 for Mick Malthouse's Carlton coaching debut. The Blues have won the past nine against Richmond, while surely, SURELY it can snap the curse of Cairns and topple Gold Coast this year.

SUMMARY:
After some uncertainty owing to the MCG availability, the Tigers kept their Round 1 blockbuster against Carlton, while 13 games at the MCG will please the club and fans alike. A balanced draw with a spread out travel load presents the ideal chance for a red-hot crack at the finals.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Carlton (MCG)
Round 2 v S Kilda (MCG)
Round 3 v Western Bulldogs (ES)
Round 4 v Collingwood (MCG)

AFL. Richmond Training at Cazaly's in Cairns. Alex Rance and his team mates show the strain in the heat during sprint work. Picture: Stewart Mclean Source: HWT Image Library


ST KILDA

EASY GAMES:
The Saints should dodge a few bullets early, avoiding a 2012 finalist until Round 5. That's a nice stepping stone into the year, while a six-week midseason stretch of games against the Dogs, Roos, Eagles (home), Dees and Tigers – with a bye tossed in the middle – gives another chance to spear up the ladder.

CRUNCH GAMES:
The stakes will be high for the Anzac Day clash with Sydney in Wellington, adding to the excitement. Another two duels with former mentor Ross Lyon's Fremantle are on the cards, while the Saints face Richmond, Essendon, Carlton and the Roos a combined six times. Those matches will be pivotal with those sides clunked in the same ladder bracket as the Saints in 2012.

TOUGH GAMES:
Road trips to face Adelaide, Fremantle and Sydney will be mighty tricky, but the Saints will tackle Collingwood and Hawthorn just once each – both at their Etihad fortress.

ONE WITH ADDED SPICE:
The Brendon Goddard showdown in Round 4 will be big. It has already been hailed as a "grudge match" externally, while there will again be intrigue when the Saints meet Lyon's Dockers. You can bank on some hype when Stephen Milne and Harry O'Brien come toe-to-toe in Round 6 as well, after the goal sneak allegedly made a homophobic sledge to the Magpies defender last year.

SUMMARY:
Three Friday night games as well as the Anzac Day clash is a ripping result commercially, but not a great result for the fans. Eight times the Saints play outside of Melbourne (including Geelong), a number comparable to non-Victorian clubs. On the field it's a fairly balanced draw.

OPENING MONTH:
Round 1 v Gold Coast (MS)
Round 2 v Richmond (MCG)
Round 3 v GWS (MO)
Round 4 v Essendon (ES)

St Kilda training at Seaford. Stephen Milne enjoying being back on the ground Picture: Chris Eastman Source: HWT Image Library


 

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