2017 Draw

[thorson1987]

Its not fair at all...

Teams in the AFC East have to play two of their games against the best team in the comp over the past 15 years the New England Patriots.. Two thirds of the League never play them at all in any given year...

Teams in the AFC North get two guaranteed wins every year versus the Cleveland Browns...

I assume you are aware that its not only Division winners that qualify for the playoffs, but the two next best teams with the best record in each conference make it as wildcards..

I know who has the better chance of getting there given the above scenario,,,

If the NFL season finished today the top seed in the NFC will be Dallas and 2nd seed will be Seattle.

Problem there is that the team that actually has the 2nd best record in the NFC would only qualify for the playoffs as a Wildcard due to being in the same division as the Cowboys (NFC East).

 

[Valheru]

Its not fair at all...

Teams in the AFC East have to play two of their games against the best team in the comp over the past 15 years the New England Patriots.. Two thirds of the League never play them at all in any given year...

Teams in the AFC North get two guaranteed wins every year versus the Cleveland Browns...

I assume you are aware that its not only Division winners that qualify for the playoffs, but the two next best teams with the best record in each conference make it as wildcards..

I know who has the better chance of getting there given the above scenario,,,

I don't think the browns have failed to win at least one division game in recent memory.... this year might change that.

You have a point with the wild cards. i would prefer they increase to 16 team playoff with top 2 from each division.

Still, i think given their circumstances and requirements the NFL does the best they can to make the draw fair. it doesn't seem like the NRL put much effort in to doing the same.

 

[adamkungl]

The NFL Draw is at least created by a sensible system.
If a sporting draw isn't perfectly even, as in everyone plays each other home and away, it should be devised by a consistent and repeated system.
NRL just makes it up as suits Channel 9

 

[Timmah]

It's an easy argument to make - that the networks are to blame for the draw's imbalance.

While they play a part, I'd argue the bigger factor is constant requests from the clubs, "traditional fixtures" (Anzac day, Good fri etc) and venue availability, particularly during the first part of the season when we're sharing grounds with 2, sometimes 3 codes.

9 & FOX do screw things up weekend to weekend with poor choices but in terms of who plays who, a lot of that rests on the clubs and the fact the NRL allows them so much input.

 

[seanoff]

The draw is not going to be fair. The home and away season is never going to be 34 weeks. Get over it.

34 h&a games would pretty much kill the product. There are too many games currently, too much dead air in the middle of the season as it is. Clubs would just tank games to rest their players. The smart clubs would tank entire months.

The season with no byes would start the first week of Feb and end last week. With byes it would still be going in mid december.

It would be an disaster. So. It is what it is. Build a bridge. Watch the games, support your team.

Gripe about 6pm Friday games which are insane, gripe about the judiciary being inconsistent, etc. but without losing 4 teams a "fair" h&a draw is not really possible or even a good thing.

 

[Timmah]

ANZAC Test locked in for Canberra - http://leagueunlimited.com/news/29524-anzac-test-double-header-headed-to-canberra-in-2017/