Pre-Grand Final bye?

[Snarls Barkley]

Brad and Ross Lyon

I think when Ross did it when they were top of the ladder, people hated it but accepted it a little more

But when they did it and got advantages as the lower placed side for finals (and won both of those games) was when the stink really kicked in

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Will definitely happen just a matter of when. Definitely by the time Tassie enter, you can't have teams with a bye in the final round and then potentially another week off before finals and then another week off if finishing top 4 and winning the QF.

 

[Walshawk]

There shouldn't be any bye week around finals, but if they insist on having it, it makes more sense to do it before the grand final. Before finals itself just cheats the top 4 teams and gives 5-8 placed teams an advantage.

Explain how it gives those teams an advantage? They still have to win an extra game to be premiers. Top 4 still have three times the chance to win the GF.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

Probably unpopular but I like the pre-finals bye and would keep it.

I do not want a pre-GF bye, it would ruin the build up to the gf

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

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.

There’s no reason you can’t do the ‘2 week celebration’ in the pre-finals bye week

 

[Dazzler9]

Could always make the prelims a quasi-2 game series.

Team that wins the QF only has to win the first game.

If they win, straight through to the GF with a week off.

They lose, then the double chance that they've earned through a whole season and a QF win, kicks in. But they have to travel for the second game.

This way, some years there'll be a GF bye with no footy, and some years there'd be games.

It'll never happen, I know.

 

[catters05]

Probably unpopular but I like the pre-finals bye and would keep it.

I do not want a pre-GF bye, it would ruin the build up to the gf

Will build it up more, foxfooty on the weekend off have a marathon of state Grand finals.the state leagues have their grand finals on the national stage etc. regional grand finals etc, would be awesome.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

If the BYE was pre Grand Final he would be allowed to play. He would fit into the 12 day concussion rule. The post season BYE is ridiculous. We must try and give the best players the best chance to play in the biggest game of the year!

That makes no sense . The pre-finals by was brought in for a specific reason, it was never a choice between a pre-finals bye and a pre-gf bye.

If you want to get rid of the pre-finals bye , fine but that doesn’t mean we need a different bye to replace it.

We went a 100+ years with the pre-gf bye, why do we need it now?

 

[shaqsuns]

The only way to fix this to have a bye after every game. That way, all players clear the mandatory 12 day waiting protocol

 

[catters05]

That makes no sense . The pre-finals by was brought in for a specific reason, it was never a choice between a pre-finals bye and a pre-gf bye.

If you want to get rid of the pre-finals bye , fine but that doesn’t mean we need a different bye to replace it.

We went a 100+ years with the pre-gf bye, why do we need it now?

Due to concussion rules. In the past, there would have been players going into grand finals with concussions from prelim. This cannot be done. The gf is about making sure the best players are there. Concussion isn’t like a broken bone etc.

The prefinals bye was a reaction due to Ross Lyon leaving half his team out in a game for a bad look for the afl and their betting company mates.

 

[deck]

Egan never played in a GF. I think he was AA CHB in 2007? Wrecked his foot.

Nah it was Egan I was thinking of. I thought he played but he did push to try and play in the Grand Final and had the surgery to try and get up for the game.

 

[Seeds]

The only way to fix this to have a bye after every game. That way, all players clear the mandatory 12 day waiting protocol

Or we just accept it for normal games but not grand finals where it really matters. We want the best players on grand final day. A bye pre grand final helps other injured players get over their niggles as well.

Too many finals have been disapointing because the stars are clearly playing injured after multiple bruising finals games. A week off helps that extra bit.

 

[Seeds]

That makes no sense . The pre-finals by was brought in for a specific reason, it was never a choice between a pre-finals bye and a pre-gf bye.

If you want to get rid of the pre-finals bye , fine but that doesn’t mean we need a different bye to replace it.

We went a 100+ years with the pre-gf bye, why do we need it now?

Cos we now have 12 day concussion protocol whereas before we didnt. Gees is it really that hard to understand?

And gfs would of been better before this anyway if we had pre gf bye.

 

[Mr MysteryGuest]

Due to concussion rules. In the past, there would have been players going into grand finals with concussions from prelim. This cannot be done. The gf is about making sure the best players are there. Concussion isn’t like a broken bone etc.

The prefinals bye was a reaction due to Ross Lyon leaving half his team out in a game for a bad look for the afl and their betting company mates.

It’s not like 1 week injuries have never existed before , why should this be an exception?

What happens when a player has concussions symptoms after 12 days?

Have 2 bye weeks?

Cos we now have 12 day concussion protocol whereas before we didnt. Gees is it really that hard to understand?

And gfs would of been better before this anyway if we had pre gf bye.

 

[Angus Young]

Positives and Negatives.

Tough one.

 

[terrybull]

Play the Grand Final two weeks before the next season starts. Then everyone should be fit to play*












* yeah I’m joking

 

[StillAtLarge]

The prefinals bye was a reaction due to Ross Lyon leaving half his team out in a game for a bad look for the afl and their betting company mates.

This is literally the only reason we have the stupid bye. The betting companies were livid when Lyon & B Scott rested all their star players- they have a lot of influence. Just look at Albanese rolling over instead of introducing gambling reform, despite overwhelming public sentiment.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

The only real reasons for a pre-Grand Final bye are not concussion, but the MCG deal and giving state and local leagues some clear air for grand finals.
Travelling twice in a row is tough, a pre-GF bye would at least even that part of the blatantly unfair system out a little for the big game. But, as much as it makes a bad deal further lopsided the mitigation isn't great enough to warrant the bye.

A preGF would be better than the pre-finals one, but its not good.

 

[glengowan]

The Pre-Grand Final bye makes most sense.

Eliminate the 12 day concussion issue.

A chance to put the State League Grand Finals on the national stage.

Friday night: Brownlow Medal
Saturday night: VFL GF
Sunday afternoon: SANFL GF
Sunday night: WAFL GF

Better content for TV than the bye week between the last round and first week of finals.

 

[Westend]

Nope it will kill off the momentum of the game

Broadcasters would hate it

Waiting 2 weeks for the game to start would be frustrating for the players and supporters .

What happens to trade week/draft ??? does it get put back a week ?

What about assistant coaches ?....King has got the gig for the Dees...Im sure the dees would want there coach than waiting another week for him to finish the GF?

What about other sports/events ???...the G just sitting vacant for a week

I can understand the frustration from the cats supporters but remember injury does give opportunity.....if Shep didnt do his hammy ....Sheed might not of played in the 2018 GF...the rest is history

 

[Westend]

The Pre-Grand Final bye makes most sense.

Eliminate the 12 day concussion issue.

A chance to put the State League Grand Finals on the national stage.

Friday night: Brownlow Medal
Saturday night: VFL GF
Sunday afternoon: SANFL GF
Sunday night: WAFL GF

Better content for TV than the bye week between the last round and first week of finals.

yeah I can see that argument....but in reality there are only 2 games in prelim weekend.....no games over here in the west ....WAFL taking centre stage for that weekend if you want to go to the footy

 

[GoldbergsGold]

Explain how it gives those teams an advantage? They still have to win an extra game to be premiers. Top 4 still have three times the chance to win the GF.

There's already been 2 premiers from outside the top 4 in 8 seasons (2016-2020, 2022-2024), which never happened in 16 seasons (2000-2015) of the same finals system without the pre-finals bye. No team ranked 5th-8th even made the Grand final during that (2000-2015) period without the pre-finals bye, yet, it's happened 3 times in 8 seasons with the pre-finals bye. It gives the winning QF teams too much of a break, just 2 matches in 4 weeks, rustiness is definitely a thing in footy, not sure why it's overlooked. Isn't that why there's preseason matches to overcome the rustiness?

 

[Walshawk]

There's already been 2 premiers from outside the top 4 in 8 seasons (2016-2020, 2022-2024), which never happened in 16 seasons (2000-2015) of the same finals system without the pre-finals bye. No team ranked 5th-8th even made the Grand final during that (2000-2015) period without the pre-finals bye, yet, it's happened 3 times in 8 seasons with the pre-finals bye. It gives the winning QF teams too much of a break, just 2 matches in 4 weeks, rustiness is definitely a thing in footy, not sure why it's overlooked. Isn't that why there's preseason matches to overcome the rustiness?

Yes but what about the current system gives 5 - 8 an advantage over 1 - 4?

The reason for the change is that equalisation has worked and there are more better teams. Have a look at the talent in the Geelong and Hawthorn teams 10 - 15 years ago. They had twice as many A graders as any teams has now. There is simply very little difference in the top teams these days. Plus teams now believe they can win away finals, the mindset Aron d that has shifted. Very little to do with the final a system.

 

[PhatBoy]

Prefaced by saying I don’t have a problem with Stewart missing the game - it’s the rule and players miss grand finals every year for this reason or that. In the past we have had worthy flag winners in Egan, Menzel and Holmes miss out through no fault of their own.

But a few points: if they DO have to have a bye - and I don’t think they do - I would rather see it during grand final week as the stakes for someone missing out due to a concussion or an injury is higher. If coaches want to rest players during the home and away season that’s their prerogative.

Yes players can miss a grand final due to injury but it’s not a rule. Stewart isn’t missing a GF due to injury. He’s missing it due to a rule. He MAY be injured but he also may be fine to play again today. No one knows. If someone misses a game through injury they can still try and play, there’s no rule or regulation stopping them it’s just an ailment. That can’t be helped and it’s not anything regulatory that’s stopping them. If they wanted to try and beat the injury they could. Needle it up, strap it up, play a different role camped in a goal square, whatever. Nothing technically stops them. With the mandatory stand down, a player can be physically 100 per cent but there is nothing at all that can be done for them to play so I do see merit in it.

As it is, I’m fine with it staying as it is or just scrapping any byes altogether but if they HAVE to have it I think it should be before the GF. There’s quite a lot of talk on the NRL ABC flagship show about it this morning as well and they haven’t mentioned Stewart at all - former Penrith and Sharks premiership player Luke Lewis has said basically ‘look it’s harsh if you miss any final for concussion but you might get a handful of finals games in your career. But grand finals you could get only 1 your whole life. It’s harsh if you miss out because you had a head clash you couldn’t avoid and you are absolutely fine to go. That’s what you play your whole career for.’

 

[maskmcgee]

Cos we now have 12 day concussion protocol whereas before we didnt. Gees is it really that hard to understand?

Exactly. It used to be nothing. Then it was 1 game. Now it's 12 days. So very soon it will be more than 14 days. It keeps increasing. Making the reason for the pre grand final bye obsolete. Is it really that hard to understand?