2019 double up games - Fair(er) ideas

[Dirty Bird]

Every year people complain about what happens with the double ups. Some getting advantages, so what I've done here is devise 3 options which are fairer than what we have now

1st one is the fairest of them all, but the AFL will hate it. (cant even manipulate it for key matches they want double upped)
2nd one is trying to compromise, but due to circumstances we miss out on some the AFL will try and drill down our throats (Richmond vs Collingwood, Adelaide vs Port Adelaide for example miss this year)
3rd one is a slightly better method than what the afl has at the moment and probably not that fair. But I do feel the afl should adopt it

Option 1 - Just go down the ladder, 6 clubs have the exact same double up games.

Richmond, Hawthorn, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda
West Coast, Melbourne, Geelong, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast
Collingwood, Sydney, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton

Fairest, but shit for crowds and ratings, so wont happen.

Option 2 - Group each 3 teams into a group, and you play one team from each of the other groups. Problem with this is we miss out on the Grand Final replay more often than not being a double up.

Looking at it more now, my proposal here doesn't really look as appealing as it has in past years. Infact, I hate what it looks like

Richmond - Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast
West Coast - Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Fremantle, St Kilda
Collingwood - Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Essendon, Brisbane, Carlton
Hawthorn - Collingwood, Geelong, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast
Melbourne - Richmond, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda
Sydney - West Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton
Greater Western Sydney - West Coast, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast
Geelong - Richmond, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Fremantle, Carlton
North Melbourne - Collingwood, Melbourne, Essendon, Brisbane, St KIlda
Port Adelaide - West Coast, Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Brisbane, Gold COast
Essendon - Collingwood, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Fremantle, Carlton
Adelaide - Richmond, Melbourne, Geelong, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda
Westerm BUlldogs - Richmond, Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney, Adelaide, St Kilda
Fremantle - West Coast, Hawthorn, Geelong, Essendon, Carlton
Brisbane - Collingwood, Sydney, North Melbourne, POrt Adelaide, Gold COast
St KIlda - West Coast, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs
Gold COast - Richmond, Hawthorn, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide, Brisbane
Carlton - Collingwood, Sydney, Geelong, Essendon, Fremantle

Some teams have great double up games, but some (most non-Victorian teams) get ****ed over with lower drawing crowds. Just a near perfect spread of the big Victorian clubs being spread up and down, then having the low drawing clubs the same. Past years I've done this, this proposal has looked quite good. Guess 2019's version is a poor option.

Option 3 - It's similar to what the afl has (limiting and maximising potential double ups from each group of 6) but I have it in stone. 3 vs your level, 1 vs each of the other groups of 6

Richmond - West Coast, Collingwood, Hawthorn, Adelaide, Gold COast
West Coast - Richmond, Collingwood, Sydney, Port Adelaide, Fremantle
Collingwood - Richmond, West Coast, Melbourne, Essendon, Carlton
Hawthorn - Richmond, Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, Brisbane
Melbourne - Collingwood, Hawthorn, Sydney, NOrth Melbourne, St Kilda
Sydney - West Coast, Hawthorn, Mebourne, Greater Western Sydney, Western Bulldogs
Greater Western Sydney - Sydney, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs
Geelong - Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Essendon, Adelaide, Fremantle
North Melbourne - Melbourne, Geelong, Greater Western Sydney, Essendon, Gold Coast
Port Adelaide - West Coast, Greater Western Sydney, Essendon, Adelaide, Brisbane
Essendon - Collingwood, Geelong, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Carlton
Adelaide - Richmond, Greater Western Sydney, Geelong, Port Adelaide, St Kilda
Western Bulldogs - Sydney, Greater Western Sydney, Brisbane, St Kilda, Gold Coast
Fremantle - West Cost, Geelong, Brisbane, St Kilda, Carlton
Brisbane - Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, GOld Coast
St Kilda - Melbourne, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Fremantle, Carlton
Gold Coast - Richmond, North Melbourne, Western BUlldogs, Brisbane, Carlton
Carlton - Collingwood, Essendon, Fremantle, St Kilda, Gold Coast

Option 4 - I know I said 3 ideas earlier, but this one just crossed my mind too. Similar to 3 in which it is pre-set but isn't as advantageous to one group or the other. top 6 go 2-2-1, middle 6 go 2-1-2, bottom 6 go 1-2-2

Richmond - West Coast, Collingwood, Essendon, Adelaide, Gold Coast
West Coast - Richmond, Collingwood, Port Adelaide, Adelaide, Fremantle
Collingwood - Richmond, West Coast, Port Adelaide, Essendon, Carlton
Hawthorn - Melbourne, Sydney, Geelong, North Melbourne, Brisbane
Melbourne - Hawthorn, Sydney, Greater Wester Sydney, North Melbourne, St Kilda
Sydney - Hawthorn, Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney, Geelong, Western Bulldogs
Greater Western Sydney - Melbourne, Sydney, North Melbourne, Gold Coast, Carlton
Geelong - Hawthorn, Sydney, Esssendon, Fremantle, St Kilda
North Melbourne - Hawthorn, Melbourne, Greater Western Sydney, Western Bulldogs, Gold Coast
Port Adleaide - West Coast, Collingwood, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle
Essendon - Richmond, Collingwood, Geelong, Brisbane, Carlton
Adelaide - Richmond, West Coast, Port Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, St Kilda
Western Bulldogs - Sydney, North Melbourne, Adelaide, St Kilda, Gold Coast
Fremantle - West Coast, Geelong, Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton
Brisbane - Hawthorn, Port Adelaide, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast
St Kilda - Melbourne, Geelong, Adelaide, Western Bulldogs, Carlton
Gold Coast - Richmond, Greater Western Sydney, North Melbourne, Western BUlldogs, Brisbane
Carlton - Collingwood, Greater Western Sydney, Essendon, Fremantle, St KIlda

So, what do people think? Which option is better? Or is the status quo better?

 

[doppleganger]

Using 2018 ladder positioning to try and create equity in 2019 is flawed logic.

Why do we try and handicap better performers from the previous season anyway??

Make it random...including scrapping the guaranteed showdowns/derby’s and collingwood playing Carlton twice etc.

 

[Dirty Bird]

Using 2018 ladder positioning to try and create equity in 2019 is flawed logic.

Why do we try and handicap better performers from the previous season anyway??

Make it random...including scrapping the guaranteed showdowns/derby’s and collingwood playing Carlton twice etc.

So you say the 17-5 option the afl has floated for years?
Problem with that Is it will nearly certainly lead to some teams getting 12 home games and others getting 10

Maybe my option 1 is good for you?
Gives effectively a random double up. No gaurunteed double ups.

It is still based on the previous years. But would you rather that, or potentially get Fremantle, St Kilda, Brisbane, Gold Coast and Carlton as a teams double up games? That could happen and would be truely random.

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

Have a four-year rolling fixture. Everyone meets their marquee opponent once a year and has a double up against the other 16 teams once every four years.

It'll mean some teams have harder draws some years and easier draws other years, but that should in theory even out over the four year cycle.

It'd also mean some of the smaller Melbourne sides need to find a marquee opponent. Ideally I think the Vic matchups would be Collingwood-Essendon, Carlton-Richmond, Geelong-Hawthorn, North-Bulldogs (including a Good Friday game, no idea why it was taken off North this year) and Melbourne-St Kilda (albeit a rivalry would have to be manufactured, maybe something about Saints versus Demons?)

 

[Billy ray]

Nationally televised tv event with balls in a bowl. Purely random.

 

[Toump Ass]

17 round regular season + two bye rounds + AFLX + AFLW + AFLXW (mixed mens/womens tournament with unique/exciting rules- superzooper goals etc.)

 

[Toump Ass]

Make the draft go for a week too, maybe stretch the Brownlow out for another 24 hours so TV executives can ram more gambling advertisements down our throats.

 

[Hoops]

17 rounds regular season
8 rounds top16 finals

 

[DrEvil_]

Don't really care, as long as Carlton doesn't get any Friday nights.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Nationally televised tv event with balls in a bowl. Purely random.

Lindt balls?

 

[NetworkNerd]

3 groups of 6 based on previous years ladder position. Each club plays:
- 4 of the other teams in their group twice and the remaining team once (9 games)
- A double up game against a rival club outside of their group (Example. Hawthorn v Geelong or Collingwood v Essendon) - 2 Games
- Other 11 teams once (11 games)

Draws are fair as you are playing groups in your bracket
Retains double up games for interstate sides against their cross town rival
Retains grand final re-match double ups

 

[iluvparis]

Why do we try and handicap better performers from the previous season anyway??

You mean like the draft?

 

[iluvparis]

Status quo is best measure of equalisation AFL can do ahead of time - which is what they want - leave it as is

 

[Miguel Sanchez]

3 groups of 6 based on previous years ladder position. Each club plays:
- 4 of the other teams in their group twice and the remaining team once (9 games)
- A double up game against a rival club outside of their group (Example. Hawthorn v Geelong or Collingwood v Essendon) - 2 Games
- Other 11 teams once (11 games)

Draws are fair as you are playing groups in your bracket
Retains double up games for interstate sides against their cross town rival
Retains grand final re-match double ups

Great news for whoever finishes 13th, they get nine games against the bottom five from the previous year.

I think that's even less equitable than the current system to be honest.

 

[00Stinger]

3 groups of 6.

Play everyone in your group twice (10 games)

Play teams in other groups once (12) games. Each year you reverse the home team so that you play home every 2 years and away on alternate years.

Problem solved.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Status quo is best measure of equalisation AFL can do ahead of time - which is what they want - leave it as is

Agreed
The Derbies aren't really unfair as the matchup is included as a double up based on the rivals finishing position. It is a guess but I cant see anyone winning a flag because their double ups perform worse in the following season. Might get you into finals but you'll get found out there.

 

[doppleganger]

You mean like the draft?

The draft and salary cap are equalisation methods, they are big picture long term measures, different kettle of fish to individual seasons.

The AFL is now handicapping teams based on last years performance.

It is like a horse race, finish top 6, the previous year you get 60kg. Finish middle 6 you get 58kg, finish bottom 6 you get 55kg.

They only started doing this recently, and it is to try and manufacture a closer season, with more ‘blockbusters’.

It is a load of sh1te.

 

[doppleganger]

3 groups of 6.

Play everyone in your group twice (10 games)

Play teams in other groups once (12) games. Each year you reverse the home team so that you play home every 2 years and away on alternate years.

Problem solved.

Yep, but should just call them conferences and be done with it.

You are ranked against the other teams who have the same fixture. And then best few make it out to finals.

 

[00Stinger]

Yep, but should just call them conferences and be done with it.

You are ranked against the other teams who have the same fixture. And then best few make it out to finals.

Yep.
One conference has the two SA teams and WA teams every year.
One conference has the two NSW and two Queensland teams every year.
The 10 Victorian teams could rotate every two year to keep the fixture fair as far as travel goes

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Nationally televised tv event with balls in a bowl. Purely random.

I'd still have guaranteed double-ups for non-Vic teams against their state rivals, mostly for travel purposes, but other than that a random draw works. Teams still get harder fixtures than others but at least it is transparent and not open to favourtism (or allegations of).

 

[Billy ray]

I'd still have guaranteed double-ups for non-Vic teams against their state rivals, mostly for travel purposes, but other than that a random draw works. Teams still get harder fixtures than others but at least it is transparent and not open to favourtism (or allegations of).

Yep. Game 18 is a return game for nonvic teams and maybe even vic teams if they can agree on a rival. And then random.
And the order of 22 games must be you play each team once before the double ups.

 

[GreaterWeStener]

Should a team that plays double ups against the teams finishing 14-18 have a higher ranking going into the finals than a team that doubles up against 5 top 8 teams? Even when they end finish on equal points? When there is less than 10 % diff? That's the extreme example of the unfairness of the current system, and none of the suggested alternatives really address this fundamental issue.

Only 'Option 1' has the capability to significantly address this issue, but only if each grouping becomes a separate H&A section of the competition, with their own section table.