'Wildcard Weekend' for 2018? Clubs like the ideaafl.com.au
19 May 2017THERE is growing support for a wildcard weekend among club CEOs, with League chief Gillon McLachlan suggesting a playoff round could be introduced for the 2018 season.
The AFL is working on a number of different fixture models, including 17-5 and 18-4 formats, with McLachlan briefing club bosses in "animated" discussions on Thursday.
While a substantial fixture reform is unlikely to be made until the 2019 season, the introduction of a wildcard round, where potentially four clubs would play off for two finals spots, is possible next year.
"There was more interest in a wildcard round leading into finals than I thought there would be," McLachlan said.
"That had, I wouldn't say universal, but a significant level of support. That was the thing that was probably most surprising."
It was suggested at Thursday's talks that a wildcard round would fit in the weekend currently reserved for the pre-finals bye.
McLachlan said an example of a wildcard round – under a split-fixture model – would have the team that finishes seventh playing the team that finishes 13th for one spot, and eighth playing ninth for another.
The bottom six teams would be battling each other in the final rounds to finish 13th to earn the right for that playoff spot, keeping interest alive in late season matches that have become a concern for the AFL.
Read more at: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-18/wildcard-weekend-for-2018-clubs-like-the-idea
