The 2018 NRL finals are just around the corner, but rather than heating up, the season appears to be on life support.
The Storm are cruising along nicely, but both the Roosters and Rabbitohs have hit the wall and the Dragons and Panthers look like easybeats, and though the Warriors and Sharks are going okay, they seem to lack anything exciting going for them at the moment. The Broncos are coasting along, but I’m not convinced about their premiership credentials.
Meanwhile teams outside the eight are causing upsets every week because they have nothing to play for, making a mockery of the top eight and dragging out the season far too long. For the past six weeks or so I’ve been eagerly looking forward to the finals, but most teams seem to be just going through the motions. Perhaps they have one eye on September, with most of the top eight decided weeks ago.
How do we avoid such a calamity in 2019? Reduce the top eight to a top six and reduce the season to 20 rounds.
A top six ensures only the best teams play finals, and I’m happy for every finals match to be sudden death, with the two lowest placed losers getting eliminated, thus resulting in a short, sharp finals campaign of three weeks with the two best performing teams remaining on grand final day.
I’ve never been a big fan of second chances in the finals. If you finish top but get hammered 48-0 in the opening week, you don’t deserve a second chance.
(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
A top six would see the Storm awarded the minor premiership after the 20 rounds based on performances this season. Scond to sixth places would be occupied by the Rabbitohs, Roosters, Dragons, Panthers and Sharks.
With a top-six finals format and no second chance, a top-four finish isn’t as coveted as it currently is – in fact the only reward you get for finishing in the top four is that you are one of the best performing teams in that season and will be very hard to beat. That is reward enough in my humble opinion.
Unfortunately the Broncos just miss out with a respectable 12 wins and seven losses, including one bye. Under my system we would do away with the bye, which serves no purpose at all other than gifting a team two points. The Warriors also miss out despite a reasonable season, but it ensures only the best teams are there in the finals, thus creating much more importance for each game.
This isn’t the perfect system, and some will argue that having the top team eliminated in Week 1 is very harsh, but if you don’t perform when it matters most, why should you get a second chance? This rewards a lower-placed team for an outstanding performance, getting the job done against all odds, and it would really open up the remaining finals series.
(AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)
Another argument against this top-six format is that with fewer games, the TV rights deal may not be worth as much, but I disagree – with fewer games, the quality of each game will go up and the appeal of each game will go up, with fans knowing there is little margin for error in a shortened season. Hopefully this encourages fans to get out to the games.
At the moment, with the season dragging on, it feels like there is no urgency in these late-season games, especially with the top eight already decided.
So, Roarers, what are your thoughts? Would you prefer to see the season cut by five rounds and with no byes? Is having a top six a better system than the current top eight? Are you prepared to see the minor premiers bow out in Week 1 if they get hammered?
Let me know in the comments below.
Pomoz
Roar Rookie
That's a greta comment. I think you are spot on. When the players finally got back the whole team lowered its intensity. Let's hope they realise that and play to their best during the semi finals.
Matt Ritchie
Guest
I like the idea of 6 team finals. Teams 1 and 2 get the week off. 3v5 & 4v6. Means teams don’t swap sides once defeated. I also agree with a shortened season but feel 22 rounds is sufficient. Play each team once then at the end of that all have a bye and restart with odds and evens playing. Then move into the top 6. I also think we need a rethink on the competition structure. 8 teams aligned to NSW comp and 8 teams aligned to QLD comp and introduce promotion and relegation for last place of each. Brings more desperation and accountability to teams that come bottom while also enabling new teams a go. Also enable a transfers payment system so clubs that build up a player are rewarded to let go of a good offer comes along. Aligning to the two feeder comps also enables a structure and finals rethink to split into conferences for the second round and finals while also getting a increasing the footprint of District teams by removing current NRL reserve grade teams.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Dragons don't choke. They hit the wall halfway through the season and lose all momentum. Losing when you are out of form isn't choking, that's just a lazy term thrown about by those with limited intelligence. If they won like 23 out of 24 games this year, then bowed out of the finals in straight sets that would be choking. Just thought I'd clear that up for you as you seem to be a bit confused
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
League *
Louis McIntyre
Roar Guru
Totally disagree, and comparing league to European football is a waste of time. They have massive rosters, play 9 months of the year and have multiple games some weeks. Players can play more than 50 games a season with cups and internationals. Apples and oranges when compared to other sports. It's like saying the lowest score wins in golf so eagle should adopt that rule.
John
Guest
I think this idea would have merit if the draw was more consistent. At this stage with 16 teams in the comp and 25 rounds there will be teams that play each other more than once, the teams that happen to play the top sides more are likely to have results that aren't as good as sides that play bottoms sides more. For your idea to have merit, you would either have to decrease the amount of sides to fit into the allocated amount of rounds to ensure each team plays every twice and has one home and one away game, or increase the amount of rounds to 32 rounds to accommodate 16 clubs.
Harvey Wilson
Roar Rookie
How about this? Why is Australia so obsessed with a finals system at all? In all the football codes there are finals. In the V8s the top qualifier can be ousted in a one lap dash. It is obvious it is financially motivated. Why not just crown the team at the top of the regular rounds, the champions. And why not? The English Premier League has 38 rounds (equal split home and away games), the best team after 38 rounds are the champs. Makes sense to me. How fair is it when a team dominates the whole season only to be beaten in an after season final? One game does not prove you are the best over a season. Take the 2008 NRL Grand Final. As a Manly fan i am not complaining but Melbourne equal topped the table with Manly & Cronulla (ahead on points difference) only to be annihalated in the Grand Final 40-0. Should we consider Manly to be the best based on a one off game?
Adam
Roar Guru
This feels a little too close to the McIntyre system. As pointed out 6 goes into 3. Does the bottom two losing sides miss out and there is one lucky loser? Or does the top two get a couple of weeks off? I think the top 8 is by far and away a superior option at the moment when there is 16 teams. If the league were to be expanded it would only cement the rationale behind having a top 8. I think it's good to consider all options when looking at improving the game so I appreciate the premise. Just not sure it's a step forward for the game.
Shane
Guest
This post is mess btw
shane
Guest
Dragons fan who is painfully aware their team literally cannot stop choking midway through the season "We should shorten the season."
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Sure, but at the same time, look at how the Raiders, Bulldogs etc. are going now. It is hard to turn up every week, regardless of opposition, and Penrith did well to get to where they were early in the season despite a mountain of injuries. It almost seems like they expected everything would fall into place when players returned, their pack is really lacking intensity at the moment too.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
A large selection of finalists is necessary when the competition doesn’t allow each team to play each other twice. A smaller number of finalists is (even more) unfair to the teams that have a hard draw. For instance - The Broncos are currently 7th and are tied on points with several other teams. But they have played (and won) more games against other top eight teams than any other team in the top eight. Penrith has had a much easier draw this year, and any system that would see them into the finals ahead of the Broncos isn’t an improvement. I don’t mean to pick on Penrith, but they’ve just been lucky with the draw this year.
Nat
Roar Guru
The overall tone of this system indicates you prefer the outcome over the journey. You want predictability over a fairytale. Tell a Bulldogs fan, they should have shut up shop 4 weeks ago although I understand a Saints fan would not have enjoyed the last month. The bye serves a greater purpose to the players than just gifting two points but since every team gets it, there is no downside. Why would you want less football and then succeeded by higher quality finals footy? This is sports entertainment, enjoy the spectacle even after your team bows out.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
When it becomes 18 teams, a top 8 makes sense. When half the teams make the finals it's not a huge achievement to qualify. My Dragons made it in the early 2000s with a very ordinary record
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
I'm hanging onto hope at the moment, that's all. An opening round clash with Penrith would be a dire affair unless both teams show dramatic improvement
Nat
Roar Guru
Dragons fan, hence the desire to get the finals started 4 weeks ago and no risk of being out of the 6.
Penrith Punter
Roar Guru
Fair call, but it is for teams outside of Sydney hosting sides from NSW or the other way around.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
You make some interesting points. In regards to the home final, suburban grounds are no longer an option, so I think that advantage is no longer a thing in the game, while ANZ isn't really anyone's home ground.
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Thanks for pointing that out, it would be an issue, and it's not a perfect system, I guess that is the advantage of the top 8. Perhaps only one team eliminated in first week, so you'd have the three winners and one loser.
Renegade
Roar Guru
FYI - The four question marks after ‘eels fan’ was supposed to be a smiley face emoji.....