Without accusing AFL fans of being obsessive, it is evident that everybody is sick of waiting for the pre-season to finish and for the home-and-away season to begin.
Most clubs began their pre-season in late October to early November. Many got their first hit-out in the pre-season competition in mid-February, while others played intra-club games as well.
Come March it is a tedious wait for all involved as we have to endure five weeks of pointless and at times ugly football. All that can be said for it is that perhaps this makes round one seem that much sweeter, when we do eventually get there.
Fans have now found themselves engulfed in sports news, and on any given day can access the latest news about how their team is tracking.
Realistically there is no more off-season for football fans around the country, as punters seek out any opportunity to get a small taste of football.
With phone apps, websites, and sports-news services running hot even in the summer, fans have the ability to find all the stories they want, sometimes even before news services and other clubs have any idea.
As much criticism as the pre-season format takes from supporters and players, its purpose is not only to be a warm-up tournament but also to get fans involved for the year to come.
It’s to kick-start membership drives and to showcase young talent. In recent years it has also been a base for various AFL initiatives: umpires in colour, the sub rule, and the prominence given to regional football venues.
Those involved in these ventures have been able to give the AFL feedback, preceding their introduction to the home and away season.
It is clear that the pre-season format needs to be revised once again. A return to the knock-out competition format, however, doesn’t offer much hope given the uneven number of sides in week two.
A conference format could be the possible answer, where sides play teams in their region over the space of ten days. The AFL could introduce double headers and midweek games to excite fans.
Then the top side from each conference could play in semi finals, and the two winners could play a Grand Final at either Etihad Stadium or the highest ranked side’s home ground.
The AFL needs to realise the opportunity it has to grow the pre season as a hype competition rather than a serious competition in its own right. Nobody cares who wins or loses, there just needs to be more competition involved to get fans watching.
Adrian
Guest
Perhaps the answer is to provide more meaning to the comp by giving a more valuable prize; would clubs play more seriously if the top two teams were rewarded with GWS style 17yo minidraft picks? This may be too much of a reward, but could just as easily be an after first round pick etc. This would likely lead to the fans being more excited by the results as well.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/02/29/how-to-improve-the-nab-cup/
nickh
Guest
I used to enjoy the preseason cup, but all the tinkering with stupid rules and nine point goals turned me off it completely. The AFL turned it into a circus. For quite a few years now I've considered it a bonus if my club goes out early. Here's a quickly and badly though out idea. Dump the NAB cup. The preseason provides time to play at least two state of origin games and for clubs to do their practice games. Run a state of origin round robin series with six states over 3 years. In the third year the top two play off in a final. Play all the club practice games in regional centers. I'm not really a fan of the state of origin concept, but at least this would have a point.
AFlguru
Guest
I have no idea what you are trying to say in this article. Are you saying you want to scrap the competition all together and have glorified trial games or are you implying the premiership season should start earlier? If it is the later then what is the point, all you would have is preseason trials starting in January when the tennis is on and the same crapola argument would take place. If it is the former then you are reverting back to the same old trial game situation we had 3 years ago which was rubbish. I don't think you will ever have a good preseason cup, but for what it's worth, I don't think it is too bad. Remember the premiership is all about the fans, not the clubs contrary to what many people think. Professional sport is way past this now adays, players do not just play for the love of the game, it is their job. The preseason cup, however, is about the clubs, not so much the fans. The AFL trials new rules and the clubs have a chance to fine tune their teams before battle. Remember on average 2-3 coaches are given the arse every year with last year was no exception. It also gives these new coaches a good hit out with their warriors before heading into the premiership.
Timmuh
Roar Guru
I´m against the tri-series stuff, but we have to accept the pre-season for what it is. Heavily sponsored practice matches, which are no longer tkane seriously by most clubs. Only those with something to prove or in a financial hole take the comp even remotely seriously. That said, I do think going back to a knockout comp and a few oher changes can work. All Challenge games would be played in the regions, giving clubs an incentive to stay in the Cup. All the more off the wall trial rules would be in the Challenge only, giving clubs an incentive to stay in the Cup and play with rules cloer to the regular season. The knockout can work by having a qualifyng round prior to the start of the Cup proper. So many team automatically qualify, based on the previous season´s ladder, others play a qualifying game which could include state league representative teams (or clubs, but that becomes a selection headache, particularly with fully aligned VFL clubs) as well. The main aim would be to build uncentives to stay in the Cup that were lacking in the last few years of a knockout competition. Carlton and Collingwood were often in a situation where if they won they would be sent to the bush or interstate, and play under rules further removed from the regular season (at least that did get fixed) - if they lost, they would play in Melboiurne and until the last year or two play under regular season rules. Why would a club in that situation want to stay in the Cup? Give clubs a reason to stay in, through an improved hit-out before the season proper, and they will start taking it more seriously.