The new fixture for the next lot of TV rights

[big_mac_evoy5]

I was listening to Eddie the other day and it got me thinking. I don't normally like copying other codes but NFL has the beat fixture and the highest rating sport in america.

So the fixture would consist of 17 game home and away season followed by a bye week. The week after is a wild card weekend were 7th plays 10th and 8th plays 9th for the bottom two finals spots. Using the current finals system still

Then a bye before all 8 play out the rest of the finals as per normal season.
Thoughts...?

[ripplug66]

There will never be 17 games unless some drastic happens. Players would still want the same money but TV wouldnt pay the same money. Also it still isn't fair even though its better than it is now. Would you rather have played WCE at home last season or 2014? The AFL also have contracts with stadiums. And if its to stop games later in the season that mean nothing well sides will still not be able to make finals after 10 rounds.

And finally Aussie rules is the greatest game in the world. I don't want to see less of it. How often do you hear people say I wish the footy would start. Well they would be waiting another another month if we had 17 games.

[Bluthy]

I've never really had too much of an issue with the fixture despite the inequities - it just seems the best they can do especially now that they group them into bottom, middle and top six from last year. 17 games is too short and players complain any more than 22 is too much. The NFL has a huge number of teams so they still operate a lot of games to make their money. If you are a premiership contender then you can make the top four no matter your fixture and from there you have every chance to win the flag if you're good enough.

I wouldn't rule out a wildcard weekend for 7th and 8th spots - would bring a bit more interest and penalise a team that did what North did this year by almost throwing a game. That would give the other 6 a week off advantage as well to refresh. But no bye after that - I don't see the point of having a week off before finals.

[Wrote for Luck]

personally i think the finals drag out too much as it is and by introducing a week off (this year?) my bet is momentum will be gone and interest will drop off. especially if your team aint in the finals you just want them to get on with it. my preference would be a six team final only and certainly with no bye between the regular and the finals matches.
keep the onus on the importance of the home and away ladder and have first play sixth, second play fifth and so on.
the reason why it is how it is now is because of revenue imo and ideas floating to pump it up further are with money in mind.

[Zed]

I personally have always thought the best solution is to schedule it such a way that teams double up against others who finished around them on the ladder the previous year ie The top teams only get 1 game against the bottom clubs and vice versa. Technically it should make it easier for a bottom team on the improve to make a quick rise in 1 year - then get tested the following year.

They are trying to move to something close to this but the problem is always the need to schedule blockbusters for the big teams to maximise crowds and tv revenues

[borderbarry]

I thought that what the AFL proposed during last season was fair, and that is every team plays the other 17 clubs once. then the teams are divided into three lots, 1st to 6th, 7th to 1th, 13th to 18th, and each team plays all five other teams in its group a second time, I thought it was to be introduce this season.

[ripplug66]

I thought that what the AFL proposed during last season was fair, and that is every team plays the other 17 clubs once. then the teams are divided into three lots, 1st to 6th, 7th to 1th, 13th to 18th, and each team plays all five other teams in its group a second time, I thought it was to be introduce this season.

I hope they don't do that. Sides will start tanking to get into a lower group. Its good at the moment when you play 2 or 3 in your group from the previous season.

[Jacks Back]

I was listening to Eddie the other day and it got me thinking. I don't normally like copying other codes but NFL has the beat fixture and the highest rating sport in america.

So the fixture would consist of 17 game home and away season followed by a bye week. The week after is a wild card weekend were 7th plays 10th and 8th plays 9th for the bottom two finals spots. Using the current finals system still

Then a bye before all 8 play out the rest of the finals as per normal season.
Thoughts...?

Not sure about that as it means that the top 6 teams have 3 weeks off in a row before finals. Also 17 games is nowhere near enough for us fans.

Playing everyone once and the teams around you from last season twice (as much as reasonably can be expected considering the "blockbuster games") is the best option to give all teams a chance to win some games.

[Life Long Saint]

personally i think the finals drag out too much as it is and by introducing a week off (this year?) my bet is momentum will be gone and interest will drop off. especially if your team aint in the finals you just want them to get on with it. my preference would be a six team final only and certainly with no bye between the regular and the finals matches.
keep the onus on the importance of the home and away ladder and have first play sixth, second play fifth and so on.
the reason why it is how it is now is because of revenue imo and ideas floating to pump it up further are with money in mind.

The final six (both formats) was the worst finals format in the history of the AFL.
A six team finals series takes exactly the same time to play out as an eight team finals series...Four weeks.

My favourite was the final 5...It gave the best advantage to the top team (a week off and only one win required to make the GF). Second and third had the double chance.
But if interest is waning toward the end of the season with eight teams I can only imagine what it'd be like with five teams.

The only way to make the fixture fairer is to extend the season and split the comp into two conferences. 25 games are required for that. Ditch the pre-season games and make each player only allowed to play 23 so clubs have to choose when to rest some players.

[Wrote for Luck]

A six team final would only take three weeks if you worked it like this...

Week one:
First and Sixth
Second and Fifth
Third and Fourth

Week two:
Winner of the top match takes a week off. The loser is out.
Winners of the next two matches play-off and the loser is out.

Week three:
Final

It would probably never happen but I like it because a) I'm not a fan of the whole second chance thing and b) I like the onus being on the home and away season to finish top. If your team finishes top you truly have something to celebrate because your chance of playing the grand final are likely but not guaranteed. If sixth happens to beat first then there is drama but they deserve to go through. Also it means there is no chance of any team playing each other twice in a finals series, which I think is rubbish.

[ripplug66]

A six team final would only take three weeks if you worked it like this...

Week one:
First and Sixth
Second and Fifth
Third and Fourth

Week two:
Winner of the top match takes a week off. The loser is out.
Winners of the next two matches play-off and the loser is out.

Week three:
Final

It would probably never happen but I like it because a) I'm not a fan of the whole second chance thing and b) I like the onus being on the home and away season to finish top. If your team finishes top you truly have something to celebrate because your chance of playing the grand final are likely but not guaranteed. If sixth happens to beat first then there is drama but they deserve to go through. Also it means there is no chance of any team playing each other twice in a finals series, which I think is rubbish.

6th straight through to a GF. I wouldn't think that could be good for anyone.

[Life Long Saint]

A six team final would only take three weeks if you worked it like this...

Week one:
First and Sixth
Second and Fifth
Third and Fourth

Week two:
Winner of the top match takes a week off. The loser is out.
Winners of the next two matches play-off and the loser is out.

Week three:
Final

Wow!
How to make a crap system even worse!

There is no fair way to get rid of three teams in one week under a final six!

[Jacks Back]

A six team final would only take three weeks if you worked it like this...

Week one:
First and Sixth
Second and Fifth
Third and Fourth

Week two:
Winner of the top match takes a week off. The loser is out.
Winners of the next two matches play-off and the loser is out.

Week three:
Final

What about a round robin in the finals? Odds & evens. 1 plays 3, 5 & 7 and 2 plays 4, 6 & 8.

The two highest finishes (wins then percentage) play the grannie. It would still take four weeks to complete the same as now but your team will at least play 3 finals games. Plus there would be four finals in each of the first three weeks. Just trying to think out of the box.

A six team final series would also take 3 weeks to complete with this system.

[ripplug66]

A six team final would only take three weeks if you worked it like this...

Week one:
First and Sixth
Second and Fifth
Third and Fourth

Week two:
Winner of the top match takes a week off. The loser is out.
Winners of the next two matches play-off and the loser is out.

Week three:
Final

What about a round robin in the finals? Odds & evens. 1 plays 3, 5 & 7 and 2 plays 4, 6 & 8.

The two highest finishes (wins then percentage) play the grannie. It would still take four weeks to complete the same as now but your team will at least play 3 finals games. Plus there would be four finals in each of the first three weeks. Just trying to think out of the box.

A six team final series would also take 3 weeks to complete with this system.

You would be tanking to finish second. I don't see much wrong at all with the current finals series to be honest.

[Jacks Back]

You would be tanking to finish second. I don't see much wrong at all with the current finals series to be honest.

I don't either really it's just that the op mentioned doing something different in the finals.

I'm not sure the first team would tank to finish second. But then maybe the first team can play against 6,7 & 8. It wouldn't be good preparation for the first team though.

We've, most likely, already got the best system anyway.