jimmae wrote:
Every major league in the world tries to cash in on rivalries. Plus the game is better for it too. Why wouldn't you want that?
If you're going to do that then why not go the whole hog and go for a conference system based on the traditional or natural enmities?
EG
3 conference structure 3 x 6 team conferences:
NORTHERN
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Sydney
GWS
2 VIctorian Clubs
WESTERN
WCE
Freo
Adelaide
Port Power
2 Victorian clubs
SOUTHERN
The big 4 Victorian clubs + 2 other Victorian Clubs
CARLTON
COLLINGWOOD
Essendon*
RICHMOND
Teams play the other teams in their conference twice (10 games) - so all you traditional rivalries, derbies etc - and the teams in the other divisions once (2 x 6 = 12 games) for a total of 22 games for the season. You could even formalise the situation with interstate travel so that the Southern conference teams do only one trip to each State each year, although admittedly the Victorian teams in the Northern and Western conferences would have more travel on their plate, but evenly divided that would only amount to 2 more trips a year. Assuming you want a final 8 you would take the top 3 teams from each conference and delete the worst performed 3rd placed team (if even on points then by percentage and in the unlikely event of identical percentage who lost their only head to head battle for the year.) The order of 1-3, 4-6 and 7-8 would again be by points/percentage/head-to-head.
Teams could compete for the honour of conference champion as well as ultimate premiership honours.
As a general rule I am not a fan of adopting American styles, whether in sport or otherwise, but I am warming to the benefits of a conference system.