AFL Introduces Wild Card Round

[Westend]

stupid

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Yeah I'm just not sure the extra games are earning that much more money especially with the new tv deal being slated more towards national/streaming partner games making the most of the money and the local tv games making less.

If it was about making money you would play an extra round of footy which will bring in 5 times more money than two mickey mouse finals.

 

[Cam Payne]

There will be no equity in AFL until the big four vfl clubs automatically qualify for finals.

 

[PhatBoy]

Something something Geelong

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Just on the no longer care anymore thoughts - I've been thinking about this recently as feel the same way which I wonder is more a reflection of your respective age. I find a lot of games tedious and almost meaningless in the same way cricket has lost its way over the past 20 years

I feel very similar, I am more with the I actually don't know what the sport is anymore crowd. It's certainly a new sport to the one I grew up playing and watching.
There is still some good games and exciting games of course but it just has little meaning compared to the sport I once lived and breathed.
The AFL however have their sheep that follow it and love it. They know the fans think their clubs need them and they have a game in their hands they can do whatever they like with no pushback what so ever.

 

[joe444]

Yep. It's death by a thousand cuts. And those cuts are starting to get deep now.

Amen brother. And I'd add the bounce to your list there, too. Because one umpire whinged about it and nobody seems to remember that its unpredictability was a feature not a bug, we got rid of it.

Almost every time the AFL get rid of a rule, they don't bother to ask why it was there in the first place. And whenever they bring a rule in, they claim it is for reason A and then defend it because, although Reason A never eventuated, a brand new Reason B has emerged.

It is death by a thousand cuts. I often wonder if the reason I've managed to keep caring is because my team still has a recognisable sense of representing a place and a community. When rusted on supporters like me start wavering and, as a consequence, their children are also less interested, the iceberg has already hit the ship.

Markers like "can you remember the finalists" are a worthy measure. I'd add, "Do you know the names of more Melbourne Storm players than you used to?".

I'm drifting, AFL. And I surely am not alone.

 

[Mr_Bojangles]

The press conference this morning from the boss was gaslighting, pure and simple.

No one wants this yet we're told we love finals and games of consequence.

But, of course, some of us will avoid watching but a vast majority will shit in their hands and clap so they'll get away with much like many other things they have forced upon the fans.

What is the AFL anymore. Seriously.

 

[Mr Magic]

We know why they're doing it. More money.
In the NBA, fans hate it. Players hate it.
But more broadcasting and advertising money.

so glad Richmond down the bottom.

not interested whatsoever and will be turning the tv off!!


put a line through various finals participants but the premiership winners probably from up towards the top anyway

 

[Sentinel]

With the recent addition of Gather Round plus this, players now have the potential of playing as many as 28 games across the season with a single weeks' break. Somewhat surprised that the AFLPA would be happy with this.

 

[joe444]

Just on the no longer care anymore thoughts - I've been thinking about this recently as feel the same way which I wonder is more a reflection of your respective age. I find a lot of games tedious and almost meaningless in the same way cricket has lost its way over the past 20 years

True Gavin. Geelong fans also have a degree of finals fatigue. But as my previous post, I haven't lost my love of sport, nor watching it.

In pro-wrestling, there's a concept called "X-Pac heat", which is when a performer is still getting a crowd reaction, but not the one anyone wants. He may be a bad guy and he may be getting booed - but the reason the crowd is booing is because they don't want to see his lazy ass in the ring to begin with. The next place the crowd goes is out the door.

 

[Dan26]

Probabilities of the new final 10

1st - 18.75%
2nd - 18.75%
3rd - 18.75%
4th - 18.75%
5th - 6.25%
6th - 6.25%
7th - 3.125%
8th - 3.125%
9th - 3.125%
10th - 3.125%
11th - 0%
12th - 0%
13th - 0%
14th - 0%
15th - 0%
16th - 0%
17th - 0%
18th - 0%

So this narrative about "rewarding mediocrity" is extremely misleading. There is a clear staggered set of mathematical advantages. To suggest a team finishing 10th with a 1 in 32 chance of winning the premiership is being "rewarded" is a stretch. Yes, there is a "reward", but that reward is having a 3.125% chance (1 in 32) instead of zero. Hardly a big reward. The top 4's reward is SIX times more likely.

The staggered set of rewards when you see them like this written down does not seem unfair. There are now three sets of mathematical advantages instead of two.

 

[dean33]

Heard it here first, and not related exactly to the Wild Card Round, but the next change will be the removal of Draws, and sending the game into "overtime" or "extra time", depending on which way the AFL wheel of decisions lands.

This will all happen after a team misses out on a Wild Card spot and finishes 11th by 2 Premiership points.

I hear the singing of "star spangled banner" will be played next year before all play off err i mean finals games.

 

[SC_Power]

If it was about making money you would play an extra round of footy which will bring in 5 times more money than two mickey mouse finals.

AFL way ahead of you. Gather Round.

 

[Philhawk]

Can anyone tell me why this is a good idea?

Compromising the integrity of the entire competition for 2 meaningless matches?

 

[Partridge]

With the recent addition of Gather Round plus this, players now have the potential of playing as many as 28 games across the season with a single weeks' break. Somewhat surprised that the AFLPA would be happy with this.

Let's be honest. The players - or at least a good chunk of them - are little more than pure mercenaries now (and I've changed the term I was going to use). Wave enough money under their nose and they'll magically be super motivated for a 47-game season, they're excited by the challenge etc. etc. It's all horseshit and more people can ever can now smell it.

 

[Partridge]

I hear the singing of "star spangled banner" will be played next year before all play off err i mean finals games.

I might tune in when the Southern states secede from the Union at least.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Probabilities of the new final 10

1st - 18.75%
2nd - 18.75%
3rd - 18.75%
4th - 18.75%
5th - 6.25%
6th - 6.25%
7th - 3.125%
8th - 3.125%
9th - 3.125%
10th - 3.125%
11th - 0%
12th - 0%
13th - 0%
14th - 0%
15th - 0%
16th - 0%
17th - 0%
18th - 0%

So this narrative about "rewarding mediocrity" is extremely misleading. There is a clear staggered set of mathematical advantages. To suggest a team finishing 10th with a 1 in 32 chance of winning the premiership is being "rewarded" is a stretch. Yes, there is a "reward", but that reward is having a 3.125% chance (1 in 32) instead of zero. Hardly a big reward. The top 4's reward is SIX times more likely.

The staggered set of rewards when you see them like this written down does not seem unfair. There are now three sets of mathematical advantages instead of two.

So why does a team who finished 7th with 15 wins deserve the same chance as a team finishing 10th on 10wins?

 

[SC_Power]

Amen brother. And I'd add the bounce to your list there, too. Because one umpire whinged about it and nobody seems to remember that its unpredictability was a feature not a bug, we got rid of it.

Almost every time the AFL get rid of a rule, they don't bother to ask why it was there in the first place. And whenever they bring a rule in, they claim it is for reason A and then defend it because, although Reason A never eventuated, a brand new Reason B has emerged.

It is death by a thousand cuts. I often wonder if the reason I've managed to keep caring is because my team still has a recognisable sense of representing a place and a community. When rusted on supporters like me start wavering and, as a consequence, their children are also less interested, the iceberg has already hit the ship.

Markers like "can you remember the finalists" are a worthy measure. I'd add, "Do you know the names of more Melbourne Storm players than you used to?".

I'm drifting, AFL. And I surely am not alone.

Again, the AFL don’t care that you hate them, precisely because you care about your club, not the AFL.

Honest question, how many people would keep watching the AFL if their club folded tomorrow? Vs how many people would watch their team in a brand new competition that’s not the AFL?
wanna hurt the AFL? Boycott their sponsors, visibly.
If someone started a #boycottToyota campaign because of this idiotic idea, and it led to a demonstrated negative impact to Toyota, watch how quickly the AFL will “listen to its fans”.

 

[Donflicted]

Can anyone tell me why this is a good idea?

Compromising the integrity of the entire competition for 2 meaningless matches?

Greed

 

[JPetro83]

Pathetic idea. They should be focusing on ways to get the bottom 4-6 clubs better and contending quicker. Free agency has slowed the process down with glory hunting players leaving bottom 4-6 clubs to go play for clubs in the flag window. Our game didn't need FA.. good old-fashioned trading is the way to go. you want a gun and are going to pay them 800K + a season? we'll you give up two first round draft pics!

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

How about we play each other once, 17 rounds, then have a final 18 finals series?

 

[Partridge]

Just on the no longer care anymore thoughts - I've been thinking about this recently as feel the same way which I wonder is more a reflection of your respective age. I find a lot of games tedious and almost meaningless in the same way cricket has lost its way over the past 20 years

Yep, I think the saturation of the game has had a major negative effect, in exactly the same way it has for cricket. I've never been to so many games of footy in the last few years where you could hear the players clearly on the field. During quarters. In the past, it was only in the reserves you could, the crowd would be too noisy when the seniors were on. Not anymore. It's very quiet a lot of the time now.

 

[Dan26]

So why does a team who finished 7th with 15 wins deserve the same chance as a team finishing 10th on 10wins?

So, you're asking why does a team who finishes three spots higher deserve the same chance as someone three spots lower? It's been that way since 2000. 5th is three spots higher than 8th and they've had the same mathematical probability as each other since 2000. 1st is three spots higher than 4th and they've had the same mathematical probability as each other since 2000 also. The same is true now of 7th and 10th.

What do you want? Every team in the top 10 to have a better mathematical advantage than the one below it. That's impossible to implement.

The top 4 all have the same mathematical probability. 7-10 have the same mathematical probability. 5th and 6th are in between.

Three sets of mathematical advantages.

1st - 18.75%
2nd - 18.75%
3rd - 18.75%
4th - 18.75%
5th - 6.25%
6th - 6.25%
7th - 3.125%
8th - 3.125%
9th - 3.125%
10th - 3.125%
11th - 0%
12th - 0%
13th - 0%
14th - 0%
15th - 0%
16th - 0%
17th - 0%
18th - 0%

 

[dean33]

I might tune in when the Southern states secede from the Union at least.

As long as they dont take our guns

 

[EBERT THE KING]

Peter V'landys laughing into his Corn flakes at the moment. He has them completely spooked at HQ.

The AFLPA will be licking their lips at this. A potential 28 games season + pre season games + Intra club games.

Interesting times here.