The split round - why is it so lop-sided?

[goswannie14]

Does anyone have any idea why the AFL has decided on a split round that sees 6 games on one weekend and only 2 on the next?

I think it would make more sense if there were 4 games on each of the 2 weekends, then in the name of equality, in the next round, teams that played in the first weekend would only play other teams who played on that weekend, and the same for the teams that play on the second weekend.

Would this be a better idea than what we are stuck with at the moment, or am I just being to logical or idealistic?

[Frog]

Wasn't it normally NO football at all for one weekend (State of Origin perhaps), then with the demise of SOO, Eddie's marketing mind saw a weekend without football and wanted the Collingwood vs (someone) match the only one on the weekend reserved for no footy ... Then Melbourne decided to cash in on the money and since Sydney got the only game for that weekend, asked for the same treatment in Melbourne ...

That's how I believe it has come to pass ...

Edit ... Hmm ... that reads like Melbourne the footy club - I meant the city - I cannot remember which teams but believe either or both Melbourne and Richmond put their hands up ... Both missed out ...

[humphrey bear]

State of Origin finished 10 years ago and the split round has only been around for about 3 years so that is not the reason.

[BeeEmmAre]

I believe Frog is partly right, in that there was originally no matches on the second week, but that wasn't because of Origin and only lasted for one year as people were left not knowing what to do with themselves with no footy on.
So Eddie came up with the idea of the Sydney-Collingwood blockbuster at Stadium Australia which was a great match with the Swans winning by a goal (2004).
But Melbourne (again, city not town) kicked up a stink because there was still no footy in Melbourne on the second weekend and they were still lost for things to do.
Also Channel 9 wanted a Friday night match to broadcast - so the decision was made to put a second match on week two, in Melbourne, on Friday night.
So that's how 6-2 came to be, although I think two things.

1. That the AFL is only paying lipservice to it this year with two dud teams playing Friday night.
2. That it should be 5-3, with a match also on the Sunday.

[Xie Shan]

It makes no difference to me this season ( ), but I would like to see the AFL scrap the split round for next year and just have a week's bye in the middle of the season, with no footy. It gives everyone a chance to have a rest, not just the players - the fans too can have a week to themselves, to, shock, horror, get on with their lives!

Of course this is not going to happen for ratings reasons. The AFL will get more ratings nationally by playing the Sydney - Collingwood game as a stand-alone fixture, even though it makes little difference in Sydney, which never gets more than one game a week anyway!

[GoSouth33]

As I understand it, the free weekend is tied up with the Players' Agreement allowing them a midseason break.

I'm relying on my shaky memory now, but I seem to recall that they've tried all sorts of things. In past years, we've had
1. an entirely free weekend - however they found people suffered withdrawal symptoms
2. a 4 - 4 split round
3. a 7 - 1 split - with Sydney v Collingwood being the standalone game - problem with not having Friday night game
4. a 6 - 2 split - allowing a Friday night game in Melbourne........same as this year.