Week off before finals- still not convinced

[gbatman]

It helps get the best players back and fresh and firing and playing their best football which is what we want!

It gives the teams outside the top 4 a slightly better chance which is good because it's f***ing pointless, and boring having an 8 if half the teams have next to no chance.

It's a load of crap that some sore losing coaches of top 4 sides who got knocked out last year used as a weak excuse for losing. Those sides weren't as good and were out coached (Geelong mostly). They just lost to better sides.

Gives a great timeslot to the EJ Whitten Game and Women's State Of Origin.

Sooky fans can't handle not having any AFL on for a week, do or watch something else for the weekend!

It's a great thing, love seeing a more even finals series with the players performing at their best, worth the wait.

 

[Benny78]

Personally I'm not a fan. I would rather jump straight in to finals.

What's the motivation for having the week off, tv rights? The clubs want it? The afl want it for some unknown reason? Are the fans for it or against it in general?

Surely the Brownlow should be this weekend if they are going to persist with it?

(If a thread on this topic already exists which I thought it would , I couldn't find it so please merge if necessary . )

All the bigger clubs are struggling. So it's been brought in to give 4-8 a greater advantage than top 4.

 

[Rimmer]

One week and you are complaining ... after the GF you get about 20 weeks with no football.

You don't even know if its a crap idea yet, you have only had to put up with it once!

Get over it.

 

[Goggin Our Best]

Im for it actually - the top 4 still get a double chance

Why i like it ( going on last year ) is you get in the 1st week - 4 really good games . What used to happen - especially 5th v 8th and 6th and 6th - youd get 2 injury riddled tired teams fizzle out to nothing

With the week off it gives all players a rest ( which they would all appreciate ) then they can all come out as fresh as daisies- and the spectacle and quality of the 1st 4 games is terrific

 

[Bails97]

Rory Sloane likes the week off

 

[iluvparis]

Lol, righto - no, it isn't, but have fun with your caps lock. That system only potentially affected one team, and maybe none. This affects two, everytime, regardless. How many of the teams that won had to have 1 game in 4 weeks in the final 5 system?

??? All the minor premiers that won the flag

BYE
WIN
BYE
GF

That's the exact same path that top 4 teams take under this system.

BYE
WIN
BYE
Prelim

 

[Damon_3388]

On the same level as people complaining about having "nothing to do" on Good Friday. Just take a day/weekend/week off FFS.

That being said, I think it makes sense for this to be 'Awards Week', Brownlow included.

 

[Xtreme]

I get it, giving the teams a week off to refresh. The downside is having zero AFL games to watch thanks to the bye.

But yay tokenism for AFLW (LOL at the game being free entry, nobody would go otherwise!).

 

[FootyJunkie]

Maybe play the Elimination finals first week, Qualifying Finals the following week...Frin/Sat n

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

It came about because people complained there was an unfair advantage because some clubs played on the Friday of the final minor round, others played Saturday and Sunday. People will whinge no matter what is implemented because, let's face it, footy fans love to have something to whinge about, something to blame for their club's inadequacies.

My side were top 4 last year, and were knocked out by the eventual premiers in the semi finals. This had nothing to do with Bulldogs gaining advantage from the week off, but everything to do with them playing the better footy on the day and throughout the finals. No matter what system is deployed, there will always be cases for some teams gaining advantages or disadvantages, but that's just the way it is. If you are looking for fairness and parity in sport, then AFL is not for you.

 

[Harro59]

I didnt think there was a massive issue with the previous setup. Maybe one year a team finished clear top and rested a few. But this year for example was just do open.

 

[Dr Tigris]

Hate it. The advantage of the week off for the best teams is negated. In fact if you are top 4 and win the first final you play once in 3 weeks, a disadvantage.

Brought in to solve a problem of teams secure in the top 8 giving players the last week off. So have a bye over rounds 19 and 20. Everyone gets that rest close to finals, but it doesn't screw up why we advantage top 4. You end up with a 24 round season and so all teams play the last 4 rounds then finals.

 

[jenny61_99]

Never thought I'd say it, but I'm glad to have it this year... between Sloane's appendix and Jacobs brother passing away, couldn't have come at a better time for us.

 

[jwint43]

I am still of the opinion that if they stack this weekend with all the awards events + the legends game the bye has its place. Having said that I also just want to get the footy going, I can't believe there's no games this weekend. I just contradicted myself, oh well.

 

[docko911]

Should be getting lubed up for Richmond v Geelong but instead....... I'm bored shitless

 

[ABSOLUTE MADMAN]

The Crows look to be the biggest beneficiaries by accident this year with the Sloane surgery and the Jacobs family tragedy.

 

[iluvparis]

Hate it. The advantage of the week off for the best teams is negated. In fact if you are top 4 and win the first final you play once in 3 weeks, a disadvantage.

Keep drinking that kool aid #final5

 

[Furn2]

Its all about being able to have a Thursday night final.

 

[boncer34]

The Crows look to be the biggest beneficiaries by accident this year with the Sloane surgery and the Jacobs family tragedy.

If Hurley, Hooker and ORAZZZZZZIO get up I think we win that award.

 

[Macpotata]

It's like at the world cup you start it, then after the group phase is completed you take an 11 day break and start the knockout rounds. ****ing stupidity.

They played the finals the way it was for 100 odd years don't change with what we've got. It's like a whole new season.

Up yours AFL you campaigners.

shame shame shame.

* flexes biceps like a sick campaigner *

 

[iluvparis]

They played the finals the way it was for 100 odd years don't change with what we've got. It's like a whole new season.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

It's like at the world cup you start it, then after the group phase is completed you take an 11 day break and start the knockout rounds. ******* stupidity.

They played the finals the way it was for 100 odd years don't change with what we've got. It's like a whole new season.

The way it was for 100 years? You really need to do some research. Finals used to be top 4, then 5. then 6 before it became top 8. Under the first 2 systems, the top teams would miss the first week, then play the second. If they won, it was straight into the GF. So, they would play only once in 3 weeks before the big one. Wasn't a disadvantage then, so I don't see why it would be now. If you're good enough, you'll win.

 

[NathanMX]

Except when scaled to make up for the vastly differing amounts of money in the sport a $250,000 is more like a $25,000 which Collingwood or West Coast would absolutely pay if they thought it would help them win.

Unless the league grew a pair and decided to punish the first offender as harshly as possible. to deter others Not sure the Pies or Eagles would like even a $100.000 fine.

It's funny though, Melbourne play games with their list and get slammed for "tanking" and cop a fine. But if a team does the same thing in Round 23 nothing nada zip.

 

[STFU Donnie]

Under the old final five system - which, let's face it, was the best - the minor premier got a bye, then played the 2nd semi final. If they won that, then they got another bye before the grand final. Playing one week in three didn't stop quality teams then, so why should it now?

 

[NaturalDisaster]

It's an 11 day break FFS. How do you survive the 5 and-a-half-month break we get during the off-season?

As if we needed another thread whingeing about this.

Maybe some posters go into hybernation over the summer until season starts.