Autopsy AFL 2016 - "Round 24" - The Big Bye - What you liked, learnt and hated

[Gavin Excell]

Alright Ayn Rand.

His atlas, shrugged

 

[Connoisseur]

The 'problem' of clubs resting players was a flimsy pretext but if the Thursday night final rates as well as I expect then the bye is probably here to stay.

*ding ding ding*



It's basically Ch 7 getting their greedy way and wanting 3, instead of just 2, of the 4 first week finals in Prime Time to maximize their advertising revenue.

 

[Power Raid]

I hope there are no byes in October

 

[Banyo Bloods]

I was bye curious but it wasn't as exciting as I'd hoped

 

[Rise_up_Stiffy]

I don't know how much of it is to do with the fact that my club threw away a top 2 spot, but I have experienced a serious disconnection from the AFL finals series due to lack of momentum from this bye week. However I'm sure by the time Friday night rolls around it will be back. In summation, I don't know if this is a good idea or not.

 

[Bokonon]

Well it pisses me of. Ànother nervious week waiting for our first final, in an otherwise great year.

I get finals bound ckubs might rest players when the ladder positions are setalthough that didn't happen this year.
I'm not sure about other clubs but last year at our club I think every guy that turned up with a bruise at training in the last couple of rounds, was sent off to an early break and told to get ready for a tough off season. Not sure if every club that doesn't make finals does it but maybe that's an issue as well that the bye wont change.

 

[NathanMX]

I agree with a poster on another thread about the bye. Make it between the prelims and grand final. Make the bye weekend grand finals for the VFL, SANFL, WAFL, NEAFL and whatever else. Have the Brownlow medal that weekend too (or maybe midweek after the prelims) making it more likely most teams can attend in Melbourne. Be a celebration of Australian Rules Australia wide before the finale the following weekend.

If teams wanna screw with momentum in Round 23 let them, did not help Fremantle or North much last year and North may join the Dockers at the bottom of the same cliff they fell off this season in 2017. The best team won, the teams that rested half their lists did not so big deal.

 

[Always Ballin]

"Last word on the bye".

I predict 7 more bye threads before Thursday night alone.

Alright Soooz enough from you.

 

[SwampCreature]

Yep you bet.

 

[Kram]

I agree with a poster on another thread about the bye. Make it between the prelims and grand final.

The NFL does that for the Super Bowl and it's beyond shit. This is better and makes a lot more sense.

 

[Collins-Langford-Ayres]

NORF and FREO ....

 

[bkozican]

Gill logic right...
"The bye was a success. The EJ game had record viewing and so did the womens game"

Probably because there was no week 1 of the finals on. Put the EJ game on this weekend and half the people will watch it...hmmm...so from a $$$ side...it probably was a success.

Damm it!!

 

[ExTasDeeMan]

2 weeks ago I was pumped for finals, now I'm outta steam.

 

[FootyJunkie]

How about an extra week of finals....

1st - BYE
1st Major Final - 2nd v 7th
2nd Major Final - 3rd v 6th
3rd Major Final - 4th v 5th
Minor Final - 8th v 9th

Major Final winners join 1st in the Qualifying Finals.
Major Finals losers join the winner of the Minor Final in the Elimination Finals.
Then same Final 8 as we have now, but switch opponents to prevent repeat match ups so frequently.

So...

Fri N - 3rd Major Final
GWS v Adelaide - Showground
Sat - 2nd Major Final
Hawthorn v West Coast - ES
Sat N - 1st Major Final
Geelong v Bulldogs - MCG
Sun - Minor Final
North Melb v St.Kilda - MCG

Fri N - 1st Qualifying Final
Sydney v Adelaide - SCG
Sat - 2nd Qualifying Final
Geelong v Hawthorn - MCG
Sat N - 2nd Elimination Final
West Coast v Bulldogs - Subiaco
Sun - 1st Elimination Final
GWS v North Melb - Showground

Sat - 2nd Semi Final
Geelong v GWS - MCG
Sat N - 1st Semi Final
Adelaide v West Coast - Adelaide Oval

Fri N - 1st Preliminary Final
Sydney v Geelong - SCG
Sat T - 2nd Preliminary Final
Hawthorn v West Coast - MCG

Sat - Grand Final
Sydney v Hawthorn - MCG

 

[JackFlash]

Describe 'momentum' to me in a football finals context.

The continuance of impetus toward a certain climax, a gradual build up of anticipation and excitement. The competition is moving forward after a long 23 round season and we all know who the top teams are, let them play each other immediately as all of these teams have finely tuned themselves to actually reach this point in the exercise! You want the adrenaline flowing, why pull the rug out from under our feet just as we get to the business end of the season?
There is a greater chance this year if Geelong and Sydney win this week they will both miss the GF. This stop start process cannot be good for any of the top 4 winning teams. I might have a tenner on Adelaide & West Coast to play off...
"Sometimes thinking too much can destroy your momentum." - Tom Watson Champion Golfer.
This is the AFL's main problem....
They over think things at AFL headquarters and due to a knee jerk reaction to last years final round fiasco we have this nonsense this year. Gillon is an expert in "Management Speak" which is the art of saying nothing with as many words as possible in order to confuse and disguise your real intentions. You then fend off the arguments against your stupid decision by spouting gibberish until they go away.

 

[JackFlash]

Considering stratts got another week rest I feel deep down I liked the bye
But on other hand I missed footy finals

So it works in reverse also?

 

[shintemaster]

It was a dumb idea that had a predictably sh*t result. Ironically I think it has helped North Melbourne more than any other team. I'm still yet to understand what the big "fiasco" was last year. Teams should always be able to rest whoever they wish at whatever time they wish to achieve the best result for the team that year.

 

[BlakeyNoFlakey]

Here's an idea. Make sure all teams have played each other once before the last round. Then leave it unfixtured until the week before it's played. Have the last round be a split round. In the first week you have all the top 8 teams play each other old style 1v8, 2v7 etc., in the second week you have all the rest play each other, giving the top 8 teams a bye before the finals, but keeping the football going.

 

[Seeds]

The continuance of impetus toward a certain climax, a gradual build up of anticipation and excitement. The competition is moving forward after a long 23 round season and we all know who the top teams are, let them play each other immediately as all of these teams have finely tuned themselves to actually reach this point in the exercise! You want the adrenaline flowing, why pull the rug out from under our feet just as we get to the business end of the season?
There is a greater chance this year if Geelong and Sydney win this week they will both miss the GF. This stop start process cannot be good for any of the top 4 winning teams. I might have a tenner on Adelaide & West Coast to play off...
"Sometimes thinking too much can destroy your momentum." - Tom Watson Champion Golfer.
This is the AFL's main problem....
They over think things at AFL headquarters and due to a knee jerk reaction to last years final round fiasco we have this nonsense this year. Gillon is an expert in "Management Speak" which is the art of saying nothing with as many words as possible in order to confuse and disguise your real intentions. You then fend off the arguments against your stupid decision by spouting gibberish until they go away.

Crowds are historically poor for first finals because of the lack of break between the home and away and finals. Too little difference between home and away and finals. The bye has built momentum by making the finals feel more elevated compared to the regular season. Feels a bit like the start of a new season. Not to mention all teams will be much healthier with the break. Nearly every side has players coming back to bolster their team. The bye has been a massive success from all angles. Im super pumped.

 

[Heardy_101]

Was a very unpredictable round. The Bye's form going into the Bye was erratic and hard to pick if the Bye would win and by how much. The Bye however proved us right and showed us HOW RIDCULOUS AND BORING THIS WEEK WAS..

Buzz kill much!!

 

[jenny61_99]

womens football is pure tokenism and a huge waste of time.

It's the largest growing sport in this country. Best you get used to it.

 

[Xtreme]

It's the largest growing sport in this country. Best you get used to it.

it will fail and eventually have worse viewer numbers than lawn bowls

 

[Seeds]

Only a moron would declare the bye a failure before even the first finals game has been played. The bye wasnt supposed to be exciting or fun. That is the point of a bye. Nothing happens.

 

[jwint43]

I think with more content the general bye will work. I like the idea that every team gets a week off to prepare their players to be as fresh as possible for the finals, so that teams like NM who would probably get smashed without the bye can now prepare as best as possible and we should get 4 quality games. But the bye itself needs more happening, maybe produce a documentary to show on sunday night about last seasons premiers similar to the nfl/nba championship documentaries along with the AA/MVP awards, womens all star game and legends match.

 

[JackFlash]

Crowds are historically poor for first finals because of the lack of break between the home and away and finals. Too little difference between home and away and finals. The bye has built momentum by making the finals feel more elevated compared to the regular season. Feels a bit like the start of a new season. Not to mention all teams will be much healthier with the break. Nearly every side has players coming back to bolster their team. The bye has been a massive success from all angles. Im super pumped.

Well, let's hope McEvoy and Stratton play stinkers!!