Matty Johns Top 8 play off idea

[DUFFMAN]

Matty Johns says the top 3 teams should get to pick who they want to play out of the top 8 in the 1st week of the finals.
Team 1 gets 1st pick
Team 2 gets 2nd pick
Team 3 gets 3rd pick
Team 4 gets the team that is left over.

No idea what he has been smoking but i think its one of the most stupid ideas around.

 

[Masked Eagle]

Wow. Must have thought up a new character. Stoopidest Man Alive!!!!!!

 

[codewana]

Why's that so dumb?

 

[Blake]

I'm pretty sure that's what they have done in Super League for the past few years.

 

[stoodamire]

What if 1st wants to play 2nd?

 

[Berkeley_Eagle]

SUPER League has borrowed a fair few ideas from Australia in recent years so maybe it is time we got one back - so says ex- Newcastle and Australian five-eighth Matthew Johns.

Johns has backed a Super League initiative in which the three top-ranked teams choose their opponents for week one of the finals. The fourth-ranked team plays the remaining side.

Johns even suggested the draw could take place on the Monday night because there is no evening game after round 26.

"The final round is wrapped up. Let's say Melbourne Storm finish first, the Dragons second and Manly third. What we do, at 6.30pm Monday night because there's no MNF, we do a live hour preview of the finals series," Johns said on 2MMM yesterday.

"During that preview we throw to the top three coaches who select the side they want to play in the first round. It sounds a bit crazy and out there but it would be a huge TV audience and cause a lot of controversy, rivalry and passion."

Johns conceded many coaches wouldn't like the idea "because they won't want be put on the spot".

"But at the end of the day coaches come and go but the game is here to stay and I think it will help the finals series."

NRL chief executive David Gallop gave reasons why the plan may not work.

"Our season structure committee has recently looked at it," Gallop said. "It would certainly add an element of excitement when teams announce who they want to play.

"But the downside is you are messing around with the way things finish and teams get picked on current form, not season performance. And with the impact of Origin, that could be unfair for some clubs and their fans."


http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/spo...-1226097867674

 

[COMMANDER]

It would give the top teams the opportunity to avoid the form teams in the lower half of the 8.

Like Parramatta a few years back who had won 8 straight to finish 7th, and went on to the GF.

 

[bob dylan]

I dont see whats so dumb about that idea. I reckon it has heaps of merit.

As usual Gallops points against the idea make little or no sense. Does anyone understand what he says any of the time.

Gallop is a babbling parasite when at his best.

 

[Dan]

Thats not a bad idea, however I think we should switch to a top 7 system

 

[tookey]

He would be better off recomending home semis again for the top 4 teams

 

[eagles2win]

From memory this is what happened in the Super League last year:
St Helens had a pick between Warrington and Crusaders. Crusaders beaten them a few weeks prior. Warrington hadn't beaten St Helens at Knowsley Road since prior to Super League. Guess which team St Helens pick....

So to put it in NRL terms :
We have to choose between Knights and Wests Tigers.Which would Manly choose? Remembering that games between us and the Knights resemble a MASH ward.

 

[Masked Eagle]

Its dumb on so many levels. If I finished 1st I'd pick the highest ranked team I'd be allowed to play. Imagine if teams two and three did the same thing and you could end up in a play off scenario where teams ranked 7-8th play against other. Plus if you finished first what sort of extra motivation do you think a team will get playing against you if choose to play them?

If Matty Johns thinks it would be a big ratings winner, telecasting it, I bet you that you'd get an even bigger audience if you just say your going to draw the Grand finalists out of a hat as well, heck telecast the Premierhship winner draw. That would get a huge audience.

 

[codewana]

Its dumb on so many levels. If I finished 1st I'd pick the highest ranked team I'd be allowed to play. Imagine if teams two and three did the same thing and you could end up in a play off scenario where teams ranked 7-8th play against other. Plus if you finished first what sort of extra motivation do you think a team will get playing against you if choose to play them?

My guess would be that 1st would get the first choice of 5th through 8th, second would get second choice, then third, then fourth. That is, 7th and 8th could never play each other (in the first round of finals).

 

[EagleRock40]

the Top 8 is a joke either way. If they persist with a top 8 they should follow the AFL style 1v4, 2v3, 5v8, 6v7 1st week....but personally i think we should go back to Top 5. Look at the ladder now - the top 5 are clearly the 5 best teams so far this season, by a country mile!

 

[The Eagle]

Its dumb on so many levels. If I finished 1st I'd pick the highest ranked team I'd be allowed to play. Imagine if teams two and three did the same thing and you could end up in a play off scenario where teams ranked 7-8th play against other. Plus if you finished first what sort of extra motivation do you think a team will get playing against you if choose to play them?

If Matty Johns thinks it would be a big ratings winner, telecasting it, I bet you that you'd get an even bigger audience if you just say your going to draw the Grand finalists out of a hat as well, heck telecast the Premierhship winner draw. That would get a huge audience.

No,souths may win that

 

[codewana]

the Top 8 is a joke either way. If they persist with a top 8 they should follow the AFL style 1v4, 2v3, 5v8, 6v7 1st week....but personally i think we should go back to Top 5. Look at the ladder now - the top 5 are clearly the 5 best teams so far this season, by a country mile!

Another solution is to have a third title (Minor Premiers, Premiers, and 'Cup Winners').

Have the top 4 (or 5) battle it out for the premiership, and the next 4 (or 5) battle it out for the Cup. It would give clubs like Canberra/Cronulla/Souths/Wests a chance to take home a trophy (albeit a lesser one) at the end of a season. Plus, the NRL would have more bargaining power considering there would be a secondary 'Grand Final' (for the cup) and also more finals games in general if you have a top 5 and then the next 5 playing for the cup.

 

[Masked Eagle]

the Top 8 is a joke either way. If they persist with a top 8 they should follow the AFL style 1v4, 2v3, 5v8, 6v7 1st week....but personally i think we should go back to Top 5. Look at the ladder now - the top 5 are clearly the 5 best teams so far this season, by a country mile!

AFL top 8 is more of a joke IMO. I'd much prefer the NRLs. Only change I'd make is how they determine home games in the second week and beyond.

---

Its dumb on so many levels. If I finished 1st I'd pick the highest ranked team I'd be allowed to play. Imagine if teams two and three did the same thing and you could end up in a play off scenario where teams ranked 7-8th play against other. Plus if you finished first what sort of extra motivation do you think a team will get playing against you if choose to play them?

My guess would be that 1st would get the first choice of 5th through 8th, second would get second choice, then third, then fourth. That is, 7th and 8th could never play each other (in the first round of finals).

1st could choose 4th. 2nd could choose 5th and 3rd could choose 6th, leaving 7 and 8. Its more than probable they wouldn't but the point is choosing who you want to play and if it worked out that way it could happen.

If you finished 1st and can't be knocked out first week in the finals, I think you'd seriously think about trying to knock off a real threat then give yourself and easy game. If you play the best team you can (presuming you can't pick 2nd or 3rd) and then beat them and then only needing a less of an upset in the remaining games to have them eliminated from the finals.

Plus this finals format leaves the possibility of even more meaningless games towards the end of the season. At least if your safe in the 8 now you're still trying to get higher and have an easier game week 1 but there is point finishing 4th to 8th in this one. Once your safe and if you can't finish top 3 you're games don't matter anymore.

 

[The Eagle]

Afl has a **** finals series,sure blow the potentials out early and keep the nuffies in

 

[The Indian]

I think its a great idea - it rewards the team running first & they can just pick team 8 if they want.

It will never get in cause coaches will be too scared of making a wrong pick and looking a goose if they get it wrong - but imagine the spice it would add to a semi as a low team knowing you were picked as the weak link. Would be great cause week 1 of semis is often dull & uncompetitive.

Great idea pity too many vested interests will never allow it to happen.