AFLW Conference System (2019-)

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Well as expected 2019 has been a failure from an administrative point of view.

Introducing conferences - not great
Implementation of uneven conferences - diabolical
Adding North to the already stronger conference - unforgivable

A 10-team comp in Year 3 is an awkward number. The AFL didn't want a 9 round season with 1 or 2 weeks of finals.

For a 14-team comp in 2020, 2x7 is easier to schedule than the 2x5 this year:
- 6 round season (finally an even number, so 3 home and 3 away games each)
- play teams in your conference once
- no crossover matches
- 3 finalists from each conference ranked according to Points & Percentage
- Semi Finals: A1/B1 byes, A2 v B3, B2 v A3
- Preliminary Finals: higher-ranked Conf winner v lower-ranked SF winner, lower-ranked Conf winner v higher-ranked SF winner
- Grand Final: hosted by higher ranked finalist
 
SunGirl89 said:
Well as expected 2019 has been a failure from an administrative point of view.

Introducing conferences - not great
Implementation of uneven conferences - diabolical
Adding North to the already stronger conference - unforgivable

A 10-team comp in Year 3 is an awkward number. The AFL didn't want a 9 round season with 1 or 2 weeks of finals.

For a 14-team comp in 2020, 2x7 is easier to schedule than the 2x5 this year:
- 6 round season (finally an even number, so 3 home and 3 away games each)
- play teams in your conference once
- no crossover matches
- 3 finalists from each conference ranked according to Points & Percentage
- Semi Finals: A1/B1 byes, A2 v B3, B2 v A3
- Preliminary Finals: higher-ranked Conf winner v lower-ranked SF winner, lower-ranked Conf winner v higher-ranked SF winner
- Grand Final: hosted by higher ranked finalist
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At this point, nothing short of a regular play everyone once h&a season will keep people happy, which isn't happening.
 
I would also add there's basically no chance of a reduced 6-round H&A season happening, not just because clubs and players would riot.

The bigger problem with no crossover games is that it would mean two teams (one per conference) would have a bye each week, and yet the regular season would still take 7 weeks to complete. The league would be ridiculed for that as much as, or more than, any other system. Plus the broadcast deal has already been arranged for seven games each weekend from 2020 to 2022.
 

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Teen Wolf said:
The league would be ridiculed
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It would be a mighty effort for the AFL to construct another season as poorly as this one.

And going by the past 6 weeks, it would seem that not only do they not mind ridicule, they actively encourage it.

That said, I agree with some of your points.
 
Teen Wolf said:
I would also add there's basically no chance of a reduced 6-round H&A season happening, not just because clubs and players would riot.

The bigger problem with no crossover games is that it would mean two teams (one per conference) would have a bye each week, and yet the regular season would still take 7 weeks to complete. The league would be ridiculed for that as much as, or more than, any other system. Plus the broadcast deal has already been arranged for seven games each weekend from 2020 to 2022.
Click to expand...
Largely selfish reasons as a Vic-based NM supporter, but I'd much rather see an 8-week season that guarantees 4 home games, since we've allocated 2 of ours to Tassie. Equal H&A games is fairer all around, too.

BUT then with 14 teams you'd have to assume a final 6 which means another week of finals, so they'd have to find 2 extra weeks somewhere. I like the week between JLT and round 1 being the final H&A game as the race for finals gets centre stage. So, 3 weeks of finals in AFLM rounds 1-3 and start a week earlier?
 
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