The annual finals system debate thread

[PARRA_FAN]

This might sound unfair but the Bulldogs and Roosters have been dominant all year are playing two sides who have stuggled at times yet just snuck in the 8. I predict the games cricket scores unfortunately, and its a bit unfair for teams 7 and 8. Which might be North Queensland and Wests Tigers making their finals debut.

1v 8 and 2 v7 is too much. Why not introduce a system where the top 4 play each other and bottom 4 of the 8 play each other in the first week. Then the two winners in the top 4 take a week off and then the two losers in the bottom 4 bow out, leaving the rest to play each other the week after.

Or bring back the so called "AFL system", or as I like to call it the "ARL system" since it was introduced by the ARL in 1995. Where:

5 v 8
6 v 7
2 v 3
1 v 4

That seems fair doesnt it, no cricket scores in the first week.

 

[pcpp]

I always personally liked the "AFL" system...

 

[Kris_man]

in my opinion, there's only one disadvantage with the mcintyre system, and that is: it's very likely that, even if they win, teams 3 & 4 will have to play again in the second week, along with teams 5 & 6, meaning that there's really not much difference in coming 3rd to 6th, unless 7 or 8 causes an upset.

i actually like the way that 7 and 8 have to play hard games in week 1. why should they be rewarded for mediocrity by being allowed to play relatively easy teams in teams 5 & 6??? the AFL system vastly reduces the gap between the top 4 and the bottom 4. it means that, no matter what, in week 2, two bottom 4 teams will be in the same boat as two top 4 teams. and that's just stupid. i'm very happy we don't have that system.

 

[Twizzle]

8 teams in the final is just revenue raising

teams at 7 and 8 have no hope, and shouldn't be there IMO.

 

[Tupac Shakur]

5 v 8
6 v 7
2 v 3
1 v 4

That seems fair doesnt it, no cricket scores in the first week.

I don't think we would have seen cricket scores anyway with the normal system. I just think the system is too complicated thats all. Maybe a more uncomplicated and simple system should be introduced.

 

[Kris_man]

teams at 7 and 8 have no hope, and shouldn't be there IMO.

i disagree. it makes the season so mnuch more interesting for so many more teams. imagine if there was a top 5, for example, this year. the seasons of the Raiders, Knights, Sharks, Eels, Cowboys and Tigers would have been over long ago, and who benefits when teams are playing for nothing in the final rounds??

I don't think we would have seen cricket scores anyway with the normal system. I just think the system is too complicated thats all. Maybe a more uncomplicated and simple system should be introduced.

this is a terrible argument: how is the complexity of the system relevant?? and whats this "normal system" you speak of?

one idea i've had for a long time, is to separate the minor premiership from the finals system, kind of like the premier league/FA cup in the English soccer. the minor premiership would have to become more prestigious, by 1) changing its name: as long as its called the "minor" premiership nobody will really care about it), and 2) i think if it was a separate competition, people will naturally care more about it.
the "knockout comp", which would be the equivalent of the FA cup, could be a number of things. it could be 1)a short competition involving the top 8 teams from the minor premiership, using the mcintyre system; 2)a knockout comp; 3)three "top 5" comps, involving teams 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15 from the minor premiership. obviously the 1-5 comp would be the most prestigious; 4)anything else you can think of.

 

[StGeorge]

8 teams in the final is just revenue raising

whats wrong with the nrl making much needed cash

 

[Anon]

Last week we had team 3 (Brisbane) draw with team 15 (Souths).

Then in round 23 we had team 2 (Canterbury) put nearly 50 points on team 3 (Brisbane) and team 1 (Easts) do the same to team 4 (Penrith).

Any team can beat any other team on their day in this competition.

Having said that I honestly believe that to make the semi finals a team should be required to win more games than it loses. Bring back the top 5.

 

[yakstorm]

The biggest fault I see with the McIntyre system is if the very unlucky but possible situation occurs where all the lower teams win (5 - 8), then those that come 3rd and 4th can be knocked out in week one.

If you come in the top 4 you should be entitled to a second chance.

 

[Kris_man]

I dont like the top 5 - way too short. and there is a tendency for matches to "double up". for example, in 1994, canberra vs norths and canberra vs canterbury both happened twice.

 

[Kris_man]

The biggest fault I see with the McIntyre system is if the very unlucky but possible situation occurs where all the lower teams win (5 - , then those that come 3rd and 4th can be knocked out in week one.

If you come in the top 4 you should be entitled to a second chance.

nah, the biggest fault with it is the 3rd-6th dilemma, where 3rd wins and 6th loses, but both go to the second week. and this isn't an unlikely situation: its extremely likely.

 

[In-goal]

The AFL system is great because teams play at there standard in the first week which helps crowds and the advantage to the top 4 is far more benificial.

1v 4
2 v 3

In this system 1, 2 and 5,6 get home finals.

I'm sick of poor first week finals crowds.

 

[JoeysWheelchair]

In AFL the top 4 get a second chance, teams 5-8 are sudden death. It is tough to win it from there, but the games are of higher quality. Also I believe the teams in the top 4, if they lose week one, they get a home final the next week, so there is still advantage there for finishing higher.

 

[iggy plop]

Or bring back the so called "AFL system", or as I like to call it the "ARL system" since it was introduced by the ARL in 1995. Where:

5 v 8
6 v 7
2 v 3
1 v 4

That seems fair doesnt it, no cricket scores in the first week.

Yeah it irks me when I hear it referred to as the AFL system.

It's the ARL system. I reckon the ARL system doesn't reward the top 2 teams as much as it should.

 

[PARRA_FAN]

Another disadvantage is that teams 3 and 4 could get knocked out in the first week of the finals e.g. canberra would've been knocked out if penrith lost to brisbane. That seems unfair really.

 

[LeagueNut]

i actually like the way that 7 and 8 have to play hard games in week 1. why should they be rewarded for mediocrity by being allowed to play relatively easy teams in teams 5 & 6???

For me, this is the best feature of the McIntyre system. Other formats can allow lower teams to 'play themselves back into form' during the finals ... at least this way you need to be switched on right from the start.

 

[Man_of_Steel_1982]

i actually like the way that 7 and 8 have to play hard games in week 1. why should they be rewarded for mediocrity by being allowed to play relatively easy teams in teams 5 & 6???

For me, this is the best feature of the McIntyre system. Other formats can allow lower teams to 'play themselves back into form' during the finals ... at least this way you need to be switched on right from the start.

They should already be in form when the make the finals. Why should they get a shot a glory against a team who has been in a class above them all year?

Top 5 is the best, all top quality games and the fairest system. If we must have a top eight, use the "AFL" system.

 

[Man_of_Steel_1982]

The biggest fault I see with the McIntyre system is if the very unlucky but possible situation occurs where all the lower teams win (5 - , then those that come 3rd and 4th can be knocked out in week one.

If you come in the top 4 you should be entitled to a second chance.

nah, the biggest fault with it is the 3rd-6th dilemma, where 3rd wins and 6th loses, but both go to the second week. and this isn't an unlikely situation: its extremely likely.

Yes but 3rd is guaranteed to be there the following week, whereas 6th start off with sudden death straight away.

 

[Mark Rudd]

The McIntyre System is near perfect. Why change it? It rewards teams the higher up they finish. Hence the 1 vs 8/ 2 vs 7 and so on. EXACTLY what SHOULD happen.

Not the idiotic system the AFL use which is completey farcial.

 

[Man_of_Steel_1982]

The McIntyre System is near perfect. Why change it? It rewards teams the higher up they finish. Hence the 1 vs 8/ 2 vs 7 and so on. EXACTLY what SHOULD happen.

Not the idiotic system the AFL use which is completey farcial.

'Completely farcial' is teams 3 and 4 going into the first week of the finals with the possibility of being knocked out (unlikely but can still happen). The top 4 should all be safe in the first week. Teams 5-8 should go straight into sudden death, while the top 4 fight it out to see who can progress straight to week 3 and have a rest.