The AFL wants 22 teams. Name your next four.

[Professor Knowall]

Great point re an even draw. It boggles my mind how fixture-ery the AFL is.
Both NFL and EPL (two competitions the AFL would or should admire) have fair and equitable draws. Why are we left with this clearly unfair draw? I know it’s cool the Hawks play the Cats x2 per season for the $$$ but it’s a competition first and the quality of footy and added quantity of 22 teams will bring in enough revenue. ...

Not sure the NFL is a good example to hold up, as they also manipulate their fixture to ensure traditional rivals play each other twice every season e.g. to give just one of a number of examples, despite being in distinctly different geographical areas, traditional rivals Dallas and Washington are always lumped in the same 4 team division to ensure they play each other twice per season, whereas a majority of clubs only play each other once every 4 years.

Each year, some divisions inevitably turn out to be stronger than others. In short, the NFL fixture is very carefully manipulated and loaded through the use of conferences and divisions to maximise attendances and ratings and this is prioritised ahead of fairness.

 

[NoobPie]

Not sure the NFL is a good example to hold up, as they also manipulate their fixture to ensure traditional rivals play each other twice every season e.g. to give just one of a number of examples, despite being in distinctly different geographical areas, traditional rivals Dallas and Washington are always lumped in the same 4 team division to ensure they play each other twice per season, whereas a majority of clubs only play each other once every 4 years.

Each year, some divisions inevitably turn out to be stronger than others. In short, the NFL fixture is very carefully manipulated and loaded through the use of conferences and divisions to maximise attendances and ratings and this is prioritised ahead of fairness.

I guess the key difference is the NFL has a defined structure around it so it doesn't involve annual arbitration of the 5 "extra" games

That said, the AFL was trying to introduce a 17-5 for a while there that the clubs were cold on and the average punter railed against

Looks like we'll have to wait until 2050 when we have 22 teams for an even fixture!

 

[mdavideedee_man64]

This is a good thread, my next 4 would be:
East Coast Falcons (Rivalry with the West Coast Eagles)
Darwin or Territory Crocs, Gators, Stormers or Snakes
Tassie Devils
Cairns Cowboys or Cyclones

 

[NoobPie]

This is a good thread, my next 4 would be:
East Coast Falcons (Rivalry with the West Coast Eagles)
Darwin or Territory Crocs, Gators, Stormers or Snakes
Tassie Devils
Cairns Cowboys or Cyclones

Where will the east coast falcons be based, pray?

 

[Gameova_]

Broadmeadows bears can be one

 

[NoobPie]

Broadmeadows bears can be one

Relocate north there

 

[mdavideedee_man64]

Where will the east coast falcons be based, pray?

dunno, probably camberra, the capital, and what do u mean by pray? lol

 

[NoobPie]

dunno, probably camberra, the capital, and what do u mean by pray? lol

Not sure exactly, it's just a pretentious way of asking a question.

Can an inland city have "coast" in its name, pray?

 

[mdavideedee_man64]

Not sure exactly, it's just a pretentious way of asking a question.

Can an inland city have "coast" in its name, pray?

dunno, i always thought west coast should have been called perth eagle, a inland city within the coast

 

[almuz]

Not sure the NFL is a good example to hold up, as they also manipulate their fixture to ensure traditional rivals play each other twice every season e.g. to give just one of a number of examples, despite being in distinctly different geographical areas, traditional rivals Dallas and Washington are always lumped in the same 4 team division to ensure they play each other twice per season, whereas a majority of clubs only play each other once every 4 years.

Each year, some divisions inevitably turn out to be stronger than others. In short, the NFL fixture is very carefully manipulated and loaded through the use of conferences and divisions to maximise attendances and ratings and this is prioritised ahead of fairness.

Point taken. At least it's reliable in the sense that you are guaranteed to play every team at some point in a X-Year (four year?) block.

NFC East and AFC East are pretty good examples of geographically distant teams lumped together granted but on the whole the NFL system ensures more fairness than the AFL. Sure you're going to get some seasons where there's a heap of strong teams think NFC South couple seasons back but 1) it balances out over time with their equalisation 2) at least it's a consistent draw and a lot less chaotic than what we have.

With 22 teams however you're going to get the EPL Model with a 'return leg' fixture every second season. It's not flashy but very simple and equitable.

 

[Professor Knowall]

Actually, in looking at all the factors the NFL take into account in their fixturing, which includes general guidelines such as last year's ladder position e.g a first place team will play against the other first place finishers from the other two divisions, second against second etc, also attendance maximisation, and broadcast partner wishes/demands and other matters, I think theirs is quite more complex (or chaotic) than the AFL which has simpler rules to determine who plays who each year based on ladder position and one traditional rival (e.g. derby, showdown, Coll v Ess). Every year, without fail, there are complaints by some NFL franchises about their fixture.

That said, I agree that having 22 teams playing each other once over 21 rounds would be the fairest solution - though I would still add in one extra round for derby, showdown, traditional rival, making it a 22 round season.

 

[craffles]

AFL is a big business these days and they’d be thinking very strongly about incremental market share first and foremost. With that in mind I think the most likely options in order are:

1. Canberra (have a crack at the raiders)
2. South Sydney (Rabbitohs, Dragons, Sharks)
3. Townsville / Cairns (cowboys)
4. Tasmania (own the state before it gets lost to another code eg A league)

 

[parano1a]

Fitzroy
University
Port Melbourne
Williamstown

 

[quotemokc]

If the AFL wants to increase its market in NSW and QLD it needs to get more islanders involved in the sport.

Are there any islanders currently playing AFL?

 

[parano1a]

Are there any islanders currently playing AFL?

Nic Nat?

 

[NoobPie]

Nic Nat?

Funny oversight given he is from Perth

There is also a certain someone with a Maori father playing on the Saturday

Probably a handful or two of other PI on lists

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Are there any islanders currently playing AFL?

Ratugolea. Both he and Nic Nat are of Fijian background. Mind you there is a difference between Polynesians and Melanesians, can't think of any Polynesians playing AFL since Hunt/Folau.

 

[Professor Knowall]

Collingwood have Fijian born Atu Bosenavulagi, who was a former Australian Sevens junior rep and also in the Melbourne Rebels Rugby Club development squad before switching to Australian Football with the Oakleigh Chargers - https://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/player-profile/atu-bosenavulagi

 

[LordLucifer]

That said, I agree that having 22 teams playing each other once over 21 rounds would be the fairest solution - though I would still add in one extra round for derby, showdown, traditional rival, making it a 22 round season.

No !!!!

 

[Professor Knowall]

No !!!!

You mount a compelling argument. The quadruple exclamation marks in particular are very persuasive.

 

[LordLucifer]

You mount a compelling argument. The quadruple exclamation marks in particular are very persuasive.

You say 21 rounds is "the fairest solution" but want to add in an extra round that undoes all of the good with a fair & equitable draw.

One year the 'derby prize' may be a 100 point percentage booster and a couple of years later it could be a close loss. Subject to the quality of your double up game, it can give you a huge advantage that the other clubs don't get access to.

Does that make it easier to understand ????

 

[Professor Knowall]

Yes - that's better.

Like I said "21 rounds is the fairest solution". The 22nd rivalry round add-on makes it a bit less fair. However I don't think one round extra matters that much - overall the cream will still rise to the top.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

You say 21 rounds is "the fairest solution" but want to add in an extra round that undoes all of the good with a fair & equitable draw.

One year the 'derby prize' may be a 100 point percentage booster and a couple of years later it could be a close loss. Subject to the quality of your double up game, it can give you a huge advantage that the other clubs don't get access to.

Does that make it easier to understand ????

Hey, you know what's more fun than fairness? Derbies.

 

[almuz]

Hey, you know what's more fun than fairness? Derbies.

*AFL Official likes this post*

 

[Professor Knowall]

Actually I completely forgot about a big problem with a 21 round (or for that matter, any odd numbered) season - it makes for an unequal number of home and away games, thus also providing another element of "unfairness", as well as providing problems for clubs with less home games than others selling their memberships. I think these reasons alone will kill off any odd numbered length season (not including byes obviously). I also think any draw will also continue to include 2 local derbies for the non-Victorian teams to mitigate the travel factor (which can be seen as another element of unfairness)