Schwarz on finals system and Crows 98

[Zorro]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/newsarticle/ ... fault.aspx

WTF? If I recall the system was the two lowest ranked losers are out in week 1. Crows finished fifth so they stayed in. After playing in Melbourne in week one they then beat Sydney away, Bulldogs away and then North at the G in the final.

Aside from getting a second chance how is that a 'dream run'?

[JK]

I think there's two ways of looking at it - The Crows were certainly fortunate that two of 6th, 7th and 8th didn't win their matches, otherwise the Crows were out immediately.

To say they were "gifted" a trip to Sydney and a Prelim final against the 2nd ranked team is absurd.

The complaint that Melbourne moved to the Kangaroo's side of the draw is stupid too, as eventually, so too did the Crows.

I think it's a copout from anyone that they get beaten by a better team in the finals, if you want to win the flag, you need to beat whoever you're pitted against for as long as your alive.

The only injustices in AFL finals that I can recall, were teams that should have been receiving home finals, having to play at the MCG.

[Zorro]

I think there's two ways of looking at it - The Crows were certainly fortunate that two of 6th, 7th and 8th didn't win their matches, otherwise the Crows were out immediately.

To say they were "gifted" a trip to Sydney and a Prelim final against the 2nd ranked team is absurd.

The complaint that Melbourne moved to the Kangaroo's side of the draw is stupid too, as eventually, so too did the Crows.

I think it's a copout from anyone that they get beaten by a better team in the finals, if you want to win the flag, you need to beat whoever you're pitted against for as long as your alive.

The only injustices in AFL finals that I can recall, were teams that should have been receiving home finals, having to play at the MCG.

Good call re home finals, I think the Eagles were screwed by that one, and didn't the Crows get one as well, against Collingwood?

[Hondo]

During the time that the old final 8 system was in place the 5th ranked team never went out of the finals after the first week. ie, 2 of the 6th, 7th and 8th ranked teams never won in week 1. It was a very unlikely scenario that top of the top 3 ranked teams at the end of the minor round would lose in week 1 seeing as they played 1v8, 2v7, etc.

This "dream run" argument has become an urban legend because people equate the 5th ranking with how it works today or in the old final 5 system.

As CP said, the unfair cases in those days were when non-Vic teams had to give up home finals they had rightfully earned. I recall WC having to play Carlton at the MCG in week 2 of one of those finals series purely because the AFL had that agreement with the MCG. WC lost even though they had earned the right to have the game played in Perth.

[Hondo]

In fairness to Neitz (just read the article again) he isn't talking about the double chance the Crows got. Just about the fact Melbourne had to play NM in the Prelim final. Given that the Crows beat NM the week after Melbourne couldn't I'm not sure the GF result would have been any different.

Also worth noting that the Bulldogs finished the minor round second at 15-7 to NM's 16-6 in 1st. Just because the Bulldogs disappeared in their Prelim final doesn't change the fact that, at the time, thet difference between NM and the WB over that season wasn't big enough IMO to make the Bulldogs a "dream run" to the GF. In hindsight maybe it looks that way but the Crows proved that NM were beatable if Melbourne were good enough.

[spell_check]

Crows had to give up a home final to Melbourne in 2002, as did West Coast in 1996 against Essendon.

[FlyingHigh]

How about Geelong having to come to Adelaide in 1997?

[JK]

How about Geelong having to come to Adelaide in 1997?

My memory is pretty hazy ... Did the Cats finish higher than the Crows at the end of the minor round?

[Hondo]

How about Geelong having to come to Adelaide in 1997?

My memory is pretty hazy ... Did the Cats finish higher than the Crows at the end of the minor round?

Yes, but they lost in to the 7th ranked team the week before. That old system rewarded the winning team from the prev week with the home final. Geelong fans claim foul. Who should take precedence - finished 4th and won your final v finished 2nd and lost your final?

I won't deny that the old final 8 system had it's problems. Public understandability being one.

[bar20]

How does Neitz like his grapes? Sour?

[stampy]

dunno bout neitta, shouldnt we be getting stuck into schartz?, just typical biased victorian BS, playing sydney at the scg and the bullies at the mcg is hardly a dream run, he is a wanker saying that

[Zorro]

dunno bout neitta, shouldnt we be getting stuck into schartz?, just typical biased victorian BS, playing sydney at the scg and the bullies at the mcg is hardly a dream run, he is a wanker saying that

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