HAL finals series to expand to 6 teams

[Jesus]

Where did you get the article from?  i'd like to post it on some other sites.

This, IMO, is f**king ridiculous.  Look at the NRL's finals system - 16 team comp, you only need to be better than half the teams to get in.  You don't actually need to be on of the best teams all season to have a chance at the glory - just better than half of them.  It's an absolute farce.

In a 10 team comp, and in a country that rewards performance on a single match over performance for a whole year, how the hell can we justify allowing a 6th placed team so much chance at glory?

How can somebody on the BOTTOM HALF OF THE LADDER have a shot at winning the grand final????

It's absolutely ridiculous.  Stupidest thing I've ever heard of.

+1

The full article is on the sydney forum. It is actually an article out of perth. And goes on to say some local things

 

[Paolo]

In the first year of the NRL, the Bulldogs made the Grand Final from 9th.

When the AFL went to its current 16-team format in 1995, the Brisbane Bears got into the finals on 10 wins (out of 22). They lost by only 13 points or so to an all-conquering Carlton at the MCG.

Who? Relevance?

shows that a system like this will reward rubbish sides who dont deserve to be anywhere near a final?

 

[Jesus]

what load of wank.

As if half the teams making it wasnt bad enough...now we are going to reward more shit sides with a finals spot.

......f**k the jets and the FFA

I dont mind the idea of expanded finals, though preferably when 2nd syd and melb come in. And i dont see a point when they are removing the 2 legged system

 

[bulldogmariner]

In the first year of the NRL, the Bulldogs made the Grand Final from 9th.

When the AFL went to its current 16-team format in 1995, the Brisbane Bears got into the finals on 10 wins (out of 22). They lost by only 13 points or so to an all-conquering Carlton at the MCG.

20 team comp when bulldogs finished 9th.

 

[David Votoupal]

It's better to eradicate all these tricks and gimmicks and do what the J-League has done, adopt a European-style league setup. It's worked for 100+ years so no need to change eh?

 

[Arabmariner]

It's better to eradicate all these tricks and gimmicks and do what the J-League has done, adopt a European-style league setup. It's worked for 100+ years so no need to change eh?

"Tricks and gimmicks" = Americanisation of our game.................

 

[dibo]

It's better to eradicate all these tricks and gimmicks and do what the J-League has done, adopt a European-style league setup. It's worked for 100+ years so no need to change eh?

"Tricks and gimmicks" = Americanisation of our game.................

australianisation. the other major comps in the country have finals (and there are really only two that matter - the rugby league and aussie rules competitions), and have done for a very long time.

i wish we didn't, but to claim it's an americanisation is not quite right.

 

[David Votoupal]

I'd rather we follow football tradition, because it gives our league a better feel to it.

 

[Arabmariner]

It's better to eradicate all these tricks and gimmicks and do what the J-League has done, adopt a European-style league setup. It's worked for 100+ years so no need to change eh?

"Tricks and gimmicks" = Americanisation of our game.................

australianisation. the other major comps in the country have finals (and there are really only two that matter - the rugby league and aussie rules competitions), and have done for a very long time.

i wish we didn't, but to claim it's an americanisation is not quite right.

LOL

I stand corrected.

 

[Redline]

That's a joke. If they want to retain half the teams making it into the finals, they should wait until the have 12 teams, and not reward crap performance. Farcical (sp?) at best.

 

[dibo]

i wish we got the recognition that we deserved for finishing on top after 21 weeks last season, but sadly for most (including probably most on here) last season is better remembered for one afternoon at moore park. sad but true.

last year could have been a shocker if melbourne had have snuck into the finals. they would have steamrollered all in their path and likely won the toilet seat from fourth in spite of having had an absolutely diabolical start to the year. big trophies should not just go to those who can put together a great last month or two.

the fact that we had (in a procedural sense, if not actually) a chance to pick up silverware from this season in spite of being far behind the standard of the top 3 sides is an embarassment as well. but that's the way the cookie crumbles in australian sport, and it seems the FFA is determined to keep it that way.

 

[Arabmariner]

it seems the FFA is determined to keep it that way.

It does appear that way.

Tbh finishing on top at the end of the league season can't be taken as seriously as it should be until we are playing each other an even amount of times home and away which is something the other "codes" don't do either.

When we go to 12 teams I think it'll be an even 22 rounds which will be a fair comp unlike the present lopsided 21 or next seasons 27 rounds.

 

[dibo]

it seems the FFA is determined to keep it that way.

It does appear that way.

Tbh finishing on top at the end of the league season can't be taken as seriously as it should be until we are playing each other an even amount of times home and away which is something the other "codes" don't do either.

When we go to 12 teams I think it'll be an even 22 rounds which will be a fair comp unlike the present lopsided 21 or next seasons 27 rounds.

what of the scottish 'top half, bottom half' thing, where the competition splits halfway?

18 matches (playing the other 9 teams, home and away) to seed teams into the top or bottom half, and then a further 8 (playing the other 4 teams, home and away) matches to determine placings in the two halves? gives a 26 week season.

later with 12 teams you have 20 matches then 10 matches for a 30 week season.

 

[Arabmariner]

it seems the FFA is determined to keep it that way.

It does appear that way.

Tbh finishing on top at the end of the league season can't be taken as seriously as it should be until we are playing each other an even amount of times home and away which is something the other "codes" don't do either.

When we go to 12 teams I think it'll be an even 22 rounds which will be a fair comp unlike the present lopsided 21 or next seasons 27 rounds.

what of the scottish 'top half, bottom half' thing, where the competition splits halfway?

18 matches (playing the other 9 teams, home and away) to seed teams into the top or bottom half, and then a further 8 (playing the other 4 teams, home and away) matches to determine placings in the two halves? gives a 26 week season.

later with 12 teams you have 20 matches then 10 matches for a 30 week season.

I think for that to work we'd need more champions league places as a reward for finishing 2nd for example.

And it would kind of kill the bottom half unless they had relegation to avoid.

This system came about in Scotland to cut the amount of games played as when the spl expanded from 10 to 12 teams they were playing 44 league games a season for a few years.

 

[soundsdifferent]

i think a 5 team finals
week one: 2v5 3v4 losest ranked loser knocked out
week two: 1st vs highest ranked winner from above(winner of this game proceeds to GF) & 2 remaining teams vs
week three: loser of (1st vs highest ranked winner from week two) vs winner of (2 remaining teams from week 2)
week four: GF


any thoughts

 

[Herbs]

i think a 5 team finals
week one: 2v5 3v4 losest ranked loser knocked out
week two: 1st vs highest ranked winner from above(winner of this game proceeds to GF) & 2 remaining teams vs
week three: loser of (1st vs highest ranked winner from week two) vs winner of (2 remaining teams from week 2)
week four: GF


any thoughts

On one hand it does place some deal of importance of 1st place in the league like it should be.

However would we really need to take another step towards rugby league ?

 

[ryan]

This would be a huge step backwards IMHO. We should be looking to drop the finals series in the future not expand it. Let the other so called sports have their stupidly worked finals but I will be very dissapointed if this happens to football.

 

[Jesus]

This would be a huge step backwards IMHO. We should be looking to drop the finals series in the future not expand it. Let the other so called sports have their stupidly worked finals but I will be very dissapointed if this happens to football.

Given the biggest crowds every season are for finals, our own dodgy crowd excepted, this is absurd, in a competitive market when those competitors kicking our asses are doing it and winning big from it.

f**k world football, f**k euro football, this is australia

 

[kevrenor]

Given the biggest crowds every season are for finals, our own dodgy crowd excepted, this is absurd, in a competitive market when those competitors kicking our asses are doing it and winning big from it.

f**k world football, f**k euro football, this is Australia

 

[dougie]

an article about the finals expansion was also published today in the townsville bulletin... headline "North Queensland FC eye off finals"
http://www.townsvillebulletin.com.au/article/2009/02/16/39155_sport.html
i found the article at:
http://footballgeek.com.au/ALeague/North_Queensland_FC_eye_off_finals

I guess its good for the new teams in terms of having better odds of making the finals and it being a good marketing opportunity for them... but i think its all a bit ridiculous and it actually has the potential to weaken the value of teams being in the finals series.