The AFL / Aussie Rules Thread

[Papy Oli]

Oh, there always this weekend...or the next   

Found out from the fixtures that the last byes are this weekend and then it is all equal again in the ladder...at last!!

Also had a quick look ahead at how the finals work with the top 8. Could be tasty if Richmond stays in 5-8 and one of the 1-4 drops a bit.

is there a stat somewhere on how often a team finishing top of the ladder actually ended up winning the Grand Final ? Just wondered.   

[Madiel]

is there a stat somewhere on how often a team finishing top of the ladder actually ended up winning the Grand Final ? Just wondered.   

Not that I'm aware of. It's probably out there somewhere.

They changed the finals system in 2000. Before that for a few years they used the mathematically more appropriate McIntyre system: starting with 1v8, 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFL_final_eight_system
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntyre_Final_Eight_System

And for many years when the competition was smaller it was only the top 5 teams, not the top 8. Apparently it was top 6 for a little while in between.

[Papy Oli]

Not that I'm aware of. It's probably out there somewhere.

They changed the finals system in 2000. Before that for a few years they used the mathematically more appropriate McIntyre system: starting with 1v8, 2v7, 3v6 and 4v5.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFL_final_eight_system
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McIntyre_Final_Eight_System

And for many years when the competition was smaller it was only the top 5 teams, not the top 8. Apparently it was top 6 for a little while in between.

Why make it simple when we can make it complicated, in both cases really ! A straight shoot-out playoff would have been too easy 




(one sleep !!!!  )

[Madiel]

Why make it simple when we can make it complicated, in both cases really ! A straight shoot-out playoff would have been too easy 

(one sleep !!!!  )

You're European. You're not used to finals series...

I think it was the rugby league rather than the AFL that got rid of the McIntyre system partially because of the year that 5th defeated 4th, 6th defeated 3rd, 7th defeated 2nd and 8th defeated 1st. The fact that this was only a 1 in 16 random chance, and even less likely if teams played according to form, didn't stop the howls of outrage when 3rd and 4th were abruptly eliminated.

[Papy Oli]

You're European. You're not used to finals series...

I think it was the rugby league rather than the AFL that got rid of the McIntyre system partially because of the year that 5th defeated 4th, 6th defeated 3rd, 7th defeated 2nd and 8th defeated 1st. The fact that this was only a 1 in 16 random chance, and even less likely if teams played according to form, didn't stop the howls of outrage when 3rd and 4th were abruptly eliminated.

I am sure I'll be fine with it and will get behind it if Geelong goes all the way  0:)

That imbalance still happens in England's Football Championship in some way.

1st (who gets a trophy) and 2nd are automatically promoted to the Premiership after the regular season of 46 (!!) games , then you get 2-leg semi-finals of 3rd v 6th an 4th v 5th, then the winners meet in a playoff final at Wembley, the winner of which gets promoted (and gets a trophy  ). Therefore, on end of season form, the 6th could be promoted even though for argument's sake, they could have finished the regular season 15 pts behind the 3rd.

I enjoyed seeing my English team benefiting of this at Wembley 2 decades ago ( agreat day out !!) but in the mains, it still feels skewed, particularly after such a long season already.

It would make better sense of having a 2-leg play-off between the Championship's 3rd and the Premiership's 18th (the French league used to do that in up to the mid 80's, scrapped it then and brought it back last year).   

[Madiel]

Yeah, but why have "sense" when you can have drama and excitement? And more ticket sales?

I do, on the whole, like finals series myself, but then on the whole I don't have teams that I support in a one-eyed fashion such that I can't enjoy the outcomes.

I think I've mentioned before the sensational season where the top 7 teams on the ladder were very evenly matched, and Western Bulldogs won from 7th place. Truly a year to convince you of the potential of finals.

As for the whole Geelong thing, I don't want to get to the end of the season and discover that you've abandoned the sport because you didn't get your fairytale. Traditionally you're supposed to keep coming back year after year hoping that THIS time it's going to finally work out. Like the work colleague who comes from a Melbourne-supporting family. He's not old enough to have ever seen a premiership...

[Papy Oli]

Yeah, but why have "sense" when you can have drama and excitement? And more ticket sales?

I do, on the whole, like finals series myself, but then on the whole I don't have teams that I support in a one-eyed fashion such that I can't enjoy the outcomes.

I think I've mentioned before the sensational season where the top 7 teams on the ladder were very evenly matched, and Western Bulldogs won from 7th place. Truly a year to convince you of the potential of finals.

As for the whole Geelong thing, I don't want to get to the end of the season and discover that you've abandoned the sport because you didn't get your fairytale. Traditionally you're supposed to keep coming back year after year hoping that THIS time it's going to finally work out. Like the work colleague who comes from a Melbourne-supporting family. He's not old enough to have ever seen a premiership...

Oh, I am fully used to seasons for nothing in football as it is. It is just nice to "have" a team in AFL that is currently in the upper half, playing for something, it is a refreshing change  I don't see myself giving up at the end of the season either, whatever the result.

My BT sport subscription gets more viewing return on investment thanks to even Saint Kilda or Port Adelaide (let alone Geelong) than it does by the Champions League or even the French League  In neutral games, football can suffer the comparison quite heavily at times in terms of sporting "entertainment" (can't think of a better word right now). Even rugby union I can find dull at times now... and that's not something I'd have expected to write some months ago.

Also, why should I give up a game where "30 pts mean nothing" 

[Papy Oli]

Stat seen on the screen display just before kick off :

"Cats have won 31 out of their last 23 home games" 

I mean, come on, how flipping good is that !! 

[Papy Oli]

Guess that makes it 32 out of 24 

Never in doubt...   

What a game, what a sport !!

I am convinced I would have still said that even with a 1-point defeat on the buzzer and a missed final kick. Thrilling stuff !

[Madiel]

I confess I stopped watching, just wasn't in the right mood.

Judging by that scoreline, though, it would have been worth watching.

[Papy Oli]

I confess I stopped watching, just wasn't in the right mood.

Judging by that scoreline, though, it would have been worth watching.

Fair point, it was a scrappy wobbly nervy affair, probably too much for a neutral though.

You only need to see that bit really  0:) :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pkKF6tPZsdg

The start of the music timed exactly with Chris Scott's celebration really cracks me up !!! 

[Madiel]

It wasn't anything about the game (although the general lack of a crowd was less fun), it was more to do with my week.

[Papy Oli]

31-1 down after Q1 v Brisbane...I'd normally convince myself it means nothing but so far Geelong has not turned up... 

[Madiel]

I confess to tipping against them. Partly because, after what happened in the last Brisbane v Geelong game, I thought Brisbane was likely to be in a bad mood. 

[Papy Oli]

I confess to tipping against them. Partly because, after what happened in the last Brisbane v Geelong game, I thought Brisbane was likely to be in a bad mood. 

Fair point, we nicked it by a whisker last time I think. Our winning streak is due to end at some point too...

After last week, I'll allow them a bye this week... looks like they're taking it too 

[Papy Oli]

I assume Richmond threw a spanner in the betting works ? 

Any thoughts on the ladder ? it looks...interesting. 12 pts clear from 8th doesn't really feel like that much right now   

[Madiel]

I assume Richmond threw a spanner in the betting works ? 

Yes, but I was quite bad enough without them. It's my brother-in-law who is suffering the greater trauma. We were actually at the game where Richmond had set the previous record low in our lifetime, so now we don't even have that... 

Any thoughts on the ladder ? it looks...interesting. 12 pts clear from 8th doesn't really feel like that much right now   

3 wins is a fair margin at this stage. To be honest what strikes me is the clear gap between the top 5 and the rest. It's of course possible for someone to have a surge in form, but you'd expect the premier to come from that pack of 5.  Sportsbet still apparently believes that Richmond and West Coast have potential, but they don't have good odds for anyone outside the top 8 and I don't think you'd find many commentators who would have a different opinion.

[Papy Oli]

Yes, but I was quite bad enough without them. It's my brother-in-law who is suffering the greater trauma. We were actually at the game where Richmond had set the previous record low in our lifetime, so now we don't even have that... 

A memorable evening taken away, how harsh 

3 wins is a fair margin at this stage. To be honest what strikes me is the clear gap between the top 5 and the rest. It's of course possible for someone to have a surge in form, but you'd expect the premier to come from that pack of 5.  Sportsbet still apparently believes that Richmond and West Coast have potential, but they don't have good odds for anyone outside the top 8 and I don't think you'd find many commentators who would have a different opinion.

I was going to say Geelong's fixtures don't look that bad for the remaining 8 games (Only Richmond in 3 games time then Melbourne for the last game) and the rest looks accessible but you never know really. Looking more closely, 5 of those teams coming up are currently 9th-13th, so they'll be up to a good fight anyway. Good stuff !!

[Papy Oli]

Gold Coast had another win.

And a great gritty one just now vs Richmond, Holden. Nice one !

one downside, Essendon will be fired up against Geelong tomorrow as a win means they could be in 8th spot instead of Richmond   

[Madiel]

And a great gritty one just now vs Richmond, Holden. Nice one !

Whaaaat??!!

Hell's bells. What has happened to Richmond?

And no, no-one in the office tipping picked Gold Coast.