Final Four- Is It Enough????

[ash]

Wouldnt a final five be a more viable scenario taht would keep more clubs interested to the end?

Even a top 6 would be proactive that way come final rd, maybe 8 teams would still be in the hunt.

How bout a one team relegation? This could be on the basis that a 1st division club met all the premier league criteria. If they didnt, they could sell the rights to the bottom finishing team.

[GoEagles]

Definately a top 5.

Not so sure on the relegation/promotion process. State leagues should not follow that line of thought - thats my opinion anyway

[BeeEmmAre]

With 10 teams now in Premier League, a top 5 should be a no-brainer.

[The Ern]

Absolutely a top 5 Ash. Finals footy is the reason we all play and the more experience players get (based on the fact we have a lot of youngsters in the comp) at that level the better. Adding the fact it does keep sides enthused to the final round of the comp it should be a no-brainer. However the NSWAFL seem to have no brain so i doubt it will happen.

[j s]

a final five needs four weeks to play - unless you somehow knock out two teams the first week.

[Norris Lurker]

In most competitions these days the general rule is that about half the teams in the comp should make the finals. Now that we're up to 10 teams, that makes a final 5.
Another factor about a final 5 is that it would give an advantage to the minor premier that they don't currently get. At the moment there's no advantage in finishing 1st compared to 2nd.

Not sure about promotion & relegation, one bad injury-ravaged year could majorly set a good club back. Possibly a variation could be made, bringing back Club of the Year points and a threshold set which gives immunity from relegation - so even if a club is struggling on the field, being well-run would save their position in Premier Division.

[j s]

Originally posted by Woodsy
And the problem with that is......?

Maybe none! You tell me? But you can't advocate a Final 5 without first considering the implications.

Four weeks might cause scheduling difficulties, maybe requiring one less H&A round to fit it in. Is that a problem? Not my call.

Knocking out two teams the first week always seems to have someone objecting to it. There's no way to do it without the possibility of any team up to and including 2nd being eliminated.

Northside Juniors has played 3 week Final 5 and Final 6 - both systems sucked, though the Six was actually better than the Five (a 3 wk version of the old AFL 8 system)

[BeeEmmAre]

Before I moved to Sydney, I had never seen a three week finals series, so there is no problem there.
A final four is normally played Week 1 first semi Week 2 second semi Week 3 preliminary Week 4 grand final.
Makes more sense and would be easier to draw a crowd.
With a five, it is automatic four weeks in the obvious way.

You certainly wouldn't need to lose a home and away round to fit it in - there is still a spare week between the Sydney AFL grand final and the AFL grand final.

And, if Garry, Bob or anyone else at Sydney AFL House read this - the season hasn't started, it is certainly not too late to change it for this year. Please.

[Rafters]

Final five would be the norm for a 10 team comp ... however it will generate a bit of a contest in th elast 6 weeks of the home & away for those sides via for top 2 & top 4 positions - so I don't really mind.

The size of final series in the professional sports are largely driven by the dollar (ie how many people can we get to the games so lets have a top 8) ... but as the crowd numbers are pretty low in Sydney footy then I don't think it is a valid reason for top 5.

[GoEagles]

Originally posted by Rafters
Final five would be the norm for a 10 team comp ... however it will generate a bit of a contest in th elast 6 weeks of the home & away for those sides via for top 2 & top 4 positions - so I don't really mind.

The size of final series in the professional sports are largely driven by the dollar (ie how many people can we get to the games so lets have a top 8) ... but as the crowd numbers are pretty low in Sydney footy then I don't think it is a valid reason for top 5.

Once again it is a state competition and to compare to other states it has to be a top 5 and if we are worried about scheduling another week the w e are kidding arent we. We finish earlier than every other comp in Australia as it is so im not sure what we are scheduling against???

Professionalism needs to be lifted so we are taken seriously when other states want to play against us. At the moment the SANFL wouldnt even know NSW has a state competition

[ash]

Well everyone in this forum agrees a top 5 makes sense. (Maybe the first time for full consensus!!!)

How do we then make this happen???

Originally posted by GoEagles
Once again it is a state competition and to compare to other states it has to be a top 5 and if we are worried about scheduling another week the w e are kidding arent we. We finish earlier than every other comp in Australia as it is so im not sure what we are scheduling against???

Professionalism needs to be lifted so we are taken seriously when other states want to play against us. At the moment the SANFL wouldnt even know NSW has a state competition

[BeeEmmAre]

Originally posted by ash
Well everyone in this forum agrees a top 5 makes sense. (Maybe the first time for full consensus!!!)

How do we then make this happen???

Sorry Ash, Rafters ruined the 100% record!

But as I said, until the season starts it's not too late to change.

Come on SAFL House, please.

[RPM]

Originally posted by j s
a final five needs four weeks to play - unless you somehow knock out two teams the first week.

You obviously have never played in a final 5 series 4 weeks first week 1st gets the week off 2nd plays 3rd (qualifying final) 4th plays 5th (elimination final), second week 1st plays winner of qualifying final (1st semi final) and loser qualifying final plays winner of elimination final (2nd semi final), third week winner of 1st semi week off (straight in to the grand final) loser of 1st semi plays winner of 2nd semi (prelim. final) Fourth week winner of 1st semi plays winner of prelim. final (Grand Final). The 5 team finals series has been around for years and i grew up playing this and had never heard of any other system (other than the AFL's) before moving to Sydney.The final five series works very well as it rewards the teams that finish in the top 3 by giving the double chance and First even gets a break as a reward for finishing top of the ladder. It should always be a final 5 with 10 teams.

[BeeEmmAre]

That's pretty much how it works RPM, only the minor premier plays in the 2nd semi final against the qualifying final winner and the qualifying final loser meets the elimination final winner in the 1st semi final.

It is a flawless system in my book.

[RPM]

Originally posted by BeeEmmAre
That's pretty much how it works RPM, only the minor premier plays in the 2nd semi final against the qualifying final winner and the qualifying final loser meets the elimination final winner in the 1st semi final.

It is a flawless system in my book.

Sorry my mistake got them the wrong way around havent played in a final 5 in years