Tweet
I have to take issue with all the complaining going on around this topic.
This is not about the week off itself. But specifically in regards to it's perceived disadvantage to the top 4 in finals.
The arguments being thrown around:
-The season is a war of attrition, therefore the healthiest teams should get the benefit of no bye (this was from Paul Roos and can be immediately dismissed. It's plain rubbish)
-The top 4 teams lose their advantage. Now by this they actually mean the teams from the top 4 who win in week 1 lose their advantage in prelim week.
Now noone seems to be arguing against the fact that the week off provides a better spectacle (admittedly we only have last year to go off and it was largely due to the bulldogs' stunning effort). But the main claim is that the top 4 should hold a significant advantage over the bottom 4. Essentially saying teams 5-8 should have next to no chance of winning the flag. This is utter rubbish. The top 4 have always and still have SIGNIFICANT advantages.
Firstly, they get a double chance! TWO GOES AT IT! No other major sport in the world allows teams in knockout stages to lose and then have another shot at it. Now of course the second chance makes sense because we have a finals system where the top half of teams play against each other. But it's still a fair advantage
Secondly, the top 2 get home ground advantage throughout the entire finals series. A pretty big advantage if you ask me. The two losing teams from week 1 also get home ground advantage in week 2 (but it's not about the losing teams from week 1 anyway)
Thirdly, there was always debate around whether the teams that had the week off before the prelims did indeed have an advantage. Were they rusty or well rested?
Fourth, the season with a 22 game format and playing random 5 teams twice is already unfair. So crying about this is fairly petty IMO.
I do agree that having a week off, then a week on and then another week off is not ideal. However it shouldn't make THAT much of a difference. If you're good enough you'll get through.
Of course, we have a sample size of 1 to go off so i think a lot of people are being precious about all of this. I actually think the week off is great. It allows teams to get fit and healthy to give us fans the best spectacle. Having all 8 teams with a realistic chance of winning it all is far better than the boring top 4 only. I still believe the top 4 get enough advantages that outweigh any week off side effects. Team can plan for this an adjust loads accordingly. Unfortunately i feel it will be the scapegoat when Sydney wins the flag from fifth. This, despite the fact they are currently clearly the best team just as we were not a true 7th placed side last year.
Thoughts?
This is not about the week off itself. But specifically in regards to it's perceived disadvantage to the top 4 in finals.
The arguments being thrown around:
-The season is a war of attrition, therefore the healthiest teams should get the benefit of no bye (this was from Paul Roos and can be immediately dismissed. It's plain rubbish)
-The top 4 teams lose their advantage. Now by this they actually mean the teams from the top 4 who win in week 1 lose their advantage in prelim week.
Now noone seems to be arguing against the fact that the week off provides a better spectacle (admittedly we only have last year to go off and it was largely due to the bulldogs' stunning effort). But the main claim is that the top 4 should hold a significant advantage over the bottom 4. Essentially saying teams 5-8 should have next to no chance of winning the flag. This is utter rubbish. The top 4 have always and still have SIGNIFICANT advantages.
Firstly, they get a double chance! TWO GOES AT IT! No other major sport in the world allows teams in knockout stages to lose and then have another shot at it. Now of course the second chance makes sense because we have a finals system where the top half of teams play against each other. But it's still a fair advantage
Secondly, the top 2 get home ground advantage throughout the entire finals series. A pretty big advantage if you ask me. The two losing teams from week 1 also get home ground advantage in week 2 (but it's not about the losing teams from week 1 anyway)
Thirdly, there was always debate around whether the teams that had the week off before the prelims did indeed have an advantage. Were they rusty or well rested?
Fourth, the season with a 22 game format and playing random 5 teams twice is already unfair. So crying about this is fairly petty IMO.
I do agree that having a week off, then a week on and then another week off is not ideal. However it shouldn't make THAT much of a difference. If you're good enough you'll get through.
Of course, we have a sample size of 1 to go off so i think a lot of people are being precious about all of this. I actually think the week off is great. It allows teams to get fit and healthy to give us fans the best spectacle. Having all 8 teams with a realistic chance of winning it all is far better than the boring top 4 only. I still believe the top 4 get enough advantages that outweigh any week off side effects. Team can plan for this an adjust loads accordingly. Unfortunately i feel it will be the scapegoat when Sydney wins the flag from fifth. This, despite the fact they are currently clearly the best team just as we were not a true 7th placed side last year.
Thoughts?
Comment