2011 NAB Cup
# 2011 NAB Cup

The 2011 NAB Cup was the Australian Football League (AFL) pre-season competition played before the 2011 season. The games were played between 11 February and 11 March. The first match was between Adelaide and Melbourne in Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

This was the first time since 2003 that the competition format had changed. With the introduction of the Gold Coast Football Club and Greater Western Sydney Giants (the latter required to make the competition feature a manageable 18 teams), the format for the 2011 NAB Cup was as follows:

* Weeks 1 and 2: The eighteen teams are split into six pools of three teams each. The three teams in each pool play each other in games of two 20-minute halves, with all three games being played over a three-hour period at the one venue.
* Week 3: The first ranked teams from each pool progress to the quarter-finals, with the two next best ranked teams joining them, allowing an eight team quarter-finals weekend.
* Week 4: The winners from the quarter-finals progress to the semi-finals.
* Week 5: The two winners of the semi-finals progress to the NAB Cup Grand Final.

## Games

The first round fixtures were announced by the AFL on 26 October 2010.

### Round 1

| | Pool 1 | Pool 1 | Pool 1 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Friday, 11 February (7:15 pm) | Adelaide 0.3.6 (24) | def. by | Melbourne 0.5.4 (34) | AAMI Stadium (crowd: 18,202) | Report |
| Friday, 11 February (8:20 pm) | Melbourne 0.5.6 (36) | def. | Port Adelaide 1.2.6 (27) | AAMI Stadium (crowd: 18,202) | Report |
| Friday, 11 February (9:25 pm) | Adelaide 0.6.4 (40) | def. | Port Adelaide 0.1.2 (8) | AAMI Stadium (crowd: 18,202) | Report |
| | Pool 2 | Pool 2 | Pool 2 | | |
| Saturday, 12 February (7:15 pm) | Carlton 0.6.5 (41) | def. | Richmond 0.3.5 (23) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 40,300) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 February (8:20 pm) | Richmond 0.1.1 (7) | def. by | Collingwood 0.7.8 (50) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 40,300) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 February (9:25 pm) | Carlton 0.3.8 (26) | def. by | Collingwood 0.5.3 (33) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 40,300) | Report |
| | Pool 3 | Pool 3 | Pool 3 | | |
| Sunday, 13 February (4:45 pm) | West Coast 0.5.1 (31) | def. | Hawthorn 0.4.5 (29) | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 25,776) | Report |
| Sunday, 13 February (5:50 pm) | Hawthorn 1.4.4 (37) | def. | Fremantle 0.3.5 (23) | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 25,776) | Report |
| Sunday, 13 February (6:55 pm) | West Coast 0.5.7 (37) | def. | Fremantle 0.4.1 (25) | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 25,776) | Report |
| | Pool 4 | Pool 4 | Pool 4 | | |
| Friday, 18 February (7:15 pm) | Essendon 1.11.1 (76) | def. | Brisbane Lions 0.2.2 (14) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 24,158) | Report |
| Friday, 18 February (8:20 pm) | Brisbane Lions 0.2.3 (15) | def. by | St Kilda 1.5.5 (44) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 24,158) | Report |
| Friday, 18 February (9:25 pm) | Essendon 0.5.8 (38) | drew with | St Kilda 0.6.2 (38) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 24,158) | Report |
| | Pool 5 | Pool 5 | Pool 5 | | |
| Saturday, 19 February (7:15 pm) | Greater Western Sydney 0.0.4 (4) | def. by | Sydney 0.13.5 (83) | Blacktown Olympic Park (crowd: 9,447) | Report |
| Saturday, 19 February (8:20 pm) | Sydney 0.3.4 (22) | def. by | Gold Coast 0.4.1 (25) | Blacktown Olympic Park (crowd: 9,447) | Report |
| Saturday, 19 February (9:25 pm) | Greater Western Sydney 0.4.3 (27) | def. by | Gold Coast 0.8.4 (52) | Blacktown Olympic Park (crowd: 9,447) | Report |
| | Pool 6 | Pool 6 | Pool 6 | | |
| Sunday, 20 February (3:45 pm) | Geelong 0.4.8 (32) | def. | North Melbourne 0.2.2 (14) | Skilled Stadium (crowd: 13,232) | Report |
| Sunday, 20 February (4:50 pm) | North Melbourne 1.2.2 (23) | def. by | Western Bulldogs 0.8.6 (54) | Skilled Stadium (crowd: 13,232) | Report |
| Sunday, 20 February (5:55 pm) | Geelong 0.7.4 (46) | def. | Western Bulldogs 0.4.1 (25) | Skilled Stadium (crowd: 13,232) | Report |

### Round 2

| | Round 2 | Round 2 | Round 2 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Thursday, 24 February (7:10 pm) | Melbourne 1.11.7 (82) | def. by | Essendon 1.17.10 (121) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 13,863) | Report |
| Friday, 25 February (7:40 pm) | Collingwood 1.12.12 (93) | def. | Sydney 1.10.10 (79) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 10,773) | Report |
| Saturday, 26 February (7:10 pm) | Geelong 1.6.6 (51) | def. by | St Kilda 1.15.7 (106) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 9,670) | Report |
| Sunday, 27 February (4:40 pm) | West Coast 0.12.15 (87) | def. | Gold Coast 1.5.11 (50) | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 12,625) | Report |

### Round 3

| | Round 3 | Round 3 | Round 3 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Friday, 4 March (7:40 pm) | Essendon 0.12.12 (84) | def. | St Kilda 0.6.9 (45) | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 17,632) | Report |
| Saturday, 5 March (5:40 pm) | West Coast 0.8.8 (56) | def. by | Collingwood 1.9.17 (80) | Patersons Stadium (crowd: 15,360) | Report |

### Grand Final

| | 2011 NAB Cup Grand Final | 2011 NAB Cup Grand Final | 2011 NAB Cup Grand Final | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Friday, 11 March (7:45 pm) | Essendon | def. by | Collingwood | Etihad Stadium (crowd: 45,304) | Report |
| | 0.2.2 (14) 0.3.4 (22) 0.9.5 (59) 0.13.8 (86) | Q1 Q2 Q3 Final | 0.3.4 (22) 0.7.6 (48) 1.11.7 (82) 1.15.9 (108) | Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Nicholls, Jennings Michael Tuck Medal: Heath Shaw Television broadcast: Seven Network | Umpires: Rosebury, Stevic, Nicholls, Jennings Michael Tuck Medal: Heath Shaw Television broadcast: Seven Network |
| | | Super Goals | Buckley 1 | Buckley 1 |
| Hurley, Monfries 3 Ryder, Watson, Zaharakis 2 Hocking 1 | Hurley, Monfries 3 Ryder, Watson, Zaharakis 2 Hocking 1 | Goals | Krakouer, Dawes 3 Cloke 2 Ball, Beams, McCarthy, Pendlebury, Swan, Thomas, Wellingham 1 | Krakouer, Dawes 3 Cloke 2 Ball, Beams, McCarthy, Pendlebury, Swan, Thomas, Wellingham 1 |
| Hardingham (groin) | Hardingham (groin) | Injuries | Nil | Nil |
| By winning this NAB Cup Collingwood became the first team since their opponent Essendon, in 1993/1994, to win a pre-season premiership after winning the previous years' grand final. This was also just Collingwood's second pre-season premiership, the previous one coming in 1979. This is Collingwood's first pre-season premiership in 32 years, which coincidentally was the same number of years difference between VFL/AFL premiership wins when they defeated Essendon in 1990. ||||||

## NAB Challenge

On 16 December 2010, the AFL announced the towns that will play host to the NAB Challenge competition. In week 1, the Adelaide suburb of Thebarton hosted an AFL pre-season game for the first time at Thebarton Oval where SANFL team Woodville-West Torrens plays. Traeger Park in Alice Springs, Manuka Oval, Visy Park and Skilled Stadium also hosted matches. Week 2 saw matches played at Lavington for the first time since 2006 as well as games at Southport, Bunbury, Shepparton, Visy Park and AAMI Stadium. In the final week of the competition, matches were played at Coffs Harbour, North Ballarat, Southport, Willaston near Gawler (SA), Fremantle, Aurora Stadium and Visy Park.

| | Week 1 | Week 1 | Week 1 | | |
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Friday, 25 February (7:00 pm) | Port Adelaide 13.11 (89) | def. by | Richmond 14.8 (92) | Traeger Park | Report |
| Saturday, 26 February (1:00 pm) | Hawthorn 15.9 (99) | def. | North Melbourne 10.10 (70) | Skilled Stadium | Report |
| Saturday, 26 February (1:00 pm) | Western Bulldogs 20.8 (128) | def. | Brisbane Lions 8.10 (58) | Visy Park | Report |
| Saturday, 26 February (3:30 pm) | Adelaide 22.9 (141) | def. | Fremantle 10.6 (66) | Thebarton Oval (crowd: 4,721) | Report |
| Saturday, 26 February (4:00 pm) | Greater Western Sydney 4.2 (26) | def. by | Carlton 29.9 (183) | Manuka Oval (crowd: 5,991) | Report |
| | Week 2 | Week 2 | Week 2 | | |
| Friday, 4 March (4:00 pm) | Carlton 15.10 (100) | def. | Adelaide 11.10 (76) | Visy Park (crowd: 3,000 est.) | Report |
| Friday, 4 March (7:00 pm) | Hawthorn 12.17 (89) | def. | Richmond 7.6 (48) | Deakin Reserve, Shepparton (crowd: 6,108) | Report |
| Friday, 4 March (7:00 pm) | Port Adelaide 19.21 (135) | def. | Geelong 7.9 (51) | AAMI Stadium (crowd: 4,110) | Report |
| Saturday, 5 March (12:00 pm) | Melbourne 12.6 (78) | def. by | Brisbane Lions 16.11 (107) | Visy Park (crowd: 3,000 est.) | Report |
| Saturday, 5 March (3:00 pm) | Gold Coast 3.5 (23) | def. by | Sydney 14.11 (95) | Fankhauser Reserve, Southport (crowd: 2,859) | Report |
| Saturday, 5 March (3:30 pm) | Fremantle 9.14 (68) | def. by | Western Bulldogs 14.14 (98) | Hands Oval (crowd: 4,000 est.) | Report |
| Saturday, 5 March (7:00 pm) | Greater Western Sydney 8.2 (50) | def. by | North Melbourne 18.15 (123) | Lavington Oval (crowd: 6,122) | Report |
| | Week 3 | Week 3 | Week 3 | | |
| Friday, 11 March (4:00 pm) | Richmond 8.6 (54) | def. by | Adelaide 18.14 (122) | Visy Park (crowd: 2,000 est.) | Report |
| Friday, 11 March (7:00 pm) | Hawthorn 15.14 (104) | def. | Melbourne 12.3 (75) | Aurora Stadium (crowd: 4,010) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 March (11:00 am) | Fremantle 13.12 (90) | def. | West Coast 11.15 (81) | Fremantle Oval (crowd: 6,583) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 March (1:00 pm) | North Melbourne 18.10 (118) | def. | Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105) | Eureka Stadium (crowd: 7,000) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 March (1:00 pm) | Carlton 11.15 (81) | def. by | Geelong 14.8 (92) | Visy Park (crowd: 8,000) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 March (4:00 pm) | Port Adelaide 21.13 (139) | def. | Greater Western Sydney 6.8 (44) | Willaston Oval, Willaston, South Australia (crowd: 4,164) | Report |
| Saturday, 12 March (7:00 pm) | Sydney 12.12 (84) | def. | St Kilda 8.5 (53) | BCU International Stadium, Coffs Harbour (crowd: 4,827) | Report |
| Sunday, 13 March (3:00 pm) | Gold Coast 7.12 (54) | def. by | Brisbane Lions 17.20 (122) | Fankhauser Reserve, Southport (crowd: 4,053) | Report |
