Analysis Is the original top 8 system better

[adelaidecrows]

Ive thought for a very long time regardless of whether the crows were in the finals or not that the current top 8 system is completely unfair and a disadvantage to teams who finish 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. I think the original system was fairer when the top 4 played the bottom 4. It was a fairer representation of the deserved ladder positional advantage. The current system is nothing more than trying to claim blockbuster dollars.

 

[Coopers]

Well, Ideally there should be 16 teams, 30 rounds, everyone plays everyone twice.
And who ever is on top at the end has the premiership.

But there you go.

 

[Bone71]

I think the current system defeats the purpose of having a final eight. If you don't want sides 5-8 to have some sort of chance then just have a final 4. People just couldn't get their heads around a seeding system - hence the carry on about our home final in 97. I do believe that including a double chance had an undesirable situation of 5th & 6th getting it if the top 4 won but the fix has resulted in a worse situation of effectively eliminating another 4 teams before the a finals game has been played.

 

[relapse]

Ive thought for a very long time regardless of whether the crows were in the finals or not that the current top 8 system is completely unfair and a disadvantage to teams who finish 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. I think the original system was fairer when the top 4 played the bottom 4. It was a fairer representation of the deserved ladder positional advantage. The current system is nothing more than trying to claim blockbuster dollars.

The McIntyre Final 8 system was stupid.

The problem with the system was the 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5 games in the first week were dead rubbers if 1st and 2nd won their games. This lead to the ridiculous scenario where 3rd could win in the first week and lose in the second week and be eliminated while 6th could lose the first week, but win in the second and got through to the prelim.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

The current system is good and way better than the old system IMO

 

[Hank93]

The current system is fine. Finishing top 4 gives you an advantage and every match has a purpose to it. It's the perfect mix between rewarding the better teams while also maximising attendances and ratings. The AFL could easily move back to a top 4, but that would never happen.

The old system resulted in matches 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 effectively being dead rubbers if teams 1 and 2 both won their matches (Which happened almost every year). All it did was swap the opponents around in this group.

 

[Crowked]

I reckon the current system is better.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

Ive thought for a very long time regardless of whether the crows were in the finals or not that the current top 8 system is completely unfair and a disadvantage to teams who finish 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. I think the original system was fairer when the top 4 played the bottom 4. It was a fairer representation of the deserved ladder positional advantage. The current system is nothing more than trying to claim blockbuster dollars.

The Original system was full of flaws

Too 4 sides could be eliminated in week 1 with no double chance and there were Games in week 2 that potentially had nothing riding on the result

Even the NRL has finally dumped the old system to what is currently in place

 

[Mismatched]

The current system is good and way better than the old system IMO

Yep, can't agree with the OP, current system is a significant improvement.

 

[Bovo]

I reckon the current system is better.

This

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

The only flaw with the current system is that in Week 1 the higher ranked team has no advantage if they are from the same state.

Eg Geelong 2nd vs Hawthorn 3rd - no advantage to Geelong.

Sydney 1st vs GWS 4th - no advantage to Sydney

 

[Bone71]

The current system is fine. Finishing top 4 gives you an advantage and every match has a purpose to it. It's the perfect mix between rewarding the better teams while also maximising attendances and ratings. The AFL could easily move back to a top 4, but that would never happen.

The old system resulted in matches 3 v 6 and 4 v 5 effectively being dead rubbers if teams 1 and 2 both won their matches (Which happened almost every year). All it did was swap the opponents around in this group.

And you can say the same about the top 4 in the current system for the first and third weeks.

Every match in the current system doesn't have a purpose when the odds are so heavily stacked in favour of the top 4

 

[Hank93]

The only flaw with the current system is that in Week 1 the higher ranked team has no advantage if they are from the same state.

Eg Geelong 2nd vs Hawthorn 3rd - no advantage to Geelong.

Sydney 1st vs GWS 4th - no advantage to Sydney

As has been mentioned a bit, Hawthorn are the only team in the top 4 with a home final.

 

[Elder van Berlo]

The other weird thing about the current system is that, if all goes to plan, the prelims are 1v3 and 2v4.

But it's a lot better than the old McIntyre system.

 

[Hank93]

The most pure system is straight knockout but you lose a week, which would never pass the $$ test at the AFL.

 

[Elder van Berlo]

The most pure system is straight knockout but you lose a week, which would never pass the $$ test at the AFL.

1 v 16...

 

[On The Crouch]

I prefer the current finals system as under the old system it didn't seem fair that the 2 highest ranked losers in week 1 went through to week 2. I think the Crows should get the credit for changing the final 8 format by finishing 5th in 1998 and getting belted by Melbourne in the 1st week and then going onto win the premiership. Maybe if we do the same thing this year again from 5th they will change the format yet again.

 

[SugarShane]

Current system is far superior and way easier to keep track of. Simpler is better.

 

[Dc9798]

And if we didn't choke on Friday night and finished in the top 4, this wouldn't even be mentioned.


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[little graham]

I liked the final five better. We know six seven and eight are never winning anything.

But footballs an industry so they design it with one thing in mind, money.

 

[SmegHead]

If there was ever a time when the flag would be won from outside the 4 in the current system, it is this year. Had Hawks ended up there, I would have dropped all money for them to walk it into the GF: Norf, GWS and a Cats side raw after only playing 1 game in a month. Never has there been an easier path to the Grand Final.

Up to us to now make that journey.

 

[huludicidal]

The main flaw with the current system is being a club that chokes and drops from 2nd to 5th in Round 23. This thread wouldn't exist if that didn't happen.

 

[Simmo28]

Ive thought for a very long time regardless of whether the crows were in the finals or not that the current top 8 system is completely unfair and a disadvantage to teams who finish 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th. I think the original system was fairer when the top 4 played the bottom 4. It was a fairer representation of the deserved ladder positional advantage. The current system is nothing more than trying to claim blockbuster dollars.

The old system rewarded teams that lost. You could be the 6th place team and lose week one but still be in the finals if 7 and 8 lost. That's not a fair finals system. The top four teams should have the best chance of winning the flag, shame we screwed that up.


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[SmegHead]

The old system rewarded teams that lost. You could be the 6th place team and lose week one but still be in the finals if 7 and 8 lost. That's not a fair finals system. The top four teams should have the best chance of winning the flag, shame we screwed that up.


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Not just that, but in the incredibly remote possibility that teams 5, 6, 7, 8 all won the first final, depending on margins you could have a situation where the team finishing top could be eliminated in the first week.

 

[Redleg Crow]

The 1v8 etc system only works if there is no double chance, no straight to the prelim but instead is win go to next round, lose you're out.