Ladder conference farce

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Not much has changed from the OP except Melbourne are now fourth place in conference A (and could still be top in conference B).

Should still even a bit out in the end, but would be a bit disappointed if Freo missed out but won more games than a top 2 team in the other conference.
 
Conference A wins: 21
Conference B wins: 8

Cross-conference wins: Conf A 10, Conf B 1

Cross-conference matches remaining: 4
 
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Bulldogs GM says something negative about conferences, cue headlines.
Bulldogs coach says something positive about conferences, cue tumbleweeds.

Quote from Paul Groves yesterday: "I quite like the conference system and I think we would benefit from an east and west conference and having them set for the next 30 years. And if we get to 18 teams it could be the top 4 from each playing crossover finals."

Scott Gowans a few weeks back in an interview said he thought the league was unlucky with how imbalanced the conferences seem to be panning out.

Point is it doesn't seem Nicole Livingstone and the evil old incompetent AFL are without support on this issue.

Btw on the last page I said the conference structure this year adds no real benefit, but I should clarify that I see it differently for next year. If the league is intent on keeping the season to the same length for 2020, 7-team conferences with just one crossover match per club is the best solution imo (among the many I've workshopped).
 

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I don't necessarily have an issue with a conference system.

I do however have an issue with a conference system for THIS season and the stupid way it has been implemented.
 
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Teen Wolf said:
Quote from Paul Groves yesterday: "I quite like the conference system and I think we would benefit from an east and west conference and having them set for the next 30 years. And if we get to 18 teams it could be the top 4 from each playing crossover finals."
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East/west can suck it

Put domestic rivals in OPPOSITE conferences

Go everybody in your own conference and your rivalry in the other for ultimately a 9 game season.

So next year, I’d add Gold Coast and Richmond into conference a with Essendon and Sydney earmarked to complete the conference
Then have west coast and St Kilda added to conference b with port Adelaide and hawthorn earmarked for here

Now, it’s still uneven games. I’d give all non-Melbourne teams 5 home, 4 away and all Melbourne teams 4 home, 5 away. (North Melbourne’s counted as non-Melbourne due to Tasmania agreement. They must play 4 games minimum there)

So from a non Melbourne team - 4/5 home, 3/4 away, 1 neutral (5-6 at home, 3-4 away)
For a Melbourne team - 2 home, 2 away, 5 neutral (7 at home, 2 away)
So even though the non-Melbourne team is designated home more often, Melbourne’s team fans still have a huge advantage of attending games

Also, change the names to Australian conference and national conferences. “A” and “b” makes it sound like it’s a u10s school lightning Comp.

Biggest downfall is for the short term waiting for the final 4 teams to join, we have to mismatch the cross over games

Lock in from 2020
Australian - National
Fremantle - West Coast
Gold Coast - Brisbane
Richmond - Carlton
North Melbourne - Geelong
Western Bulldogs - St Kilda

Short term before ultimately at 18 teams
Adelaide - greater Western Sydney
Melbourne - Collingwood

Long term once the league is complete
Adelaide - port adelaide
Sydney - greater Western Sydney
Melbourne - Hawthorn
Essendon - Collingwood

Also, finals. I hate the top 2 (or 4 long term) from each going through.
What I’d do for an 8 team finals series is top 2 from each conference go through into seeds 1-4, then the next best 4 go through either way.

Short term (until we’re at 18) stick at 4, but only top is gaurunteed a spot (and at home)
So let’s use the current table right now

1. Adelaide (conference a winner)
2. Geelong (conference b winner)
3. North Melbourne (1. Wildcard)
4. Fremantle (2. Wildcard)

Semi finals
Adelaide vs Fremantle
Geelong vs north Melbourne

Here’s what my 8 team model would look like (is stupid in 10 team league and pushing it in a 14 team league)
1. Adelaide (conference a winner)
2. North Melbourne (conference a runner up)
3. Geelong (conference b winner)
4. Carlton (conference b runner up)
5. Fremantle (1. Wildcard)
6. Melbourne (2. Wildcard)
7. Brisbane (3. Wildcard)
8. Western Bulldogs (4. Wildcard)

Quarter finals
1. Adelaide vs western Bulldogs
2. Carlton vs Fremantle
3. North Melbourne vs Brisbane
4. Geelong vs Melbourne

Semi finals (played at highest seed - as based on above ladder)
5. Winner of 1 vs winner of 2
6. Winner of 3 vs winner of 4
 
Dirty Bird said:
Put domestic rivals in OPPOSITE conferences
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Would the AFL do it though. It would mean next year one or more of Coll-Rich, Coll-Carl or Carl-Rich match-ups wouldn't happen. I think the league will want to ensure fixtures between those teams, even with last weekend's small turnout on their minds.

Dirty Bird said:
Also, change the names to Australian conference and national conferences. “A” and “b” makes it sound like it’s a u10s school lightning Comp.
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I had a kinda gross thought about this the other day, wouldn't be surprised if it ends up changing to something like the "NAB Conference" and the "Virgin Australia Conference".
 
Rob said:
Well that game just made the AFL look even more stupid.

Mid table conference A team destroys top conference B side. Away from home.
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Hold your horses there, Rob, Fremantle are a strong chance to finish on top!
 
Current to end of Saturday, March 9:

Conference A wins: 23
Conference B wins: 9

Cross-conference wins: Conf A 12, Conf B 1 (Bris d. WB @ Whitten Oval)

Cross-conference matches remaining: 2
 
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Unless Freo v North is a draw next week, the Crows are guaranteed to make the finals with a home win tomorrow v GWS
 
SunGirl89 said:
Unless Freo v North is a draw next week, the Crows are guaranteed to make the finals with a home win tomorrow v GWS
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Adelaide would be going into Round 7 with 20 points and Melbourne with 16 if both teams win this weekend, so from there the Crows could still miss out if they lose to the Dees and cop a big enough percentage hit.
 

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Yeah good point. Next Saturday at 7PM, Conference A could see MEL, ADE, NTH, FREO all on 20 points.

Given that MEL only trail ADE by 18%, MEL would probably overtake ADE with a win next week.

So for insurance, ADE will want a percentage boost tomorrow in case they do lose to MEL next week.
 
Top 4 teams in Conference A have not lost to a Conference B team. Grand final will most likely be A1 v A2.

ADE - 4 home games
NTH - 3 home games
FREO - 4 home games
MEL - 3 home games

Will A1 and A2 and thus the Grand Final be Adelaide and Fremantle? I'd say they are the favourites.
 
SunGirl89 said:
Top 4 teams in Conference A have not lost to a Conference B team. Grand final will most likely be A1 v A2.

ADE - 4 home games
NTH - 3 home games
FREO - 4 home games
MEL - 3 home games

Will A1 and A2 and thus the Grand Final be Adelaide and Fremantle? I'd say they are the favourites.
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I'd say we are 50/50 with North next week given game in Perth. North would be favourite in Melbourne.
Adelaide in best spot to make it though!
 
Melbourne’s 1 point win most likely ends their chances. They really need Adelaide to lose tomorrow as I doubt they will make up 30% against them next week.
 
SunGirl89 said:
I don't necessarily have an issue with a conference system.

I do however have an issue with a conference system for THIS season and the stupid way it has been implemented.
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Yeah, not sure why the teams in each conference just didn't play each other twice.

Next year could be more of a farce.
 
Brezsa said:
Let’s not get carried away. Adelaide did not beat Carlton easily, Carlton where up by 3 goals with a few min to go in the 3rd and fell apart, to lose by 2 goals.

That wasn’t an easy win for Adelaide.

I do agree that the conferences hasn’t worked out at all, it’s a debacle, but Adelaide isn’t massively better than Carlton & no where near NM or Freo as well.

The top of B, has been smashed by North (everyone has), had a tight game against Adelaide and lead it for most of the day and then smashed the only opponent they have played in their own conference, a very different picture may be painted at the end of the season if that form holds and are 4-3 or 5-2 at the end of the season.

Meanwhile Adelaide has played NEITHER of the two teams that are clearly the best in the comp and will probably end on 4-3
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Epic Fail I See!
How’s your assessment of how Adelaide going?
 
Adelaide should beat GWS comfortably tomorrow but if they don't then most likely both Conference A round 7 games become knock out finals

North vs Freo and Adelaide vs Melbourne

A nice bit of drama for the final round but so crap for the teams that misses out when the win/loss record will say that they should be playing finals.


I can 100% understand a conference system for the fixture when we are dealing with limited games but this season is showing how split ladders can be unfair. I just don't see where they can be a better system (if we're not talking 30+ teams) than a combined ladder even if the games are split conference style.
 
1972championsofaust said:
How much bigger % would the 2 best teams in Adelaide and North Melbourne be if they actually got to play winless Collingwood like every other team did?
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Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs are the 2 teams that do not play Collingwood. North played Collingwood yesterday.

It's amazing to think that North Melbourne (5-1, 144%) are on top with the best record in the league yet are unlikely to make the finals.

Brisbane (2-3, 71%) in 3rd place in Conference B though have a better chance of making finals.
 
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GWS (1-5) and Collingwood (0-6) have the worst records in the league.

The Western Bulldogs are the only team that won't play either of them.
 
longsuffreosupp said:
Yeah, not sure why the teams in each conference just didn't play each other twice.

Next year could be more of a farce.
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Really don't know what they will do. Two conferences of 7 teams, but how many rounds?

First thing that MUST happen is an EVEN number of rounds. Every team should have the same number of home games.
 
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