The 2014 finals thread

[rjay 24,200]

lol..you're persistent, I'll give you that

He looks great when he doesn't have to kick it.

Good 3rd Q 'P-man', he's had a good game. Kicking right on the money too.

Don't worry, we're not a chance to get him now. With Shaw and Malceski coming near the end he will be setting up play across half back for many years to come.

[pantaloons 2,019]

Preliminary final weekend is usually awesome, but someone needs to make sure North doesn't make it again. At 3/4 time in in their last three prelims, they've trailed by 52 tonight, 78 against Port in 2007, and 58 against us in 2000. Oh what a night.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

The reward should be playing the worst finalist.

1 vs 8

2 vs 7

3 vs 6

4 vs 5

Rinse and repeat.

That's the system that cost Melbourne in 1998 after we beat Adelaide by about 10 goals. The current system is much better, even the NRL now use it becuase they realise it is better.

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Do the Sydney crowd even know what a football side they have? Talk about "pearls before swine"

They just talk among themselves and hardly watch the game.

[dees189227 11,314]

wow buddy franklin is just leading his team into a GF. Its funny to think all the stuff he copped during the season. At the moment he is flying. North just got a reality check tonight and if the hawks get through all next week will be hawthorn v Franklin.

[don cordner 165]

made me sick when Sydney got Tippet the fact that they got Franklin the year after shows how rigged the AFL is and to be honest I thought tonight was boring and things like this make me turn away from this sport.

[BAMF 3,920]

wow buddy franklin is just leading his team into a GF. Its funny to think all the stuff he copped during the season. At the moment he is flying. North just got a reality check tonight and if the hawks get through all next week will be hawthorn v Franklin.

Sydney's midfield runs so freaking hard. They are always moving at pace. Never standing still. Simply carving north up. Everyone playing their role. Franklins role seems to be to be awesome

[MadAsHell 4,089]

That's the system that cost Melbourne in 1998 after we beat Adelaide by about 10 goals. The current system is much better, even the NRL now use it becuase they realise it is better.

As per my post below where I talk about an extended 6 week finals series, I think that works as a better system and leaves the door adjar a bit more for almost any team in the 8 (probably not 7 or 8) to take out the grand prize.

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.

Alternatively if it needs to stay 4 weeks then I'd be happy to see it reduced to a top 6 to leave it a bit more open. We used to have a top 4 for 12 teams, so top 6 for 18 works.

WEEK 1

QUALIFYING FINALS (All winners in bold to show path through)

2v3

1v6

ELIMINATION FINAL

4v5

The two winners of the Qualifying finals play off in the 1st semi in week 2, the highest ranked looser from the Qualifying Finals hosts the winner of the elimination final. Lowest ranked looser of the Qualifying Final & looser of Elimination Final are eliminated.

WEEK 2

1st SEMI FINAL

1v2

2nd SEMI FINAL

3v4

Winner of 1st semi goes straight to Grand Final, looser hosts winner of 2nd semi final. Looser of 2nd semi eliminated.

WEEK 3

PRELIMINARY FINAL

2v3

Winner into Grand Final

WEEK 4

GRAND FINAL

1v2

[dees189227 11,314]

so lance franklin to win sydneys best first year player award?

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,166]

Watched the game for a while. Gave up. Too one-sided, boring. Gone to bed.

That's the AFL these days: so one-sided, top-heavy, artificial.

My only hope is that the Swans can do the Hawks. Especially if I have to look at that smarmy little rodent, Rioli.

Good book beckons.

I switched to the NRL I was that bored watching. Such a putrid venue, so hard to get excited about watching a game of footy played out there and this game was ordinary!

By the way, NQ Cowboys robbed for the 3rd year in a row by refs the poor buggers

[rjay 24,200]

I switched to the NRL I was that bored watching. Such a putrid venue, so hard to get excited about watching a game of footy played out there and this game was ordinary!

By the way, NQ Cowboys robbed for the 3rd year in a row by refs the poor buggers

Not again???

Wonder what their curse is????

[titan_uranus 23,248]

Okay so I found out the answer myself...Sydney in 2012.

Additionally, the last time a side had the week off in the finals but lost the Preliminary final was Adelaide in 2006. Doesn't bode well for Port...

[MadAsHell 4,089]

Additionally, the last time a side had the week off in the finals but lost the Preliminary final was Adelaide in 2006. Doesn't bode well for Port...

One of the reasons why I think the finals system needs a restructure.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

Additionally, the last time a side had the week off in the finals but lost the Preliminary final was Adelaide in 2006. Doesn't bode well for Port...

Will be interesting to see how they compete with the hawks, winning an away final in Perth is no small feat.

[titan_uranus 23,248]

One of the reasons why I think the finals system needs a restructure.

Conversely, it could be a sign that the current finals system is adequately and properly rewarding teams who finish top 4 and win their QF...

Will be interesting to see how they compete with the hawks, winning an away final in Perth is no small feat.

Beating Hawthorn anywhere is hard. I take faith from their ability to beat Fremantle in Perth (something like three losses over there in two years prior to that), but a PF against Hawthorn is another step up.

[MadAsHell 4,089]

Conversely, it could be a sign that the current finals system is adequately and properly rewarding teams who finish top 4 and win their QF...

I do agree, you finish top 4 then you deserve an advantage.

I just feel the advantage gained is to great. given that 7 years running (and likely about to be 8) the winners of the two qualifying finals in week 1 are always playing off in the big one. Think it's better for the game if the other 6 teams after week one aren't just playing off for a bronze medal.

[Deetective Sgt. Taggert 380]

I do agree, you finish top 4 then you deserve an advantage.

I just feel the advantage gained is to great. given that 7 years running (and likely about to be 8) the winners of the two qualifying finals in week 1 are always playing off in the big one. Think it's better for the game if the other 6 teams after week one aren't just playing off for a bronze medal.

See your point but I'd much rather they focus on a more equitable home and away fixture first...

[MadAsHell 4,089]

See your point but I'd much rather they focus on a more equitable home and away fixture first...

I agree 100%, One of the reasons why I actually flagged a 6 week finals series. It would be conditional on reducing the home & away season to 18 games each. You play everyone once and only 1 other team you play twice and you could set it up like the rivalry round they tried to get going a few years back.

West Coast v Freo

Adelaide v Port

Brisbane v Gold Coast

Sydney v GWS

Carlton v Collingwood

Geelong v Hawthorn

Essendonv Richmond

Melbourne v North

St Kilda v Bulldogs

Everyone gets 9 home & 9 away games.

[Nasher 33,246]

Watched the game for a while. Gave up. Too one-sided, boring. Gone to bed.

That's the AFL these days: so one-sided, top-heavy, artificial.

My only hope is that the Swans can do the Hawks. Especially if I have to look at that smarmy little rodent, Rioli.

Good book beckons.

I agree that it was boring, but I don't think it was due to the game feeling artificial, it was because one of the team advanced too far in the series for their talent level, and got an education from a truly classy contender.

I thought the quality of the finals so far this year have generally been pretty good.

[monoccular 16,686]

made me sick when Sydney got Tippet the fact that they got Franklin the year after shows how rigged the AFL is and to be honest I thought tonight was boring and things like this make me turn away from this sport.

They certainly have been allowed to buy another flag or two with the AFL facilitating these two purchases. All talk of "equity" is just so much BS.

[45HG 1,539]

6 weeks would just drag out the agony and inevitability even longer.

If anything I'd rather a 3 week finals system 1st vs 8th etc where every game is an elimination match. Winner of 1st v 8th plays the winner of 4th vs 5th. Winner of 2nd v 7th plays the winner of 3rd v 6th. Highest ranked team to get a home final.

[pantaloons 2,019]

Flop me. If there is one thing that doesn't need fixing in the AFL at the moment, it's the finals system. The current system rewards perfectly each team based on where they finish.

[P-man 13,353]

Good 3rd Q 'P-man', he's had a good game. Kicking right on the money too.

Don't worry, we're not a chance to get him now. With Shaw and Malceski coming near the end he will be setting up play across half back for many years to come.

Sorry mate, but his kicking is cod ordinary. When the game was still on, he'd had 17 disposals. 5 of them were kicks, and I can recall one that hit its intended target.

He had a few cheapies when the game was over I assume (didn't watch).

He did some nice things where he read the play well, used his speed to good effect, and created scoring opportunities, but it was his first passable game this season.

I'm just not falling over myself to get him here. I'm a bit over players who can't hit the side of a barn.

[rjay 24,200]

Sorry mate, but his kicking is cod ordinary. When the game was still on, he'd had 17 disposals. 5 of them were kicks, and I can recall one that hit its intended target.

He had a few cheapies when the game was over I assume (didn't watch).

He did some nice things where he read the play well, used his speed to good effect, and created scoring opportunities, but it was his first passable game this season.

I'm just not falling over myself to get him here. I'm a bit over players who can't hit the side of a barn.

He hit Tippett with long kicks twice, I think you are underrating his kicking because of a bad game 2 weeks back.

I think he would have been a good get but can't see that happening now.

[P-man 13,353]

He hit Tippett with long kicks twice, I think you are underrating his kicking because of a bad game 2 weeks back.

I think he would have been a good get but can't see that happening now.

You think I'm basing my view on one game?

Okay.