Mega Thread Port Forum General AFL Thread Part 31

[crafty_bernardo]

Adding these extra teams just diminishes the prestige of finals. It shouldn't be a hand out of participation. It's going to be even more annoying come September with the games blasting music after each goal.

 

[Duckimus Prime]

It's a very stupid idea to try and mitigate the effects of the previous very stupid idea, the pre finals bye.

It mitigates is situations where 9th or 10th misses out on finals because they had less double up games against the bottom 4 than 7th or 8th did.

So its actually helpful for the integrity of finals in the best 8 teams playing in them. As the bottom finals spots are starting to be taken by the actual better sides instead of the one with the more friendly fixture. Although it can be a bit more focussed on better at that time, rather than over the whole year, since an injury riddled 7th might lose to a fully fit 10th who won 4 less games over the season. But that 10th side should give a better account in the finals match up with 6th.

But how do they work out the opponents for 5th and 6th. Does 5th always play the lowest finished winner, or does 5th just play the winner of 8v9 even if 10th beat 7th?

 

[EskimoPAFC]

So what has been missing from AFL finals for the last 25 years that adding two extra teams and an extra week of games rectifies?

More money. I dont think that motivation is in doubt.

The last 25 years didn't have Tasmania, the AFLW, GWS and GC to fund and keep afloat til they get in to the black. The current administration is dealing with the decisions of the previous administration that wanted relentless growth but weren't willing to make the tough decisions to achieve that without financial risk. So they're looking at ways to bring in more cash and this is a big injection.

 

[Schulzenfest]

It mitigates is situations where 9th or 10th misses out on finals because they had less double up games against the bottom 4 than 7th or 8th did.

So its actually helpful for the integrity of finals in the best 8 teams playing in them.

I don't think a one off game is 'helpful' for the integrity of proving one team is better than another. Last year Brisbane lost a one off game to Melbourne, Geelong lost a one off game to Carlton, Hawthorn lost a one off game to us, the Suns even lost a one off game to Richmond. The integrity of finals certainly wouldn't have been improved by making those swaps.

 

[EskimoPAFC]

I don't think a one off game is 'helpful' for the integrity of proving one team is better than another. Last year Brisbane lost a one off game to Melbourne, Geelong lost a one off game to Carlton, Hawthorn lost a one off game to us, the Suns even lost a one off game to Richmond. The integrity of finals certainly wouldn't have been improved by making those swaps.

They're really just completely pointless games one way or another.

Even if you look at NBA - from a quick google it looks like nobody in the last 30 years has won the championship from outside the top 4 seeds (Rockets did it in 1995). Its just a pure cash grab.

 

[1954]

$'s and the tax free AFL have got plenty of that BUT they want more. The fans love finals

so we'll give them more, WC games dressed up as finals. Yet more is not always better just look at cricket,

the Ashes to me doesn't carry the same oomph as it used too and as for Big Bash well each to their own but

it doesn't get my propeller spinning. Hutchie and Eddie have wrapped it up as a fait accompli where any

push back is met with fake indignation and the inevitable "we've moved on, it's been debated for years"

WC games are not finals they're WC games to then play finals. Sneaky Americana BS dressed up as something it isn't.

Re spinning propellers BF, are you the bloke who used to be in Daddy Cool?

 

[It Just Is]

It mitigates is situations where 9th or 10th misses out on finals because they had less double up games against the bottom 4 than 7th or 8th did.

So its actually helpful for the integrity of finals in the best 8 teams playing in them. As the bottom finals spots are starting to be taken by the actual better sides instead of the one with the more friendly fixture. Although it can be a bit more focussed on better at that time, rather than over the whole year, since an injury riddled 7th might lose to a fully fit 10th who won 4 less games over the season. But that 10th side should give a better account in the finals match up with 6th.

But how do they work out the opponents for 5th and 6th. Does 5th always play the lowest finished winner, or does 5th just play the winner of 8v9 even if 10th beat 7th?

I see the AFL have now seized the opportunity to make the fixture even more inequitable.

League makes big change to weighted rule ahead of fixture reveal

Teams can play up to four other teams in their ladder range, previously three, from next season

www.afl.com.au

 

[Janey]

lol, asking the king of rewarding mediocrity about whether it rewards mediocrity.

Why are they even talking to Ken, he’s not involved in AFL footy in any capacity.

 

[Festerz]

Strikes me as very odd that in the middle of the AFLW finals series, the AFL CEO decides to drop a bombshell about the mens' finals series for 2026.

At the very time there is growing concern about flailing crowds and viewer interest in the AFLW, he has deliberately shifted media focus and discussion to the mens competition.

Why has he done this and not waited until the AFLW finals was over?

(a) Deliberate cynicism;
(b) yet more 'look over there' politicking to distract from bad news; or
(c) more evidence of incompetent management from the person paid a mega salary to manage and promote all aspects of the game?

For those playing at home.. '(d) all of the above' is the right answer.

 

[JimmyBC]

(e) zero impact on anything

 

[Byrons Firen]

Why are they even talking to Ken, he’s not involved in AFL footy in any capacity.

Maybe you've forgotten, he said years ago when we played in Melb he regularly took media people to lunch.

The softly softly approach to all things KH is no accident, he cultivates cults.

The slimy grub

Re spinning propellers BF, are you the bloke who used to be in Daddy Cool?

My middle name is Ross but i'm not sure he was the one

 

[DaTBird187]

Ugh. It objectively isn't. This competition is cooked.

The NBA doesn't count the play-ins as playoff appearances. The AFL are blatantly ripping this concept off from another sport and they still haven't gotten it right.

Much like free agency, the draft, salary caps, rookie lists, trading, player salaries, the tribunal, fan engagement, media, scheduling, reserves league and preseason.

But apart from that it’s going great.

 

[Festerz]

My middle name is Ross but i'm not sure he was the one

He was. But Hannaford not Wilson.

 

[TazD]

I'm starting the narrative that this only exists because Dillon isn't as tall as Gill.

 

[raptalia]

This is about the broadcasters.

There is a good chance that in the next broadcasting deal, the $$value/year starting in 2032, stays flat or even decreases given what is happening to free to air broadcasters, and DAZN that now owns Foxtel, is still losing over $1bil USD as it tries to grow its worldwide sports reach.

The Saudis might have to rescue Oz sports who depend on Foxtel $$$. They have bought a small chunk of DAZN and are keen to use sports washing as part of their foreign policy. Don't be surprised if the Saudis take over world cricket in the next 5 years.

Streaming $$$ is an option, but the AFL knows that isn't popular with a big chunk of fans. The AFL are paranoid about broadcasting rights losing their value.

The broadcasters had a big whinge about the top 9 v bottom 9 differential this year and how many meaningless games there were in the last 40% of the season. This is the AFL trying to appease them, probably knowing that this big divide might continue for a few years, given the enormous skewing Academies, Father-Son picks, and Free Agency is having on the weak clubs ability to get talent onto their lists.

As Deep Throat used to say - follow the money.

Yes, as usual you make some very astute observations. Major Australian sporting codes are dependent on broadcast rights these days so obviously sports administrators listen when the networks have a whinge. We are seeing money rule in international cricket where those running the game have sold out to Prime/Amazon and I do not imagine that Australian Rules Football will be any different. It will get to a stage where sports fans will ask who is running their sport- the game's administrators or television executives?

It may one day get to the stage where we have to subscribe to half a dozen streaming services if we want to watch a variety of sports.

 

[SC_Power]

. It will get to a stage where sports fans will ask who is running their sport- the game's administrators or television executives?

don’t underestimate the betting agencies of influence and another two finals of major spend , probably adds 2% AFL related revenue to the year.

It may one day get to the stage where we have to subscribe to half a dozen streaming services if we want to watch a variety of sports.

Welcome to the UK. For the country that invented football (soccer), you cannot get any league or major European football free to air. Zero.
If you have 5 streaming services you can get it all.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

They won't have to play a finals team away will they?

 

[raptalia]

don’t underestimate the betting agencies of influence and another two finals of major spend , probably adds 2% AFL related revenue to the year.




Welcome to the UK. For the country that invented football (soccer), you cannot get any league or major European football free to air. Zero.
If you have 5 streaming services you can get it all.

Sad but not surprising.

 

[tribey]

Adding these extra teams just diminishes the prestige of finals. It shouldn't be a hand out of participation. It's going to be even more annoying come September with the games blasting music after each goal.

It’s like the FIFA World Cup expanding to 400 teams rendering the qualifiers moot, and year-round cricket of three forms.

Sport is becoming Netflix, just endless meaningless ‘content’ for the sake of it.

 

[Papa G]

It’s like the FIFA World Cup expanding to 400 teams rendering the qualifiers moot, and year-round cricket of three forms.

Sport is becoming Netflix, just endless meaningless ‘content’ for the sake of it.

Almost all sports hit the sweet spot about 20-30 years ago. Now it really seems a case of more is not enough. Is there one sport to watch or consume that is better than it was 20 years ago? Footy in general sucks. The AFL itself sucks harder. Been accused of Old Man Yells at Cloud for airing these opinions but I really don't think it's the case. All sport seems over sanitised, over moneytised and in general meaningless. The standard of the contest and what it means just don't feel like it once did. Transactional to the point of boredom. The Press/Media make it worse.

 

[Gryllis]

All these 2026 changes are really adding up.

Big changes to the finals system, proposed major changes to the draft, and the most rules changes for quite a while - including increasing the starting line up to a full 23 players and changing how a match is even started.

It's a lot to do all at once. Way too much. The product will change without time to consider which changes were beneficial and which weren't.

All the while, Kayo has massively hiked it's prices, which in itself will drive people away.

 

[tribey]

Almost all sports hit the sweet spot about 20-30 years ago. Now it really seems a case of more is not enough. Is there one sport to watch or consume that is better than it was 20 years ago? Footy in general sucks. The AFL itself sucks harder. Been accused of Old Man Yells at Cloud for airing these opinions but I really don't think it's the case. All sport seems over sanitised, over moneytised and in general meaningless. The standard of the contest and what it means just don't feel like it once did. Transactional to the point of boredom. The Press/Media make it worse.

Yeah, I think part of it for me is also ageing out of the pure fanaticism and wonder of it somewhat.

The suspension of disbelief that elevates watching pro sport — we’re ridiculously overengrossed in a bunch of young blokes in identical outfits chasing an object of various shapes and sizes around a paddock — is also no longer what it was.

The baffling part is, the industry itself seems to actively be forcing this pivot, actively demeaning and disengaging fans like you and me in favour of the Twenty20 method of mass-appealing to kids and casuals who don’t really give a sh¡t about the contest beyond the bright lights, bells, whistles and associated distractions of a night out.

We’ll see how that pans out over the next 10-20 years from the grass roots up.

 

[JimmyBC]

T'aint t'wat it t'was - it feels increasingly like man babies chasing balls of various sizes with not a lot hanging on the results, even the premiers seem forgotten five minutes after the GF in favour of mock trade madness.

 

[Doctor Feel]

They'll pay. Bigfooty will not stand for an assault on Butcher.

 

[Grave Danger]

I wonder if that witness has recently gone in to farming...