As many A-League fans will be well aware, this season’s finals series has been given a face lift.
The format is a revised three-week format, which embodies more of a knockout style cup competition, as opposed to a traditional play-off system in years gone by. However, as often is the case with problematic procedures, the end result is far from ideal.
In the 2012-13 campaign, the top six teams will play-off for the championship prize, although this time around the top two clubs will not get the usual double chance, as seen since the A-League’s inauguration.
The reward for finishing first or second is a week off. The top clubs will host the two winners from the third to sixth matches, with the eventual winners to lock horns in the grand final.
There are numerous blunders in this system; so much so that it’s difficult to know where to begin.
In any finals series, the seeded teams – the top two in this case – should always qualify for a double chance. It’s seen in other football codes like the AFL and NRL, where the top four are granted with a double chance. It seems bizarre that after a grueling 27-game campaign the top outfits can be knocked out after one average performance.
Unlike other football codes, a week’s break in the round-ball game doesn’t necessarily have the desired advantage for the seeded teams. If anything, it will most probably work in the opposite direction.
Clubs can very well play two games within a week, so a week’s break shouldn’t be too much of an advantage for the rested teams. Additionally, the rhythm and impetus leading into the business end of the season can very well be hampered.
While the top two are at a clear disadvantage this year, it’s the opposite effect for teams finishing from third to sixth position. Unlike previous seasons, the preliminary final fixture has been abolished, meaning the lower ranked teams only need to win two games to play-off for the championship. Far from a fair scenario.
To illustrate the imbalance in this revamped finals system, in theory fifth can host sixth in the grand final. A rather ludicrous and embarrassing scenario if this was to occur.
Imagine this; a grand final – the highlight on the Australian football calendar – where both outfits have lost more matches than they’ve triumphed throughout the season. The integrity of the league would certainly come under serious duress.
This development couldn’t transpire in previous seasons, as the winner of the first versus second two-legged affair would earn a grand final berth, and win the honour to host the event in the process.
Let’s be honest, it’s bad enough that six teams in a 10-club competition can qualify for the finals series. The formula for success shouldn’t reward mediocrity.
Nonetheless, the game’s national governing body, Football Federation Australia, felt the need to tinker with the system once again. Was it to produce a fairer, sound and enhanced finals system, or was it a poor attempt to manufacture a more exciting play-off structure? The latter would seemingly be the case.
FFA was reportedly concerned with the growing trend of poor crowds in preliminary finals matches in seasons gone past. In the last four fixtures, dating back to the 2008-09 edition, crowds have been as follows: 8400 at Hindmarsh Stadium, 13,196 at Allianz Stadium, 7539 and 7572 at Bluetongue Stadium.
Yes, crowds were not fantastic, however it’s a complete over exaggeration to compromise the integrity and fairness of the finals series for this very reason.
There has also been talk about the repetitive nature of the top two teams playing each other twice in the two-legged affair, before battling it out again in the grand final. While this occurred five from the opening seven A-League seasons, it was the most comprehensive system at the time.
It will be interesting to see how FFA reacts, if say fifth were to host sixth in this year’s finale. Let’s hope this isn’t the case.
Courtesy of Goal Weekly
Follow Robbie on Twitter @RobertDiFabio
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