Would the same rules apply when the count is held in Perth - if not, why not?
The pre-finals bye, could there be another reason.
- Thread starter newcs
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Would the same rules apply when the count is held in Perth - if not, why not?
pickettline
Team Captain
You hit the nail right on the head
I don't think winning the qualifying final is overly important anymore, beyond ensuring home ground advantage there's no other advantage. If you make top 4 the equation is the same, win 3 games and you're premiers.
- Aug 16, 2010
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I would say yes if the Brownlow count is held in Perth then all clubs should be in the room which is why the bye after the last home and away round is perfect
- Aug 28, 2013
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Well you've changed your argument. Originally you said the advantage of making top 4 has been undeniably reduced. Now the bye gets rid of the advantage of winning a Qualifying Final. But again you're wrong. The equation has always been win 3 games from top 4 and your premiers. I fail to see how the bye has changed that equation. The real advantage of winning a QF is avoiding the potential banana skin of a Semi final (how you don't see that baffles me). On top of skipping the opportunity to get knocked out in straight sets, you also get a home prelim which is massive and it's very silly and dishonest to dismiss it as you have. The week off is an extra bonus on top of these two key advantages, which admittedly is now significantly lessened.
honestly ask yourself, would you be over the moon if your team won a QF? Or would you go to the game feeling indifferent about whether your team wins or not. If it's the second then you'd be the only one in the stadium like that, fans players and coaches.
I would wait until you have a larger sample size before jumping to this conclusion.
Seeing as only the top 4 could play off in a qualifying final the advantage for top 4 has been reduced because of it.
How is a semi final any harder to win than a qualifying final? Whether you win the qualifying final or the semi final, the only difference now is home ground advantage which, given the number of Victorian teams in the league might not end up mattering anyway.
The rest the qualifying final winners earned was definitely a big advantage, now that everyone gets a bye it no longer is one. The only argument is whether it actually has a negative effect now rather than simply being superfluous.
- May 17, 2015
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I'm sure I heard somewhere a similar sort of thing that they might play a series of games and award wild card entries into the finals from these games
The reason the usual advantages associated with a top 4 finish didn't appear this season was because the top four didn't stand out as premiership mainstays to the extent they have in pretty much every season since the top eight started. The Dogs won their deserved premiership by running straight over the top of a bundle of teams who didn't make a definitive statement at any time this year, when it counted - none of them, question marks galore on every single side and that included Footscray. They aren't the best side to win a flag by any means, but it helps when you're close enough to the teams above you even from seventh, and you flex your mojo when it counts...
But at the end of any given season, a home advantage for a team who has made that statement by finishing clear in the top four, playing at home against someone who finished lower and didn't say anything special before during the season, will count more often than not, and this should see the status quo return, regardless of the week's rest - which was introduced not because of finals preparation but because of last round resting of star players by Freo, North and us...
But at the end of any given season, a home advantage for a team who has made that statement by finishing clear in the top four, playing at home against someone who finished lower and didn't say anything special before during the season, will count more often than not, and this should see the status quo return, regardless of the week's rest - which was introduced not because of finals preparation but because of last round resting of star players by Freo, North and us...
I don't mind the idea of a top 10.
Instead of the last round bye have two "wildcard games" with 7 v 10 and 8 v 9. The winners then go into the finals and proceed with the final 8 as normal.
Top 6 teams still get their "bye".
Instead of a week with no footy should get two pretty exciting games.
Makes it a bit harder for 7 and 8 as they have to win an extra game and maybe even a little bit harder for 5 and 6 if they have to play coming off a "bye" (if there's anything in that theory).
Can still get the Thursday night game the week after the "wildcard" games.
Instead of the last round bye have two "wildcard games" with 7 v 10 and 8 v 9. The winners then go into the finals and proceed with the final 8 as normal.
Top 6 teams still get their "bye".
Instead of a week with no footy should get two pretty exciting games.
Makes it a bit harder for 7 and 8 as they have to win an extra game and maybe even a little bit harder for 5 and 6 if they have to play coming off a "bye" (if there's anything in that theory).
Can still get the Thursday night game the week after the "wildcard" games.
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- Sep 15, 2007
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The bye was a result of media frenzy and internet outrage over teams resting players.
I personally wondered if the extra week off before finals rakes more funds into footy betting than otherwise.
But then Im naturally cynical
Maybe the same principle for night grand final
But then Im naturally cynical
Maybe the same principle for night grand final
Surprise surprise. A dogs supporter defending the bye.
The bye won us 2 games interstate and a game against the reigning premiers.
The umpires won the game against the Swans.
All we had to do was show up. The fix was in.
DanielLaneDC
Debutant
Why don't we just have a 17 game season and every team qualifies for the finals.
- Aug 21, 2016
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It was a huge overreaction to the resting players issue. The introduction of the pre-season bye is a further indication that the AFL likes to maintain a monopoly on rigging the competition.
- Apr 27, 2014
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Huge overreaction? Then your team never suffered directly from last round resting/manipulation!
Richmond got run over late in the 2015 EF against a rested North side, good chance that match ends differently with a pre-finals bye.
North still tanks the 2015 final round though because they were manipulating final position as well as freshening up their players iirc.
Anyway, I'm a BIG fan of the pre-finals bye, incredibly important for ensuring the integrity of the finals system.
Troglodyte
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- Sep 15, 2015
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This is the real issue and we won't really know until the system's been in for a while. I can't remember the exact stats but isn't it something like 23 out of 26 qualifying final winners have gone on to win the Prelim and make the GF whereas this year it was 0 out of 2? If it happened to be 0 out of 2 again next year it would start to look pretty certain. Personally, I think it's really bad idea and for the winners of the qualifying finals to play once between round 23 and prelim final day (26 to 30 days) - this can't be helpful. Interesting too that the coaches and players are overwhelmingly against this but Gil and Co won't change their minds. Maybe with a broadcast deal due it is actually the TV stations deciding because apparently we had more people watching than ever before.
Teams can play/rest whoever they want, there's no manipulation there.
Bokonon
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- May 3, 2016
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I like your attitude, but remember conversely no excuses when you lose.
I suspect this is a big possibility
- Apr 27, 2014
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wow, what? Tactical resting of players is tolerated up to some point (not sure the threshold), but tanking investigations, final round integrity...the message is loud and clear from the AFL, make a reasonable effort to win every game.
