It’s July 2023, and the AFL have brought together the 18 CEOs to Werribee Mansion in Melbourne’s west to thrash out many items on the agenda. These include Tasmania, AFLW and a wildcard game, with a shake up of the unfair fixture.
In 2010 (or was it 2011) I was sitting in a room with three AFL officials, one of them Saints CEO Simon Lethlean. I presented them with an exciting and fair concept called the ’17-5′.
They were open to the idea but in my opinion the stumbling block came when there was a chance the big rivalries like Collingwood and Essendon may only play each other once in the year. It was all about the money!
However, 12 or 13 years later, we have the concept on the table again. Now called the ’17-6′, due to the AFL wanting some sort of ‘wildcard’ game.
This is how the 18 team competition future fixture may operate – I don’t believe a one-off wildcard game will work or be trialled.
How it works
Every team plays each other once, meaning 17 games. If you played a particular team at home, you’ll play that team away next year. (Gather Round is included)
Then we have a bye, which gives the AFL some time to workout the last 5 games.
The ladder is split into thirds. Remember, the finals will be a ‘Top 8’.
TOP 6 – The Contenders
Middle 6 – The Wildcards
Bottom 6 – The Ron Barassi Cup
In the last 5 rounds, The Contenders are now cemented into the top 6 and are playing for Top 4.
The Wildcards are now cemented into the middle 6 and are playing for 7th and 8th.
The Bottom 6 play for the Ron Barassi Cup but more importantly, extra draft picks.
It will be more important than ever to get off to a good start and get into the top 6 before round 18.
We can look at history and even this year at results, but we must take into account just how compromised the fixture is, and has been. This new system gives us no excuses.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Let’s talk about ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’ (13th to 18th)
Once the last 5 rounds are complete, the rewards filter through to the draft.
Winner/13th: Club receives Pick 10
Second/14th: Club receives Pick 13
Third/15th: Club receives Pick 16
Fourth/16th: Club receives Pick 18
Fifth/17th: Club receives Pick 19
Last/18th: Club receives Pick 20 but keeps Pick 1.
AFL DRAFT ORDER 1 to 24
PICK 1 – 18th (Last after the completed season)
PICK 2 – 17th
PICK 3 – 16th
PICK 4 – 15th
PICK 5 – 14th
PICK 6 – 13th
PICK 7 – 12th
PICK 8 – 11th
PICK 9 – 10th
PICK 10 – 13th – Winner of ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’
PICK 11 – 9th
PICK 12 – 8th
PICK 13 – 14th – 2nd place in ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’
PICK 14 – 7th
PICK 15 – 6th
PICK 16 – 15th – 3rd place in ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’
PICK 17 – 5th
PICK 18 – 16th – 4th place in ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’
PICK 19 – 17th – 5th place in ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’
PICK 20 – 18th – Last place in ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’
PICK 21 – 4th
PICK 22 – 3rd
PICK 23 – 2nd
PICK 24 – 1st – AFL Premiers
The winner of ‘The Ron Barassi Cup’ (13th placed) will receive picks 6 & 10.
You finish 16th and you’ll receive picks 3 & 18
You finish last (18th), you’ll receive picks 1 & 20
If you win the premiership, your first pick will be pick 24. I’ve always wondered why the premiers get a first round pick (normally pick 18) in this socialist system.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Other factors with splitting the ladder into thirds:
- The top 3 in each, receive 3 home games and 2 away games.
- The bottom 3 in each, receive 2 home games and 3 away games.
- Once Round 17 has been completed, all points for the bottom 6 (13th to 18th) will go back to zero.
With all the above said, interest in the latter part of the season will stretch out longer because fans see an opportunity on all levels.
The Wildcard Six will be fascinating. In that mix, there’ll be two or three teams who started the season poorly and should be in the top 6, but, because of injury or poor form, or flag hangover, find themselves in a wildcard. We could find another flag winner outside the top 6.
The last five rounds promises games played against teams of similar ability and you hope that translates to close games – not blowouts.
The beauty about this system is; in the last last five rounds, we’re keeping the top 6 away from the bottom 6, much to the delight of all broadcasters.
Suddenly, we have integrity in the AFL fixture.
“I’d Like To See That!!”
Shane
Roar Rookie
The other thing is a best of three Grand Final. This removes the monopoly of the MCG while continuing to fulfill the bizzaro 50 year contract the AFL signed. I wonder if they signed a 50 year contract to use Windows 95? Great business people!!! It is just a little bit of an assumption to lock in a ground and city for 50 years.
Shane
Roar Rookie
I think it should be six categories of three teams each in reverse order. Then you draw lots within these categories. That way any of the bottom three teams can select the number one pick if they are lucky.
Gary David
Roar Rookie
If we can't have 17 rounds, then yes it's the fairest option.
TheFireFighterOfAntarctica
Roar Rookie
"Pots?" So the top 3 are POT 1. 4,5,6 are POT 2. 7,8,9 are POT 3, etc etc. So you want the top side after Round 17 to play a team that's 16th, 17th or last. And a team in 13th, 14th or 15th........ Really?
Gary David
Roar Rookie
I think a big issue with this is also that the top 4 isn’t such a huge advantage anymore, if this system was adopted the pre finals bye would at least have to be removed. But even still, I don’t think the top 6 teams will be too keen on flogging themselves against other top teams for 5 straight weeks heading into finals. I don’t think those matches will have full intensity either, similar to the bottom 6. Can’t we just do pots for the last 5 (or 6) weeks. Top 3 are pot 1, etc and you play one team from every other pot. Stops some teams getting an advantage by playing multiple bottom 3 sides twice.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Except its not meaningless going in. Hawthorn beat Brisbane and Syney beat the Dogs. I just can't think of another sport that plays 15 games for no purpose at the end of the season for both teams. I prefer 18+5 to what we have now but you've got to somehow have the bottom 6 playing for more then pick 10 or not playing at all
Papa Joe
Roar Rookie
I think you've nailed it. People will always find things to criticise, but it achieves its aim of making for an objectively fair fixture, which isn't currently the case. A fair fixture should be the AFL's top priority in my opinion. I like your bottom six option. They could still have their wildcard round (which has the one merit of replacing the vacuum created by the bye before the finals); by playing 6th and 7th against 9th and 8th - to determine positions 6-8. Winners take spots 6 and 7, and the highest placed loser takes 8th spot.
TheFireFighterOfAntarctica
Roar Rookie
You asked how much broadcasters are prepared to pay for meaningless games - you were referring to the bottom 6 Cup. Right now, they’re paying big bucks. This 17-5 system removes the top 6 from the bottom 6. That’s what I call meaningless!
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
And how much do you expect Broadcasters to pay for meaningless games between the bottom 6? Right now my interest as a supporter of a bottom 6 team is how we match up against teams still in the hunt because you know they're trying. 15 pre-season games 7 months before the season, don't think I'd be tuning in.
TheFireFighterOfAntarctica
Roar Rookie
Gilberto, In an ideal world, it would be great if the bottom six teams ended their season after Round 17. But Broadcast Rights and Sponsorship dictates Professional sport now.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
I prefer it to the current model. Not sure about the bottom 6 though why not just let them go home and give them extra pre-season games the next year. That's all the games will be anyway. My alternative would be 18 rounds (including gather) then the bottom 10 go to Mad Monday/Vegas but all involved start their pre-season one month earlier then the top 8 teams. The top 8 play 7 rounds against each other starting with zero points - higher on the ladder gets home ground meaning 8th is away every week. Top 4 qualify for Preliminary Finals. For equity of funds going forward all the revenue from the top 8 playing each other needs to go to the AFL.