Josh Gibson of North Melbourne and Jack Riewoldt of Richmond(L) react after a draw in the AFL Round 16 match between the Richmond Tigers and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at the MCG. Slattery Images
Richmond fans have had it tough this season, made worse by the squandering of a 43-point lead and having to share the points with the Kangaroos. The first draw of the season once again raises questions about the merits of extra time to decide matches, a question that deserves a proper debate.
According to Jade Rawlings, Richmond caretaker coach, “I would rather feel worse for losing or elated at winning than sitting there feeling nothing.”
The faces of the players and the MCG crowd showed that hollow feeling.
Draws in the AFL are infrequent and, perhaps as a result, truly unpleasant.
An AFL match is about hearing the victors club song after the final siren and the tribalism of the fans in the stands, celebrating or commiserating, not the emptiness of a non result, especially for Richmond and North Melbourne, neither of whom are in contention for the top eight.
They needed the experience of a win or defeat in a tight contest for their young squads, not to share two meaningless points.
What’s most disappointing is the lack of a proper debate on the merits of extra time.
The AFL intelligentsia are quick to shut down the debate by flying the flag of tradition in the face of the critics who want change.
But is it a tradition worth retaining? Why keep something that is so overwhelmingly disliked by those it impacts most, namely the teams involved and their fans?
If anything, the tradition surrounding draws is the outpouring of displeasure with the current system. The infrequency of AFL stalemates makes any arguments about fatigue or TV schedules seem irrelevant.
An extra ten minutes of play, two five-minute periods, or the like, is a simple yet effective means of deciding a match while adding extra drama to a tight contest.
Think of epic sporting contests, in a variety of codes, which have been decided in extra time. The intensity and pace of the game suits extra time. Meanwhile, comparisons with football (the round ball) home and away draws are facile.
In football, draws are a part of the fabric of the sport. They can be satisfying results for teams in a more defensively minded code and in home and away leagues that aren’t decided with a finals series, point’s accumulation takes on a different meaning.
They are two different sporting cultures.
The AFL needs a uniform way of deciding drawn matches, for home and away, finals and the Grand Final, not the current three unique ways with shared points in home and away, extra time in the first three weeks of the finals and a replay for the Grand Final.
The latter remains one of the most outdated and antiquated irregularities of Australian sport.
Tradition or not, in this professional age, to expect everyone to just turn up a week later for another go is ludicrous.
Imagine the logistical nightmare for an interstate team, not to mention for their fans.
AFL matches, especially a Grand Final, need to be decided on the day. Only then is it a proper contest.
Ask the fans who left the MCG Sunday evening and felt neither the joy of victory or the disappointment of defeat, and you’ll find overwhelming support for extra time.
Pauly Walnuts
Guest
Kurt you're just being painful.
Pauly Walnuts
Guest
Yes and the blow out would be inequitable. The other factor not yet bantered about on this forum is the extra media coverage and water cooler conversation that a draw brings to the game. It certainly seems to be something controversial that the AFL would be wanting to keep and continue their focus/ resources on eradicating controversial drug and alcohol issues in the sport.
Pauly Walnuts
Guest
Although, that would mean instead of a frantic last x number of minutes one team would play keepings off absolutely killing the intensity and spirit of the game when it should be at it's climax.
Pauly Walnuts
Guest
Dude, you'd have to go home! Most people would have booked return flights, still need confirmation that you could score another ticket, have work on that week and need to organise extended accomodation. Maybe I should start practicing my nose wiggling Bewitched-style...
Pauly Walnuts
Guest
I'd agree, the hawks would have been happy with a draw today....
Pauly Walnuts
Guest
Ridiculous.
Kurt
Guest
That's right Tom, if only we were so wonderfully, terribly clever we would all agree with you.
Tom
Guest
Kurt, that is the most unbelievably stupid thing I've ever seen you write, and you've written some shockers. Have you ever actually been on an aeroplane? Do you understand that its not exactly the best place to relax from strenuous physical activity? Do you know that teams always fly down prior to the actual day of the game, meaning their preparation routines are more disrupted than the opposition? Have you ever noticed how poorly teams often perform on the second week on the road in a row? Do you realise that the AFL recognises this, and never schedules either of the Western Australian teams to play interstate in consecutive weeks? Its a stupid system, and its evidently only supported by people who deny the obvious.
Steven Metzger
Guest
http://www.theroar.com.au/2009/07/23/get-rid-of-extra-time-not-draws/
sheek
Guest
MyGeneration, Dammit, I'm going to be a dinosaur if I want. I refuse to accept extra time for draws in home & away regular season matches. And you're asking me the odds on draws???
MyGeneration
Roar Guru
Sheek, there are just a lot more draws in League (even with the 'golden point') so dealing with the issue of "kissing your sister" has been a lot more pressing over the years, and I think overall it has been a success (from an entertainment point-of- view, maybe from a betting point-of-view as well). I'm sure this will blow over in the AFL when there are no more draws for another season. Now I'm going to go and bet on all the draws in this AFL round, what odds ya reckon? :-)
Steven Metzger
Roar Rookie
Actually, by one logic, the 2006 GF was "due" to be drawn (once every 29 years). I guess one point is close enough though, so the next one is probably 2035, not 2040.
Kurt
Guest
To all those saying how 'impossible' it would be for interstate teams and fans if there was a GF replay - have you heard of these new-fangled things called aeroplanes? They move so quickly you can get from one end of the country to the other in only 3 hours, thus actually making it possible for a team to play a game in Melbourne, fly home that night and then return six days later for the replay! Amazing I know but perhaps we could make use of this remarkable innovation? And given the next GF replay is due in about 2040 I think it's a fair assumption that there will be ways and means of moving people around the country quickly and efficiently.
Redb
Roar Guru
That's right.
sheek
Guest
Thanks Steve, I was merely being uber-cynical about why the NRL adopted 'golden point' extra time for poor old home & away games.
Steven Metzger
Roar Rookie
The benefits of keeping draws outweigh the costs, IMO. - A drawn match can shake up the ladder. - The threat of a draw keeps teams from getting complacent late in the game. - Even a draw is as close as a game can get, so it's not like the fans aren't getting their money's worth. Getting rid of draws would do a couple of not-so-good things: - 10 more minutes of football can mean more injuries and fatigue. - Teams can get complacent late in the game, expecting extra time. Ultimately, I think there are two questions here: Does the AFL want to pander to a few anti-traditional voices? Does the AFL want to necessarily find a winner while screwing up the overall H&A season? Plus, what would you do with percentage? The extra time can turn a legitimately drawn game into a blowout.
Steven Metzger
Roar Rookie
The norm here in the U.S. for betting is 50/50 stakes, based on the margin of a game (Dallas gives Philadelphia 3.5 points, which means Dallas winning by 3 would give a Philly pick the win). It actually brings in quite a bit of scandal (see also 'point-shaving'). If the NRL golden point is about betting (which it probably isn't, they have two draws so far this year), then it should be just as easy to have draw stakes like most EPL games employ.
Steven Metzger
Roar Rookie
I second that.
sheek
Guest
BTW, I reckon the NRL system of 'golden point' time on for home & away matches is stupid. I'm sure this is all designed to satisfy the sporting markets. Sad when you bend to what the 'bettors' want. As opposed to 'bettees', the poor suckers who do their dough every weekend. I don't mind having a bet, I just don't want to be dictated to by those guys. As I said, leave extra time for the finals matches. That's when you require it.
sheek
Guest
Yeah Megatron, What Pippinu said, of what I said!!!