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Message: [QUOTE="Coxy, post: 2398153, member: 1764"] Gus had an interesting column about alternative finals system: [url]http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/conference-system-would-reinvigorate-finals-series-20110910-1k30g.html[/url] Effectively though, this would mean (assuming 16 teams) 10 out of 16 teams make the finals. We already have enough mediocrity as it is. But let's just make it top 4 from each conference instead of top 5. Regional Conference: Melbourne Brisbane Warriors Cowboys Sydney Conference: Manly Tigers Dragons Bulldogs Immediately you see a problem, in that on the ladder, Knights finished higher than Bulldogs yet don't get through. But again, let's put that aside. Week 1 you'd have 1 vs 2 and 3 vs 4 from each conference. 3 vs 4 is elimination, 1 vs 2 the winner earns a week off straight through to the Conference Final (preliminary final in essence). Week 2 you'd have loser of 1 vs 2 vs winner of 3 vs 4. Week 3 you'd have winner of 1 vs 2 from week 1 vs winner of the week 2 elimination final. Week 4 would be the Grand Final, play off of the conference winners. Pretty much it's like the AFL (old ARL) finals system, but because you stick to regional teams and Sydney teams you can maximise the crowds in the first 3 weeks because the games appeal to the local audience. [B]Biggest Downfall[/B] The conference system relies on the fact the top 4 of each conference are comparable in quality. It rarely happens these days, but imagine if the top 6 teams were all Sydney teams? You'd have 5 and 6 miss out on the finals, while one of team 7-10 (regional teams) will make the GF. I think such a system would only work if you had 2 ladders based on those conferences. Essentially each conference playing eachother twice (14 games) and the other conference once (8 games, total 22). It's an interesting idea, but far too radical for the NRL to consider IMO, especially Gould's involving an extra week of finals. 5 is too much (anyone remember 1998?). [/QUOTE]

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