2012 / 2013 Draw

First Game of new Season seems to be set for Weekend of 5 October and it looks like we will have Bling at Home..... 4 Months and counting

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/soccer/october-date-set-for-sydneys-first-a-league-derby/story-e6frey4r-1226385318935

interesting. 

Bugger. That's the same weekend as the National Road Relays. Please let it be a Sunday game!

SUCH a long offseason. 

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/hyundai-a-league-draw-released-next-tuesday/47726

to be released nek week

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Whats-in-store-for-201213-draw/47748

Nix and CCM forgotten from this article

What history does Adelaide v Jets have? CCM v Jets is both their big derby.

Apparently new finals format

They were talking about that at the end of the last season. I would prefer a top four, 1 v 4, 2 v 3 playing home & away for a spot in the final.

Would make more sense. It's ludicrous that you can finish in the bottom half of the league stage and make it to the final and win the title. Top 4 would be much more sensible than top 6

3 v 6, 4 v 5. Winners facing off against 1 & 2 for places in the final.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Hyundai-ALeague-finals-revamped/47768

Draw up now

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/aleague/results

I edited the draw to change all the times from AEDT to NZDT, you can download it here: http://www.mediafire.com/?5md5w6d9xwi5b4b

14 Home games v 13 away

12 at Wespac   1 at Dunedin    1 to be advised

2 trips to Perth with away games on the east coast the week prior....lightens travel

Best away double headers

Jan 1 Brisbane     Jan 5 Victory       or        Feb 7  CCM   Feb 17 Brisbane

Can`t complain really

Bit disappointed to see no marathon round next season, but I guess with the finals being reduced by 1 week it wasn't needed.

A few of the bright spots in the draw for me. We get to see Adelaide here in Wellington, it has been a long time since that happened. Get to face the Jets at home twice. Most people won't have to endure watching a Perth game. They have the timing of the Dunedin game just about right.

On the negative side, there is no Sydney or Melbourne double header away trips. Sounds like the Glory game will be in Auckland rather than ChCh. Dunedin game might have been better on a Saturday.

Noticed a couple weird dates for away games. 5/11/12 we play the Victory away on a Monday night & 7/2/13 we play CCM away on a Thursday night. I am guessing that is the make room for the NZ world cup qualifers?

Perth Glory twitter just confirmed that the game between us and them will be in Auckland on February 2.

Yeah.  The draw on the 'nix site (linked from the front page) has Auckland.

It's strange that it wasn't in the official list on the A-League website, or the PDF released by FFA via 442.

Great.  I can now put dates and times to my social calender.   

I am very pleased except for the possibility of trying to save to go down to Dunners (ChCh certainly should have had a game I thought).

Also will get my Russian/Polish/Ukrainian glassing technique honed so I can take on Jordybean in Akld since we missed each other last time.

Yea says Eden Park in this FFA Statement http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/wellingtonphoenix/news-display/next-season-draw-released/47783

Which 2012/13 rivalry are you most looking forward to?

Perth Game in Auckland is sensible.

Cool, if I see Smeltzy on the street I'll give him a serve about his headers against New Caledonia.

Bugger. Not a great draw for me personally - going to end up missing a few home games this season, including the opener. Guess it had to happen one year that the fixtures produce a few clashes. With all the Sunday games, they had to make the opener a Saturday to clash with the National Road Relays.  At least they've avoided the National Marathon Champs. 

Not sure why they're going back to Dunedin? Second chance after screwing up last season when they went down out of term?

Dunedin at 4:30 on Sunday isn't so flash for travelling either.

No real complaints apart from that.

Drat!  Good point and school day on Monday.  Scratch that as a family outing then.

Looks like Akld will get our tourist dollars then.

Foxes or Calendar Girls ??

I would need to try and lose my minders (say at Sylvia Park or St Lukes) first.

Apparently also Shakespeare - but maybe that is a bit "alternative" shall we say.  

I like the new finals format. Just about everyone is contender to top 6. Its not as hard for teams outside the top 2 to make the grand final. We don't have to watch 1v2 play out 2 or 3 times. The top 2 are not guranteed a spot in the GF making it a more genuine elimination process. 

I think I would rather the semis were played home and away but I suppose the top 2 deserve some advantedge and home advantedge is a good advatedge.

We might be struggling for players for a couple games. The A-League doesn't have breaks for international fixtures, and as it stands we have 7 players out of 17 contracted that will be called up for OFC qualifying games.

We have 2 odd fixtures on a Monday night (5/11/12) and Thursday night (7/2/13). They create gaps of 9 & 10 days but they dont match up with the windows.

Heart away (14th Oct) & Jets home (23/3/13) are in those windows.

I'm sure my chum from the tron and his lad will be up for it again, and will also work on the whanau up in Jaffaland too.

The Dunedin game is in March, so plenty of time to save up.  I'll be going - have to take the Monday off I suppose. Family can stay back in Wellington.

I am told on good authourity Dunedin is in O week for Otago Uni - Huge student attendance.

Dunedin is not in O-Week for Uni, Dunedin is between Week 1 and 2 of the trimester, one week after O-Week. Could still get a huge student attendance if it is marketed properly though.

Unless Dunedin is dramatically different to Wellington, O Week should last closer to a month than a week. Good scheduling imo

Sucks that we're playing you at Etihad.

Novelty dress up theme?  Come as your favourite burning couch.