30 Rounds - AFL must act

[RED STRIPE MAGIC]

the simple thing would be for all footy clubs to be able to have a larger list of players to choose from. make it 50 or 55 players. you might think it to much however clubs wont have to play the same players every week and you can give them rest. also older players would be able to stay playing the game they love alot longer and younger players would be given more of a chance to prove them selve then what they currently have at the moment. i say lets make the game where each club plays each other twice. it only fair.

why should a **** team play a good team twice and another **** team plays a good team once. thats not fair.

 

[RED STRIPE MAGIC]

the word is s h i t.

 

[telsor]

A question for those wanting a longer season..

Where will they play?

Cricket season will still run into late march, and have first claim on several grounds until then.

 

[juddy_Like]

Why Not just have a Final 4.
The bottom 4 of the 8 are generall making up the numbers so why not rid them. Open to ideas though.

 

[Big John]

Shortening the game and allowing more interchange players won't help. We'l just end up with more flooding as players are more able to keep running for the shorter game. I don't think anybody wants that.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Unfortunately, there is no 'spoon'.

Ideas like my last division one still have problems where in being rotational on a 3 yr basis, you would play a powerful Port, say, in 2004 once, but another team gets to play them twice in 2006 when they're weak. Inside any given year the fairness should apply. As that is the benchmark itself (one season) for determining the champion. You can't have systems that are rotational on a 2 or 3 or 4 year basis. I'm finding fault with my idea here, not criticizing anyone elses.

Another good point made by telsor about the cricket season, why a longer season can't work, among all the others already mentioned.

Perhaps the solution is in finding a FAIRER system, as opposed to a FAIR system. Fairer could involve what Pessimistic's early post suggested. Even tho there would be some missed blockbusters etc, at least it would be FAIRER.

That is....15 rounds played. Each team plays each other once. Comp then 'split' into two groups of 8 based on top 8 and bottom 8. They all play each other once. 22 total. At least in this way, from year to year the randomness would even out. Of course, this is currently what the system is, but not as pointed as Pessimistic's idea.

More importantly, the insistence on a FAIRER system would at least entail a more equal spread of scheduling. No teams greatly favored like Collingwood is. Even spread of Friday night games etc.

 

[G.O.B]

Apart from the physical toll this idea would have on the players, has anybody considered how many "dead" games a 30 round season would create.
Could you imagine having a club with no finals aspirations having to play out the "last" 10-15 games of the season.
Could you imagine having 2 teams that already play an unattractive brand of football slogging it out in Rd.29 when both teams are sitting pretty on a 6-22 win/loss ratio.
Putrid idea.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Apart from the physical toll this idea would have on the players, has anybody considered how many "dead" games a 30 round season would create.
Could you imagine having a club with no finals aspirations having to play out the "last" 10-15 games of the season.
Could you imagine having 2 teams that already play an unattractive brand of football slogging it out in Rd.29 when both teams are sitting pretty on a 6-22 win/loss ratio.
Putrid idea.

More excellent reasons why more games is no good.

 

[Frankston Rover]

Cricket season?

Western Australia play at the WACA, not Subiaco.
South Australia play at the Adelaide Oval, not Football Park
Sydney could play at Telstra Stadium
Victoria already play at the Junction Oval.

The only team that could potentially face problems is Brisbane.

Given the Australian cricket teams games finish on the 13th February, it would only be the domestic comp that may be disadvantaged. Big deal, they don't use the grounds anyway.

Divisions won't work as there will always be the chance of a stronger side dominating the division yet three other teams of equal talent could suffer in another division.

As for the "dead rubber" arguement, big deal. We will always have that problem no matter how many games we play. If we go back to 15 rounds, imagine watching two sides who are 2-12. Same problem with less rounds.

I'd rather still go and watch my side play.

I like the idea of players being restricted to say 25 games out of 30 and seeing who can best manage their list, that idea appeals on so many levels. It would add tactics to a game weeks before it was played. It would allow players a rest mid season and give opportunity to other players on the list.

Great idea.

 

[Bealey21]

Go to a 30 round season. Expand the team list by 6 to 8 players currently 42?? ( someone could correct me) to possibly 50 ( expand salary cap too obviously) and the bench from 4 to 6. Shorten the quarters by a couple of minutes and extra breaks between quarters. Then cap each player to 25 games per H & A season. Coachs then manage playing list accordingly If players get injured, shorten long term injury list to 4 weeks so you can promote rookies. If playing list gets destroyed by injuries and available players list gets to a minimum number say 40 then players maximum games lifts to 27 per H&A. This way a 30 round H&A is possible.

 

[likka]

In the interests of fairness and credibility for the competition surely the AFL must go to a 30 round H&A season.

Every other major sporting code play home and away.

The EPL play 38 rounds, 19 home games and 19 away games.

Rather than have the useless and pointless NAB Cup, get rid of it and make it an even unbiased competition.

This way there can be no doubt about the fairness of the draw.

You haven't really thought this through have you...

More chance of falling back to a 15 game season, with an extended and lucrative pre-season (or extended finals structure) than extending it to 30 rounds.

Never mind the effect on the players longevity and the financial impact on the clubs, logistically it would never work with MCG scheduling.

AFL is a high impact sport, as opposed to EPL and NBA. The effects of the game on the body are completely different.

The NFL is the nearest example you should be drawing on. They only have a 15 week season, plus playoffs.

 

[Papa G]

The AFL either grow some nads and pisses off 2 teams and play a 26 round season (which is the absolute maximum), or we just stop the fcuk complaining. Pure and simple.

 

[The Kipster]

I agree with Frankston, reduce the stupid finals set up for a start and get back to the top 5 or 6 max......clubs would have to have lists increased and learn to utilise the list better....

Frankston don't worry about the other fools they don't have a clue....

 

[lachystar]

The best way to make this fair and keep it at 22 rounds is this:

Split the league into two conferences with Vic teams in each.
The Conference teams play each other twice (14 Games)
You play the other conference sides once (8 Games)

You rotate the home game for the other conference games year by year.

This will make it fairer and also stop the Victorian teams cannabalizing their home ground advantages with each other.

The only issue will be how you structure the finals. I would take the top 4 teams of each conference myself but even if you just set the ladder up as we do now it is no different then how it operates today.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

The best way to make this fair and keep it at 22 rounds is this:

Split the league into two conferences with Vic teams in each.
The Conference teams play each other twice (14 Games)
You play the other conference sides once (8 Games)

You rotate the home game for the other conference games year by year.

This will make it fairer and also stop the Victorian teams cannabalizing their home ground advantages with each other.

The only issue will be how you structure the finals. I would take the top 4 teams of each conference myself but even if you just set the ladder up as we do now it is no different then how it operates today.

Like This:

DIVISION 1

Adelaide
Carlton
Essendon
Fremantle
Geelong
Kangaroos
St. Kilda
Sydney

DIVISION 2:

Brisbane
Coll'wood
Hawthorn
Melbourne
Richmond
Port
West Coast
Bulldogs

 

[konstas_87]

In the interests of fairness and credibility for the competition surely the AFL must go to a 30 round H&A season.

Every other major sporting code play home and away.

The EPL play 38 rounds, 19 home games and 19 away games.

Rather than have the useless and pointless NAB Cup, get rid of it and make it an even unbiased competition.

This way there can be no doubt about the fairness of the draw.

if the season was 30 rounds the last 5 rounds would just be last man standing stuff, and no1 would be fit come finals time.
30 rds is NOT the answer.

 

[Sir_Adrian84]

38 games works in the premier league because a lot of the 20 positions have rewards or punishments.

1st wins the league
2nd automatically qualifies for the group stage of the champions league
3 and 4 make the champions league qualifiers
5,6,7 make the UEFA Cup
8,9 make the Intertoto Cup qualifiers for the UEFA Cup (don't know if this still exists)
18,19,20 are relegated.

So teams have incentive to play well to get a higher position and more money and not to get relegated.

30 rounds in the AFL could work if there was an AFL 2 where the Top 8 in AFL 1 make the finals, bottom 2 are relegated and 13 and 14 play off against 3 and 4 from AFL 2.

 

[Frankston Rover]

You haven't really thought this through have you...

Yes, I have actually. Maybe you should too.

More chance of falling back to a 15 game season, with an extended and lucrative pre-season (or extended finals structure) than extending it to 30 rounds.

Extended finals series??? What - a top 10? or 12? Please.

And only 15 H&A games? Are the players that fragile are they?

Geez, you'd think we played a fight to death type sport. These guys are athletes and they are well paid to perform. An extra 8 games a year won't kill them.

Never mind the effect on the players longevity and the financial impact on the clubs, logistically it would never work with MCG scheduling.

WTF??? More games, more revenue, more TV coverage. And there are more grounds than the G. Poor excuses.

AFL is a high impact sport, as opposed to EPL and NBA. The effects of the game on the body are completely different.

High impact like, say, the NRL? How many rounds does their season go for again? Geez, you haven't really thought this through have you

The NFL is the nearest example you should be drawing on. They only have a 15 week season, plus playoffs.

No it's not the nearest example. They have offensive and defensive teams and play a completely different sport. Rugby would be my nearest exapmle and as I've stated above, the NRL play 26 rounds plus finals.

Stop being so precious about the players.

 

[Frankston Rover]

if the season was 30 rounds the last 5 rounds would just be last man standing stuff, and no1 would be fit come finals time.
30 rds is NOT the answer.

Bloody hell, we've had kids play the U18's in the morning and play Seniors in the afternoon at local clubs. It happened at Somerville this year.

Was the kid ruining his career? Or was he just keen and fit to play?

If we restrict the amount of games a player can play in a 30 round season to 25, then he would (potentially) get a 5 week break mid season or 5 x 1 week breaks throughout the season.

Again, these are MEN we are talking about. Grown men who play a contact sport. Not the Portland U13 Girls netball team.

Stop being so bloody precious. "Oh, poor Hirdy will get tired by Rd 24." Boo hoo, it's supposed to be a tough competition. That's why we love it.

 

[Papa G]

Bloody hell, we've had kids play the U18's in the morning and play Seniors in the afternoon at local clubs. It happened at Somerville this year.

Was the kid ruining his career? Or was he just keen and fit to play?

If we restrict the amount of games a player can play in a 30 round season to 25, then he would (potentially) get a 5 week break mid season or 5 x 1 week breaks throughout the season.

Again, these are MEN we are talking about. Grown men who play a contact sport. Not the Portland U13 Girls netball team.

Stop being so bloody precious. "Oh, poor Hirdy will get tired by Rd 24." Boo hoo, it's supposed to be a tough competition. That's why we love it.

I think also public interest would wane with 30 rounds. Imagine if your team had won 2 games by round 15. No chance of finals and still a hell of a long way to go till the end of the season and not a whole lot to look forward to.

 

[The Kipster]

I'll reiterate - lists to be increased to cope with the extra games, lists then as now need to be managed appropraitely - so your stars might not play the full 30 for instance may play some early and be used as a trump card later in the year.....

You blokes are mad....an even amount of games can be done, if thought about properly...this uneven draw is stupid and the 2 conference thing is stupid as well IMO....

 

[likka]

Extended finals series??? What - a top 10? or 12? Please.

No, multiple game series. Just a suggestion, the final 5-6 rounds are usually boring anyway with many teams tanking for draft picks. Extending to 30 would reduce the final third of the season into snoresville.

WTF??? More games, more revenue, more TV coverage. And there are more grounds than the G. Poor excuses.

Cricket season encroaches on MCG, SCG, Gabba, Subiaco, WACA availability... where you gunna play these extra games? Most other suburban grouds are still in use for district cricket also (ie Optus Oval, Junction Oval, etc). Factor in the sponsorship arrangements with other sports at these grounds also.

More is not necessarily better.

Rugby would be my nearest exapmle and as I've stated above, the NRL play 26 rounds plus finals.

Fair point, but hasn't his only just been increased post Super League debacle? I thought the start and end of season for NRL and was pretty much aligned in past, give or take a week.

AFL players run much further than their NRL counterparts, which causes issues during Feb and March with heat. Maybe AFL could install air conditioning at Telstra Dome... the only ground available at this time of the year.

NRL can also do it as they play on square grounds that are not used for other sports (ie cricket), and only average around 10k to each game.

Stop being so precious about the players.

Without the players there is no game, their interests need to be looked after.

Do you seriously think the AFL has not looked into this option? Longer season is more money in the game but they came to the same conclusion... logistically not possible.

 

[Exe Gesis]

Some people really like certain ideas and push for it, but there are too many flaws in each of the ideas.

I like divisions, but it's flawed for many reasons. Others like 30 games, but it's even more flawed. Etc.

There isn't a solution that is going to please the AFL, the TV networks, the clubs, the players, the grounds situation, etc.

For one, the finals might need changing to a knock-out format. But again, the AFL would not go for that with a loss of $$.

Some of the divisional ideas are good, but you need to put rivalry teams together for big crowds. In doing that, you'll end up with a bunch of VIC teams who never travel and who score off being in the same division as Cwood, and unable to compete for Friday Night games.

The system currently is not too bad, the very problem with it is purely the way the AFL schedules it. Giving Cwood 18 Melb games a year purely for the $$. The AFL is not overly concerned with matters of fairness just dollars. So they are not going to have a heart-to-heart about the draw.

I have another idea brewing, but it wont be a solution.

 

[Big Punt]

Like This:

DIVISION 1

Adelaide
Carlton
Essendon
Fremantle
Geelong
Kangaroos
St. Kilda
Sydney

DIVISION 2:

Brisbane
Coll'wood
Hawthorn
Melbourne
Richmond
Port
West Coast
Bulldogs

The two divisions is clearly the fairest way to go IMO.

The divisions should not be fixed forever, they should change each year, depending on final placings in the preceding year, ie.

DIVISION 1
1st
4th
5th
8th
9th
12th
13th
16th

DIVISION 2
2nd
3rd
6th
7th
19th
11th
14th
15th

 

[Exe Gesis]

The 'problem' with two divisions that swap around based on standings, is that it is currently already the system.

That is not the essential problem, the WAY the afl schedules games IS!

Fix that and you correct most of the imbalance.