nah. It has been tried. It failed.

You must give the top 4 sides a double chance.

Like the old top 4.

Teams 1 & 2 got a double chance

If Port or North win the GF this year, then I might be willing to agree with you. But until a team outside the top four wins the flag, we need to think about ways to reduce the top four advantage. Surely you agree that it has to be doable from outside the top four, right?

And if after this long nobody has been able to do it, maybe it can't be done. In that case, the advantage is likely too big.

Top 4 absolutely should have an advantage. A 1 vs 8 knock out scenario would be far worse than the current set up. There needs to be real reward for the regular season.

If Port or North win the GF this year, then I might be willing to agree with you. But until a team outside the top four wins the flag, we need to think about ways to reduce the top four advantage. Surely you agree that it has to be doable from outside the top four, right?

And if after this long nobody has been able to do it, maybe it can't be done. In that case, the advantage is likely too big.

if you don't agree with the double chance we won't agree.

It is the most equitable system available.

8 beating 1 completely blows the series apart.

FFS Chook don't you remember 1998 the old system killed us then. We belted the eventual Premiers by over 80points

wow 2 years ago port were a rabble. Just goes to show you get the right people in and things can change quickly. Port have now played in back to back finals and are playing for a shot to play in the granny next week.

The reward should be playing the worst finalist.

1 vs 8

2 vs 7

3 vs 6

4 vs 5

Rinse and repeat.

Top sides should get an advantage, but not this great.

Reduce home & away season to 18 rounds and extend finals to 6 weeks.

WEEK 1 - QUARTER FINALS (Winners in bold)

3v4

2v5

1v6

7v8

Highest place winner gets two weeks off and hosts the 1st semi final, 2nd & 3rd highest placed winners get a week off and play eachother in a double chance qualifying final. Highest place looser hosts the winner of 7v8 the following week in an elimination final, 2nd & 3rd highest placed looser play eachother in the other elimination final. Looser of 7v8 eliminated.

WEEK 2 - ELIMINATION FINALS

4v7

5v6

Winners play eachother in 2nd qualifying final (knockout)

WEEK 3 - QUALIFYING FINAL

2v3

4v5

Winner of 2v3 to play 1st in double chance 1st semi final, looser to host winner of 4v5 in the 2nd semi. Looser of 4v5 eliminated.

WEEK 4 - SEMI FINAL

1v2

3v4

Winner of 1v2 goes into Grand Final, with looser to host winner of 3v4 in Prelim Final. Looser of 3v4 eliminated.

WEEK 5 - PRELIMINARY FINAL

2v3

Winner into Grand Final, looser eliminated.

WEEK 6 - GRAND FINAL

1v2

Based on the old top 5 system with the first two weeks dedicated to eliminating three teams. Top 6 get a double chance and are all a good chance of making the GF, especially if you get a win first up. 7 & 8 don't have a great chance of going deep, but this is based on the fact that since the top 8 came into existence in 1994, not one team from 7th has gone further then a Prelim, and not one team from 8th further then the semi's.

Top sides should get an advantage, but not this great.

Reduce home & away season to 18 rounds and extend finals to 6 weeks.

WEEK 1 - QUARTER FINALS (Winners in bold)

3v4

2v5

1v6

7v8

Highest place winner gets two weeks off and hosts the 1st semi final, 2nd & 3rd highest placed winners get a week off and play eachother in a double chance qualifying final. Highest place looser hosts the winner of 7v8 the following week in an elimination final, 2nd & 3rd highest placed looser play eachother in the other elimination final. Looser of 7v8 eliminated.

WEEK 2 - ELIMINATION FINALS

4v7

5v6

Winners play eachother in 2nd qualifying final (knockout)

WEEK 3 - QUALIFYING FINAL

2v3

4v5

Winner of 2v3 to play 1st in double chance 1st semi final, looser to host winner of 4v5 in the 2nd semi. Looser of 4v5 eliminated.

WEEK 4 - SEMI FINAL

1v2

3v4

Winner of 1v2 goes into Grand Final, with looser to host winner of 3v4 in Prelim Final. Looser of 3v4 eliminated.

WEEK 5 - PRELIMINARY FINAL

2v3

Winner into Grand Final, looser eliminated.

WEEK 6 - GRAND FINAL

1v2

Based on the old top 5 system with the first two weeks dedicated to eliminating three teams. Top 6 get a double chance and are all a good chance of making the GF, especially if you get a win first up. 7 & 8 don't have a great chance of going deep, but this is based on the fact that since the top 8 came into existence in 1994, not one team from 7th has gone further then a Prelim, and not one team from 8th further then the semi's.

A system where a team has two weeks off in finals will not work. They will lose momentum it happened to the Bombers in 1990 when the Pies and Meth Coast drew and had a replay giving the Bombers another week off. They were the best side all year but that fortnight off killed their momentum going in to the finals.

Really don't see the issue in the current system you finish top 4 you deserve the second chance and the home final.

A system where a team has two weeks off in finals will not work. They will lose momentum it happened to the Bombers in 1990 when the Pies and Meth Coast drew and had a replay giving the Bombers another week off. They were the best side all year but that fortnight off killed their momentum going in to the finals.

Really don't see the issue in the current system you finish top 4 you deserve the second chance and the home final.

I don't think the two week break would be as big an issue now as it was back in 1990. Teams now would do things like go away for a mini pre-season etc to make sure they were cherry ripe to go after the two weeks. Also unlike in 1990, this two week break would lead into a semi final where they'd still have a double chance.

The thing I don't like about the current system is that the Grand Finalists is pretty much decided after the first week of the finals as others have suggested.

I reckon port will beat hawks

Don't see why it needs to change.

Interesting could be 1 v 8, 2 v 7 etc. with all losers eliminated, winners straight through to the prelim.

3 week finals system, all matches elimination finals.

I think the AFL would love it if Port or North won the flag. It would be just great for the game.

Anything, anything at all except a Hawthorn v Sydney GF.

Hawthorn v Sydney is about 95% sure of happening and there will be 16 clubs' worth of supporters who will just about not care.

This "week off" bullcrap is bullcrap. No team should get such a big advantage. It is impossible to beat a rested top-tier team after two crushingly difficult weeks of football. What is even the point of the finals series if it's just so hard to make the Grand Final from outside the top four?

The double chance is the reward for finishing top 4. If you reduce the incentive to finish top 4 you reduce the importance of the home and away season.

If you want to win the flag you have to work hard. You either work hard during the year to win enough games to get into the top 4, or you work hard during the finals to win 4 games instead of 3.

Meanwhile, of course the Hawthorn v Port game is scheduled for 4.45pm. What a rubbish timeslot.

Is it because they want the game as late as possible for ratings but can't have it too late because of the curfew at Adelaide Airport?

Is it because they want the game as late as possible for ratings but can't have it too late because of the curfew at Adelaide Airport?

I think curfew aside they don't like having interstate sides playing on the Saturday night before the GF, in case they win and then get home late. It should be a 2.10 or 2.30 start, but Channel 7 doesn't want that, so the 'compromise' is a twilight game - leads into the news which is good for 7, but Port still gets to finish up at 7.15 and get back to Adelaide to ensure maximum recovery times if they win.

Anything, anything at all except a Hawthorn v Sydney GF.

Hawthorn v Sydney is about 95% sure of happening and there will be 16 clubs' worth of supporters who will just about not care.

The double chance is the reward for finishing top 4. If you reduce the incentive to finish top 4 you reduce the importance of the home and away season.

If you want to win the flag you have to work hard. You either work hard during the year to win enough games to get into the top 4, or you work hard during the finals to win 4 games instead of 3.

That would be fine if the home and away draw were equal. Unfortunately it isn't, which means the final ladder rankings are skewed.

What a great start to the Swans Roos prelim. Prelims are usually such good contests this looks a good start.

And then they go bang.

Sydney are going to RIP Nought apart.....

Good thing too.

Honeymoon's over for North you'd think. I've watched both their finals so far and they'd been good, but the Swans are just a class above. So jealous.

Yep this game is over and I'm bored with it already.

Seems like the gap between 1 and 6 much greater than between 3 and 6

Anyone know the last time a team won the GF without playing in a PF the previous year? Was it Geelong in 2007?

Edited September 19, 201411 yr by Ascobar

I'll still go to the bbq if it's Hawks v Swans, but I won't be watching much of the game. Could not care less.

Geez, Parker can take a grab and kick a goal. Let's offer 2, 3, 22, 24 and the kitchen sink for him?

We really do need a marquee player....TRADE HARD ROOSY.