Pre Finals bye and Qualifying Final winners - 1 game in 28 days

[Spanish_Fly]

Haven't really seen this discussed yet but IMO this will have a big bearing on the finals. Wouldn't surprise me to see 2 teams in the GF both come through the semi finals. The last few years this was a talking point even when teams could train fully and have internal match practice. With the restrictions on training, and clubs not having a big enough squad in the hubs to do match practice I think the teams that win the QF will come out very rusty in the prelim and both could be rolled.

I know from my teams perspective, we will have players returning for finals and the lack of match fitness will be an issue come prelim week. It would definitely be better for us to have a run of games and build our match sharpness towards the pointy end. I know for the first 9 day break game we had we came back a bit rusty and Hardwick has spoken about the difficulties with lack of training in the longer breaks. Obviously we performed well in the recent Geelong game with a 9 day break, but honestly 1 game in 4 weeks with these restrictions is going to be a difficult task to keep players match sharp.

I'm not as aware of how the other finalists have gone after the breaks, and whether their supporters think this could be an issue for them as well, would like some feedback.

 

[dean33]

Still can’t understand why teams can’t train normally? Does not make one iota of sense. They are in a hub in a place with virtually no cases of the virus not mixing with the public and being tested twice a week. The fact they can’t train normally is ridiculous.

 

[Kwality]

Still can’t understand why teams can’t train normally? Does not make one iota of sense. They are in a hub in a place with virtually no cases of the virus not mixing with the public and being tested twice a week. The fact they can’t train normally is ridiculous.

Fitness is a far bigger issue, how many you get to pick from.

 

[Franc de Borges]

Still can’t understand why teams can’t train normally? Does not make one iota of sense. They are in a hub in a place with virtually no cases of the virus not mixing with the public and being tested twice a week. The fact they can’t train normally is ridiculous.

Carlton’s game day social distancing has been flawless.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Haven't really seen this discussed yet but IMO this will have a big bearing on the finals. Wouldn't surprise me to see 2 teams in the GF both come through the semi finals. The last few years this was a talking point even when teams could train fully and have internal match practice. With the restrictions on training, and clubs not having a big enough squad in the hubs to do match practice I think the teams that win the QF will come out very rusty in the prelim and both could be rolled.

I know from my teams perspective, we will have players returning for finals and the lack of match fitness will be an issue come prelim week. It would definitely be better for us to have a run of games and build our match sharpness towards the pointy end. I know for the first 9 day break game we had we came back a bit rusty and Hardwick has spoken about the difficulties with lack of training in the longer breaks. Obviously we performed well in the recent Geelong game with a 9 day break, but honestly 1 game in 4 weeks with these restrictions is going to be a difficult task to keep players match sharp.

I'm not as aware of how the other finalists have gone after the breaks, and whether their supporters think this could be an issue for them as well, would like some feedback.

Wonder if the clubs would consider a scratch match in the week off, but then again you don’t particularly want to have your players having match sim against their potential GF opponent and the other clubs will shoot out of the hubs the second the season is over.

Honestly I think it’s overplayed. 2016 shocked the system a bit but it’s returned to normal programming mostly since, save for GWS last year.

 

[PowerForGood]

This sounds like the old Final Five days.
Top placed got the bye (Elimination and Qualifying finals) then the Second Semi, then another bye (Preliminary final) then the Grand Final. One game in 28 days, cherry ripe.

 

[sobrave]

Winning the qualifying final is now a disadvantage. Well done Gill you s**t truck of a human. Congratulations on finding new ways to make the game worse.

 

[juss]

Winning the qualifying final is now a disadvantage. Well done Gill you sh*t truck of a human. Congratulations on finding new ways to make the game worse.

Hasnt hurt the Tigers in 17 or 19. If a team is good enough, they'll win.

 

[sobrave]

Hasnt hurt the Tigers in 17 or 19. If a team is good enough, they'll win.

That's irrelevant. You shouldn't be disadvantaged by winning.

Playing 1 game in almost a month is not great preparation.

 

[dean33]

Winning the qualifying final is now a disadvantage. Well done Gill you sh*t truck of a human. Congratulations on finding new ways to make the game worse.

Nah we won both our flags with the week off, so did eagles. Port and Brisbane wondered all year why no one took them seriously, this weekend you found out.

 

[Papa G]

Only 4 out of 10 Qualifying Final winning teams have made it through to the GF. Before the bye it was 17 out of 18. There's definitely something in it.

 

[juss]

That's irrelevant. You shouldn't be disadvantaged by winning.

Playing 1 game in almost a month is not great preparation.

Says who? The losing teams?
There's not enough data to say its poor preparation.

 

[longsuffreosupp]

Maybe the last bye should be the second last week of fixtures..

 

[ep2018]

Hasnt hurt the Tigers in 17 or 19. If a team is good enough, they'll win.

Hurt you in 2018. Pies took advantage of your sloppiness similar to Geelong against Brisbane tonight.

100% the pre finals bye needs to be scrapped.

 

[dean33]

Maybe the last bye should be the second last week of fixtures..

That’s what I think it should be, will stop teams resting players and doesn’t disadvantage the 2 winning teams as much.

 

[dean33]

Hurt you in 2018. Pies took advantage of your sloppiness similar to Geelong against Brisbane tonight.

100% the pre finals bye needs to be scrapped.

Bye had nothing to do with it, took in players who weren’t fit and paid the price.

 

[juss]

Hurt you in 2018. Pies took advantage of your sloppiness similar to Geelong against Brisbane tonight.

100% the pre finals bye needs to be scrapped.

We got smashed against the Pies, not because of the bye though.

This game was tight until the fourth when the Cats broke it. That's not due to the bye.

 

[Twoslabs]

fu** off dickhead. You cheating campaigners won by 6 points.

Nice melt, do you need to buy you a bundy and coke?

Did your last one go missing after the final siren last night

 

[Ok Boomer]

It was necessary this year because some teams had the compressed fixture (and the associated large injury list) at the end of the season, rather than the middle. It should really go from next year and I think it was added with flawed reasoning anyway. Players get managed all of the time, why is it a problem when it occurs in round 23?

A team that won the QF ended up winning the flag in 17, 18 and 19 so it is doubtful how much of a problem it is. Maybe it hurt Richmond in 18 but based on 17 and 19 I find that to be unlikely.

 

[Spursfan]

It seemed like it was changed for change sake. if you've got a comfortable enough ladder position to rest players in round 22 don't see why you can't

 

[Snarls Barkley]

It seemed like it was changed for change sake. if you've got a comfortable enough ladder position to rest players in round 22 don't see why you can't

It got changed because Ross Lyon (x2) and Brad Scott

Brad Scott

Age

47

Ht

191cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.6

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

5.8

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

1.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.6

4star

K

7.8

3star

HB

4.8

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.8

4star

rested 10+ players to gain an advantage in their first final matchups.

North in 2015 and Freo in 2013 were the lower teams in their matchup and won, potentially with the advantage of having a much more rested lineup

 

[TheGhostOfJohnBelushi]

Typical overreaction by BigFooty posters.

I'd rather there be no bye, but Richmond and Geelong are just better teams than Port and Brisbane. Pretty plain and simple, generally the better teams win.

 

[tigs2010]

It’s a great excuse to help the losers sleep at night. Last 3 Premiers just got the job done as the good teams do.

 

[HaroLad]

Definitely has an influence, especially this season.

Going from the most compact season in history to one game in a month has to have an impact.

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

Hurt you in 2018. Pies took advantage of your sloppiness similar to Geelong against Brisbane tonight.

100% the pre finals bye needs to be scrapped.

It won't be, the AFL never ever under any circumstances will admit they made a mistake.