FFA looking at midweek A-League fixtures

Millister Agreed. In reality there should be some flexibility in how the system is devised. You want to end up with the best 2 teams playing off against each other. Possible scenario; Federation Division? SFC CCM WP QR NQ MH Canberra Commonwealth Divsion? MV GC AU South Coast PG NJ WS 1st 4 in each group qualify for finals based on above table positions Finals week 1 4 games Home team named 1st Match A SFC v CCM 1-0 Match B WP v QR(knock out) 1-2 Match C MV v GC 3-0 Match D AU v SC(knock out) 2-0 Week 2 knockout finals Match E loser match A v Winner match B (CCM v QR) 2-0 Match F loser match C v Winner match D (GC v AU) 3-2 Week 3 Cross over semis Match G Winner match A v Winner match F (SFC v GC) 2-4 Match H Winner match C v Winner match E ( MV v CCM) 3-1 Week 4 GF Winner match G v Winner match H (MV v GC) Home ground team that finishes with most points/GS at end of H & A

Dave - I likethe thinking in general but my concern is that it precludes the chance of a final between two geographically adjacent teams. So, for example, even if Roar and Gold Coast were clearly the two stand-out teams in a season, there is no way that they could play each other in the big one. Maybe a tweaked alternative would be each conference offering 3 teams into a national finals round which was then done in a seeded 6 team format such as has been used in AFL and NRL in the past.

If we went to 14 teams (ideal) then l would like to see 2 divisions ( north/east and south west names can reflect geographical location or other criteria). This would keep to a minimum meaningless matches from half way through the season for teams who sit 10-14th on the table with no hope of finals and no relegation. So each team would play the other 6 in their group H & A for 12 games and the other 7 in the other group H & A for 14 games = 26 games. At the end of the season top 4 from each play off to determine a winner and the 2 group winners play off in the final. American yes but it can work and keeps interest for more teams for longer periods of the season. So 26 HAL games plus FFA Cup plus ACL plus Pan Pacific plus rep games (especially for HAL players during Asian Cup Quals).

MC l think the HAL GF can hold its own in publicity vs other codes pre season/season start.

dasilva - if there's concerns that the HAL finasl and GF might get 'swallowed' up by other codes - - then, would that be a point at which you have a 30 odd round season in the EPL model?

I thought part of the reason why we want to expand is that there is a huge break between the end of the season and when a World CUp or World Cup qualifier or Asia cup etc. That the A-league boy will be out of season for couple of months and pim wouldn't pick them because of that. I woulld have like an actual extending of the season towards the end instead of squashing all the matches on the same time period.

Perhaps when we gets to 12 teams, we could go down to 22 rounds but combine that with a FFA Cup including state league teams. 22 rounds, plus ACL games, plus FFA Cup means most teams would be getting 30 odd competitive games a season, but we'd lose the fatigue of seeing every team play each other three times a season.

Midfeilder, re AFL/NRL war - just to correct you, the war rhetoric very much comes from the NRL side and not surprisingly News Ltd media. it is very rare to read an AFL scribe talk abou the NRL let alone speak of war with Melb Storm in Melbourne. Paul kent in Daily terror reguarly talks it up. Redb

MC I had thought the same thing. I personally had thought they would have been better going to a 22 round comp in preparation for when they have 12 teams the following year. By jumping to 27 rounds - there are big questions to answer the following year when they go to 12 teams. 14 teams with 26 rounds would work perfectly.

I must admit one point of surprise. If 8 teams into 21 rounds with 3 games against 7 opponents each season is 'tired', is 10 teams into 27 rounds with 3 games againt 9 opponents that much better? when we have 12 teams, will that be 12 teams into 33 rounds? or, 12 teams into 22 rounds? If 12 teams into 33 rounds - - how will that be slotted into the sporting calendar?

MC It is just not smart thinking for the FFA to try on take on the established codes (150Yr History) by crossing over too much into the season. AFL gets front and back pages plus a dozen pages in HS, the paper with the biggest circulation. FTA news coverage and AFL shows (Sunday mornings, Monday and Thursday nights etc) out number football to such an extent that in those scenarios football is not on the radar...until this begins to change (generational) football should stick to their current strategy. Of the footballing weaponry it is only the Socceroos and the WC that can take on the Winter codes at this stage...one of those comes around every 4 years and the other may mean 1 game in Melb per year!

MC The National Youth League may help a little in providing some relief to cover injuries and there may also need to be some tinkering with the signing of loan player rules to give greater flexibilty to clubs. There is little doubt that the increase in games will create a number of new issues for the FFA to deal with. With correct mamangement of the team players can play 2 games a week but there will need to be additional flexibility in player transfer/loan rules. I'm sure Fox sports would love the additional games over the Oct-March period. The issue most in question, with supporters not rusted on yet is...will they watch an average of 1 x home game per week if the team is constantly losing? Unlikely so this is where some creative fixturing and assistance from FFA is needed. l would suggest the games l propose to be played at a neutral venue are done early on in the season, with perhaps a second during the school holiday period. Therefore Darwin may get 2 games, Canberra 2, Tassie 2 Christchurch/Aukland 1 each, Wollongong 2 etc.

Dave - Midfielder - on the walk the walk/talk the talk - - - my main issue there is that for the code trying to tell everyone that it's the 'true football' and we should all call it 'football' etc etc - - - and yet, they are still trying their darndest to avoid a head to head confrontation ..........on the football field.......so to speak. I find it a little cowardly - - to be frank. Either soccer is the new footballing messiah and they are willing to back the product and participation numbers to the hilt...........or............they should with a little more dignity just go about their business of building the game. Presently, the professed 'neutrality' on one hand, is betrayed by the rocks that have been hurled by the other hand. btw - I agree fully - - with the strategy re fixturing. And, no doubt, fixturing and marketing aren't always in the same room!

Dave - agreed. however - a solid block of 5 weeks or so............while neat from the 'get it over with perspective' - - the disadvantage for any team struggling with injuries at such a time would find that a 3-4 week hammy suddenly becomes a 6-8 week hammy. That's not really fair in context of the whole season. It'd also really stretch the squad depth - during such times - more players would be missing because they just can't get up within a 3 day turn around - - especially at a time where that's (squad depth) being challenged anyway by 4 new teams spreading the talent more thinly already.

MC "but, they aren’t yet willing to walk the walk (extend their season either end and go a little more ‘head to head’ - - a bit of hedging the bets going on - - and implies a real concern re crowds and the branding of the new 4 teams over the next few years " And why should they when there isn't an even playing field yet? If there was an even distrubution of the media between the codes so that football would get some better coverage (its improving but still well behind) then by all means have a little cross over of seasons...at the moment why would they? Doesnt matter that MV may get 20-30,000 for a home game with very little media promotion or reporting now...what chance in AFL season? No FFA are wise to reduce H to H with other codes until they have a few more football people in the media. October to end of March is fine, as the HAL finals should be able to generate some decent publicity and not have to worry about the start of the other codes season.

MC Disagree ......... in its current state for football would be insane to take on the AFL & NRL in their seasons ...... Football still has many bridges to cross before it can be even a minor threat to the NRL & AFL in winter ...... so its smart to stay out of the way. Further this AFL/NRL 'war' the AFL speak off and the NRL have reacted to brings to mind an Italian proverb.: "Tra i due litiganti il terzo gode" which translates loosely as 'between two people arguing a third benefits' Let the NRL and the AFL slug it out in winter MC. The media sees these as the only two protagonists here, as the 'titans' while football does not get a mention. If the FFA could manage to involve the football community football can create a strongly supported teams while the other two codes squabble. So its smart to stay out of the war zone when you don't need to be in it.

IMO with the increased professionalism of players, management, coaching etc there should be no reason why a team couldn't back up with a second game in three days, so play Saturday and again Tuesday night or Sunday and Wednesday night, for s ustained spell of 5 weeks over the holiday period. Therefore 10 games in around 5-6 weeks. It just means the players are doing less training and more recovery sessions. Players will tell you they prefer to play rather than train. The difficulty may be in convincing people to attend on a midweek evening on a regular basis...it's possible remembering MV had 2 x 23,000 attendances in the ACL in Winter midweek. The start of the season is crucial, more so than the end IMO. You need a build up to the start of a season with decent publicity etc. It is nigh on impossible during the end of AFL/NRL with their finals. l would suggest an October start (1st weekend) with a March finish and no pre season cup. There will need to be some midweek games at other times besides over Summer but...perhaps each team has to play one game at a neutral venue, both to save supporter fatigue and use it as a promotion. NQ and Perth could play a game for points in Darwin, MV in Tassie, SFC in Canberra, NJ in Coffs Harbour etc The FFA need to come up with some creative fixturing and it may well give them a chance to take the game at HAL level where it would not normally be seen in the flesh.

Pippinu - it's surely wouldn't seem ideal - these midweek fixtures. It's one thing for a single game each week perhaps, but, for 4 or 5 FULL rounds slotted in mid week - - - well, wait and see. But - - it seems to indicate the limitation of the 'win-win' relationship some have tried to sell regarding soccer-rugby facility sharing..................we all know that at some point, soccer will want to kick rugby out (to some -greater - degree). The irony I reckon is that the city where an extended season would probably still function half okay might be Melbourne - - and probably wouldn't touch the AFL. At any rate for now - - it shows that soccer wants to talk the talk (i.e. trying to big note on several high profile 'metrics), but, they aren't yet willing to walk the walk (extend their season either end and go a little more 'head to head' - - a bit of hedging the bets going on - - and implies a real concern re crowds and the branding of the new 4 teams over the next few years - - - obviously, starting too soon would 'bury' the new teams and really jeopardise the expansion).

Oikee this article is leaving out part of the story, and that part of the story is that the FFA doesn't want to start earlier than August, and doesn't want to go much beyond early March, and if you are going to go from 21 rounds to 27 rounds, then there simply isn't a sufficient amount of weeks (incl finals). By my estimate they'd need to work in about 5 mid-week rounds - and over the summer holiday period, I don' think it would be an issue in terms of getting people to games. But it's definitely a fixturing nightmare. If we continue with a games from Fri to Sun as we do now, then it becomes problematic getting everyone playing a mid week fixture. Does everyone play Wed night? is it spread from Tues to Thurs nights? does it mean that you might get a situation where a club only gets a two night break?

Great idea ..... there is no way the existing A-League could take on the NRL & AFL at the business end of there seasons... further the media as often discussed is still very heavily pron to give space and inches to the NRL & AFL. The timing is important January school holidays when its as hot as hell from 26 Dec 28 Jan is 5 weeks 9 games is possible. That's 4 extra games with matches up to 26 Jan with the kids still at school.