Wildcard Weekend

[Dan26]

I'd be embarrassed if the Swans made the finals while finishing 10th. At least now I can be proud of our finals record, but this format would totally eliminate that.

Why would you be embarassed? Tenth out of 18 is not the same as 10th out of 16.

Tenth out of 18 is virtually the same as finishing 8th out of 15 in 1994.

Was what happend in 1994 bad for the game? I've asked that a few times and received no answer? Was the last few H&A rounds in 1994 less excitng than what they would have been if there were only 6 teams in the finals? Should Collingwood have been embarrassed about making the finals that year?

Was that year bad? What happened in 1994 that was so bad, that the season structure was bad for the game??

Can some please answer that, for crying out loud? What was so bad about 1994?

 

[Mr Meeseeks]

At the moment, half our teams get to play in the finals, and I believe that is already too many, so why increase that percentage.

Leave the finals as they are, FOR EVER, no matter how many teams we bring in, keep it as a final eight and make the teams "earn" their spot in the finals.

With 10 teams missing the finals, imagine how many dead rubbers there will be in the second half of the season.

 

[Dan26]

They don't tinker with rules

The NFL tinker with the rules nearly every season. There have been a million technical changes to the rules. Far more than any other professional football league in the world. They even introduced a rule MID SEASON this year regarding head high contact.

don't play a mickey mouse pre-season competition,

No, instead, they just play 3 or 4 practice matches.

In the AFL, we play 4 practice games but we have them as part of a tournament so there is something to win. Why is that a bad thing?

Teams are going to be playing 3-4 practice matches anyway, right? So, you may as well make them part of an official tournament. The other option is still play the pracitce matches but don't have a tournament.

Surely 4 practie matches as part of a tournamnet with a trophy on offer is better than 4 practice matches with no tournament and no trophy on offer?

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

Why would you be embarassed? Tenth out of 18 is not the same as 10th out of 16.

I'd be embarrassed because I don't think a 10th placed team deserves a chance to competing with teams that finished much higher and probably won 3-4 more games during the season. A top 8 now is a little iffy but you can still feel proud of finishing in the top half of the league, falling over the line into 10th place and then getting the chance to actually compete with the best teams is ridiculous.

Tenth out of 18 is virtually the same as finishing 8th out of 15 in 1994.

I don't care about 1994, but even if you want to spin it that way 10 is still bigger than 8 and the quality of matches will be lower than it needs to be. We have a better chance than ever to give a final 8 some respectability because making the finals will mean you're in the minority and being a top 8 side will be a decent achievement.

There are people suggesting that the last few rounds will have more "meaningless games" but that's sport, not everyone can win and then you're left playing for pride. If my team considered a game meaningless because they were out of finals calculations with a month to go then I'd be seriously questioning the way my club is being operated.

 

[FootyJunkie]

Can some please answer that, for crying out loud? What was so bad about 1994?

AFL realized that the Final 6, both versions, was not ideal, yet they did not want to wait another year for Freo to join, hence bringing in the Final 8 pre-maturely in 1994.

 

[Keys]

NFL is also 16 teams from 30 that make playoffs (ie 8 of from from each conference). Unlike the NBA, NFL plays individual knock-out games. In 2010, the team with the best record during the regular season, Washington, bombed out to Montreal in week 1........they were gone, no double chance....as it should be.

NFL is also knock-out, they have wildcard which works because every now and then there is an upset.

MLB is knock-out.......they have historically been only 8 teams make the playoffs.......but co-incidentally they are currently talking about expanding playoffs to 10 for the 2012 season. The expansion is seen as inevitable as no objections from any owners or GMs.

It doesn't matter which league you choose, they are all knock-out....as any system with finals should be.



In 2005 Richmond finished 12th....guaranteed I thought?!

NFL has 32 teams and only twelve teams make the playoffs - the four division winners in each conference plus the two teams with the next best records in each confernce as wildcards. This system was the same when they had 28 teams.

As to MLB and NBA - yes they're knockout finals but they play a best of format so it isn't one loss and you're out - big difference

Why would you be embarassed? Tenth out of 18 is not the same as 10th out of 16.

Tenth out of 18 is virtually the same as finishing 8th out of 15 in 1994.

Was what happend in 1994 bad for the game? I've asked that a few times and received no answer? Was the last few H&A rounds in 1994 less excitng than what they would have been if there were only 6 teams in the finals? Should Collingwood have been embarrassed about making the finals that year?

Was that year bad? What happened in 1994 that was so bad, that the season structure was bad for the game??

Can some please answer that, for crying out loud? What was so bad about 1994?

Finals places should be reserved for the best teams. It is stupid to play 22 rounds to elimiante less than half the teams from contention then spend 4 weeks to reduce the remainder to a single winner.

Increasing the number of teams in finals is nothing but a money grab and has nothing to do with the integrity of the competition. Only once in the history of the final 8 has a team from outside the top 4 won the flag and that was courtesy of a flawed system. Finals between the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th teams are pointless and 9th and 10th have no place in finals - they will be teams who were either inconsistent, failed to maintain early momentum or gained momentum after a poor start.

 

[FootyJunkie]

So the finals would last 5 weeks?

 

[Smokin]

Hey, Ive had this idea for a couple years now!!

It will not hurt, adds revenue and the big bonus is it limits a little the number of 'dead' games towards the back end of the season.

But I went further, many average punters cant see their teams play in the big finals, so on this wildcard weekend the other 6 teams must agree to hold an open training session/family day on the sat or sun at their base.

Just another step to ensure the fans are connected/relevant to the local community and get the hype into the finals into overdrive.

 

[Smokin]

I'd be embarrassed if the Swans made the finals while finishing 10th. At least now I can be proud of our finals record, but this format would totally eliminate that.

drama queen much?

but you havnt made the finals anyway, it is the wildcard - with a questionable draw scenario we have the 4 spots are invited into a wildcard playoff for the right to JOIN the finals.

See, i worded it different.

 

[The Big Steele]

Why have a regular season at all. Just have finals.

 

[glenn_ox]

I don't understand the comparisons to 1994? 8 from 15 only happened once. When talking about 10 from 18 we're discussing a long term change to the way our finals our structured.

 

[DeadlyAkkuret]

drama queen much?

but you havnt made the finals anyway, it is the wildcard - with a questionable draw scenario we have the 4 spots are invited into a wildcard playoff for the right to JOIN the finals.

See, i worded it different.

Call it what you like, but the idea remains shit and no team finishing 10th should be given any chance of qualifying for the finals.

See, it's still shit.

 

[cammo78]

This system works in the NFL as it is not a reward for mediocrity. The wildcard spots go to the 5th and 6th placed of 16 teams in each conference - even less than our current final 8.

Leave the bloody game alone!!!

 

[Dr Awkward]

A top 8 is already a bit generous, having a top 10 is just ridiculous and devalues the finals series. The finals series should be about seeing really high quality footy.

 

[Dr Awkward]

Why would you be embarassed? Tenth out of 18 is not the same as 10th out of 16.

Tenth out of 18 is virtually the same as finishing 8th out of 15 in 1994.

Was what happend in 1994 bad for the game? I've asked that a few times and received no answer? Was the last few H&A rounds in 1994 less excitng than what they would have been if there were only 6 teams in the finals? Should Collingwood have been embarrassed about making the finals that year?

Was that year bad? What happened in 1994 that was so bad, that the season structure was bad for the game??

Can some please answer that, for crying out loud? What was so bad about 1994?

Mate stop bringing up 1994. Firstly, 8 out of 15 is better than 10 out of 18. And secondly, 1994 was not ideal either and a league with 15 teams should only have a final 6.

 

[sidebum]

Finals places should be reserved for the best teams. It is stupid to play 22 rounds to elimiante less than half the teams from contention then spend 4 weeks to reduce the remainder to a single winner.

Increasing the number of teams in finals is nothing but a money grab and has nothing to do with the integrity of the competition. Only once in the history of the final 8 has a team from outside the top 4 won the flag and that was courtesy of a flawed system. Finals between the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th teams are pointless and 9th and 10th have no place in finals - they will be teams who were either inconsistent, failed to maintain early momentum or gained momentum after a poor start.

100% spot on.

 

[doppleganger]

If an NBA, NHL or MLB team lose the first game of their best of 7 finals series are they out of the playoffs? With your system if a team loses one game they're out. That is the basis of my knockout argument you cannot fairly compare the two as AFL does not use a best of system we use a one game decider, that is why the only fair comparison is NFL which accepts just over a third of teams into playoffs and is also decided in one game.

That is true....and probably the first fair argument against the idea.

It doesn't matter though, even in a 7 game series the top team has been knocked out.....which goes to show that once you enter finals it is about performing then.

Im not really fussed with 10, 8 or 6.....

But we need to somehow remove the double chance, which usually simply gives two average teams (3rd and 4th) an extra chance.

The 10 system is the best, in that it keeps the current format of 4 weeks of finals

 

[Pie eyed]

This system works in the NFL as it is not a reward for mediocrity. The wildcard spots go to the 5th and 6th placed of 16 teams in each conference - even less than our current final 8.

Leave the bloody game alone!!!

All other discussion and debate should cease so that all footy fans can stand united to get this single point across as an absolute priority.

 

[doppleganger]

This system works in the NFL as it is not a reward for mediocrity. The wildcard spots go to the 5th and 6th placed of 16 teams in each conference - even less than our current final 8.

Leave the bloody game alone!!!

Systems change.

MLB are doing the exact same expansion....ie moving from 8 to 10 teams. Creating a wildcard weekend, where teams 6-10 play each other for the right to be teams 7 & 8 of the playoffs.

Are there complaints....nup.

Why are people so obsessed with the top 8 and the stupid double chance given to the 4th placed team??

 

[loki04]

The issue is that you want the most number of teams still a chance at the end of the year. Thats where the 10 with a wild card weekend works. You get 2 extra teams having an extra week. You get the bye for the best teams that people have suggested they want to have the best players rested for the finals.

I would love after the wild card weekend that they went to a 8 v 1, 2 v 7, 6 v 3 and 4 v 5 with no second chances and no weekends off (after the first week).

JMTC

But it no longer rewards the top teams who finish the season proper, the double chance for the top 4 is a good reward.

Also having 10/18 make finals is a joke, final 8 is the perfect number imo.

 

[krusden]

Should be a double chance for top 2.

damn right.

having a knockout in week 2 of the finals is a bit silly without an incentive for finishing 1st or 2nd. Essentially, there'd be no point at all finishing top 2 if there was a knock out in week 2 for all teams.

 

[glenn_ox]

Systems change.

MLB are doing the exact same expansion....ie moving from 8 to 10 teams. Creating a wildcard weekend, where teams 6-10 play each other for the right to be teams 7 & 8 of the playoffs.

Are there complaints....nup.

Why are people so obsessed with the top 8 and the stupid double chance given to the 4th placed team??

Can you verify this?

 

[markr]

Excellent idea. They should have 5th play 8th and 6th play 7th for two "wildcard" spots. The top four could then play off, with the winners of those games moving on, and the losers having to play the "wildcard" winners.

Then the winners of those games could play the winners of the original top 4 games in like, a second to last final. A "preliminary" final if you will. Then the winners of those games could play of in one last big "grand" final.

 

[doppleganger]

Can you verify this?

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/6031206/mlb_playoff_expansion_likely_in_2012.html

It makes sense.

Gives greater reward to top 6 - ie a better situation than the current top 8, ie the people complaining about top 8 rewarding mediocrity should be happy.

Removes the stupid double chance - the 4th placed team (ie the dogs last year) why the feck did an average team like that deserve a double chance??

 

[The Big Steele]

Surely we need 3 conferences.

Winner and second of each conference go into the finals.

And two wild cards.

Brilliant system.