There has been lots of discussion about the AFL’s scheduling for Round 23.
This has led to the ongoing comments about the unfair fixture.
With 18 teams and talk of a Tassie club coming into the comp, the season’s cap of 22 games will never provide a level playing field.
There will be 22 games for each club and they will play a handful of opponents twice.
Splitting the comp into conferences or divisions (promotion and relegation) would be horror for the AFL.
Maybe it is time to tidy things up a little.
This year we saw the emergence of the Bulldogs and the Hawks showing good form at the end of the season, beating other teams set for finals.
One possible idea is to start eliminating teams that are too far off the pace and ensure the final two rounds of the season have all live teams playing an opponent that is also in contention for the flag.
For example, after Round 21, the bottom six teams could be eliminated. Reschedule them to play each other for the final two rounds, allowing for the Brownlow and Coleman Medals to be played out fairly.
Round 22 could be a combination of home and away plus mid-ladder eliminations.
Teams sitting ninth to 12th play elimination games while the other eight teams fight for higher ladder positions.
In Round 23, the winners of the Round 22 elimination games play seventh and eighth for elimination.
At the completion of Round 23, we continue with the current final eight format.
What does all this achieve? Hopefully, the finals showcase the best teams in September.
With an unpopular fixture format, teams have 20 games to be in the top 12 instead of 22 games to be in the top eight.
Rounds 22 and 23 will feature teams still alive for the premiership playing each other.
This will not fix unfair ground scheduling and will not address uneven home-and-away match ups, but will provide more chance for improving teams to make their way into the finals.
Who does this affect the most? The AFL.
There has to be rescheduling of opponents and venues.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Great. A team from Tassie has been ... announced as possible ... probable ... maybe ... well ... !
Gerry
Roar Rookie
Nope it has been confirmed Tass is next off the rack don’t you listen to the CEO of the AFL?
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Tassie is behind a few other changes that could and should be made in terms of composition of the competition. Both Adelaide and Perth could successfully host a 3rd team each before risking a team in the lightly populated and incohesive Tasmania with its unsuitable infrastructure (stadium in particular). No I am not suggesting a 3rd team in either SA or WA, just highlighting that it has at least an even chance of success when compared to a Tassie option. Some of the struggling (financially) Victorian Clubs could merge or fold to reduce the competition size to a more manageable level. One could even be relocated to WA, SA or even Tassie (in that order) before creating an unsustainable new side. If the AFL has $ to burn, perhaps they should be building a new "home Ground" for the Victorian Clubs playing on the MCG and then sharing MCG games around a bit.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Ah, Victorians, you can't love em and ya can't live with em. ---- I'll be in a dilemma if I ever meet a Victorian Woman. (Alls good)
RT
Roar Rookie
There is more to life than football, but maybe just not right now.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I disagree PtF. Tassie is heartland. It should be in. We've already ceded Canberra to the NRL when that too was heartland AFL. Let's not make the same mistake. I've been to Tassie games in Launie and Hobart, not recently, but they're passionate mob. And being a sourastrayan I know I'm related to them, ha ha fn ha. ---- I dunno the right machinations but the Snowy wasn't built by people who said it couldn't be done.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
The Nth/Sth is the biggest issue. Maybe combine the most successful flag winners from both areas.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
What did you do in the nearly 4 decades in the wilderness?
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
There is a significant disadvantage for away teams playing in NT as they have missed a chance of playing Melbourne on the MCG ... AGAIN!
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
That would make 21 or 22 teams I believe Gerry because surely a 3rd team from each of SA and WA come in before a team from Tassie? They already have the population and the infrastructure to support 3 teams each.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Dream on Gerry. It will not happen - not in the next 5 years. Not in the next 50 years. The AFL already has too many basket case clubs without introducing another one that does not have the fundamentals right - population, stadium, a cohesive support base, players, finances ... Nobody is listening ... to Tasmanian What About Me pundits!
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
I will believe it when it happens ... which will be long after you and I are gone. If it was going to happen in the next 5 years then it would have been announced by now Einstein! It may take a little while for Tassie to raise the necessary funds to build a suitable stadium for a start. where will that be built? Launceston? Hobart? Ross? Even Tassie doesn't know. Here is an idea, play Home Games in Melbourne, or maybe on the Gold Coast (which offers growth potential). The AFL has enough basket case clubs already without introducing another one to look after. I do not see any positivity around a Tassie team that isn't based upon your negativity surrounding the Gold Coast Suns. Nobody is listening to Tasmanian What About Me Whingers FULL STOP!
Gerry
Roar Rookie
It does not matter what you say whether you like it or not there will be a Tassie team in the AFL within the next 5 years. Your words mean nothing the writing is in the wall. AFL CEO supports it , governments support it and it’s going to happen so deal with it, Nobody listens to your negativity.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Thanks for sharing Gezza. You could read infrastructure to mean a ground suitable for sustaining an AFL team year round & you might consider population growth and market reach in SE Qld compared to little old Tassie! Keep making it up as you go along though Gerr! Nobody is listening. Yoy stay classy.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
And what about Gold Coast and GWS? Have they got huge fan bases? Where you getting your information about infrastructure isn’t there and always has been a State competition there. Has Gold Coast got interest outside of its state? Seriously there is a lot more support from Tasmania than Gold Coast could ever hope to get. I think you are talking rubbish.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
When a Tasmanian team comes in there will be another to make it to 20 teams.
Pedro The Fisherman
Roar Rookie
Impossible to sustain 9 Melbourne teams (agreed) yet possible to sustain a team from Tasmania? Seriously! Tasmania has a limited fan base and no opportunity for growth. They have no suitable infrastructure and limited interest outside of Tasmania. Apart from that they are OK.
Gerry
Roar Rookie
You are never going to ditch Tassie they will have a team by 2025 for sure. In the end it will prove impossible to sustain 9 Melbourne teams so something has to give like Fitzroy and South Melbourne there will be another relocating club that’s also certain. Mark my words.
RT
Roar Rookie
Once you've had finals you could never go back (to top placed in H&A being champions). I think top 5 would probably be best, but with uneven draws and percentage deciding things I am comfortable with a final 8. But we could add another 6 teams and 8 would still be enough.
RT
Roar Rookie
Richmond get 11 home games like everyone else. Although Port effectively get 12 with China and are at no disadvantage in NT either, so they probably get the most favourable draw. It doesn't seem to help though. I guess talent wins in the end.