Will this year’s NAB Cup be the last?
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By Michael DiFabrizio, 25 Jan 2010 Michael DiFabrizio is a Roar Expert
- Tagged:
- AFL, afl pre-season, NAB Cup
Geelong's David Wojcinski and Brad Ottens after winning the NAB Cup. Slattery Images
The NAB Cup is now less than three weeks away, which is welcome news for us footy-starved fans. An exciting season is just around the corner, and the pre-season competition offers our first taste of it all.
For all the criticism the competition cops, it will always have that going for it.
But for the first time in a long time, we’ll be going into the NAB Cup not knowing if it will be back a year later.
Next year will see the introduction of the Gold Coast, and Greater Western Sydney will enter a year later. With the added teams, the current format is pretty much unworkable.
On top of this, the likely expansion of the home and away season because of these new teams – a 24-week season has been heavily mooted – provides another complication. It could squeeze out room in the calendar for any more than two or three weeks of pre-season matches.
Even one of the competition’s biggest advocates, AFL chief Andrew Demetriou, has admitted it may come to an end.
Responding to a question a couple of years ago about whether the new teams spelt the end of the tournament, the league boss said: “I would think so.”
And as if the bells weren’t already ringing, NAB’s five-year partnership with the AFL conveniently wraps up in 2010.
So things aren’t looking bright for the future of the pre-season event, at least in its current set-up.
Some supporters wouldn’t mind hearing this, of course. A lot of people view the tournament as unnecessary.
But realistically speaking, there’s always going to be pre-season matches. There’d be very few professional sports leagues out there that don’t have them in one format or another. It’s no different for the AFL, and there’s no way these matches will disappear completely.
It just may be that the current system of holding the matches as part of a tournament can’t go on.
So what options are there?
A knockout system like the present set-up simply cannot work with 18 teams over four weeks, let alone anything shorter than that.
The only way it seemingly could is if you take two sides out, like the previous year’s grand finalists, for example, who would in theory have shorter pre-seasons than the other clubs. But that could make things a bit messy.
Perhaps all we’ll see in future years is three weeks of practice matches and a ladder at the end of it – with tie-breaking done according to a team’s percentage determining a winner.
Or perhaps all we’ll see in future years is just practice matches – nothing more, nothing less. No frills. No competition. No overall winner.
It’d be boring, and you wouldn’t think it’d get the sort of TV coverage we’re used to, but it’s a genuine possibility.
One gets the feeling the AFL may comment more once the tournament begins, but right now, it’s hard to tell what may happen.
So you might as well enjoy this year’s NAB Cup. It could be your last.
Follow Michael on twitter @mdifabrizio
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The Crowd Says (15) | Page 1 of Comments
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Michael C said | January 25th 2010 @ 8:49am | Report comment
we know it’ll be the last as we know it – as a 16 team neat knock out format.
James said | January 25th 2010 @ 12:07pm | Report comment
Yes it will be the end of it in its present format. TV ratings/money should not really come in to it as 2 weeks of the extra home and away will be 16 or 18 games (with 18 team competition). The enitre nab cup is only (8+4+2+1) 15. And surely average crowds and tv viewers will be higher per h&a game than a nab cup game. I envisage a low key informal pre-season comp similar to the NRL and A-league.
BigAl said | January 25th 2010 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Always useful for trialling rule changes.
Timmuh said | January 25th 2010 @ 2:14pm | Report comment
There have to be pre-season games. If those, or some of those, are part of a a competition which draws a few extra sponsorship dollars, why not have the competition – even if the clubs don’t take it seriously.
As a straight knockout, its over. But there is no reason why GC can’t play the wooden spooner of this year to qualify for the pre-season cup with the loser having a week off; or playing against a state rep team; before playing the practice games. Its one extra week, but the first week of the cup is over two weeks at present and doesn’t need to be.
If a longer real season is to come into play, then a pre-season comp over 4-5 weeks is probably unworkable; but the AFLPA would probably have something to say about that idea.
Ben Somerford said | January 25th 2010 @ 4:57pm | Report comment
It’s a question worth pondering Michael. But I think the AFL would want to retain some ‘meaning’ to the pre-season to retain interest, especially with regard to TV ratings. There’s some kind of format out there, surely, probably…
Also I’m very curious about what they’ll do with 17 teams, as someone may have to have a ‘bye’ during pre-season. Would anyone put their hand up for that? It could cause an issue.
Westcoast929406 said | January 25th 2010 @ 7:36pm | Report comment
If it goes then send some AFL Clubs overseas to hold exhibition games if sponsors can be found- Let us see if the previously ambivalent AFL is fair dinkum about International footy.
Michael DiFabrizio said | January 25th 2010 @ 7:44pm | Report comment
That’s not a bad way of thinking about it. Could help decide which teams sit out, too, if that’s the path the AFL goes down.
Redb said | January 27th 2010 @ 7:49am | Report comment
Not sure about the worth of exhibition games in London, Beijing or New York, but Auckland, Jo’Berg or Port Moresby – Yes.
Article in NZ on AFL recruitment. The AFL is getting serious about targetted international development for sure.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-news/sport/3255624/AFL-chases-Kiwis-in-tight-shorts
Redb
Westcoast929406 said | January 27th 2010 @ 8:50pm | Report comment
To follow on from the above NZ article which was a 2 page spread it appears -That would have been unheard of 12 months ago in the NZ media.
This article was a sidebar to the main article above -
http://www.nzafl.co.nz/Portals/0/Real%20deal%20by%202011.jpg
The NZAFL manager seems optimistic about the future of normal season AFL games over there. I would think Exhibitions would be a good way to test the waters beforehand.
Redb said | January 28th 2010 @ 7:59am | Report comment
He makes some good points about the expanded competition requiring more venues but also that clubs like Freo, Port, GC and WS will not draw decent away crowds in Melbourne. Why not play some H & A games in NZ? they’ve had NAB Cup matches before in Wellington.
Brian said | January 25th 2010 @ 11:36pm | Report comment
I think the pre-season Cup lost its significance with all the rule changes introduced. Premiers like Sydney didn’t take the comp seriously and so the fans soon realised the competition is meaningless as to how your team will fare. This was definately different to the 80′s when the Hawks won 5 “night” premierships.
Regarding 18 teams why not just add a round 15th v 18th and 16th v 17th. More improtantly though keep the rule changes to a minimum so the competition can regain its maeaning.
Timmuh said | January 27th 2010 @ 7:50pm | Report comment
Last year was important with the rule changes in one respect, the Cup rules applied during the Challenge. This meant that there was no advantage to be gained by losing and then playing the rest of the pre-season under normal rules as had been the case in the past.
I’d keep the competition and run it something like this:
2011 – GC v 16th as a qualifier
Then run the cup as is over 4 weeks, rather than the current 5.
As one club will be left without a match, ask rep teams from SANFL, WAFL, VFL to play a game each week in the Challenge. Players will lift when it might be their one chance to play against an AFL club.
With no split round required, this is only one week longer than at present. The 23 week regular season becomes 24 weeks, the pre-season and the finals stay the same length.
2012 – WS v 15th, 16th v 17th as qualifiers
Then run the cup as is over 4 weeks, rather than the current 5.
The split round is back, making a 23 week regular season again. And 5 weeks of pre-season, the same as now.
2013 and beyond – 15th v 18th, 16th v 17th as qualifiers
Any rules being trialled in the pre-season are trialled in the Challenge, and maybe some in the Cup. No 9 point goals, they will not be part of the season proper, its time for that little gimmick to die.
No Challenge games played in cities which host a full time AFL team, ensuring that sides don’t lose in order to avoid the travel – and the top level of the game gets to more regional areas.
Redb said | January 28th 2010 @ 8:01am | Report comment
Some good thoughts there.
I still beleive the pre-season games play an important role in not only trialling new rules but also taking the game to other veneus around the country and even overseas.
Michael C said | January 28th 2010 @ 12:40pm | Report comment
Premiers like Sydney couldn’t take it seriously – it starts too early.
The Grand Finalists start their pre-season 4 weeks behind the 8 teams that missed the finals.
The Grand Finalists get to send players to post season surgery 4 weeks behind the 8 teams that missed the finals,
the preparation methodology is very much more scientific than back in the 80s when this wasn’t so great an issue – and so, Hawthorn just dominated everything.
it’s just a fact of life that the Grand Finalists are far off on their level of preparation. But, they put kids out there who have a go. The competition as a whole is vastly different to what existed in the ’80s, especially that back then, clubs had the 2nds and 3rds – and could draw upon a broader pool of match ready mature bodies. But, to make it more meaningful – there’s been discussions around more prize money, or around earning a bonus 4 points to take into the AFL H&A season,…..who knows.
Personally – I LOVE the 9 pt super goals (and the $1000 to the kickers nominated junior clubs).
bever fever said | January 31st 2010 @ 11:10am | Report comment
I would like to see “nines” tournament or something similar pre-season played over a long weekend, on a soccer/rugby field, reckon if promoted properly it would be a winner.
IMO NAB cup or pre season games should be sent to the bush.
Thinking out of the square now, but why not have a pre-season “nines” tournament played with “international rules” and invite a few select Irish teams over to compete, ……………. could such a thing ever work ?, and would it be embraced by the fans.