(Apologies if this is embedded in a thread elsewhere. Mods feel free to merge if necessary).

Rohan Connolly has published his view of the merits of the pre-finals bye. While I agree with his conclusion, I think using a statistical analysis on such a small sample size is flawed. In essence, he doesn't like the bye because it appears to take from the top four the advantage of the week off for winning a qualifying final. He also refers to its momentum killing effects. I couldn't agree more with this last point. 

Geelong finished top of the ladder on the back of a soft draw, if they played last week Cameron misses. 
 

I personally don’t mind it, I understand the momentum factor but ultimately if you’re good ent you will win it. 

It certainly helped Footscray win a flag, allowed them to get 5 players back.

Agree with everything in the article, I hope the new CEO gets rid of it when they start. 

The problem is that it disadvantages the 2 teams that go straight through to the Prelim.

Last year we only played 1 game in 27 days before the GF.

1 hour ago, drysdale demon said:

It certainly helped Footscray win a flag, allowed them to get 5 players back.

The umpiring in that gf didn't hurt the dogs either.

Just like last year when they just beat the lions in a final.

For those who argue why ddnt the dogs get more frees in the gf against us, I reckon the crowd and media were on our side.I think we had a good run from the umps except in the 3rd which made a difference.It really let the dogs back in and then some. Thankfully in the end, we were just too good.

But in our 2 h and a games last year against the dogs they had more frees in both games. The 2nd by a very large ammount on a very wet night so the free difference in that one had a huge impact.( we lost a close one)

I know the umps are not cheating...and pay what's there but I  just think dogs know how to get head high frees....like Geelong. 

It's the throwing the ball they do and get away with that I wish the umps would pay more attention to.

 

Also some of the umps are definitely 2nd rate. Langers was in a 6 second headlock by Zorko after winning a tackle and there was no 50m penalty. Not sure you can say I didn't see it or it was much of an incident.

Holding a man after he's been awarded  a free is an auto 50. A headlock is definitely in that area of restraint at the least.

ts a tough game to ref but the Afl does need to look at the [censored] differential.

It's fairly substantial and consistent. 

I also hope they keep on eye on Oliver this Friday to see if he's targeted...held....and pushed , especially off the ball as well.

Several clubs recognise how much he impacts a game and try to rough him around too much. They do the same to Tracc but hes too strong for it to work.

And their to scared to touch Viney and rightly so.

So here's hoping the umps are in as good as form as us and don't ruin the game.

End of rant.

As for the pre final bye....maybe it was bought in for Covid but I say bye bye to it.

There's really no valid reason for it that I can see.

Happy to hear arguments for it though.

Cheers.

Edited September 1, 20222 yr by leave it to deever

The pre finals bye should be a wild card weekend, whereby 7th plays 10th and 8th plays 9th. This clearly disadvantages 7th and 8th as it should and at the same time puts 2 exciting games on the footy calendar.

No footy before the finals, and before round 1 is simply a free kick for the NRL. Last weekend was simply not good enough to not have football on in late August.

 

On another matter, can someone explain why we have the bye week before round 1?

Clubs have played one micky mouse scratch match and one dress rehearsal and then need a break before the real stuff even starts?

(Although in fairness the NFL have just implemented a pre week 1 bye, either this year or last)

Jack Viney was on radio yesterday and said he liked the bye because he could freshen up & set themselves up for a big month.

Said it worked in players favour who are injured and mentioned how players like papley can now be available.

2 hours ago, leave it to deever said:

The umpiring in that gf didn't hurt the dogs either.

Just like last year when they just beat the lions in a final.

For those who argue why ddnt the dogs get more frees in the gf against us, I reckon the crowd and media were on our side.I think we had a good run from the umps except in the 3rd which made a difference.It really let the dogs back in and then some. Thankfully in the end, we were just too good.

But in our 2 h and a games last year against the dogs they had more frees in both games. The 2nd by a very large ammount on a very wet night so the free difference in that one had a huge impact.( we lost a close one)

I know the umps are not cheating...and pay what's there but I  just think dogs know how to get head high frees....like Geelong. 

It's the throwing the ball they do and get away with that I wish the umps would pay more attention to.

 

Also some of the umps are definitely 2nd rate. Langers was in a 6 second headlock by Zorko after winning a tackle and there was no 50m penalty. Not sure you can say I didn't see it or it was much of an incident.

Holding a man after he's been awarded  a free is an auto 50. A headlock is definitely in that area of restraint at the least.

ts a tough game to ref but the Afl does need to look at the [censored] differential.

It's fairly substantial and consistent. 

I also hope they keep on eye on Oliver this Friday to see if he's targeted...held....and pushed , especially off the ball as well.

Several clubs recognise how much he impacts a game and try to rough him around too much. They do the same to Tracc but hes too strong for it to work.

And their to scared to touch Viney and rightly so.

So here's hoping the umps are in as good as form as us and don't ruin the game.

End of rant.

As for the pre final bye....maybe it was bought in for Covid but I say bye bye to it.

There's really no valid reason for it that I can see.

Happy to hear arguments for it though.

Cheers.

They got more from the umpiring in the prelim against GWS, but if they did not have the bye before the final against the eagles I doubt they would have won. it also gave the eagles an extra week to think that they would just brush the dogs aside.

2 hours ago, dees189227 said:

Jack Viney was on radio yesterday and said he liked the bye because he could freshen up & set themselves up for a big month.

Said it worked in players favour who are injured and mentioned how players like papley can now be available.

Off to the day spa.

That's very sporting of Jv to think of Papley's welfare.

 

 

I think the bye will help us. Two of our best finals performances last year came off a bye week. Swans have won their past 7 so this puts a circuit breaker on that which can only be a good thing.

I was an initial sceptic but I think the bye has some merits. Why?

1. The tanking in the last round is something the game wants to avoid.

2. It helps the players and teams to be at their best in finals.

3. I also think that ladder finishing position can be distorted by the vagaries of the draw. So I question if the advantages attached finishing higher are fair anyway.

21 minutes ago, At the break of Gawn said:

I think the bye will help us. Two of our best finals performances last year came off a bye week. Swans have won their past 7 so this puts a circuit breaker on that which can only be a good thing.

7 in a row. Was totally unaware of that.

That's a worrying stat.

Glad St kilda may have taken a bit of wind out of their sales.

Swans scare me because they can score fast like us.

Then again we had a tough run home and our losses were close.

I still believe we are essentially the same team that one a flag last year quite easily and as such can do it again.