News AFL proposing mid-October Grand Final for 2026 and 2027

[daniel_4tw]

No one wants this

But did anyone want opening round?

We really need to get rid of this clueless leadership making ridiculous changes for change sake. They are out of their depth and everything they’ve done has made the game worse.

Never thought I’d see the day I missed Gill.

 

[BigPond101]

State of origin will be the softest match of all time with players desperate not to get injured before the season starts

 

[BigVic]

State of origin will be the softest match of all time with players desperate not to get injured before the season starts

It died in 1999 and it's too much of a risk. The IAS at Optus Stadium in Feburary was perfect

 

[Warsaw]

Are we sure any of this is real or did Eddie just ask for the floor so he could cook for 5 minutes.

 

[BigPond101]

It died in 1999 and it's too much of a risk. The IAS at Optus Stadium in Feburary was perfect

There was a one off game in 2010 or somewhere around there and it was shocking you could see the players didn't want to be there and just wanted to get through the game unscathed. Unless the AFL does something crazy like offer $5 million to the winning team this will be even worse

 

[kaiserchief13]

Sounds good

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I like the proposal of moving the bye week to before the GF that's one positive change really like it. 2 weeks of buildup for the GF. Stops the ridiculous advantages bottom of the 8 sides are getting. Should be more than hard to win from 5-8 not have a bye, then win 2, make the GF. You deserve the advantage in the top 4.

 

[Cam Payne]

History leads me to believe the CEO of the AFL is required to leave a mark on the game as they see fit. A legacy, if you will. This is dildo's mark.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Are we sure any of this is real or did Eddie just ask for the floor so he could cook for 5 minutes.

I got the sense Laura and Andrew gave him the go ahead to flag the plans in order to gauge reaction. If bad then they'd dismiss as speculation. If not too bad then they can continue the implementation plan

Standard practice in journo world

 

[Gavin Excell]

History leads me to believe the CEO of the AFL is required to leave a mark on the game as they see fit. A legacy, if you will. This is dildo's mark.

Yes
Heaven forbid we just leave as is
Night GF in 2 years time is $1.01

 

[iameviljez]

Having been to one now (2020), I'm all for a night Grand Final. The atmosphere is something else.

But late October is just ridiculous, and honestly IDGAF about State of Origin.

 

[HairyO]

NOT A LATE APRIL FOOLS JOKE:

The AFL is proposing a mid-October Grand Final for next season and 2027 according to Channel Nine. It is to accomodate State of Origin.

Leave the game alone. Don't retire Mike Brady and his classic "One Day in September". October AFLW is in its pointy end, we have Bathurst 1000 and the Spring Racing Carnival. Don't mess with tradition

AFL's path for Origin revealed as major revamp floated

Night grand final on the cards

www.nine.com.au

The long game here is to then say "oh its mid October and the risk of heatwaves is too great so we have to make the grand final a night game.

Sorry.

Then they ditch SOO because noone really cares but keep the night grand final "because it works so well" which is code for "because 7 and Foxtel pay an extra $5m a year"...

 

[Milanista28]

Top stuff

 

[GoldbergsGold]

2021 didn't feel right at all. Twilight or night affair is different compared to the traditional daytime slot.

I absolutely hated the twilight grand final lighting, it was all dim, why would anyone want weak lighting?

 

[H00t]

I like the proposal of moving the bye week to before the GF that's one positive change really like it. 2 weeks of buildup for the GF. Stops the ridiculous advantages bottom of the 8 sides are getting. Should be more than hard to win from 5-8 not have a bye, then win 2, make the GF. You deserve the advantage in the top 4.

One of the things that makes the grand final work so well is the week leading into it.

If there’s a whole extra week of nothing between the prelims and grand final it destroys all momentum of it.

Will end up feeling more like an extra game tacked on to the end of the season rather than a grand final.

 

[H00t]

The guys running the show are genuinely clueless.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

One of the things that makes the grand final work so well is the week leading into it.

If there’s a whole extra week of nothing between the prelims and grand final it destroys all momentum of it.

Will end up feeling more like an extra game tacked on to the end of the season rather than a grand final.

It allows players with concussions to be available for a GF with a week between it. Works in the NFL you’d move all the awards Brownlow etc to that week. It removes the ridiculous advantage of teams having a bye coming 5-8 before finals. It should be very tough to make finals outside the 8, you deserve the right and advantage in the top 4. Teams now get a bye play a game then another bye it’s not a positive. Put the bye before a GF and you get a bye if you win the qualifying final.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Especially if they have some bullshit made up "allies" team that isn't even a state competing

Its worse than that, Eddie's version of the proposal is that the Indigenous game and State of origin are the same type of representative football, so the indigenous team will be treated as a state.
If origin was to return, it has to be completely separate from the indigenous game. Totally different forms of heritage, as well as having players with potentially split allegiances.

I can't see clubs, especially coaches, allowing Origin pre-season (or mid-season). The only time it might be deemed acceptable would be post-season, some years origin, some years international rules. Even then, we know clubs will pull players for the flimsiest of pretexts and for premiership players being expected to back-up for another competition after celebrations might be a bit much.

I loved Origin, wish it could be back and meaningful (base point being : players want to play, clubs let them, no Allies or All-Stars), can't see that happening in an era where the smallest clubs are $50m a year operations and rapidly growing.

 

[Cleavy]

Then they ditch SOO because noone really cares but keep the night grand final "because it works so well" which is code for "because 7 and Foxtel pay an extra $5m a year"...

Foxtel shouldn't pay any extra for it, if they're not allowed to show it live.

 

[The Feeder Club]

Its worse than that, Eddie's version of the proposal is that the Indigenous game and State of origin are the same type of representative football, so the indigenous team will be treated as a state.
If origin was to return, it has to be completely separate from the indigenous game. Totally different forms of heritage, as well as having players with potentially split allegiances.

I can't see clubs, especially coaches, allowing Origin pre-season (or mid-season). The only time it might be deemed acceptable would be post-season, some years origin, some years international rules. Even then, we know clubs will pull players for the flimsiest of pretexts and for premiership players being expected to back-up for another competition after celebrations might be a bit much.

I loved Origin, wish it could be back and meaningful (base point being : players want to play, clubs let them, no Allies or All-Stars), can't see that happening in an era where the smallest clubs are $50m a year operations and rapidly growing.

The players wanting it is the key I think. That's what drives it in league and why players aren't routinely pulled because of fake injuries. It's the most sought after gig for a player in the NRL, an origin jumper.

League also accepts some players simply aren't eligible, there's no allies team made up of ineligible kiwis, poms etc playing club footy in the NRL.

It's an authentic product in League. People can smell uncommitted players and made up meaningless allies teams a mile off

 

[JackFlash]

They have to fix the opening round fiasco and start the season later! Forget what the NRL are doing, that's a nothing competition. AFL is the most popular sport in the country and it's run by imbeciles most of the time. October Grand Final is fine and a late start is fine too, State of Origin is nuts, but if that's what they want to waste everyone's time on then so be it. Get rid of opening zero, push back the start of the season, have the Grand Final in October and with daylight saving starting, commence the game at 7pm. The season shouldn't start until at least the last week of March!

 

[Outtatym]

Having played park cricket most of my life in Melbourne I can guarantee you a grand final day in October would be a wet one

 

[aislegi]

I like the proposal of moving the bye week to before the GF that's one positive change really like it. 2 weeks of buildup for the GF. Stops the ridiculous advantages bottom of the 8 sides are getting. Should be more than hard to win from 5-8 not have a bye, then win 2, make the GF. You deserve the advantage in the top 4.

It allows players with concussions to be available for a GF with a week between it. Works in the NFL you’d move all the awards Brownlow etc to that week. It removes the ridiculous advantage of teams having a bye coming 5-8 before finals. It should be very tough to make finals outside the 8, you deserve the right and advantage in the top 4. Teams now get a bye play a game then another bye it’s not a positive. Put the bye before a GF and you get a bye if you win the qualifying final.

Must admit, I can’t quite understand why bye-win-bye-win (if you finish top four and win a Qualifying Final under the current arrangements) is a bad lead-up to a Grand Final but win-bye-win-bye (if you finish top four and win a Qualifying Final under the proposed arrangements) is a good lead-up to a Grand Final

 

[hawkman]

There was a one off game in 2010 or somewhere around there and it was shocking you could see the players didn't want to be there and just wanted to get through the game unscathed. Unless the AFL does something crazy like offer $5 million to the winning team this will be even worse

2008

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Must admit, I can’t quite understand why bye-win-bye-win (if you finish top four and win a Qualifying Final under the current arrangements) is a bad lead-up to a Grand Final but win-bye-win-bye (if you finish top four and win a Qualifying Final under the proposed arrangements) is a good lead-up to a Grand Final

No need for the first bye top 4 sides have earnt the right to play straight away (and rest players last round)…why are bottom of the 8 sides given the advantage? The bye before a GF allows two fresh sides in a GF and no concussion protocols.