So I live in the UK and it’s interesting seeing the AFL borrowing ideas from other sports. One thing I would love to see them put into practice would be for all games for the final round be on at the same time (probably 2:10 on Saturday or Sunday).
The pros of this are that it takes out the possibility of manipulating results, there’s no favouritism when it comes to turnarounds (worst is a Sunday to Saturday break), and the bigger positive is that it’s bloody exciting and intense!
Imagine us needing a result to go our way to make finals so we’re keeping up with the scores of other games, our game finishes while theirs keeps going and we’re on the edge of our seats while we wait to hear the result. It’s enthralling to watch the way it’s done in the UK with their leagues when it comes to promotions, especially in the last 5-10min.
I recognise it’s unlikely to happen as the AFL would lose out on viewership/tv coverage etc and when it comes to a choice between fairness/integrity vs money the money always wins. But it would actually solve one of the issues that’s been plaguing the last round for a few years now, teams knowing the result of an influential match so pulling out their best players.
The logistics wouldn’t be easy either but we have enough stadiums around the country now, it’s not impossible.