An idea for a Fairer Draw

[Buckemenico]

There is no doubt that the single most important issue facing the AFL competition is now the draw. Adelaide will finish 1 or 2, having played Gold Coast, GWS and Port Adelaide twice: massive ridiculous advantage over others around top 4-6 who will be belting the bejeesus out of each other in rounds 22-24 while Adelaide play Melbourne at home.
Anyway, I think this idea is plausible.

Rounds 1-17: Everyone plays each other once.
Rounds 18-22 are then determined based on the ladder positions after round 17.
- there will be 3 separate groups of 6 teams and each play each other once over those 5 rounds.
- the groups are (going by position on the ladder):
FIRST: 1,2,3,10, 11, 12.
SECOND: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
THIRD: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

All games in FIRST Group worth 5 points each.
All games in SECOND Group worth 4 points each.
All games in THIRD Group worth 3 points each.

Then ladder at end of round 22 and finals as per normal.

That way:
- great encouragement to finish high up after 17 rounds.
- top 3 after round 17 should stay in top 4, barring disaster.
- top 8 after round 17 likely to stay, because 10-12 will struggle.
- the 2nd time games will count for less, so discrepancies (like Adelaide this year) reduced heaps.

Probably some disadvantages, but I think advantages far outweigh them and worth discussing.

Currently, it is terrible that the draw is not discussed more. It is the single most unfair thing in our sport and not in line with any other sport in the world. It is unacceptable and the media should be writing more about this than chicken wings.

 

[Hawkinspired]

There is no doubt that the single most important issue facing the AFL competition is now the draw. Adelaide will finish 1 or 2, having played Gold Coast, GWS and Port Adelaide twice: massive ridiculous advantage over others around top 4-6 who will be belting the bejeesus out of each other in rounds 22-24 while Adelaide play Melbourne at home.
Anyway, I think this idea is plausible.

Rounds 1-17: Everyone plays each other once.
Rounds 18-22 are then determined based on the ladder positions after round 17.
- there will be 3 separate groups of 6 teams and each play each other once over those 5 rounds.
- the groups are (going by position on the ladder):
FIRST: 1,2,3,10, 11, 12.
SECOND: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
THIRD: 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.

All games in FIRST Group worth 5 points each.
All games in SECOND Group worth 4 points each.
All games in THIRD Group worth 3 points each.

Then ladder at end of round 22 and finals as per normal.

That way:
- great encouragement to finish high up after 17 rounds.
- top 3 after round 17 should stay in top 4, barring disaster.
- top 8 after round 17 likely to stay, because 10-12 will struggle.
- the 2nd time games will count for less, so discrepancies (like Adelaide this year) reduced heaps.

Probably some disadvantages, but I think advantages far outweigh them and worth discussing.

Currently, it is terrible that the draw is not discussed more. It is the single most unfair thing in our sport and not in line with any other sport in the world. It is unacceptable and the media should be writing more about this than chicken wings.

At the end of the day it's a business and by not having the big clubs playing twice will be less money or everyone. The by product of this is the small clubs play each other twice.

 

[Great 2008]

Like your effort Buckimenico. This thread will go well when we finish 5th and Adelaide end up fourth...........which is within the realms of possibility.

 

[B&GBlood]

What if we replace the current final system with an alternate round robbin eight.

Odds play each other, evens play each other. After 3 weeks best two on points and % if necessary play off in the GF.
More games for everyone, more money for the AFL.

This does lessen the advantage the top 4 get but given some teams have been given such a good run this would even things up a bit by eliminating the rest in semi-final week which isn't available to 5 and below.

Teams in position 1 & 2 might get some advantage by letting them chose the order they play each of the 3 lesser teams in their group. Not sure how to give the top teams some sort of reward; maybe money.

 

[bumsonseats]

I was listening to SEN last night, and one suggestion put forward was that you only played for premiership points against the teams you play twice. Would be interesting to redo last years ladder on this methodology......and see what it does to this years ladder at years end.....?? Again, same concept though.....you play each of the other 17 teams in the first 17 rounds. Dont know what difference it would make.......but would be interesting to see.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Someone once said, if you ever come up with the perfect minor round, you wouldn't need finals to determine the best team.

Easy fixturing hasn't helped Carlton much this season has it? Say what you like, but no matter how uneven a "draw" seems to be, usually the better two sides will be lining up against each other on Grand Final day.

 

[michael05]

There will always be problems with the draw when the sides don't play each other twice.

My preference would be for the AFL to set up 3 conferences of 6 teams. Each club plays each other once and the clubs within the conference twice. The anomalies with the draw would sort themselves out over time. Some years the draw would be easier than others depending on how the teams in the conference perform.

As an example:

Western Conference

West Coast, Freo, Adelaide, Port, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne.

Northern Conference

Sydney, GWS, Brisbane, GC, North Melbourne and St Kilda.

Southern Conference

Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Geelong and Richmond.

The benefits are that:-

1 The AFL gets the blockbusters it wants each year;

2 There can be no argument about the draw each year; and

3 There can be no blaming the draw by some supporters.

What do you think??

 

[Flukey!]

17 rounds plus finals.

 

[Rushed_Behind]

17 rds each team plays each other once.

then split into 3 groups. 1-6, 7-12, 13-18.

Now what happens next is the teams that finish 1-6 play each other once, to decide top4 etc, 7-12 will decide the last 2 spots in the 8 bit like a wildcard playoff, and 13-18 they can play for whatever makes them happy.

1 unfair thing in this will be teams might play wce in perth whereas others will play them here, but the solution to that is each team will have to travel to perth once, same for adelaide. if you play wce in perth you play frfeo here, if you play port there you play adelaide at home, and so on.

2nd unfair thing is once you make the top 6 after 17 rds you cant slip out even if you dont win a game in "conference play", but i dont see it that way as you won enough games to make it there and you are playing the elite of the comp that year.

just an opinion.

wasnt a fan with the OP as i dont like the idea of different amount of points being awarded for games. 4 points for a win 2 for a draw. simple.

 

[StevenwellerHFC]

I think the key to a good fixture is playin every team once before round 18, i can't for the life of me understand why on earth teams have played each other twice round 15.

Round 18 play the same team you played in round one and keep going until round 23. It doesn't have to be as difficult as the AFL make it.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

i can't for the life of me understand why on earth teams have played each other twice round 15.

The problem here is you are thinking like a football supporter. It's the AFL who do the fixturing, and all that concerns them is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

 

[seysearles]

www.the fixture.com.au (remove space in url to make work)

 

[seysearles]

Western Conference

West Coast, Freo, Adelaide, Port, Western Bulldogs and Melbourne.

Northern Conference Pretty sure this league and the teams in it would go broke and pack up in one season.

Sydney, GWS, Brisbane, GC, North Melbourne and St Kilda.

Southern Conference

Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn, Geelong and Richmond.

 

[Davo23]

The Fixture will not work, unless it provides for Collingwood to play 19 of 22 games at the MCG.

Got to give the Pies every chance!

 

[PenAndPaper]

If you were going to split it into three groups for the remaining games then it would be better to go
1,4,7,10,13,16
2,5,8,11,14,17
3,6,9,12,15,18

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Western Conference

Northern Conference


Southern Conference

What do you think??

I think if we start using w***er American terms like "conference", the game has well and truly passed me by.

 

[B&GBlood]

I think if we start using Moo American terms like "conference", the game has well and truly passed me by.

We could use mob instead and I still wouldn't like it!

 

[frankc]

there is a relatively simply way to have an equitable draw. As much as it pains me, split the AFL into two conferences, each team plays in their conference twice, and the teams in the other conference once. A 25 round season would make this work. get rid of the Pre-season and there would be a sufficient time.