Pre-Grand Final bye?

[joe444]

Topical, of course. I'd bring it in.



PS [PLAYERCARD]Chris Scott[/PLAYERCARD] last night said he'd like it brought in this year in time for next week if possible. Clearly joking, but Richmond fans ... GO!

 

[aCunningPlan]

Meh. I'd say just crack down on blokes who cause concussion and dont use finals as an excuse.

 

[juss]

It's unfortunate but it's the reality of a contact sport. Stewart isn't the first and won't be the last player to get injured in a PF. Some will miss 1 week, others will miss 6, either way players will get injured in the PF and miss games.

We can't keep making reactionary decisions on the back of calls from unfortunate topical incidents.

Also, if a team wins through the QF and PF, that's two byes in a very short space of time, not exactly the ideal prep. It also reduces the benefit of winning the QF getting the week off to freshen up, and I do think it kills a lot of hype and momentum for the GF, especially for the neutral fans in that week.

 

[DanA]

Sucks for Stewart but I don’t think we should have a pre-grand final bye

 

[Hoops]

If it stops a wildcard round leading into the finals then I'm all for it

 

[Rich01]

The pre finals bye was brought in because Brad Scott made a mockery of selection in the last week of the regular season in 2015.

Don’t think there should be any break after the H&A or the GF to be honest.
Season is long enough as it is.

 

[nineteen eighty]

One of the mid week commentators who was pro having the pre GF bye spoke about how it can be a fortnight of football celebration leading into the GF. The bye week would hold all of the awards (of which there are many...All Australian, Brownlow, AFPCA/PA, exhibition game etc...) and then in the GF week, it would be business as usual with all of the focus on the GF.

Obviously this means the current finals bye would not be required.

I thought it was a great idea. This would give both sides an opportunity to get their players right and fans and media would still get a full week of footy coverage through the awards. I'm all for it as long as they can get the bye week right with all of the activities.

 

[Tugga27]

I'm not a fan of the pre-final bye at all.

If we must have a bye, make it after the prelims.

 

[Handsuper47]

There should only be two byes, one around round 12 (you can do the mid-season draft stuff around that point) and one for a top four team that wins their first final.

 

[Rusty Brookes]

 

[freo1]

It sucks, it’s a hard luck story, but really there’s always going to be these stories. What does a 1 week bye change? How long’s a piece of string. Maybe we should have a 3 week bye in case someone does a hammy in the prelim.

We can’t go requesting bye weekends just so the unfortunate injured players have time to get up. It’s just the way sport is. There’s always unlucky stories, it’s what makes a premiership even more valuable and cherished.

Part of the challenge of winning a GF is that it’s a battle of attrition as well. A bye before the GF just tampers with the 100+ years of history we have. We need to keep some parts of our game sacred.

 

[PowerfulPies2023]

Yes. Then rename the grand final to the superbowl too.

Not. Let's stop trying to be like the nfl.

 

[demondavey]

It's unfortunate but it's the reality of a contact sport. Stewart isn't the first and won't be the last player to get injured in a PF. Some will miss 1 week, others will miss 6, either way players will get injured in the PF and miss games.

We can't keep making reactionary decisions on the back of calls from unfortunate topical incidents.

Also, if a team wins through the QF and PF, that's two byes in a very short space of time, not exactly the ideal prep. It also reduces the benefit of winning the QF getting the week off to freshen up, and I do think it kills a lot of hype and momentum for the GF, especially for the neutral fans in that week.

This is a good point. However somewhat countered by the fortnight out for both sides. But yes, injuries will always happen.

 

[demondavey]

Yes. Then rename the grand final to the superbowl too.

Not. Let's stop trying to be like the nfl.

Agree. The amount of people that say ‘well it’s what they do in the NFL’. Who cares what America does? This is Straya campaigner. Alright?!? We’ve got Salties and shit.

 

[Stumpy Pete]

It sucks, it’s a hard luck story, but really there’s always going to be these stories. What does a 1 week bye change? How long’s a piece of string. Maybe we should have a 3 week bye in case someone does a hammy in the prelim.

We can’t go requesting bye weekends just so the unfortunate injured players have time to get up. It’s just the way sport is. There’s always unlucky stories, it’s what makes a premiership even more valuable and cherished.

Part of the challenge of winning a GF is that it’s a battle of attrition as well. A bye before the GF just tampers with the 100+ years of history we have. We need to keep some parts of our game sacred.

Up until the introduction of the mandatory post-concussion break I’d be agreeing with you. For any other injuries where, arguably, clubs could still choose to play someone that was a matter for the club and player to determine. Now that there is a mandatory break for a relatively common injury, particularly in more physically intense games, a pre-GF break makes sense to me.

Regards

S. Pete

 

[shammersting]

Would give nrl 2 standalone weeks in their finals series tho...

 

[Pies No 1]

A week off before the Grand Final would benefit non Vic teams. Gives them more time to prepare. However it is a long time between finals and might fizzle out interest.

 

[The_Irony]

How about a post-grand final bye

 

[kaiserchief13]

1. Remove pre finals bye
2. Add bye after prelims
3. In that weekend between prelims and gf have state of origin or best of vic vs best of non Vic for players not playing in gf

 

[juss]

There should only be two byes, one around round 12 (you can do the mid-season draft stuff around that point) and one for a top four team that wins their first final.

Agreed. I'd scrap end of season byes altogether, I'd have one league wide bye midseason and be done with it.

 

[revo333]

Agree. The amount of people that say ‘well it’s what they do in the NFL’. Who cares what America does? This is Straya campaigner. Alright?!? We’ve got Salties and shit.

Always thought the Super Bowl was better when they didn't have the week off before the game.

I feel the build up isn't as good.

 

[JackFlash]

They are the rules and that's that. He will be sitting in the stands looking like he could play in a heartbeat, but of course he won't be, the silliness of the finals BYE has now been exposed. The best players must be available for the Grand Final and every chance given to them to do so. This was always going to happen at some point, unfortunately of all the Geelong players he would be the one i wouldn't want out of the Grand Final team. I think Geelong will start favourites, but the door has just been opened a little for the Pies or Lions?

 

[shaqsuns]

They are the rules and that's that. He will be sitting in the stands looking like he could play in a heartbeat, but of course he won't be, the silliness of the finals BYE has now been exposed. The best players must be available for the Grand Final and every chance given to them to do so. This was always going to happen at some point, unfortunately of all the Geelong players he would be the one i wouldn't want out of the Grand Final team. I think Geelong will start favourites, but the door has just been opened a little for the Pies or Lions?

How does this have anything to do with the "Finals Bye"??? The bye was 3 weeks ago and the concussion occurred on Friday.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

It’s unfortunate but what can you do, players get injured for the GF all the time.

People just have this response because it’s not visible like a broken leg. But the reality of concussion is pretty clear, the damage is there and he can’t play as a result.

Stewart is already a premiership player so not the hard luck story that some others have been.

 

[Hamingja]

Should Stewart be considering going down the legal path and challenging his ban ? I imagine if he could find a independent doctor that declares he is fit to play this ban struggle to hold up in court

Did you see how the Rankine thing worked out for the Crows?

Shit luck for Stewart but you just have to accept it and move on.