The Finals System Factor

[lgarth80]

The finals system made a big impact on this finals series, as it has in many others.

The fact that 1st needs to play 4th then 3rd then 2nd has in the past caused trouble for minor premiers, mainly the fact that the final two weeks need to be made consecutively.

Generally there are only 3 realistic teams in the running for a premiership, and the easier run through the preliminary should be given to the team that finishes on top of the ladder.

Teams that have finished 3rd and won the flag in this finals system have done so after losing week 1. Both of these were lucky enough to play 4th in a prelim final (Brisbane 03, Sydney 05).

It's my untested view that the winner of 2v3 in week 1 of finals should win the flag all things being equal, due to an easier run home.

Brisbane used this in 2001-2002, Geelong in 2009, 2011, Hawthorn in 2008.

In 2001, 2008, 2009 and 2011 one could say they got up over a "banged up Premier", caused in no small part by more difficult prelim finals.

My solution to the problem is the following finals system:

1QF: 1st v 3rd
2QF: 2nd v 4th
1EF: 5th v 8th
2EF: 6th v 7th

1SF: Loser 1QF v Winner 2EF
2SF: Loser 2QF v Winner 1EF

1PF: Winner 1QF v Winner 2SF
2PF: Winner 2QF v Winner 1SF

GF: Winner 1PF v Winner 2PF

I think this system would give 1st a much tougher challenge week 1, but would then give them the ideal "rails run" home to the Grand Final provided they were successful.

If unsuccessful week 1, 1st would not have to play 5th either - they would get either 6 or 7, which is fair enough, an easier game should be expected.

I'm interested to see if people thought this was a factor in the end result.

(Obviously there are other factors such as the fact Geelong are a mighty football team who are disciplined in their own right, they won massive contested ball when it counted and had class players kicking goals at opportune times.)

 

[Pera]

Your system is the exact same as the finals draw we have now. The Pies would have played Hawthorn, Geelong, and West Coast on the way to the premiership, the exact same as what happened under the current system.

The only thing that has changed is we'd have played Hawthorn week 1 and probably West Coast week 3. Doesnt really change anything for better or worse.

 

[PieBeast]

Ridiculous, if you are good enough you should be able to beat anyone.

 

[mattys123]

I like the current system, it gives the best team the easier first final, and therefore more chance of the week off.

Yes, the top side hasn't won too many flags in recent years, but I think that's due to the 2nd or 3rd side sitting back a bit during the season, and launching when it comes to the finals.

I hope it stays as is, and I think the AFL won't be changing it soon anyway, it has produced some bloody good recent finals series.

 

[Zahki]

Ridiculous, if you are good enough you should be able to beat anyone.

Precisely. Doesn't matter what order you face the other sides in, you have to beat all of the top 4 eventually. There are tons of factors that led to our downfall this year, the finals system is definitely not one of them.

 

[lgarth80]

Fair calls all.

Just think that in this year in particular WCE had more to play for week 1 than week 3 (it sounds a bit strange but I thought they were happy to make the prelim, whereas a win in week 1 might have got them GF tickets...)

I also think Hawthorn were a tougher mob to play in a knockout prelim than in a qualifying final where not all the cards were on the table. Maybe I'm wrong on that one and I'm not giving enough credit to how well Geelong shut that game down.

A truly great team can just play against tougher odds and prevail, but we couldn't, and nor could a fair few other minor premiers.

I for one am hoping we just cruise into 2nd next season and then start anew come finals time.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

The same finals system helped us last year when Geelong and StKilda fought to the death in the QF and we ended up waltzing through the Prelim against a broken Geelong team.

Its not a factor.