AFL's conference callBy Adam McNicol
Fri 18 June, 2010The options unveiled by the league on Friday, which all involve a 22-round fixture, are:
• Dividing the 18 clubs into two conferences - play 13 games against sides in their conference (play five teams twice and three teams once) and nine games against teams from the other conference. At the end of the home-and-away season, between four and six teams from each conference qualify for the finals.
• Dividing the 18 clubs into three conferences - play all teams in the same conference twice (10 games) and the teams in the other two conferences once (12 games). After the end of the home-and-away season either two or four teams from each conference qualify for the finals.
• All teams play each other once in rounds one to 17. After round 17, clubs are reallocated into three divisions based on their ladder positions (top six, middle six and bottom six). The top six play each other in the last five games and jostle for ladder positions. The middle six play each other in the last five games and battle for the last available places in the finals (a final eight or 10 could be used). The bottom six play each other in the last five games, but they are already excluded from finals contention.
• All teams play each other once in rounds one to 17. After round 17, clubs are reallocated into three divisions based on their ladder positions. In contrast to the previous model, division one includes the clubs that are first, sixth, seventh, 10th, 13th and 18th on the ladder. Division two is the clubs who are second, fifth, eighth, 11th, 14th and 17th. Division three is made up of those that are third, fourth, ninth, 12th, 15th and 16. Clubs play the others in their division in the final five games of the season, then the top two or four from each division qualify for the finals.
• The fixture is locked in for three years at a time, meaning clubs play each other four times (twice at home and twice away) over that period.
The changes to the regular season fixturing have also prompted the AFL to review the way the pre-season competition will work from 2012 onwards.
At present, three proposals are up for consideration:
• Clubs take part in only a limited number of practice matches.
• The pre-season consist of practice matches and representative games, allowing for state of origin football to possibly return.
• A lightning premiership-style competition, for which the 18 clubs are divided into pools of three. The pool games take the form of two 20-minute halves. Teams meet the other two members of their pool in the first round, with the games played at one venue on one day. The top club in each pool progresses to a second round of shortened matches. The two best performed clubs then advance to the grand final, which is a full-length match.
Full article at:
http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/208/newsid/96547/default.aspx