Final 8 could become final 10

[swansrob]

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/final-eight-could-become-final-10-in-expanded-fixture-20110309-1bo0t.html

More than half the competition making the finals? What a load of @@@@!
We already have teams making up numbers in September - why add more? Way to devalue the game.

Our own Andrew Ireland is part of the committee putting this crap together...

[laughingnome]

Yeah, this was floated in conjunction with a host of changes that the fans "had their say on" last year. From the AFL's standpoint more finals equals more money, but they should be worried about quality, not quantity. I personally think that the finals system was at it's best when it was a final 5 (of 12 teams), which was a) simple to understand and b) meant that only the better-than-average teams made it. Thrilling finals series happened as a result.

With the final 8 (of 16) we have situations like two years ago, where Essendon made the finals with a losing record and was summarily pumped by a record margin. If you believe that was good for "the brand" then I pity you. I'm a staunch supporter of the final 8 (of 18) because it will be a return to that system used in the 70's and 80's whereby a finals spot is earned, not given lightly.

In addition, the final 8 is a good and pure system, easy to understand and follow and clearly fair and equitable. I've not seen a final 10 model that isn't some garbled mish-mash of byes, lucky losers and unfortunate winners. That point compounds the issue, but even if they fixed it I'd prefer the final 8 (of 18 teams).

[BigD]

No way in the world. What a load of absolute rubbish

[Doctor J.]

Spot on laughing.

Its a crazy world we live in, when I find myself also agreeing with Mick Malthouse, but he is also right on this issue. The finals need to be elite, and I'd even like to see a reduction in the number from 8 to 6. Wont happen $$$$ rule.