There has been plenty of discussion about the pros and cons of the split round to open the 2014 season, with many die-hard fans demanding that after the long awaited return of footy it’s cruel to make fans wait another week to see their team play. Whilst others enjoyed the fact they could focus on just a few games in greater detail and watch teams they don’t usually see.
AFLPlayers.com.au have asked two footy fans at either end of the spectrum to provide their views on the topic.
What’s your opinion on the split round? Join the conversation in the comments section below.
Against the split round – Heath Evans
I’ve waited months to see my team play and this weekend all I wanted to do was sit down with a big group of mates, order a half dozen pizzas and see the mighty brown and yellow kick off their season in style. The players are fresh, the anticipation of my team’s success is at its highest and for me there is no such thing as too much footy at this time of year.
Instead I was forced to wait another week, and whilst the games were thrilling, it just isn’t the same.
I’ve spent weeks fine tuning my fantasy footy team and I need closure…each and every week. I need to know I have chosen the right team, I need to know my boys have performed and frankly the split round provides an agonizing extra week’s wait to see how my team has fared in Round 1.
There are obviously a number of factors for why the split round existed, but on the discussion about whether this is preferable for a fan, the answer is simple…no it is NOT.
For the split round – Jessica Boglis
Having a split first round of the AFL fixture is a great way to begin the new season. This allows football fans to re-integrate into the sport over a few weeks, as opposed to being thrown into the deep end with a massive nine games weekend.
With the beginning of the AFL footy season now brought forward to accommodate the extra games that are played, the beginning of the season is marked with a number of other sporting events such as the end of the A-League soccer season, the end of the cricket season and the Melbourne Grand Prix. This may bring about a case of sport saturation and overload for some fans. Therefore, staggering AFL games allows footy fans to still take an interest in these other sports winding up from their summer seasons before committing to the AFL winter season.
Additionally, with only four games played each week, this allows footy fans to focus their attention across all four of the games, as opposed to only some games and forgetting others due to a lack of time.
The split round is also great for players as it allows them all to have an extra week break. Half will have a break after they play their first game and the other half will have an extra week to prepare for their first game. Either way, this is positive for the player’s preparations for the long and grueling season ahead. It allows the players a chance to rest their bodies and provides a preventative measure for injuries later in the season, which all footy fans hope to avoid.
See the fans view below and join in the conversation.
http://storify.com/AFLPlayers/fans-react-to-split-round