“It’s mitigated by the fact that in doing so they wanted to make sure the top team in Richmond quite rightfully gets an extra day[break]. But you can’t change horses mid-stream,because it doesn’t make any sense. If that was the case then Collingwood should have played West Coast on Thursday or Friday night.

“We know they couldn’t do it on Thursday night because it was a school day so that’s fair enough,but a Friday night game starting at six o’clock over there which is what happens every other Friday night you play in Perth,would’ve worked out.

“You can’t make a rule on the one week and then change it going into the preliminary finals. They have completely cocked this up,the AFL.”

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett toldThe Age his club was not fussed by the fixturing for its possible preliminary final,which would be played on a Saturday in Perth,should the Hawks beat Melbourne this Friday.

They will have an eight-day break into a possible preliminary final in Perth,but if they win that only a seven-day break plus a trip back from Western Australia for a grand final.

"We will worry about that if we get there but we will play anyone,anywhere and at any time,"Kennett said.

Collingwood were minutes away from not having to play this week,after they let a 10-point three-quarter-time lead slip by conceding five goals to one in the fourth term in Saturday's qualifying final against West Coast in Perth.

The Pies flew back to Melbourne straight after the game,arriving early on Sunday morning.