Why not a Final 5?

[Kid Dynamite]

Why doesn't the VAFA change to a Final 5 instead of a 4 in all sections?

Would/should/could it happen in the near future?

For me the pro's outweigh the con's

Pros
- Top spot is a distinct advantage on 2nd. Currently no advantage
- More finals, more revenue...
- More teams get exposed to finals football, which improves club morale
- Reduces the number of sides in no-mans land/nothing to play for late in the season

Cons
- More sides make it, argument that it would be rewarding mediocrity
- Finding grounds

Agree with, or shoot holes in this suggestion at will...

 

[laguna]

D3 is a final 5 this year.It made the run home a little more interesting that's for sure.

 

[pazza]

For it to happen, each of the sections has to go to 12 teams.

And that's the problem. Whilst some of the top sides in some of the sections could match it with the teams in the section immediately above them (Caulfield in Premier B, Werribee in Premier C, Banyule in Division 1 and Prahran in Division 3 the most likely), but, there is a lack of competitiveness in some of the grades as well (notwithstanding last Saturday, Hampton Rovers in Premier B and Chadstone in Division 4).

So if it was tried:

Premier: St. Bedes, Collegians, Xavs, Uni Blues, Carey, Trinity, Scotch, Melburnians, Haileybury, Caulfield, Skobs, De La

Premier B: Old Brighton, St. Bernards, Oakleigh, Old Ivanhoe, Uni Blacks, Beaumaris, Marcellin, Hampton Rovers, Werribee, Ajax

Premier C: Mazenod, Fitzroy, Old Camberwell, Old Essendon, Rupertswood, Monash Blues, Ormond, Melb High, Banyule, Parkdale, Nobs, Friars

Division 1: Williamstown, Peninsula, Old Geelong, Old Mentonians, Parade, Bulleen-Temp, Glen Eira, St. Johns, Therry, Eltham, Latrobe, Emmaus St. Leos

Division 2: South, Salesian, Aquinas, Westbourne, Prahran, Yarra Valley, Ivanhoe, UHS-VU, Gryphons, Elsternwick, Albert Park, Kew

Division 3: Hawthorn, Power House, West Brunswick, Mt. Lilydale, SFX, Swinburne, Richmond, Eley Park, South Mornington, Cobras, Point Cook, North Brunswick, BHN, Chadstone

So the competition would lose Division 4, in order to have 12-team secions and the ability of final 5's to work.

 

[The MUF]

For it to happen, each of the sections has to go to 12 teams.

And that's the problem. Whilst some of the top sides in some of the sections could match it with the teams in the section immediately above them (Caulfield in Premier B, Werribee in Premier C, Banyule in Division 1 and Prahran in Division 3 the most likely), but, there is a lack of competitiveness in some of the grades as well (notwithstanding last Saturday, Hampton Rovers in Premier B and Chadstone in Division 4).

So if it was tried:

Premier: St. Bedes, Collegians, Xavs, Uni Blues, Carey, Trinity, Scotch, Melburnians, Haileybury, Caulfield, Skobs, De La

Premier B: Old Brighton, St. Bernards, Oakleigh, Old Ivanhoe, Uni Blacks, Beaumaris, Marcellin, Hampton Rovers, Werribee, Ajax

Premier C: Mazenod, Fitzroy, Old Camberwell, Old Essendon, Rupertswood, Monash Blues, Ormond, Melb High, Banyule, Parkdale, Nobs, Friars

Division 1: Williamstown, Peninsula, Old Geelong, Old Mentonians, Parade, Bulleen-Temp, Glen Eira, St. Johns, Therry, Eltham, Latrobe, Emmaus St. Leos

Division 2: South, Salesian, Aquinas, Westbourne, Prahran, Yarra Valley, Ivanhoe, UHS-VU, Gryphons, Elsternwick, Albert Park, Kew

Division 3: Hawthorn, Power House, West Brunswick, Mt. Lilydale, SFX, Swinburne, Richmond, Eley Park, South Mornington, Cobras, Point Cook, North Brunswick, BHN, Chadstone

So the competition would lose Division 4, in order to have 12-team secions and the ability of final 5's to work.

you only have 10 teams in Premier B....

 

[table tennis]

It could stay at 10, but just because the afl rewards mediocrity, doesn't mean the vafa should.

I like the top 4 system.

No matter what system, it's the best side on the day that wins.

Dead rubbers are only dead because of particular sides previous results, which only each individual club can take responsibilty for. You don't need to make the final rounds interesting by dangling a carrot in front of them, as there has been a carrot all year

 

[table tennis]

By putting more sides in higher division to expand, will only lead to more Hammerings during the season. Which is not good for any club!

 

[Freebaser]

Why doesn't the VAFA change to a Final 5 instead of a 4 in all sections?

Would/should/could it happen in the near future?

For me the pro's outweigh the con's

Pros
- Top spot is a distinct advantage on 2nd. Currently no advantage
- More finals, more revenue...
- More teams get exposed to finals football, which improves club morale
- Reduces the number of sides in no-mans land/nothing to play for late in the season

Cons
- More sides make it, argument that it would be rewarding mediocrity
- Finding grounds

Agree with, or shoot holes in this suggestion at will...

I think it has merit.
On the note of the 12 teams in D3 , the league said at the beginning of the year that they would review where the 12 best fit? Does anyone know where that is up to? Maybe they will push to 12 in Premier like the EFL do, or maybe in D1 like there was once.

Also- anyone hear any more of plans to move u19 and u18 to u20 and u18?

 

[Rooster 24]

For a 12 division comp fair enough but otherwise leave it as is. Why reward mediocrity?

The 2 up 2 down ensures almost every game right up to round 18 is a live match. Going into round 18 in Premier teams 1, 2, 3 are all still fighting for the double chance. Teams 4, 5, 6 are all fighting for the final 4th spot. Teams 7, 8, 9 are still locked in a battle to avoid relegation. Only Haileybury don’t have anything to play for and their fate was not sealed until the last quarter of round 17. They led at ¾ time and a win would have kept them alive going into Rd 18.

My club is sitting 5th - 2 points out. If results go our way we can make it. If we don’t then we simply don’t deserve to be there.

If it aint broke don’t fix it.

 

[Frogger5]

For a 12 division comp fair enough but otherwise leave it as is. Why reward mediocrity?

The 2 up 2 down ensures almost every game right up to round 18 is a live match. Going into round 18 in Premier teams 1, 2, 3 are all still fighting for the double chance. Teams 4, 5, 6 are all fighting for the final 4th spot. Teams 7, 8, 9 are still locked in a battle to avoid relegation. Only Haileybury don’t have anything to play for and their fate was not sealed until the last quarter of round 17. They led at ¾ time and a win would have kept them alive going into Rd 18.

My club is sitting 5th - 2 points out. If results go our way we can make it. If we don’t then we simply don’t deserve to be there.

If it aint broke don’t fix it.

Totally agree with you!
The other aspect to consider is with 10 teams you get to play each other twice over 18 rounds. I do not think anyone wants 22 rounds at the amateur level which would be needed with 12 teams and an even draw.

 

[Kid Dynamite]

For mine you'd expand to Final 5, but not through 12 teams, still 10 teams in most divisions so only a few more finals games.

Often in most sections there isn't many dead rubbers (like A & C this year) but also at the same time in some years there will be.

I'd rather cater for that and don't think 50% of sides playing finals as opposed to 40% is that big of an issue. And the big difference of the extra reward for top spot for mine is a massive plus.

But I get people are happy with how it is, just gauging the overall view and how many would like change.

 

[Damo5]

Top 5 would mean 4 weeks of finals. 3 weeks is plenty, plus I think top two teams deserved to be ranked as equal. Top team gets a ground closer to home in the first final, and if they are the very best team, they will win anyway.
Often the 5th team in the comp won't challenge the rest anyway.