Game Day Wildcard weekend?

[Ratkins]

In my humble opinion, I think the bye is a waste of time. I don't like the idea of having a weekend free of competitive football. Therefore I think the AFL should continue to copy any and every ideas from the NFL and introduce a 'wildcard weekend game'

This weekend could look like this:

Ted Whitten legends game @ Etihad stadium

Saturday afternoon - 7 Essendon vs 10 Western Bulldogs @ MCG (winner vs Sydney in Sydney)
Saturday twilight game 8 West Coast Eagles vs 9 Melbourne @ Subiaco (winner vs Port Adelaide in Adelaide)

Saturday night - AFLW All Star game @ Etihad Stadium

I like the idea of more footy is good footy and the 22 Melbourne players could prove they deserve to play finals and this weekend give themn that extra chance but I know some won't. So go and vote your life away.

 

[kickazz]

If they are going to copy NFL then that is not even close to what a wildcard is.

 

[Ratkins]

If they are going to copy NFL then that is not even close to what a wildcard is.

Ok.....all eyes on kickazz

Why don't you tell us what it is then?

 

[Deep]

No on your idea but the bye should definitely piss off.

 

[Jonts]

I wouldn't mind it being 9th and whoever has the highest percentage out of the remaining teams. If you want a more true "wildcard", otherwise you're just making the finals an extra week. Nothing "wild "about it.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

I wouldn't mind it being 9th and whoever has the highest percentage out of the remaining teams. If you want a more true "wildcard", otherwise you're just making the finals an extra week. Nothing "wild "about it.

It's bad enough relying on wins in an uneven fixture but % is even worse. So many factors affect %.

 

[M Malice]

Hate it- Rewards mediocrity and just call it what it is ie. a final 10.

 

[Jonts]

It's bad enough relying on wins in an uneven fixture but % is even worse. So many factors affect %.

100% agree, just saying if it's only an extra round of finals for 7-10 it's not a wildcard round at all

 

[kickazz]

Ok.....all eyes on kickazz

Why don't you tell us what it is then?

Well it would be a good idea but probably require the league to be split into three conferences of 6 teams. Play everyone in your conference twice, everyone else once. Top two of each conference play finals, the two third placed teams with the best record get a wildcard entry into the finals.

Something like that, it would be a fair system.

As for this week, I though maybe SOO with only players from teams not in finals, but that could be a bit crap.

I recon get rid of the bye and get rid of the Thursday final

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

100% agree, just saying if it's only an extra round of finals for 7-10 it's not a wildcard round at all

That's essentially what the NFL do. 2 wildcards (i.e non divisional winners) in each conference play the lowest seeded divisional winners in that conference in a wildcard round.

In this case the 9th and 10th teams are the wildcards (non automatic qualifiers) and they play the lowest two seeds of the automatic qualifiers.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

How about not counting % to determine the final spot in the 8. Have a playoff during the bye weekend instead.

West Coast vs Melbourne at Domain Saturday night.

 

[Belnakor]

They should have a lightning carnival where all the teams outside the 8 play 3-4 games (15 minute halves) to decide the ultimate winner.

It would be an absolute circus - all those teams in one location all vying to get into the finals

 

[legend166]

Ok.....all eyes on kickazz

Why don't you tell us what it is then?

What you're describing is literally just a top 10 finals with the top 6 getting the first week off.

A 'wild card' in sports has a very specific meaning, that being good sides that weren't able to win their conference/division. Wild cards exist to deal with the problem of equal quality distribution in a conference/division set up. Obviously the AFL don't have that problem.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Top 6. Top 2 get bye. Every game is knockout. Will never happen because less games = less $$$$

 

[Cmarsh]

I would have watched AFLX if just for the curiosity but they decided to put it off till the preseason.

Would have been better than this bye rubbish.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

What you're describing is literally just a top 10 finals with the top 6 getting the first week off.

A 'wild card' in sports has a very specific meaning, that being good sides that weren't able to win their conference/division. Wild cards exist to deal with the problem of equal quality distribution in a conference/division set up. Obviously the AFL don't have that problem.

This is true.

I liked the old NSWRL (NRL) rules until 1994


Finals systems
---------------
From 1908 to 1994, teams could not be excluded from the finals by points difference,
and a mid week playoff (or playoffs) were held to decide the semi-finalists.
With the expansion of the finals in 1995, playoffs were discontinued, and points
difference (points scored minus points conceded) became the tie breaker.

Wouldn't happen most years but this year would have been useful.

 

[pjcrows]

We already have wildcards - the Elimination Finals.

 

[Dazzler9]

How about not counting % to determine the final spot in the 8. Have a playoff during the bye weekend instead.

West Coast vs Melbourne at Domain Saturday night.

What happens when 3 teams finish level on points?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

What happens when 3 teams finish level on points?

If it is 8th, 9th, 10th?

Not sure. I wonder if the NRL ever had that problem.

They played their games midweek. I remember Cronulla playing in one. The winner plays again 4 days later.

I guess 10th misses out unless 7th also has the same amount of points.

 

[Dazzler9]

If it is 8th, 9th, 10th?

Not sure. I wonder if the NRL ever had that problem.

They played their games midweek. I remember Cronulla playing in one. The winner plays again 4 days later.

I guess 10th misses out unless 7th also has the same amount of points.

But how would you determine who is 8th, 9th and 10th if you're not using percentage?

Please don't answer "percentage".

 

[Cmarsh]

If it is 8th, 9th, 10th?

Not sure. I wonder if the NRL ever had that problem.

They played their games midweek. I remember Cronulla playing in one. The winner plays again 4 days later.

I guess 10th misses out unless 7th also has the same amount of points.

Winner plays 4 days later when their opponent in the final gets a 7 day break. That sounds fair.

 

[demondavey]

All this does is penalise 7th and 8th and reward 9th and 10th.

What's the point?

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

But how would you determine who is 8th, 9th and 10th if you're not using percentage?

Please don't answer "percentage".

Let's not play semantics. Percentage still exists. We are discounting it for the team that just misses.

However if you like, we could do a head to head elimination between 9th and 10th. If they were 1-1 then percentage gets used but for the 2 games only. The better head to head team plays 8th.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Winner plays 4 days later when their opponent in the final gets a 7 day break. That sounds fair.

It was crazy. AFL have a bye weekend so it won't be as great a factor.

 

[Upgrayedd]

I like the current system.