AFL exploring new mid-season tournament for cash prize

[oak79]

is this for real? A VFL Cup and Others Cup?

So some clubs can win significantly more than others, while having to travel to less - what the heck is this shenagins

This isn't even hiding VFL bias.

 

[Roobs321]

So some clubs can win significantly more than others, while having to travel to less - what the heck is this shenagins

This isn't even hiding VFL bias.

I didn't even think of the travel bit. Hidden agenda.

 

[Miles Wilks]

The trophy argument seems a bit misleading. If you are counting division/conference trophies as 'separate' then you have to include the McClelland Trophy for AFL, so we've already got 2.
But more importantly, the NFL/NHL/MLB/NBA* don't play for those trophies, they are something that is accumulated on the way to the Superbowl/Stanley/Cup/World Series/whatever due to having a conference format.
Edmonton Oilers fans aren't currently celebrating and bragging about winning the Clarence Campbell Bowl two seasons in a row, they are pissed their team didn't win the Cup.
So the only that would fit is the EPL, and to try and mirror that we need some other countries to start playing Aussie Rules, or decide we really want to see Collingwood vs Redcliffe on a Tuesday night in Rothwell...

Having a separate tournament and set of trophies, for something that just involves the same teams, seems very pointless and 'artificial'.
The only thing would make a lick of sense is replacing the current pre-season with it, running it during the first term school holidays, and making it basically free to gets and families along.


*no idea how the new NBA tournament works, but the little i've read fan-wise makes me think it's quite unpopular

There are some good arguments you have made here mike14.

However, I would put the counter argument that .....

NFL players, supporters and the teams still greatly value the American Conference/National Conference championship trophies. It maybe difficult for us to comprehend as we have a different system here in Australia. However, the Patriots, for example, display all of their Lamar Hunt trophies proudly in their Hall of Fame. This is even the ones that were won in years they didn't win the Superbowl. They have 11 AFC trophies.

The Patriots Hall of Fame on Instagram: "The Patriots won 2 AFC Championships in Pittsburgh - 2001 and 2004. All 11 Lamar Hunt Trophies the Pats have won are on display at the #patriotshall"

254 likes, 1 comments - patriotshall on September 17, 2022: "The Patriots won 2 AFC Championships in Pittsburgh - 2001 and 2004. All 11 Lamar Hunt Trophies the Pats have won are on display at the #patriotshall".

www.instagram.com

This below is not the look of a player who didn't want to win the Lamar Hunt Trophy. They achieved something that 15 other teams in the AFC would have liked to have done.

Here is La Garrette Blount with that AFC Trophy.

I do agree with your point, however, that it can be devalued (from an Australian perspective) if you end up losing the Superbowl. That is why the competition the AFL is considering for the mid-season is a stand alone comp. and will counteract that point.

MLB they have All-Star matches as well as the championship games, so technically their season also has other "winning" moments.

All of the European soccer competitions offer more than one DOMESTIC trophy. In English soccer there are four trophies on offer. They are obviously of different value based on how hard they are to win.

In the NRL (Rugby League) here in Australia you have the State of Origin and the NRL premiership. Technically that is two opportunities to be part of a winning combination.

All in all, the AFL is an outlier in that it is the only major sport in the Western world that doesn't offer a second winning opportunity. I can't think of one major competition in the world that has just one trophy. The season is far longer than the NFL as well. NFL (17 matches in the qualifying period) and the AFL (23 matches). The AFL is in a competitive marketplace, that is a fact. A lot of supporters lose interest in the AFL once their team is omitted. That is also a fact. The aim must be to keep supporters engaged for as long as possible.

 

[mike14]

So what you've emailed to he saying is that we need some kind of division/conference system, and/or inter-league play?

I could see 2 conferences work (Tassie would stuff things up) if we really wanted to go that route and a 25 game season (your conference twice, the other once). Top 2 in each conference go to finals, other 4 spots are just based on points. Long season though.

Can't imagine how inter-league play would ever work

 

[flamethrower]

So can the Bulldogs just not play the 17-game season (way too many scary top teams) and just play the 4-week mid-season tournament. Winning 4 games in a row against the bottom teams is about as good as it gets for the mediocre Bulldogs.

 

[speedpeck23]

The AFL is jumping at shadows. Just because this season only nine teams can make the eight is no reason to change anything. Season 2025 is an anomaly. Usually there are 12 - 14 teams in with a shot of playing finals at this stage. Hawks were still 13th this time last season. In 2023 at this stage Swans were 14th but just six points out of the 8.

Don't disagree completely, but I think the AFL want to keep every team in the contest for a finals spot for as long as possible , every season.....even the teams that have absolutely no chance in the current fixture format. When Tassie comes in their will be a lot of also-rans long before the season finishes. You could just have a final 9 in a 19 team comp. but that's just more of the same.....and in a way the fixture would still be inequitable.

Just trying to read between the lines here. What seems fairer for all teams (with Tassie in ) is an 18 game season where all teams play each other once. Then you have a seeded knockout comp played in the last 6 rounds....where all teams compete. There is a least some prestige if your club wins that comp and if it was previously out of finals contention gets a chance to challenge the 8th placed team in a match for a finals spot at the end of the regular season.

Obviously there are other aspects to discuss. The seeding for the knockout comp could be based on the ladder positions after 18 matches. A low positioned team would have to perform a minor miracle to get through but at least they still have some sort of chance to make the finals towards the end of the season. The middle level teams have the most to gain ....this season for example Carlton and Port could still be a chance...keeping supporters interested and turning up.

In a way it's fairer than having a lopsided 24 game set fixture.