a question

[Russell Crowe's Band]

ive been following the plights of the bulldogs this year, and since they cant make the finals i had no interest.
untill i heard that sydney could get a home final. as i understand it, your finals system works like this

1 v 4- 1st place home ground, winner through to week 3
2 v 3 - 2nd place home ground, winner through to week 3

5 v 8 5th place home ground, loser eliminated
6 v 7- 6th place home ground, loser eliminated

sydney are third, and pretty much cant go any higher to teh best of my knowlage, so how is it that they get a home semi?

 

[CyberKev]

By finishing top four you're assured of getting a home final one way or another under the new system.

If Sydney wins in the first week, it will go through to week 3 and have a preliminary final in Sydney.

If Sydney loses, it will play a winner from the first week knockout finals the following week in Sydney.

The winners of 5 vs 8 & 6 vs 7 get to play on the next week, but the losing sides from the higher ranked games get the home advantage.

In past years, this wouldn't have been guaranteed if, for instance, the two losers of the higher ranked games from the first week of the finals were both non VIC-based sides.

For example, in past years, had West Coast & Adelaide both lost in the first week (as per the likely games outlined in your post), West Coast -- as the highest ranked loser would have got a home final the following week in Subi, but Adelaide would've had to have played its "home" final at the MCG to fulfil AFL contract requirements.

With the new deal struck recently between the AFL & the MCC, however, finals can be played anywhere given that restrictions are no longer placed on the number of finals that MUST be played at the MCG.

Of course, the GF must still be played there whoever qualifies... As it should be.

Hope this makes sense...

 

[UndertakerMike]

It is a strange system.

 

[meltiger]

It is a strange system.

It's better than the original Top 8 system, which for some strange reason the NRL still use?! I cannot for the life of me understand why they still use a system where the team finishing 3rd can be knocked out after 1 game!!

 

[CyberKev]

It's better than the original Top 8 system, which for some strange reason the NRL still use?! I cannot for the life of me understand why they still use a system where the team finishing 3rd can be knocked out after 1 game!!

I hate to have to agree with you twice in the one morning, but I can't deny this view either.

I loathe the NRL 8 system now, just as I loathed it when the AFL was using it.

I'm still flabbergasted that the NRL saw the need to change?!

 

[camsmith]

Yeah agree, the NRL finals system has a huge amount of flaws in it.