A harebrained scheme for league redesign

[Johnpoland]

My (Tasmanian) wife was commenting to me recently on how the football season seems to just peter out here and comparing it unfavourably with the AFL Finals Month. I said at the time that people in Scotland wouldn't be able to relate to the idea of a 'league' where the 'winners' weren't automatically champions, but having thought about it a bit further, I wondered what others really think.

Something along the lines of: teams play home and away, top eight break away and play a series of seeded playoffs leading to a Grand Final and the title, European qualification also decided by progress in playoffs. Bottom four join top four of First Division for similar series, culminating in relegation/promotion playoffs.

I can see two potential advantages of a system along these lines. Firstly, the big issues would always go to the wire, noone could run away with the league, but good league performance would be rewarded by seeding. Secondly, there would be no room for all the tedious conspiracy theories, because it would never be in any team's interests to lose a playoff game.

Anyway, what do Bouncers think?

[The__Proclaimer]

Ridiculous American originated idea that is tailored to suit T.V. exectutives rather than supporters.

[Lix]

Sounds a bit like they did in Holland, thanks to TV cos wanting it ... meant Groningen damn near got champions league having finished 5th in the league ...

now while it'd have been nice for the Grons and was no doubt exciting, I didn't hear any of them feel it would've been 'fair' even though they'd have taken it ...

it could've worked against them in that 5th might not have got them the UEFA cup it should've, but happily they secured that with ease ...
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So all in all, no not really fair ... and couldn't see the Bigot Bros going for it given they could be several tons of points ahead but lose out on champs league ....

[Johnpoland]

Whatever you think of this system, it's Australian, not American and was in place in the AFL long before TV was invented.

Pretty much the reaction I expected,though.