The annual finals system debate thread

[Ulysseus]

Surely I'm not the only one that notices its only ever the losers that whinge about the finals system?

That is partially true, but looking at what happened to Saints last year illustrated that the system has its issues.
Had Saints somehow managed to overcome Brisbane in Week 2, they would have then had to hop a flight to Melbourne for Week 3.
Reward for finishing Minor Premiers = one game at home, and if they won that and got the week off the next game still wouldn't have been at their home ground but at a neutral venue in Sydney.
Melbourne, despite finishing lower on the ladder, got a week off AND a home preliminary.
In retrospect (and basing judgments on the "accounting irregularities" that were discovered this year) they deserved neither, even taking the events of April 2010 out of it they still did not deserve a home preliminary final in 2009.

 

[Tom Shines]

Good point, but I still think we should kick Cronulla out of the comp.

 

[kay]

Surely I'm not the only one that notices its only ever the losers that whinge about the finals system?

I think people have always had their views and preferences and don't simply just knock the system because their team is out but just become more vocal about making their views public.
I actually think its been a pretty well debated thread rather than simply whingeing, the different views of everyone has been good.

 

[CMUX]

Im happy with the Top 4 losing any advantage they have if they lose, why should you reward teams for losing??? If they want their advantage/week off, make them work for it.....

As for the 3-7 elimination game...the tigers lost, and we won, fairly simple really, if they don't like the position they're in, they should've beaten the roosters....

Surely I'm not the only one that notices its only ever the losers that whinge about the finals system?

Not true. I am a roosters supporter and I recognise it is ridiculous that we get a home final against 2nd spot. We finished 6th and as such only deserve a home final if we adopted the AFL system which this year would of mean we played the Raiders.

It is not about rewarding teams that lose in the 1st week, it is about rewarding teams that have been the most consistent over 26 weeks of the regular season.

I could only imagine the blow up if the Raiders had of lost in a 100 minute thriller after finishing 3rd and then having to travel to somewhere like NZ to play a side ranked number 7.

 

[VictorTheViking]

I can see where your all coming from, but really, how is it unfair when the current system allows it, everyone knows what could happen, therefore should be prepared for it, except for Robbie Farah.

 

[CMUX]

I can see where your all coming from, but really, how is it unfair when the current system allows it, everyone knows what could happen, therefore should be prepared for it, except for Robbie Farah.

I agree with you there, regardless of whether the system is good or not, the tigers knew this could have happened and really have no right to whinge about it. It has happened in the past to the roosters, gold coast and Melbourne twice.

Canberra are only playing by the rules of the NRL so none of this is their fault.

 

[Gaba]

The final series is a new series and isnt based on what happen in the regular season after week 1 .

The higher ranked teams have the advantage in week 1 and deserve to lose it if they get beaten

Whether its fair or not , is questionable but people should accept thats the way it is

 

[Canard]

Reward for finishing Minor Premiers = one game at home

You forgot to include that the reward for minor premiership also includes is playing the lowest ranked team (No. 8) and having two bites at the cherry.

If you cant overcome No.8 you surely deserve some sort of punishment.

 

[*Paul*]

I could only imagine the blow up if the Raiders had of lost in a 100 minute thriller after finishing 3rd and then having to travel to somewhere like NZ to play a side ranked number 7. [/FONT][/COLOR]

It used to be worse. The last time we (Canberra) won a final (2000, finished 4th), we had to play 2nd at their home ground, whilst the team we beat (Penrith) got to play 7th at a neutral venue.

 

[taste2taste]

The seeding you finish the 26 week home and away season should carry through the whole play off's not just week 1.

This week should be
Tigers V Raiders @ Tigers

Penrith v Roosters @ Penrith

Every friggin year this comes up and the NRL still hasnt changed

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/frosty-reception-for-tigers/story-e6frexnr-1225921444371

 

[VictorTheViking]

The seeding you finish the 26 week home and away season should carry through the whole play off's not just week 1.

This week should be
Tigers V Raiders @ Tigers

Penrith v Roosters @ Penrith

Every friggin year this comes up and the NRL still hasnt changed

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/frosty-reception-for-tigers/story-e6frexnr-1225921444371

Why should it be??? If they can't overcome their opponents they don't deserve any further advantage, they've had one home game, and had results gone their way (like they did with us) they could very well have had a week off too.....more than fair imo

 

[Stewie]

I think it's started to annoy people because now the comp is getting closer every year and the bottom 4 sides aren't just there to make up the numbers anymore. Soon it's not going to be unusual for teams in the bottom 4 to be better and playing more consistant football in September than the top 4. The last 2 seasons 8th has knocked off 1st eg;Warriors 08 and Eels 09. Although my team's not there this year, I still think this has been the most exciting and unpredictable finals series I've seen.

 

[Marshall_magic]

The home game system only seems bad when 2 underdogs win. Take the hypothetical situation where the Tigers beat the Roosters.

This week you'd have the Titans vs Panthers and Raiders vs Warriors.

The titans would be forced to play away against the team in second, despite winning, the Panthers get a home game against a side who won, despite the fact they lost. Canberra's reward for winning is a trip to Aukland and th Warriors punishment for losing is a home game against team 7.


Also, should seedings go through to week 3? Should the Titans be forced to play Penrith away if Penrith win this week? Or is a home prelim part of the reward for getting the week off?

 

[CMUX]

The seeding you finish the 26 week home and away season should carry through the whole play off's not just week 1.

This week should be
Tigers V Raiders @ Tigers

Penrith v Roosters @ Penrith

Every friggin year this comes up and the NRL still hasnt changed

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/frosty-reception-for-tigers/story-e6frexnr-1225921444371

Well the game would never be at Penrith, ANZ would be the location as opposed to the SFS.

The home game system only seems bad when 2 underdogs win. Take the hypothetical situation where the Tigers beat the Roosters.

This week you'd have the Titans vs Panthers and Raiders vs Warriors.

The titans would be forced to play away against the team in second, despite winning, the Panthers get a home game against a side who won, despite the fact they lost. Canberra's reward for winning is a trip to Aukland and th Warriors punishment for losing is a home game against team 7.


Also, should seedings go through to week 3? Should the Titans be forced to play Penrith away if Penrith win this week? Or is a home prelim part of the reward for getting the week off?

Excellent points, which is further evidence to the deficiencies of the Mcintyre system. The AFL system makes more sense and rewards higher placed teams.

In regards to the prelim final location, the gold coast have earned the right to play at due to getting the week off.

 

[taste2taste]

The NRL is the only competition in the world that rewards lower placed teams with home field advantage.

NBA,NFL, AFL and any other major competition you can think of always gives the team that finished higher in the regular season the home field advantage.

2 years ago the Roosters got screwed, last year the Drags and Titans, this year the panthers and tigers get screwed by our crappy finals system.

Yes they get an advantage in week 1 but 26 weeks of consistency deserves more of a reward.

 

[hellteam]

The NRL is the only competition in the world that rewards lower placed teams with home field advantage.

NBA,NFL, AFL and any other major competition you can think of always gives the team that finished higher in the regular season the home field advantage.

2 years ago the Roosters got screwed, last year the Drags and Titans, this year the panthers and tigers get screwed by our crappy finals system.

Yes they get an advantage in week 1 but 26 weeks of consistency deserves more of a reward.

In the NFL if you lose a game you're out.

Likewise in the NBA and MLB, if you lose the series you're gone.

Those NRL teams you named didn't get screwed, they LOST their HOME finals against LOWER ranked teams. There's plenty of other leagues around the world where you don't even get the luxury of a second chance.

 

[chunk]

No one has mentioned the exposure the current system brings acroos the board

This week in Canberra is all about the League, if its a nuetral venue or a Sydney based team, teams like Canberra, Melbourne, Newcastle, Nth QLD etc would not get the exposure they would get from a home semi.

The game needs to build its fan base.

 

[LoganRL1988]

The Finals should be a top 7 with team 1 getting a bye the first week then you have 2-7 3-6 4-5 losers get knocked out. week 2 the highest place winner plays team 1 for spot in grand final 1 - 2 and other 2 winners playoff 3-4. week 3 would be team that lost grand final playoff v winner of 3-4 for other spot in grand final. this way teams dont get reward for a loss and only grand final playoff loser get a second chance. I believe only the minor premier should have any advantage.

 

[Paullyboy]

People that don't like McIntyre are people who are typically 'grass is greener' people. I do acknowledge that it's not perfect, but there are flaws in the model the AFL currently use as well. 8 team finals series are just an ugly beast to deal with. As soon as you accept that and just enjoy the footy you'll be a happier person.

 

[Eels Dude]

In the NFL if you lose a game you're out.

Likewise in the NBA and MLB, if you lose the series you're gone.

Those NRL teams you named didn't get screwed, they LOST their HOME finals against LOWER ranked teams. There's plenty of other leagues around the world where you don't even get the luxury of a second chance.

Agreed. If playing at your home ground is such a strong advantage, then how come the 1st placed Dragons couldn't beat 8th placed Parramatta last year at Kogarah. If the Eels were good enough to beat the the Dragons away, then surely the most consistent side in the competition last year would be good enough to beat Brisbane at Suncorp. It was only a few years ago that from the second week on all games from week 2 onwards were played at ANZ or the SFS regardless of ladder position or who won in week 1 etc. This is much better.