Finals Footy should be dropped

[Nevcost]

Epl doen't have finals but they have two cup competitions in England, the League cup and FA Cup.

 

[Jason Maher]

And the Champions League and Europa League to boot...

 

[some11]

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

MP should have much more prestige and home ground advantage throughout the finals.

 

[Spanner in the works]

I quite like the finals system but I do have reservations about it.

 

[Desert Qlder]

There are clear cultural and historical reasons why our game plays finals and others do not. These factors you've clearly ignored in starting this thread.

I first started having this argument back in high school with Italian fellas who followed the Serie A religiously. They maintained a stout pro-premiership mindset and were happy to ridicule the finals culture we had in this country. It works in European soccer because of the Cup competitions that take equal pride of place with the Premierships. It is in those that the notion of 'sudden death' and 'pressure games' come into effect. Players compete in a different environment during those games and those with the capacity to handle the pressure succeed.

Rugby League in this country simply is not large enough to maintain a similar system. Or at least it hasn't been so far in its history. The majestic beauty of having a Premiership and Finals system is that it allows for the players to attempt to reach a level of consistency then apply all they know about pressure footy in a cutthroat post-season campaign. Generally the cream rise to the top.

A flaw we have at present though is that the current finals system does not adequately reward the side finishing at the top of the ladder. But that is another debate.

To argue against all this is to try to stem the tide of history. You simply cannot win this argument, and it's why you've been ridiculed so in this thread. Of finals, the players love it, the broadcasters love it and most importantly the fans love it. It is an inherent part of the culture of our game.

 

[Tonearm Terrorwrist]

The EPL also has the champions league, Europa, FA cup etc + internationals


Blah blah blah blah

The champions league has nothing to do with the leagues and the teams contesting it are decided the season before

 

[Far Canal]

This aint soccer dipshit.

 

[AlwaysGreen]

The soccer comparision shows why the finals system should not be scrapped. Imagine if a side in the NRL canters to the minor premiership, that is 6-7 weeks out they are assured of winning it. The rest of the season, say 6 rounds or 48 games, become meaningless.

If this happens in the various soccer competitions there is still something to play for - champions league spots, avoiding regulation etc.

 

[Loudstrat]

Lets go the other way. No rounds, only Finals.

 

[docbrown]

Lets go the other way. No rounds, only Finals.

I reckon we should have 26 rounds of finals. Bottom eight teams are eliminated then the top 8 play SUPER FINALS.

 

[nrlnrl]

Epl doen't have finals but they have two cup competitions in England, the League cup and FA Cup.

EPL has everyone playing each other twice too....

 

[attila_the_gorilla]

The finals are needed because 1st place is the only prize to play for. In the EPL, you have teams relegated, teams fighting for Champions League, Europa League spots etc, plenty to play for right to the end. But when 1st place is the only prize to play for, finals footy is a must to keep most teams and their fans interested. For the exact same reason, a top 8 system is better than a top 5 that some have suggested.

 

[Masoe_eats_babies]

anyone who thinks we should just have a table with the highest team over the season being the winner is an idiot

no real sports organise their comps like that. the only to do it is certain soccer leaves, and even soccer wants play-off systems. The only reason they don't have them yet is because the fat xenophobic soccer fans think the finals system is american, and can never ever concede that something in soccer is lesser or wrong compared to other sports

even in the soccers biggest comp, the world cup, they have a finals system :sarcasm::crazy::lol:

 

[HowHigh]

There should be more of a reward/recognition for finishing first after 26 rounds but how can you say finals footy isn't a great part of the game.

 

[LatK7]

Sounds good. So Saints are now 2009 Premiers right?

Oh and congrats to Parramatta on their 2005 victory!

 

[Cliffhanger]

You just gave POPEYE a boner.

POPEYE is too old to get boners.

 

[Penrose Warrior]

without turning this into a finals system debate, i think when we had a top 5 system it made the whole minor premiership thing so much more important..

benefits / recognition for minor premiership include:

• 1st week off to repair and get ready for a charge
• only having to win ONE game to make the grand final
• a true 2nd chance
• the winner of the comp MUST play AND beat the minor premier at some point during the finals

Whilst I know the top 5 system will never wash due to revenue, this is the way it should be.

Finals are what it's all about. How many teams have blown away with the minor prem, winning reasonably big games early on then beating the chumps, only to gas it when the big ticker matches are up?

Minor prem should get more than they do now. Ie Melbourne lose first round 08, they have to go away next week. Not a reward for 26 rounds where they came No.1 (please do not turn this into a cheating opp.)

 

[Stormerz]

I reckon we should try it out and see how it works. Maybe try it this year then go back to finals next year.

 

[johns_reds]

only works if everyone plays everyone twice, once home and away, otherwise teams have advantage, some teams play more of the top 8 then others at the moment