AFL considers final nine or final 10 for 2012 (Herald-Sun)

[one-eyed]

AFL considers final nine or final 10 for 2012

    * AAP
    * From: Herald Sun
    * March 12, 2010 5:44PM

THE AFL is weighing up nine and 10-team finals formats for when the competition expands to 18 teams in 2012.

Chief executive Andrew Demetriou confirmed the AFL was exploring the merits of expanding the home-and-away season to 23 or 24 rounds once Gold Coast (2011) and Greater Western Sydney (2012) join the competition.

And he hinted the league was leaning towards creating a nine-team finals format, although the merits of 10 teams making the finals was also being discussed.

"We're actually doing a huge body of work on 17 and 18 teams," Demetriou said in Perth.

"As you know there'll be a bye next year (and) we're doing work around whether it'll be a 22 or 23 or 24-round season when we go to 18 teams.

"They're all options that we're looking at.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-looks-at-final-10/story-e6frf9io-1225840160545

[dizza]

ditch the NAB Cup, start the season early, create an even draw where every team plays once home and away (play a few mid-week games in order to make the 34 rounds) and go back to a final 5 or keep a final 8. none of this 9 team complicated rubbish that can't be finished in 4 weeks.

[Hellenic Tiger]

We'll become Tenthmond instead of Ninthmond.
It is becoming a joke to be quite serious. Too many teams making the finals.
A final 6 would be perfect with an 18 team comp as one third make the finals.
A final eight would be okay too as less than half the teams would make the finals.

[Penelope]

leave it at 8. a competition where half the teams make the finals is a joke, yet alone having more that half make the finals. 8 out of 18 is fair enough. The AFL will want more finals for more revenue so I expect to see an increase, though.

[mightytiges]

Maybe Benny Gale knew this was coming when we aimed for 3 finals in 5 years  .

There's probably too many teams making the finals as it is. Essendon fell in with just 10 wins and rightly were embarrassingly flogged. Having a top 9 or top 10 and having over the half the clubs making the finals would be ridiculous.

Having said that maybe the AFL wants to go with a top 9 and give the top side a week's rest. One way to reward the minor premier with something meaningful.

week 1
1st - bye
2nd vs 3rd - qualifying final  (#1)
4th vs 9th - elimination final (#2)
5th vs 8th - "                      (#3)
6th vs 7th - "                      (#4)

week 2
1st vs winner of #1                                   (#5)
loser of #1 vs lowest placed winner of #2-4 (#6)
Other two winners of #2-4 play off              (#7)

week 3
winner of #5 vs lowest place winner of #6-7  (#8)
loser of #5 vs other winner of #6-7              (#9)

week 4 - Grand Final
winner of #8 vs winner of #9

[Penelope]

Maybe Benny Gale knew this was coming when we aimed for 3 finals in 5 years 

Yeah, that though crossed my mind too.

[one-eyed]

How a final nine could work

    * From: Sunday Herald Sun
    * March 21, 2010 8:53AM


THE details on how a final nine AFL finals system could work.

SYSTEM 1

Extra Elimination Final

The 8th and 9th team play on a Wednesday night in an elimination qualifier.

The winner would become the new 8th team, playing on Sunday against the 5th team.

These two teams could be scheduled to play on a Friday night/Saturday afternoon in the final round.

The finals series then proceeds in the same way as a final eight.


SYSTEM 2

Group System - 3 additional matches, 1 additional week

Teams are grouped as follows:
A        B       C
1st    2nd   3rd
5th    6th    4th
9th    7th    8th

Each team plays each other within their group, with home ground advantage going to the highest ranked team for each fixture (so 1,2,3 always play home; 4,5,6 once; and 7,8,9 never).

The highest ranked side has the option of playing its first game in week 1 or 2.

The winner of week 1 always has a week's rest and plays in week 3 to avoid a dead week 2 game.

Top team from each group goes through to the preliminary finals; one wildcard or best second place from the remaining sides is the fourth side.

Of the top teams in each group (A,B,C) the highest ranked team from round 22 and second highest maintain home ground advantage. The highest plays the lowest.

The winners play off in the Grand Final.


SYSTEM 3

Pre-Qualifiers System - 4 additional matches, 1 additional week

Week 1: Pre-Qualifiers: Home ground advantage to highest rank sides (2,3,4,8)
1st: bye
2nd vs 5th Pre-Qualifier 1
3rd vs 6th Pre-Qualifier 2
4th vs 7th Pre-Qualifier 3
8th vs 9th Elimination Pre-Qualifier
Loser of 8 vs 9 is out. Top side gets 1 week off

Week 2: Qualifiers: now follows the same as current system, with one additional week.
 
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/how-a-final-nine-could-work/story-e6frf9io-1225843315520

[mightytiges]

Not keen on any of those but if I had to choose one I'd got with the first one. The 3rd option's first week would have meaningless games especially if the 9th side is eliminated and the second option doesn't reward the top sides enough.