AFL Introduces Wild Card Round

[Walshawk]

It is not a wildcard weekend. It is a final 10. Which is rediculous in a 18 team comp.

So don’t need a pre-finals bye anymore? What changed?

 

[deck]

What happens when Tassie comes in. You finish 2 games clear on top of the ladder with a bye in the final round. 2 weeks off before you play your first final.

 

[jwikked]

no, it isn't. they want to increase the value of the broadcast rights for the next contract.

Won't happen. DAZN don't care about footy enough to pay the big bucks, and that means anyone else wanting to get involved won't have to pay out as much as usual.

Wouldn't surprise me if they carved it up between 3 broadcasters next time. 3 different subscriptions needed to watch all the games.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Don’t laugh but how long before the AFL comes out with a best of 3 finals series dragged out over a couple of weeks? That way the finals weekends be further extended and they get more $ and bonus pay. The greed of the AFL is sickening

 

[Coasters7]

You are being slightly off with this - each conference has a top 10 with only 15 teams in each conference. So 20 out of 30 teams make playoffs (75%) not 10 out of 18 (55%) and shortly to be 10 out of 19 (52%).

Yeah fair point. Maths was wrong with the conferences

 

[Orange Agent]

So this is what happens when the Dogs don't make finals. As if the free kick count wasn't enough of a leg up.

 

[Maddo11]

What happens when Tassie comes in. You finish 2 games clear on top of the ladder with a bye in the final round. 2 weeks off before you play your first final.

Assuming the AFL still do their stupid floating fixture for the last few rounds, that can be corrected for at least..

 

[MelbourneGWS]

AFL keeps changing and implementing rules and stupid rounds yet somehow keep breaking membership and attendance records

Yes, that’s because we love the game mate. It happens despite the AFL, not because of them. The current AFL CEO is an imbecile

 

[NeutralFan]

The side that finished 8th this season won 15 games, spent the entirety of the year in the top 8 and only had a 10 point loss in the final game decide if they ended up 3rd or 8th.

The punishment for that 10 point loss is beyond unreasonable with this new rule introduction.

Is it beyond unreasonable instead if you were playing for 4th and the loss put you at 9th?

 

[JuniorWatch]

Agree that with 20 teams you MIGHT need an improved finals series.
But there is no competitive imperative to act on it now.
This is purely a financial decision.
Don't wanna get into a discussion about the need for endless growth in our economic system but...
Wildcard round brings more value into games that would otherwise have less eyes and less advertising value.
Why watch NRL final Round when there's finals on!

They know people will watch it and the initial response from the public now isn't really that relevant.

All sports globally act on the same motivating factors. Adding more importance to in-season games. More finals. More speed. More scoring (hello last touch rule).

The AFL is in a competitive battle to the death with all other drawers of our attention and are fighting for eye-balls.

The desperation of the game day 'fan-engagement' as Dua Lipa assaults your ear drums every 5 seconds is sufficient proof.

 

[Maddo11]

So utterly dumb, no team will ever win 5 finals in a row (if we're counting the wildcard games as finals. If Essendon win one surely we aren't counting them).

Even if they do get on a once in a generational run, they may end up coming up against a team that's only played one final by the time of the prelims.

 

[Anyonebutken]

You can already tell the backlash on this will be huge. Can certainly see it bring cancelled.
Afl have kicked an own goal here

 

[Hollow Knight]

I am flat out refusing to call the teams who come 9th and 10th “finalists”.

No way, no how.

 

[kirky]

Don’t laugh but how long before the AFL comes out with a best of 3 finals series dragged out over a couple of weeks? That way the finals weekends be further extended and they get more $ and bonus pay. The greed of the AFL is sickening

Who do you think ends up with the money?

 

[tombomb]

I am starting to think Laura Kane wasn't the problem.

 

[NeutralFan]

You can already tell the backlash on this will be huge. Can certainly see it bring cancelled.
Afl have kicked an own goal here

If this gets canned and Opening Round untouched I'll spew up

 

[kirky]

no, it isn't. they want to increase the value of the broadcast rights for the next contract.

And the one group who benefits from that is the players!

 

[Maddo11]

Also what if a team is unable to improve from 10th but is scheduled to play a team that's vying for a top 2 or 4 spot in the last round. 10th will just tank and be fresh for the match up against 7th.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

We don’t hate the AFL enough.

What a pathetic excuse of an organisation.

 

[BobbyMorri]

I am a simple man. If over 50% of your teams make the finals, then I don't like it.

It is also not a Wild Card round. It is a 5th week of finals. A wild Card would be like having the best team over the last 10 weeks, or including the best team as voted by the fans, regardless of where they finish the season...

I hope I haven't given the AFL more bad ideas.

 

[ibd77]

Don’t laugh but how long before the AFL comes out with a best of 3 finals series dragged out over a couple of weeks? That way the finals weekends be further extended and they get more $ and bonus pay. The greed of the AFL is sickening

I'm in if it means the GFx3 gets moved around the states and not exclusive to the MCG.

 

[MarcMaverick]

Hooray for mediocrity. The AFL are a joke.

 

[Hollow Knight]

Eleventhmond just doesn’t sound as good as Ninthmond.

 

[Muddiemoose]

The shit thing is that even though we all hate the concept, at the end of the season we will still all watch the games through gritted teeth and the AFL/broadcasters get the additional revenue justifying the decision

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

By 2030 we'll have a top 18.
How would you feel being 19th