Final Eight

[natrap]

How about:

FRI (n): CARL (7) v ESS  (7)
SAT (d): COLL (8) v WCE  (7)
SAT (n): SYD  (7) v STK  (7)
SUN (d): HAW  (8) v GEEL (9)

I'm sure the AFL will want two night semi-finals, but if the 1st week schedule is as I've put it, I'd go with two Saturday semi-finals.

Qualifying final is more likely to be night with corresponding elimination final next day. Going on last year.

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=101385

"In each case, the loser of the qualifying final match will have one day longer than its opponent to prepare for the semi-final match in week two, to ensure that any advantage through the finals should rest with higher-placed teams on the ladder."
AFL chief operating office Gillon McLachlan

Going on that it will be;

FRI (n): HAW  (6) v GEEL (7) MCG
SAT (d): SYD  (7) v STK  (7) ETIHAD/ANZ
SAT (n): COLL (8) v WCE  (7) MCG
SUN (d): CARL (8) v ESS  (14) MCG

 

[Lemma]

It will be more interesting if Sydney keep their home final.

Lets face it Carlton vs Essendon is a lock for the MCG, Geelong vs Hawthorn will be at the MCG, Sydney vs Saints will be interstate which leaves.....

Collingwood vs West Coast @ Eithad or another payout for the afl

Maybe they will hedge their bets and hope Sydney get through to week 2 so they can put Hawks/Geel vs Sydney at Eithad week 2.

Bit unfair to schedule Collingwood at Etihad, finishing 1st they should get MCG and tbh, Collingwood will get more than 50k to that final

 

[MightyHawks]

Essendon would be pretty silly to smash Port today.

At the moment they're playing Carlton.

If they move to 7th then they're playing Sydney in Sydney or St. Kilda.

While they'd probably prefer the Saints, an interstate trip would be their least favoured option you'd think.

 

[Murraj1966]

[YOUTUBE]cPfFX8Ph4-k[/YOUTUBE]

Absolutely brilliant. A million internets to you sir.

 

[natrap]

Collingwood vs West Coast @ Eithad or another payout for the afl

No way will that be at Etihad. In round 10 the crowd was 52,560 at MCG. AFL will give 2 extra games next season like they did this year.

 

[Sin City]

So do I... but we've got a better kill rate against the Saints over the last four. Of course, aside from two embarassing floggings, our last 10 against Carlton isn't too shabby.

And of course what happened ten games ago is more important than what's happened in two of the last three.

 

[Bombers_Forever]

Essendon would be pretty silly to smash Port today.

While they'd probably prefer the Saints, an interstate trip would be their least favoured option you'd think.

Of the three teams, we would love the Saints. But the chances of that happening is VERY unlikely. If Geelong won yesterday that might have been a chance.

Swans or Bloos look like the options - while I don't think we would beat Carlton, I would prefer them over the Swans.

 

[davis_756]

Bit unfair to schedule Collingwood at Etihad, finishing 1st they should get MCG and tbh, Collingwood will get more than 50k to that final

That will be the lowest attendance final in melbourne in week 1 of the finals therefore it should be at Eithad, You can't possibly think they will out draw the other 2 games.

 

[West Coast 06]

Either way a Cats-Hawks final at the G is a certainty, so who finishes 2nd and 3rd doesn't mean anything.

Hopefully the finals is much more exciting that this year's regular season, which generally seems to be regarded as the worst in a long time.

Really? I think it is the best season in a long time!

 

[Lemma]

That will be the lowest attendance final in melbourne in week 1 of the finals therefore it should be at Eithad, You can't possibly think they will out draw the other 2 games.

Collingwood WCE will outdraw StKilda Sydney.

 

[Probst]

Can't all 4 be at the 'g?

 

[Lemma]

Wouldn't stkilda prefer to play at Etihad anyway?
None of this matters if saints lose to carlton.

 

[Murraj1966]

I don't think a double header would work.

Also Lemma, it could matter if Sydney lose to Brisbane. But I'm confident we can beat Carlton off the bye with nothing to play for.

 

[RogerC]

Either way a Cats-Hawks final at the G is a certainty, so who finishes 2nd and 3rd doesn't mean anything.

No, not in practical terms. But it would change the narrative a bit. We'd no longer be able to talk about there being only two teams in the running this year, which is the way it's been talked about for ages now.

I think it'd be more likely that there'd be only one team out in front. Collingwood would be three games clear of 2nd on the ladder, which is a hefty margin. The Geelong-Hawthorn final would decide which of the two gets a proper crack at Collingwood. The season would no longer be two heavyweights slugging it out - it'd be more of a champion vs challenger situation.

But we'll learn more about whether that's true next Friday night.

 

[Air_Chester]

And of course what happened ten games ago is more important than what's happened in two of the last three.

If you'd smashed us in the drawn game I'd concede defeat on this front. But that draw throws it a bit out of whack. I think Essendon being 6-2-1 from the last nine is a pretty good record, and Carlton's two wins were very impressive, but they kinda cancel each other out.

On topic, I'm all for rewarding the higher teams, but I think any Essendon or Carlton fan would be disappointed with the prospect of travelling to Perth with 18 hours less preparation time than West Coast. But again, I can't argue rewarding West Coast, they earned the right.

The funny thing is, I wouldn't be shocked to see West Coast knock off Collingwood, or Essendon knocking off Carlton, and the other two games would be too close to call in any situation. Their impressive season dictates that we should all assume Collingwood win their first final... but I would not be shocked at all if the Eagles toppled them.

 

[davis_756]

Collingwood WCE will outdraw StKilda Sydney.

It will be Sydney vs St Kilda, if its the saints vs sydney then its a no brainer that they play @ Eithad but that isn't going to happen.

 

[Scotland]

I think the dynamic of the top 4 has changed in the past few weeks. The gap from 2nd to 3rd has closed relative to the gap between 1st and 2nd.

Coll vs WC is about a 90/10 game, but Geelong vs Hawthorn is much more even. I think the two teams that win the QFs will be make the GF. If we get Sydney/St Kilda in the second week we are certainly going to have our work cut out for us.

 

[Doss]

I think the dynamic of the top 4 has changed in the past few weeks. The gap from 2nd to 3rd has closed relative to the gap between 1st and 2nd.

Coll vs WC is about a 90/10 game, but Geelong vs Hawthorn is much more even. I think the two teams that win the QFs will be make the GF. If we get Sydney/St Kilda in the second week we are certainly going to have our work cut out for us.

You won't get Sydney or St Kilda in the second week, you'll get Carlton or Essendon.

 

[Scotland]

You won't get Sydney or St Kilda in the second week, you'll get Carlton or Essendon.

Ah, right you are. Would much rather play either of those teams than Sydney or St Kilda.

 

[Adz]

That will be the lowest attendance final in melbourne in week 1 of the finals therefore it should be at Eithad, You can't possibly think they will out draw the other 2 games.

Ridiculous. Play your home final at your home ground - Eithad.

 

[davis_756]

Ridiculous. Play your home final at your home ground - Eithad.

We will out draw you by 30k week 1 of the finals, the AFL would have to play your game there by the contract they have with Eithad.

Its about how many people will be locked out, 15-20k collywobble fans is nothing in comparison to the other games.

 

[Scotland]

There is no chance Collingwood vs West Coast will be at Etihad Stadium.

The Rd 10 clash drew 52,560 and the Pies haven't had a crowd less than 60,000 for a final against non-Victorian opposition for over 20 years.

 

[Adz]

We will out draw you by 30k week 1 of the finals, the AFL would have to play your game there by the contract they have with Eithad.

Its about how many people will be locked out, 15-20k collywobble fans is nothing in comparison to the other games.

The Ess-Carl game will draw about 80,000. The Pies-Eagles 65,000

 

[Shellz]

We finished first so we will play at home ground at the MCG.

 

[davis_756]

The Ess-Carl game will draw about 80,000. The Pies-Eagles 65,000

Don't know what fantasy land your in predicting Carlton vs Essendon will only draw 2000 more then a H/A match when you seem to believe 13000 extra pies fans alone will rock up.

Last time we played finals against the bombers attendances went up 9-20k on the H/A matches.