'[span style='font-size: 14px; color: #000000;]I have been pestering the fixtures mob for two years now to come up with an AFL or SC-style finals set-up, or shortened version thereof. The answer always seems to be something like, 'that would mean we would have to play through the byes' or, 'then every team couldn't play each other twice', etc.' <p style='color: #000000; margin-bottom: 10px; background: #ffffff;] <p style='color: #000000; margin-bottom: 10px; background: #ffffff;]I have bandied round the idea of a top six rather than a top 8 - therefore we have three lots of play-offs. The top 2 (in each division) sit out the first round while [span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]fourth plays fifth andthird plays sixth. The winner of the first game then plays the top qualifier, the other plays the second qualifier. The winners meet in the grand final.
Maybe call me the minority or the black sheep or whatever, but personally I am bored with the discussion on the finals series. We seem to discuss twice a year, we vote, things stay the way they are, someone voices a contrary opinion to the current set up and we rinse and repeat the cycle. I haven't generally been one to voice opinions on the subject but personally I am happy with the current set up. As a team that has finished top 4 every year, I think the reward is fair. Personally this year there would have been a few teams that I would have rather played in first week of finals had I finished on top than Birdsville. Dead rubbers for teams would be preferable to me, compared to teams trying to manipulate positions to get desired match ups, which could happen with a 'traditional' set up and I'm sure has happened once or twice in AFL circles. Chels' solution of having a top 6 is the best solution of alternatives I have been presented with as it at least gives top sides more of a reward as it should. It was always a better system than the top 8 in any regard. It does mean less teams can play finals which may upset some, but finals should be difficult to make for middle of the road teams. I still wouldn't vote for it compared to the current set up, but for mine it is at least better than a 1v8, 2v7 etc set up. Three weeks of finals is a must. Having a fair draw is the biggest problem with AFL and is something that we can and have avoided in ORFFA. An extra week of finals means that a team could make the finals by virtue that they didn't have to play Iron Knob over a team that didn't get to play Gundagai (apologies for the example, no offence intended, just looking at the ladder to make the point). With three weeks of finals being a priority, the top team deserves an advantage over 4th. In the AFL, higher teams get an advantage by having a week off or getting a double chance should results not go according to seeding, but with one less week we don't have that luxury. Sure a team that finishes top can still lose in the first week and be eliminated (which isn't ideal) which happened last year, but at least Jim had some control of his destiny by being able to choose. He wouldn't get this with the 1v8, 2v7 set up. 1st place should get the best reward for finishing top, 2nd the 2nd best reward etc. Nothing personal to those with a contrary view, just feel like we are flogging a dead horse by discussing it again. /rant over
You are right CR in that we had exactly the same discussion last year, and maybe the year before but the whiskey has wearied my memory.. I would be in the final 6 clan if it were voted on, it's purely a personal thing but I would not be comfortable nominating my opponent, it would be a variation on the guy 'picked last' theme. As you say though, you've done it I have been a spectator only. There are some things we should never change and the main one is that we all play each other an equal amount of times, be that once or twice (when the AFL realises that the off-season is a waste of 6 months ) 18 different people with 18 different approaches to all the topics that come up here will instigate conversation and debate, both are healthy pursuits for the league to be engaged in, even if it does generate the occasional 'here we go again' sigh...
]I probably shouldn't have raised this now, on the eve of our finals series, but I didn't mean for the conversation to begin now. What has largely come of this discussion in the past is that it is difficult to please everyone. Within the group there were several alternative solutions proposed and several alternative priorities expressed. I think the FIXture Committee did a really good job of weighing up all the options and presenting a compromise. In saying that, I think P'rap's suggestion above is a new proposal and is worth considering at some stage. On the point of the discussion starting again, Ido think its important we all get an opportunity to raise our views on these types of topics, especially because this issue has been quite contentious in the past. But, i do get CRs point. Everyone had an opportunity to raise their view and a decision was made, so we should just live with it for a bit. Im sorry i raised it now, even before we've gone through a finals series post the most recent decision... I reckon we should wait, and enjoy the finals, giving the current setup a chance this year, seeing how it goes. Maybe we should really give it a couple of years. It's probably not fair to go over the same ground again and again.
'[span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]Chels' solution of having a top 6' - it is not a solution Chief, merely a suggestion. It has some inherent problems - perhaps it is too generous to the top teams - but all the alternatives seem to have flaws. [span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]I am not sure there is an ideal, everyone agrees type, solution given the way the afl currently configure the home and away series. [span style='font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; color: #000000; background: #ffffff;] [span style='font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]From last year's finals I found picking an opponent a bit of a winner's curse - you get to pick, but you just know you are going to stuff up. [span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]
It seems to me that this topic of discussion is taking on the proportions of the Dons supplements scandal. Let just focus on the final series as it stands and discuss this post season. Let's give the finalists their due recognition and attention. Congratulations to all the the teams in the finals. An additional well done to the Knobsters for going through the season undefeated!
chris88 wrote: Very interesting to look at the ladder at this time last year compared to right now. Last year's ladder was: Iron Knob 56 22227 Waikikamoocow 52 20242 Foul Bay 48 21424 Charlies Opening 44 20705 Birdsville 44 19724 Powlett Plains 44 19582 Darraweit Guim 40 19433 Venus Bay 38 19237 -------------------------------------- Wagga Wagga 34 19805 Gariwerd 34 19343 Mt Beauty 32 18708 Cradle Mountain 24 18730 Whitsundays 24 18056 Nunawading 20 17450 Lovely Banks 14 18288 Marble Bar 12 18131 Larrikin Lagoon 8 18517 Gundagai 8 15429 Some big improvers amongst the teams both in terms of wins and points scored. Lovely Banks, Cradle Mountain and Wagga Wagga among the notable improvers. Cradle Mountain are the big improvers I reckon. Lovely Banks too, and if they can make the finals after this season, it will be just as special as CM's rise. Wagga Wagga were already pretty good last year. Sorry Bama, but I reckon Mt Beauty have been the most disappointing. They only just missed the finals last year and made some significant improvements to their list over the off season (except for trading Guthrie for Mitch Clark). I expected them to easily make the finals and maybe even be a sneaky chance for a premiership, but they've mostly been right down in the bottom 5 or so. Injuries (especially to ruckmen) have hurt them a lot. Good idea to post this Chris. Thanks mate.
chris88 wrote: Very interesting to look at the ladder at this time last year compared to right now. Last year's ladder was: Iron Knob 56 22227 Waikikamoocow 52 20242 Foul Bay 48 21424 Charlies Opening 44 20705 Birdsville 44 19724 Powlett Plains 44 19582 Darraweit Guim 40 19433 Venus Bay 38 19237 -------------------------------------- Wagga Wagga 34 19805 Gariwerd 34 19343 Mt Beauty 32 18708 Cradle Mountain 24 18730 Whitsundays 24 18056 Nunawading 20 17450 Lovely Banks 14 18288 Marble Bar 12 18131 Larrikin Lagoon 8 18517 Gundagai 8 15429 Some big improvers amongst the teams both in terms of wins and points scored. Lovely Banks, Cradle Mountain and Wagga Wagga among the notable improvers. Marble Bar about 10% worse.... Take pity at trade time, we are not above taking charity
Len wrote: chris88 wrote: Very interesting to look at the ladder at this time last year compared to right now. Last year's ladder was: Iron Knob 56 22227 Waikikamoocow 52 20242 Foul Bay 48 21424 Charlies Opening 44 20705 Birdsville 44 19724 Powlett Plains 44 19582 Darraweit Guim 40 19433 Venus Bay 38 19237 -------------------------------------- Wagga Wagga 34 19805 Gariwerd 34 19343 Mt Beauty 32 18708 Cradle Mountain 24 18730 Whitsundays 24 18056 Nunawading 20 17450 Lovely Banks 14 18288 Marble Bar 12 18131 Larrikin Lagoon 8 18517 Gundagai 8 15429 Some big improvers amongst the teams both in terms of wins and points scored. Lovely Banks, Cradle Mountain and Wagga Wagga among the notable improvers. Marble Bar about 10% worse.... Take pity at trade time, we are not above taking charity Not far behind you in that queue Len. I reckon I have a bigger hat tho
Simonoz wrote: .....yay me ! G, I have you firmly in my sights. Onemore round- wooden spoon up for grabs /Portals/0/Users/184/64/1464/woodenspoon.jpg Just cos it aint shiny dont mean it aint pretty. tbh not that excited about taking that mantle off you snoz so no fear of tanking when I take on the 'Bar this week. Still stewing from his 1-2 punch in SC ORFFA and SC draft last week. Roads to the Goon wont be graded this week, in an effort to ward off unsavoury Misfit supporters.
grav wrote: Simonoz wrote: .....yay me ! G, I have you firmly in my sights. Onemore round- wooden spoon up for grabs /Portals/0/Users/184/64/1464/woodenspoon.jpg Just cos it aint shiny dont mean it aint pretty. tbh not that excited about taking that mantle off you snoz so no fear of tanking when I take on the 'Bar this week. Still stewing from his 1-2 punch in SC ORFFA and SC draft last week. Roads to the Goon wont be graded this week, in an effort to ward off unsavoury Misfit supporters. I did have a rare golden day in both SC's, made up for some of the Misfit's misfiring.. 8 official injuries and 4 apparently non-selectable at the Bar so far this week, could be a very close game, and it's not fair to label ALL the WAGs unsavoury, some of them even shave..
Simonoz wrote: What'sa final series ? Just had a call from Richmond. They think we should be innovative and go with a final 9
chels wrote: '[span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]Chels' solution of having a top 6' - it is not a solution Chief, merely a suggestion. It has some inherent problems - perhaps it is too generous to the top teams - but all the alternatives seem to have flaws. [span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]I am not sure there is an ideal, everyone agrees type, solution given the way the afl currently configure the home and away series. [span style='font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; color: #000000; background: #ffffff;] [span style='font-family: Garamond; font-size: 16px; color: #000000; background: #ffffff;]From last year's finals I found picking an opponent a bit of a winner's curse - you get to pick, but you just know you are going to stuff up. [span style='color: #000000; background: #ffffff;] LOL! This! I dont wanna pick! hahaha
Took longer than I thought damn international work visitors. <p >Review has been sent to Chris and will go up soon (hopefully!)
Review is up http://tooserious.net/forum/Blog/tabid/90/Post/7157/The-Winners-ORFFA-Round-16-Review-courtesy-of-Bandit