On Wednesday, the AFL announced that we will once again have a bye the week before the finals next year.
Despite it being the most polarising topic this side of Donald Trump, the AFL are sticking to their guns and giving the bye another shot.
As expected, this resulted in near instantaneous complaints from fans and commentators alike.
In reality this is likely the correct decision. For a number of reasons, it deserves another trial at the very least.
Firstly, it deserves a fair chance to work. After some putrid football in Round 23 last year, thanks to Ross Lyon and Brad Scott, the AFL took a stand.
However, from the second it was announced that it would be part of the 2016 season, it received near universal damnation from footy experts.
Claims that it would disadvantage those in the top four and ruin the finals series were heard before the season had even begun.
As a result we heard calls for it to be removed from the season before we were even able to see the impact it would have. How can we state unequivocally that it is a mistake without even seeing it in practice?
This constant barrage of negativity effectively set the bye up for failure. Blinded by confirmation bias, anything short of our team winning a flag would deem the bye a failure.
Despite the fantastic football we bore witness to, all we heard about is how GWS and Geelong didn’t play on grand final Day. Thus any positive effect of the bye would never have been seen for the forest of negativity blanketing the newspapers.
Would it not make sense to analyse the outcome when we aren’t all calling for its head without any evidence? By repeating it the teams know what to expect, we don’t suffer the reflex to stand against change, and it can be analysed without an automatic agenda to find a reason to remove it.
Secondly, from a business perspective, it makes good sense. During the bye we all tuned in to watch the EJ Whitten legends match. Starved of our weekly fix, we would’ve watched a Dimboola C grade game just to satisfy the footy cravings.
As a result, the AFL got huge ratings for the All-Star game and viewership momentum boost for the impending AFL Women’s league, ultimately increasing the value of both products. It only makes sense that they do it again.
Finally, look at what it allowed to happen. The Bulldogs won a premiership for the first time in 61 years – a historic occasion that warmed the hearts of footy fans outside the Sydney area.
Heading into September, the boys from Whitten Oval were considered long shots to win a single final. After suffering an injury curse of near biblical proportions, the Dogs had to travel across the country to see the in-form Eagles.
However, prior to the game, the Bulldogs returned five players to their match side, a boost that proved vital for their September campaign.
This would not have been possible had they not had an extra week to recover. Thus, instead of watching a team hobble into September, we saw a revitalised team that was ready to attack the finals series head on.
Ultimately claiming the biggest prize and showing themselves as the best team in the league.
The Bulldogs’ premiership alone should almost justify another pre-finals bye. Geelong and GWS can claim that they were at a disadvantage, but ultimately weren’t good enough in key moments in their respective prelim finals.
No one can state unequivocally that it is a good addition to the season, but nor can they state that it was all negative.
At the very least, it deserves a proper course of investigation over a number of trials.
Repeating this experiment is the correct decision, and Gil should be commended for not buckling under an avalanche of external pressure.
TomC
Roar Guru
Yep. No value in leaping to conclusions.
Milo
Roar Rookie
Agree lets keep it for at least 2017-18, that should show beyond doubt whether its a success or not. Yes the Dogs were the big winners and agree its difficult to judge whether Geelong and GWS were really losers or they were just beaten by better teams on the day. Id favour the latter as the Swans had rolled the Cats down the highway (easily) and while the Giants knocked over the Dogs at Spotless earlier in the year, you cant help thinking Stevie J may have been able to kick a couple more goals in the PF. Id switch the Brownlow back to the bye weekend (Friday night), the EJ Whitten All Stars on Sat night and the All Australian Team on the Sunday night. (or Brownlow Sunday, AA on Friday whichever works). The women's game wouldn't seem appropriate anymore when their season will now be in Feb-Mar so by Sept its not going to be played with the best players in the best form so may detract from the spectacle and meaning and become too much of a filler. It worked this year, but not sure about future years. So all up, lets call it the AFL Awards Weekend.