Sam Landsberger: Why AFL should revert to McIntyre finals system for 2020
St Kilda is on the cusp of a fairytale return to finals in its first full season under Brett Ratten. But if the Saints finish fifth, could they end up being disadvantaged? Sam Landsberger investigates.
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The AFL on Wednesday declared its traditional finals format was locked in for this season.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be.
In a year like no other – and where Gillon McLachlan’s buzz words are “agile”, “nimble” and “flexible” – the top-eight system used this century doesn’t fit.
It rewards the top-four teams with the double chance and delivers fifth and sixth a home final.
But in 2020 the majority of finals will be held at neutral venues, with Brisbane Lions and Port Adelaide the only clubs likely to play in familiar surroundings.
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Imagine if Geelong finishes first and West Coast finishes fourth. The Cats would host the Eagles in a qualifying final at, say, the Gabba, and coach Adam Simpson’s men would be just about an even-money chance at advancing.
Under that system the Eagles — assuming Perth Stadium is out of bounds — may as well have finished on top of the ladder. But the biggest injustice will be reserved for the team which finishes fifth this year.
Imagine if St Kilda finishes below West Coast on percentage only and GWS scrapes into eighth.
Suddenly, the Saints would be in a cutthroat battle against last year’s grand finalist with no home ground advantage, meanwhile the Eagles – equal on wins with St Kilda – are on a neutral ground playing for a place in the last four.
The discrepancy in reward between finishing fourth and fifth has always been significant. But this year it is grossly out of whack.
It is time to play the finals like it’s 1999. To boost the integrity of this year’s series the AFL should consider reverting to the old McIntyre top-eight system, where the minor premier plays eighth, second plays seventh, third plays sixth and fourth plays fifth.
The gap in quality between those ladder rungs for the teams up the top and down the bottom would be significant and a club’s ladder position after playing every rival once would carry a greater value.
After week one the lowest two-ranked losers would be eliminated and the highest two-ranked winners would earn a week off. Again, ladder position is used as the tie-breaker.
The major criticism of the McIntyre system was that lowly teams could host semi-finals against higher-ranked opponents.
For example, Melbourne Storm claimed the NRL minor premiership in 2008 but lost to eighth-placed New Zealand Warriors and was then sent on the road to play Brisbane Broncos.
But, again, with neutral venues on the cards in 2020 that possibility is heavily diluted.
Week one would also deliver “live” games — if sixth lost to third it would have to watch the remaining two matches to find out if it survived.
Imagine the drama of those players watching from their hub on a Saturday night with their premiership hopes riding on the result?
Finally, a Channel 7 “Fan Zone” supporters at home would embrace.
MALTHOUSE: HOW TO REWARD HIGHER-RANKED TEAMS IN FINALS
Coaching legend Mick Malthouse wants the AFL to abolish same-day travel for finals and reward the higher-ranked teams with their choice of venue.
The finals picture is looking clearer with the Gabba firming as the Grand Final venue and Port Adelaide confident it will be allowed to host finals for the first three weeks.
That should deliver the AFL at least three venues – Adelaide Oval, the Gabba and Metricon Stadium – despite a women’s ODI between Australia and New Zealand at Metricon on October 10 remaining in the calendar.
While Cricket Australia is committed to staging that series, News Corp understands a revised schedule is being explored.
The AFL’s official line is that all grounds are in play because it hasn’t decided whether the finals will be contained to one state. West Coast would require a lengthy break to host a final due to WA’s strict quarantine laws.
But inaugural Eagles premiership coach Malthouse urged the league to scrap the pre-finals bye and said any team sent to Adelaide Oval needed the ability to train there the day before the final.
This season the AFL has forced clubs to travel on game day with Port Adelaide setting 4.30am alarms for their 5.20am bus and 6am flight to Brisbane before 1.05pm games against GWS and Carlton.
It was close to an 18-hour day as players and staff returned home at about 10pm.
The availability of Metricon Stadium will come as a relief for Richmond and Western Bulldogs, who are slated to play a combined 14 home-and-away matches at Gold Coast’s ground by the end of Round 17.
The Dogs are 3-2 and the Tigers 3-0 at Metricon this year.
Collingwood would probably prefer to play home finals at the Gabba – unless it is due to host Brisbane – given the Magpies have just started a streak of five-straight matches at the Lions’ fortress and are not due to visit Metricon in 2020.
St Kilda and Melbourne went 2-0 at Adelaide Oval this year and could look to drag their opponents to South Australia if they secure a top-six finish and the AFL ticks off on Malthouse’s plan.
Geelong coach Chris Scott has unsuccessfully argued for years that teams should be allowed to choose where they play home finals.
The idea is under consideration at AFL headquarters this year and is in line with the home-and-away fixturing, which ensured Queensland clubs were not gifted away matches at their home grounds.
“If there’s three grounds available you should have the option. You’ve got to have advantages for finishing higher, otherwise why finish there?” Malthouse said.
“It’s a small cost (extra travel) when you look at the overall losses the AFL have mounted up, and to legitimatise the finals system you’ve got to be seen to be giving the advantage to the sides who have earnt the advantage.
“You need (early travel) to settle down and get rid of the nerves for your preparation, so I think that’s grossly unfair (to travel on game day for a final).
“I’m opposed to a (pre-finals) break. That was all Ross Lyon’s doing and the league panicked and blinked first, which aided the fifth through to eighth sides.
“I’m very strongly in favour of no gap. It gives the top four the chance to say, ‘You know what, we’ve busted our guts to finish top four and we get the benefit (of a rest) if we win’.
“And if they don’t win they don’t get any benefit, but at least they get the chance for a benefit.”
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Originally published as Sam Landsberger: Why AFL should revert to McIntyre finals system for 2020