Finals System tired and in need of a revamp?

[goswannie14]

12 teams in the finals, Demetriou has finally gone friggen mad that is the stupidest idea the AFL have come up with.

The top 4 teams getting a rest in the first week,then why even have a top 12

It was Mark Williams' idea. Not the AFL.

[swantastic]

12 teams in the finals, Demetriou has finally gone friggen mad that is the stupidest idea the AFL have come up with.

The top 4 teams getting a rest in the first week,then why even have a top 12

[goswannie14]

My thoughts.

Extend h&a season to 30 weeks, allowing each team to play the others twice.

Final 8 split into 2 groups consisting of teams finishing 1, 3, 5 & 7 and 2, 4, 6 & 8.

WEEK 1
Game A, 1 v 3 Winner to week 3
Game B, 2 v 4 Winner to week 3
Game C, 5 v 7 Loser eliminated
Game D, 6 v 8 Loser eliminated

WEEK 2
Game E, loser A v winner C
Game F, loser B v winner D

WEEK 3
Game G, winner A v winner E
Game H, winner B v winner F

WEEK 4
Grand Final winner G v winner H

[ScottH]

2 leagues. 1 Top 8, 1 bottom 8.
Play each other twice.
Same finals format currently used.

Winner of GF (Top 8) = Premiers.
Loser of GF (Bottom 8) gets promoted to top 8 for team 8 in the top 8, who gets relegated.

[CureTheSane]

The main thing is whether the current finals system is fair, not whether it's entertaining.

I definitely think it's fair, so no need to go changing it.

Firstly, the finals are the culmination of the seasons play.
We need to assess whether the season in itself is entertaining.

I think the H & A season is not as exciting as it used to be.
Maybe because there are so many interstate teams, maybe because the Swans are never on FTA tv any more.

Sure, the finals themselves are interesting, but could the finals and whole season be more interesting?

As to whether it's fair, well there are many many arguments as to why it's not fair.
Too much interstate travel by some teams and not enough by others.
"Blockbuster games" being planned regardless on teams form.
Playing 7 teams twice only and the selection procedure for those seven teams.

Tome, you can only say "no point in changing it" if you have considered and compared all available options.

Remember the 'rebel Packer game'?
Compare our comp to soccer where the teams vie to make it into the premier league.
Or compare it to the Ice Hockey play offs.
There are many different formats for sport out there, and they are worth some thought.

[Robbo]

The main thing is whether the current finals system is fair, not whether it's entertaining.

I definitely think it's fair, so no need to go changing it.

[CureTheSane]

I saw the other thread on a final 12 teams which is just ridiculous.

Lately though I have been thinking about Hayden and Gilchrist's comment that the tri-series is a tired format.
I tend to agree with them.
20/20 has had an impact, and so has the renewed interest in tests.
The World Cup is still important, but there format there is different to the tri-series.

Anyway, I have thought for a while that making the finals isn't any real achievement, especially for teams like the Swans who are run well.
My angle is that well run teams who have the proper medical support and are not in financial hardship etc are able to put all time and effort into winning games and as a whole unit should be able to finish in the TOP HALF of the competition.

So we get through a full 22 round season and are left with 4 weeks of finals to pick the best.
I am thinking that each opposition team is played once over 15 weeks.
After this the competition is split into two halves.
Top 8
Bottom 8

Let's take the Top 8 competition
Over the next 7 weeks the teams in the top 8 play each other once, creating a new ladder.
The two teams who end up on the top of the new ladder play in the Grand final.

Same with the Bottom 8 competition, they all play and end up with a "best of the rest" winner.

This finals system would also shorten the season by 2 weeks overall.

This is all just a dumb idea I pondered when thinking about the competition as a whole.
The point of the thread is to discuss whether the current system of finals is as relevant as it used to be.

The complaints I have are as follows.
1. finishing in the finals is not massive achievement, it is only finishing in the top half of the comp.
2. ideally teams would play each other once or twice in the H&A season eliminating the 'season draw'
3. 22 rounds is a long time to have to play to make the finals and I find myself not be as concerned as I should be with a loss, so long as the team is traveling well and appears likely to make the finals.