ROUND 19 SCHEDULE

(VENUES, DATES AND TIMES TO BE DETERMINED)

Frankston v Werribee
Williamstown v Northern Bullants
Port Melbourne v Coburg
Essendon v GWS Giants
Sandringham v Geelong
Richmond v Box Hill Hawks
Footscray v Collingwood
North Melbourne v Sydney
Carlton v Casey Demons
Brisbane Lions v Southport
Gold Coast v Aspley
(Still in finals contention)

Postscript: Round 19 cancelled due to ongoing lockdown in Victoria

 THE UPDATED 2021 VFL LADDER

		P	W	L	D	%	MR
1	Footscray	10	10	0	0	169.7	100
2	Southport	10	9	1	0	180.7	90
3	Box Hill Hawks	10	8	2	0	167.7	80
4	Geelong	9	7	2	0	167.3	78
5	Casey Demons	9	7	2	0	166.6	78
6	Williamstown	9	6	2	1	136.4	72
7	Collingwood	9	6	3	0	92.5	67
8	GWS	11	7	4	0	94.4	64
9	Werribee	9	5	4	0	147.5	56
10	Frankston	11	6	5	0	103.8	55
11	Richmond	10	4	5	1	103.4	45
12	Carlton	9	4	5	0	101.3	44
13	Sandringham	9	4	5	0	94.3	44
14	Gold Coast	10	4	6	0	76.9	40
15	North Melbourne	10	4	6	0	57.0	40
16	Coburg	10	3	7	0	95.1	30
17	Brisbane Lions	10	3	7	0	65.7	30
18	Northern Bullants	10	3	7	0	62.6	30
19	Sydney	10	2	8	0	88.9	20
20	Essendon	10	2	8	0	64.5	20
21	Port Melbourne	9	1	8	0	67.3	11
22	Aspley	10	1	9	0	73.0	10

Casey Demons are very stiff to be in this position. A little while ago they lost to the UWS Giants by 1 point in the game where the rested Ben Brown for three quarters because Melbourne wanted him right for the following week in the AFL, thus playing virtually a man short in a close game. Then, they lost their other game because half a dozen MFC players were flown as extras up and down the country to Brisbane - needlessly in the end. At the very least percentage would have been out of the equation but now they have a fight on their hands for a double chance.

I’m not sure this round actually goes ahead with current covid numbers in Melbourne.   It could be that the ladder sits as is for finals.  
 

It was always a ridiculous concept during a covid pandemic to have a competition across 3 states. Gillbilly Mclachlan has done most things right but this VFL 3 state concept with 22 teams was destined to be a failure.   So the premier pathway to AFL footy and AFL listed players development has most likely 9,10,11 game season.  

Sadly, the continuing situation with the discovery of new clusters is likely to put paid to this latest attempt to revive the VFL season. I can’t see much hope of Round 19 going ahead as plannned and think the AFL should start planning the finals without that Round.

If they want to really be innovative they could consider a final 6 based on the current ladder that might then get the finals done in three weeks with the grand final played on the AFL Preliminary Final weekend. 

2 hours ago, Whispering_Jack said:

If they want to really be innovative they could consider a final 6 based on the current ladder that might then get the finals done in three weeks with the grand final played on the AFL Preliminary Final weekend. 

How could they do the finals in 3 weeks with 6 teams?

1 hour ago, The Great Pretender said:

How could they do the finals in 3 weeks with 6 teams?

Here’s one:-

Week One: (Semi Finals)

1 v 6

2 v 5

3 v 4

All three winners and highest placed loser go into Week Two which is Preliminary Final Week.

The winners of the Preliminary Finals go into Week Three and the Grand Final.

This would be perfect for the AFL as it would involve them having only six finals to arrange to close off the season.

With the latest covid changes I think we have seen the last VFL game for 2021.

I’m very impressed by my finals system.

Week One 

Footscray v Williamstown

Southport v Casey Demons 

Box Hill Hawks v Geelong 

This also gives three of the AFL’s top four teams the necessary reserve backup to go into a finals series.

Could someone please send the idea to the AFL for approval? 

is it even worth having a heavily compromised vfl finals?

probably benefit those with afl finals teams, but

8 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

is it even worth having a heavily compromised vfl finals?

probably benefit those with afl finals teams, but

How is it going to happen with the state locked down for another 2 weeks and at best no sport after that. 

Just now, old dee said:

How is it going to happen with the state locked down for another 2 weeks and at best no sport after that. 

Could depend on how much sway the AFL/Broadcasters have over Dan & Co. Mr Old.

As the old saying goes... Money talks, BS walks

3 minutes ago, Rusty Nails said:

Could depend on how much sway the AFL/Broadcasters have over Dan & Co. Mr Old.

As the old saying goes... Money talks, BS walks

I think the AFL have got all the concessions they are going to get with senior games. We now have a curfew. IMO the chance of vfl games has about the same chance as me playing at Geelong next weekend. 

41 minutes ago, old dee said:

I think the AFL have got all the concessions they are going to get with senior games. We now have a curfew. IMO the chance of vfl games has about the same chance as me playing at Geelong next weekend. 

Skinny wings down there Mr Old.  If you can get an exemption, sitting at a seat in the outer on the wing would be as effective as a playing wingman i reckon.

1 hour ago, old dee said:

I think the AFL have got all the concessions they are going to get with senior games. We now have a curfew. IMO the chance of vfl games has about the same chance as me playing at Geelong next weekend. 

yes, i think the very best we could hope for is the finals teams....maybe.....organising scratch matches, but even that might be a bridge too far

Home and away season done and dusted. The AFL has announced that due to the evolving nationwide lockdowns, the VFL home and away season has been concluded effective immediately.

1 hour ago, Whispering_Jack said:

Home and away season done and dusted. The AFL has announced that due to the evolving nationwide lockdowns, the VFL home and away season has been concluded effective immediately.

Hardly a surprise. The competition was doomed before it started. Who was the genius who decided to start an interstate competition in the year of covid. It beggars belief. 

On 8/15/2021 at 7:59 AM, spirit of norm smith said:

I’m not sure this round actually goes ahead with current covid numbers in Melbourne.   It could be that the ladder sits as is for finals.  
 

It was always a ridiculous concept during a covid pandemic to have a competition across 3 states. Gillbilly Mclachlan has done most things right but this VFL 3 state concept with 22 teams was destined to be a failure.   So the premier pathway to AFL footy and AFL listed players development has most likely 9,10,11 game season.  

QED

The AFL has called a halt to the VFL home-and-away season but plans to play a sudden-death finals series beginning on September 4 after Victoria’s lockdown is scheduled to end.

The decision was made to end the home-and-away season immediately and then resume in a fortnight with eight teams, including Collingwood, Geelong, Footscray (the Bulldogs), Casey (Melbourne’s affiliate) and the Box Hill Hawks (Hawthorn’s affiliate) to play off in elimination finals for a spot in a preliminary final.

The ladder was finalised on a match ratio basis because teams had played between nine and 11 games during the interrupted season.

The elimination games will be Footscray (first) v GWS (eighth), Southport (second) v Collingwood (seventh), Box Hill Hawks (third) v Williamstown (sixth) and Geelong (fourth) v Casey (fifth).

If the lockdown continues and elimination finals can’t be played, the plan is then to have a preliminary final weekend involving the top four teams with first to play fourth and second to play third for a spot in the grand final.

The VFL grand final is scheduled to be played at Marvel Stadium on September 19, with the game to be played without crowds if the state government does not allow them.

11 minutes ago, Demonland said:

 If the lockdown continues and elimination finals can’t be played, the plan is then to have a preliminary final weekend involving the top four teams with first to play fourth and second to play third for a spot in the grand final.

Would be frustrating for those regular Casey players to miss out on finals by 0.07%

33 minutes ago, The Lobster Effect said:

Would be frustrating for those regular Casey players to miss out on finals by 0.07%

Even more so because, as WJ pointed out, they could easily have avoided the 1 point loss to the Giants and the team against the Bulldogs was compromised because half a dozen extras were taken on what turned out to be a wasted flight to Queensland. Those players would surely have made up the 0.07%. 

The consequence is that, if the finals series goes ahead, they are likely to play the game v Geelong at GMHBA Stadium (they might have been required to play there anyway). 

About time they put this competition out of its misery and start again with the 10 Victorian AFL teams each running a reserves team. If the AFL won't do it, the clubs need to start raising hell.

It's a shame for the likes of Williamstown and Port Melbourne, but hopefully they can carry on in another competition.

Quite incredible that with all the randomness of two competitions and the unexpected impact of Covid, that Melbourne plays Geelong this weekend, may well play Geelong the following weekend and their two reserves teams are scheduled to play each other in the first week of VFL finals. 

This is interesting 

 

How can Williamstown compete in the finals, they won't be able to train until after the 4th Sept.