AFL Introduces Wild Card Round

[joe444]

If we want more revenue and fan engagement, let's bring back the Challenge System while we're at it. Siren sounds on the last Saturday in September, but not so fast Brisbane Lions ... now you've got to win it all over again ... at the venue of the opponent's choosing!!!!

In fact, let's just resurrect the 1899 finals system where a whole bloody season was played for no reason because everyone made the finals anyway.

 

[Bostonian]

The AFL is also a business, and it is important to treat it this way. They have television rights worth billions and millions of fans to engage. If you REALLY want a fair competition, we wouldn't have finals at all. Finals are inherently UNFAIR. You can win every game for the year and lose the Preliminary Final. If you wanted fair you would just play everyone once and award the premiership to the team on top of the ladder. We don't do that because it would be boring and we like the excitement of the more "unfair" finals format. So, don't talk to me about "fair"

We had a 16-team competition with 8 teams (50%) and everyone was fine with this. There were no complaints. The AFL has introduced two (and soon to be three) new teams to make 19. Therefore, 10 teams is reasonable because it is as close to half as you can mathematically get.

And it's important too. The TV rights are worth billions. Lack of fan engagement can be a very real thing in the latter half of the season when dead rubbers pile up. More fan engagement, less dead rubbers, and a proportion of teams in the finals as close as possible to 50% with a 19-team league (which is what this change has been made for) is only a good thing.

It's just the wrong finals system, that's all. Should have been my knockout final-10, which is far superior.

People don't want to see the shitty 9th and 10th teams playing in finals.

They are shit teams.

Finals are supposed to be about the best teams and best football.

The 9th and 10th teams do not play the best football. It's why they are closer to the bottom than the top.

Anyone who wants to watch substandard teams in finals is an idiot.

 

[Dirty Bird]

If we want more revenue and fan engagement, let's bring back the Challenge System while we're at it. Siren sounds on the last Saturday in September, but not so fast Brisbane Lions ... now you've got to win it all over again ... at the venue of the opponent's choosing!!!!

In fact, let's just resurrect the 1899 finals system where a whole bloody season was played for no reason because everyone made the finals anyway.

I like it.
Coming off 2 weeks rest, Adelaide will be primed and ready

 

[Bostonian]

but probably 90% of footy fans will still watch it on the tele.

No they won't.

 

[joe444]

I was in my teens at the time and still thought it was idiotic. You want the best teams playing off in the finals. The top 8 is plenty even if we get to 20 teams

I think most of the hate was reserved for the way it was structured, with a high likelihood that 3v6 and 4v5 were meaningless. And then all that shenanigans about highest winner vs lowest loser etc.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Inevitable.

This admin has brought in the 'Fixers' and are now in the process of throwing a load of shit at the wall to see what sticks.

Dillon knows he could be moved on if they have another gaffe prone, uninspiring year like 2025, the media will eat up the 'play-in' (not a wildcard..) and they'll be appeased by the Vic concession given to the now even more ridiculous 'opening round'. Then Dillon and co. cross their fingers the new rules don't completely bomb and keep their heads down to see 2027.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Who the **** wants this shit? It’s surely not the fans.

Being cynical but maybe our AFL Executives have some of their bonuses tied to increases in final audiences and crowds?

 

[jwikked]

Dillon knows he could be moved on if they have another gaffe prone

Make no mistake, Andrew Dillon is in that position purely to bring in these unpopular changes. They aren't going to burden the next guy with these issues, they'll have Andrew Dillon oversee it all, and then he'll get moved on.

This is all deliberate by the AFL, they know these decisions aren't popular, but they don't care what the fans think. Twilight Grand Final is next, followed by a Night Grand Final permanently.

 

[ImCheatingToWin]

It makes perfect sense. You simply can't add three teams and not change the finals ststructure.zyeah

Yeah, you absolutely can. You want the best teams playing off in the finals not teams that could barely scrape together more wins than losses on the season.

Hypothetically, by your logic, if somehow in the future the league strectched to 24 teams, you'd be advocating for a final 12

Final 8 is as many finalists as i required regardless of league size

 

[The King!]

Just have a top 18


What a ****en joke this is

 

[joe444]

I like it.
Coming off 2 weeks rest, Adelaide will be primed and ready

And in a shock development, they nominate the game to be played in the Cherry Nightclub car park.

 

[PonsfordMagpie]

'Wildcard Finals Round'. I'm even more confused now if this is considered finals or not.

 

[RU_]

So the Lions have won the grand final from 5th and 3rd.

Great, now they are going to try and do it from 10th and give all of us heart attacks for an extra week .

 

[joe444]

So the Lions have won the grand final from 5th and 3rd.

Great, now they are going to try and do it from 10th and give all of us heart attacks for an extra week .

And they're going to half-ass so many more games next year ...

 

[Clark G]

From a broadcast perspective, are the games going to be on free to air TV?

 

[ImCheatingToWin]

People are hating on an extra round of footy? With four of the best teams playing do or die games?

I for one like the concept. We've had the top half of the competition playing off in the finals for decades and now that we are moving to having 20 teams, it's just adjusting to have the same ratio.

Four of the best teams? Really now?

 

[LukeParkerno1]

So then just don’t include them. Am I speaking Swahili?

Should be top 5 anyway (I know they won’t). Honestly make the regular season worth something.

Get rid of the rubbish pre finals bye too move it to before the GF

 

[Clark G]

Should be top 5 anyway (I know they won’t). Honestly make the regular season worth something.

Get rid of the rubbish pre finals bye too move it to before the GF

Well with the extra games, there will be no pre finals bye. Instead it’ll be a rest for the top six sides.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

People are hating on an extra round of footy? With four of the best teams playing do or die games?

I for one like the concept. We've had the top half of the competition playing off in the finals for decades and now that we are moving to having 20 teams, it's just adjusting to have the same ratio.

Four of the best teams?

Let’s look at this year…

The Bulldogs who get smoked by 6 goals last round and won 1 game against finals sides all year…

Or Sydney who managed to lose to scrubs like Essendon lol and I go for them!

On what planet did those deserve finals?

 

[Pure_Ownage]

So this was why st kilda did so many trades to be finishing mid table
Seriously this is rewarding mediocrity what a waste of time.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Well with the extra games, there will be no pre finals bye. Instead it’ll be a rest for the top six sides.

Still should be a bye before GF it will avoid situations like this year (no it wouldn’t have mattered). Players get to have a rest recover from head knocks if need be. Move all the award to that week do an NFL like buildup

 

[boncer34]

The moaning over an arbitrary line on the ladder being set is always amusing.

But people love to whinge.

 

[Percel]

Bring back…..

OUR BOY!!!

Urch father son, twins, its HAPPENING

Get your Urchandise here

 

[canny30]

AFL seems obsessed with the Americanisation of the game.

They seem to think it's a strength to mirror US sports

Id argue it's more of a strength being an organic local brand.

If you want to just copy the US sports it's a game you won't win long term.

 

[Gordon Farkas]

Can’t wait for the “match of the round” in Round 23, featuring 11th versus 12th to determine which one is still in the running to “play finals”.

What excitement! What excellence!

What excrement.