Finals Week 1

[Valheru]

There is still a ways to go but at the moment it looks likely Sydney will host all 4 matches of the first week of the finals. Roosters/Souths are almost certain to be 1 and 2 and Dogs/Sharks are looking the goods for 5/6.

As I understand it no suburban grounds can host finals in even week 1 anymore so those games would all have to be at ANZ/SFS, obviously Souths and dogs would go for ANZ and the roosters/sharks the SFS.

So if this were to eventuate how would you like the scheduling to work? Would a double header at one of the grounds be considered? If Souths play Melbourne and Dogs play a QLD team, it’s possible a sell out double header on the Saturday would outdraw the alternative of separate match days.

 

[BranVan3000]

A double header would be a great idea. First week finals rarely sell out but a double header would be huge.

 

[Pierced Soul]

double header would be good but it wouldnt help clubs with ticketing.

 

[Panfas]

If the final 8 stay as they are, it would be:

Roosters v Sea Eagles | Friday night | Allianz Stadium
Souths v Melbourne | Saturday arvo / early evening | ANZ Stadium
Bulldogs v Titans | Saturday night | ANZ Stadium
Sharks v Knights | Sunday arvo | Allianz Stadium

So there could be a possibility of a double header on the Saturday. Otherwise they would have to swap some games around. Possibly move the dogs and sharks games around

 

[Diesel]

I don't think the order of the matches are locked in as they were with the old system

 

[Brutus]

No need for games to be locked in anymore.

Bugger double headers. Sat night should be one at allianz and one at anz.

 

[thorson1987]

No need for games to be locked in anymore.

Bugger double headers. Sat night should be one at allianz and one at anz.

I disagree with the first part.

1v4 and 2v3 should be the first games in the finals.

These teams deserve a longer break.

Although we know that if the broncos make the 8 they will be on Friday night

 

[cleary89]

1 and 2 should be friday and saturday. 5 and 6 can be swapped between sat and sunday for mine.

 

[Jason Maher]

No need for games to be locked in anymore.

Bugger double headers. Sat night should be one at allianz and one at anz.

Why?

 

[LineBall]

IMO a double header cheapens a finals match. They should be aiming to sell out all finals matches in Sydney when two Sydney teams are playing each other.

 

[Card Shark]

IMO a double header cheapens a finals match. They should be aiming to sell out all finals matches in Sydney when two Sydney teams are playing each other.

Agree.

Each match should be an event in it's own right.

 

[Big Sam]

Assuming all things remain the same, it will be:

Easts at SFS on Friday
Souths at ANZ on Sat evening
Cronulla at SFS on Sat night
Dogs at ANZ on Sunday

And a double header at ANZ is a moronic idea. Souths/Storm will get +40k and Dogs over 30k.

 

[Springs]

Assuming all things remain the same, it will be:

Easts at SFS on Friday
Souths at ANZ on Sat evening
Cronulla at SFS on Sat night
Dogs at ANZ on Sunday

And a double header at ANZ is a moronic idea. Souths/Storm will get +40k and Dogs over 30k.

So what if a double header manages 80k?
Dogs got 36k last year and they were minor premiers playing Manly. 5th place playing a QLD team, Raiders or Warriors might be a bit different.

 

[Brutus]

IMO a double header cheapens a finals match. They should be aiming to sell out all finals matches in Sydney when two Sydney teams are playing each other.

This.

 

[Valheru]

IMO a double header cheapens a finals match. They should be aiming to sell out all finals matches in Sydney when two Sydney teams are playing each other

Both matches would be played at ANZ regardless as per the choice of their hosts. It isn?t a gimmick to draw a crowd.

Selling out ANZ for individual first round finals matches is a pipe dream. Dogs/Parra, Dragons/Wests and Dogs/Souths couldn?t do it in week 3 let alone week 1.

 

[LineBall]

Both matches would be played at ANZ regardless as per the choice of their hosts. It isn?t a gimmick to draw a crowd.

Selling out ANZ for individual first round finals matches is a pipe dream. Dogs/Parra, Dragons/Wests and Dogs/Souths couldn?t do it in week 3 let alone week 1.

It may be a pipe dream for now - but you'll never get there if you give fans the expectation of going to two finals matches on the one day. I know that you are most likely talking about the double header being considered if the dogs and souths draw non sydney teams in the finals, as neither would fill ANZ. This is where the NRL should be able to step in and make those teams play at Allianz for the first week of the finals.

 

[Tyler Durden]

the AFL will have booked out ANZ for a potential Swans semi-final, so looks like the NRL will have to move games to Redfern or Belmore.

 

[Raiderdave]

double headers for finals ?:sarcasm:

:lol::lol:

please

if its 4 finals in Sydney in week one it will be 2 finals at both venues over the 3 days

Fri...... ANZ or Allianz
Sat ... a final at both venues
Sun ..... see Friday

 

[big hit!]

No need for games to be locked in anymore.

Bugger double headers. Sat night should be one at allianz and one at anz.

as thorson said. QF's will have priority.

at very least, 1 vs 4 played prior to 5 vs 8. 2 vs 3 played before 6 vs 7.

furthermore, having 1 vs 4 on friday, and then 5 vs 8 on sunday leaves the EF winner at a huge disadvantage.

either way, 1 vs 4 should always be friday night. if seed 1 lose, they are ensured the longest break. their seeding entitles them to it.

 

[big hit!]

the AFL will have booked out ANZ for a potential Swans semi-final, so looks like the NRL will have to move games to Redfern or Belmore.

yep. it'll be Week 2 of AFL finals.

if swans lose week 1, they'll have a game during Wk 1 of NRL finals at OPS on either friday or saturday which will put a real spanner in the NRL scheduling, particularly if the AFL want to schedule it on Saturday night.

this will be extremely interesting should the swans indeed play on that weekend. if they do, and their opponent played the sunday of the prior week, the AFL will schedule the game on the saturday. do you think the AFL will consider the potential issues with the NRL when determining their Wk 1 Finals schedule? scant perhaps.

they're going to have a similar issue in week 1 as the NRL where all finals are potentially having to be scheduled at two venues MCG or docklands due to melbourne teams finishing in as the 1, 2 5, 6 seeds. They generally respect the hierarchy of their games, i.e., 1 vs 4 (generally friday night) before 5 vs 8, 2 vs 3 played before 6 vs 7. They also ensure a minimum of 6 days break between games for teams as well, so they will accommodate all that in their scheduling.

yep.........very, very interesting.

EDIT: obviously, the scheduling issues with the swans can be disregarded if the NRL have contractual priority over OPS for finals. I think this has been the case.