Nab cup or 30 rounds

[Mrs Meddles]

The game has always been called a war of attrition, but until each club plays each other twice people will always complain their team was dudded by the draw. so i thought i'd ask:
Would you prefer collingwood to play the NAB cup and throw a few players around or hit the ground running with the season proper from day one?
Your thoughts:

 

[Coin_Toss]

Neither FWIW, but I would still have a few practice matches before the H&A season.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

30 rounds will never happen, because with the comp expanding it would soon need 34 rounds to be even.

More likely, if they're going to attempt to make the draw fairer, they'll reduce it to 17 rounds.

More likely still, they'll leave it as is and make as much cash as can possibly be milked out of it.

 

[mattys123]

I like it the way it is, allows teams that are serious or need cash to try to win games in the NAB cup, while allowing the clubs with an eye on the season to play younger players that may not get a game during the season.

If we changed it to a 26-30 game season, the cost of player payments would go up, while TV rights and sponsorship would stay about the same, sending some clubs broke.

Keep it as it is, 22 rounds is a tradition now, and no need to copy the NRL, its not like they have huge TV ratings or crowds.

 

[favourites]

When 18 teams are in the comp i would take a 17 round season. I know its not ideal but would still allow plenty of time for teams to make a run, it will provide bigger crowds as supports would have less games to go to, and would allow more time for breaks ect mid season.

I would also love to see the superbowl week off before the grand final. The brownlow moved to a Sat night and all aus team and mark/goal OTY annouced prior to the grandfinal.

 

[Alexander323bc]

15/17 rounds with each team playing eachother home and away over two years.

Extend the length of the season with weeks alocated to an FA cup style of competition. Lower league teams will have to play each other off for a couple of rounds before they get to play against the AFL teams.

 

[Pie eyed]

34 rounds with 66 on each list.

The first 12 rounds are for half points (2) and played in development areas such as Tassie , Wagga, Geraldton, Townsville etc. (So you can run the young fellas and work on injuries from the previous season).

The AFL would have a much expanded product to sell to the networks, who would in turn garner additional advertising from businesses in the areas games are played.


More games = more airtime=more Advert $$$$ for the network = Big dollars for rights for the AFL.

More footy for me.

 

[Pies_10]

30 rounds is too many but the NAB cup sucks major nuts so 25 maybe???

 

[Pies_10]

15/17 rounds with each team playing eachother home and away over two years.

Extend the length of the season with weeks alocated to an FA cup style of competition. Lower league teams will have to play each other off for a couple of rounds before they get to play against the AFL teams.

I would cry with happiness if we had an FA cup style competition.

 

[shawthing09]

I see no reason to change it. The nab cup isn't great for the spectators but I think it would be handy for the coaches and AFL to have a testing ground. It is a good way for younger players to get a bit of a run and a chance to force the way into the side for round one.

30 -34 rounds are just too many, it's a game that really takes the toll on the body and finals would, more then ever become a battle of the least injured team / fittest team.

 

[Godfrey Jones]

i would be happy with keeping nab cup, 17 round home&away season, and extending the finals series a few extra weeks somehow

 

[abs_of_STEELE]

I like it the way it is.

 

[loki04]

I like it how it is but if we were to change if we were to change number of games played id want more, off season is too long as it is and 17 rnd season would go by way too fast.

 

[swiftdog]

15/17 rounds with each team playing eachother home and away over two years.

Extend the length of the season with weeks alocated to an FA cup style of competition. Lower league teams will have to play each other off for a couple of rounds before they get to play against the AFL teams.

FA cup style comp wouldn't work at all. IIRC half of our team smashed Geelong's reserves by about 150 points in the last preseason, the quality difference between an AFL and VFL/SANFL/WAFL side is too great.

However, I wouldn't mind seeing a 2nd tier 'champions league' sort of set-up. The winners of the VFL/WAFL/SANFL/QAFL etc playing in some sort of round-robin tournament the following season or maybe incorporate an FA cup style of comp for the 2nd tier leagues as well. Bring back SOO and play Champions league and state of origin "double headers"?

 

[The Royal Sampler]

I seriously do NOT want to change the finals system. 8/16 is okay, the current finals system works unlike the previous McIntyre final 8 system, and probably 6/16 would be better. If we have 18 clubs and extend it to 9/18 or even 10/18 it will be beyond farcical.

 

[sTeeL]

NAB Cup is neccessary to get some game time into the teams before season start and a chance for coaches to try un-tested youth without the risk of losing premiership points.

Dropping to 17 games a season, although more fair, would be bad. I love my football and plus there is nothing like grudge matches It would never happen because derbies for alot of teams sell out so they like to have two games for WCE/FRE and POR/ADE. Plus the big melbourne turnouts as well

I would like to see the NAB cup extended to maybe 6 games. If our game can fit a 2-3 week break in then other teams should be able to play as well

 

[Alexander323bc]

FA cup style comp wouldn't work at all. IIRC half of our team smashed Geelong's reserves by about 150 points in the last preseason, the quality difference between an AFL and VFL/SANFL/WAFL side is too great.

However, I wouldn't mind seeing a 2nd tier 'champions league' sort of set-up. The winners of the VFL/WAFL/SANFL/QAFL etc playing in some sort of round-robin tournament the following season or maybe incorporate an FA cup style of comp for the 2nd tier leagues as well. Bring back SOO and play Champions league and state of origin "double headers"?

While I agree that an AFL team will most likely beat a VFL team comfortably, the extra money that would become available to the VFL/WAFL/SANFL would allow them to pay their players more plus investing in extra facilities, training, medical staff, and the players could become professionals rather then needing to have another full time job. It will only be a matter of time before the lower leagues start to gather more followers and more sponsors and the whole competition grows. This can only be for the benefit to the AFL and us as supporters.

Also, with two competitions to fight for, most teams would rest some of their first team players when playing in the cup and vice versa so that they do not burn out. If you make the Cup prize money worth while ($2M) I asure you that all teams will take it seriously. If you do a double you get an extra $1M prize money.

I am not saying it is perfect situation but it is worth considering. Maybe it doesn't have to be like FA Cup, it could well be such as the Champions League. Remember the FA Cup started over 100 years ago so there is no pressure for the format to work right away, but I think the industry would be better for it and the stories that would be told if a team such as Frankston beat Carlscum. One can only dream.

 

[Bonuspoints]

30 rounds would be bad for us as I think we'd have a far worse case of blockbuster fatigue. If you do relegation how does the draft work? I think we have it fairly right as it is. Although the NAB cup counts for peanuts, it does give us fans a chance to see players that we might not get an opportunity in a regular game. Plus it allows for some experimentation.

 

[OniAu]

As much as nab cup isnt taken serious its good for the young kids to set a goal for themselves to play in that.

30 rounds is too much stress physically on the players, i know they are paid professionals. But you only have to look at lists like essendons last year where they were really scrambling to get a team by about round 20.

Leave it as is, i think it works at the moment so there is no use changing , as much as id love to see more rounds it doesnt do the players any favours.

 

[Alexander323bc]

As much as nab cup isnt taken serious its good for the young kids to set a goal for themselves to play in that.

30 rounds is too much stress physically on the players, i know they are paid professionals. But you only have to look at lists like essendons last year where they were really scrambling to get a team by about round 20.

Leave it as is, i think it works at the moment so there is no use changing , as much as id love to see more rounds it doesnt do the players any favours.

More rounds = more cash = more players on the list = more players on the bench = more opportunities for players
More serious competitions = more cash = more players on the list = more players on the bench = more opportunities for players

I would rather see more games and more competitions and more players playing then people changing the rules of the game. It is bewildering that the AFL would rather change the rules on the field of play then add extra players on the bench.

I know it is off topic but I am frustrated with the 'monkeys' running/ruinning our game.

 

[mattys123]

I too are annoyed at the constant need for revision and change of our rules.

But one rule I actually agree with, is the inclusion of the 2 available emergencies on the bench during the NAB cup.

Seems like finally a decent rule is going to be trialled, yet when the little worm then is AA talked today, out of the 4 rules to be trialled, this one was the only one with no chance of gaining the green light for the season.

Surely it is about time we formed a rules committee that actually had some power, and was controlled by recently retired players that have been through the most constantly changing period in our games history.

The 30 rounds will never come in either, we have more chance of going the other way with more breaks during the season and less home and away matches, especially with AA and his morons in charge of the rules at the moment.