The finals venue debate

[Coxy]

Gus made it clear he thought it was unfair the Dragons had to go to Brisbane, and then Melbourne, if they were to make the Grand Final after they finished minor premiers. Then he goes on about the financial loss of playing the Dragons-Eels games at Jubilee...when no doubt the 50000+ at Suncorp on Saturday exceeded anything they'd get at the SFS or ANZ for the same game.

http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqnews ... 40084.html

Will someone please run the game properly?

I've been absolutely gobsmacked this week at the feeble attempts from NRL officials to support the ridiculous scheduling and venue allocations for our finals matches this season. When is NRL management going to stand up and start running this game properly in the best interests of the fans and the stakeholders? When are they going to take responsibility for their totally inadequate and ad hoc procedures?

Like everything else the NRL does, the policies for ground allocations of big games have evolved over a period of time based on knee-jerk reactions and poor planning. This just leads to inconsistencies and confusion. They sit and hope the worst-case scenarios never arise rather than formulating a policy that covers all possible contingencies.

The NRL should have the power to order, change or move any game, at any time, to any venue of its choosing.

There is no justification for the NRL to allow last week's blockbuster semi-final between the Dragons and the Eels to be played at Jubilee Oval in front of only 18,000 fans - for the second week in a row, mind you!

In the best interests of the game, this match (or both of them) should've been moved.

Now in week two, after qualifying sixth, Brisbane get a home semi-final against the team finishing first (Dragons) and team eight (Parramatta) have a home final against team three (Titans). The home advantages given to these lower-ranked teams in week two are not granted as part of the McIntyre finals system but as a result of some absurd logic conjured up at NRL HQ. Next week, the Storm will play a home preliminary final in Melbourne on the day of the AFL grand final. Please.

Many have taken aim at the flawed nature of the McIntyre system. I'm not a fan either; but then again, other top-eight play-off systems have their faults too.

However, irrespective of the finals system adopted, NRL management should have total control over where these games are being played. Forget the unfairness of the whole thing and the millions of dollars in revenue we've squandered.

I sent this to Gus in response.

Phil,

While I don't disagree with your view that the NRL should have the power to move finals games to a venue of appropriate size for the profile of the clash, I do take issue with your assertion that the week 2 "home city" finals concept is wrong.

I don't argue this from the perspective of a Broncos fan who got to be part of a crowd of 50000 to watch the enthralling contest with the Dragons on Saturday, which I admit was a wonderful event, I merely point to past examples.

The most notable was in 2004, before the "home city" concept was introduced. In week 1, the Broncos (ranked 3) were defeated by Melbourne Storm (ranked 6th) at Suncorp Stadium, while the Cowboys (ranked 7th) defeated the Bulldogs (ranked 2nd).

Those results meant the Cowboys were scheduled to play the Broncos at the SFS in week 2. The immediate reaction was "who the hell would go?". The Broncos, despite finishing higher, conceded it was better for the game if they let it be transferred to Townsville. They didn't even entertain the idea of playing it at Suncorp Stadium, because as they had lost in the first week of the finals they didn't deserve a home ground advantage. Instead, they agreed to play at the home venue of a team that finished 4 places below them, despite their efforts of 6 months of getting into the top 4. They conceded the advantage they deserved stopped when they lost in week 1.

Fast forward 5 years, and it happens again. Dragons lose in week 1, Broncos win, and result is Broncos vs Dragons, and it's played at Suncorp Stadium. Unfair you say for the minor premiers to have to travel to Brisbane? Maybe. But is it any fairer for the Broncos, as week 1 winners away from home, having won now 6 games in a row, to travel to Sydney and ultimately a hostile crowd to play a team who has lost 4 of their last 5 and was touched up by a team even lower than them?

For fairness' sake do we play it in Townsville (with a still pro-Broncos crowd), Melbourne (with no crowd) or Auckland (with no crowd)?

It's like the knock on advantage rule - when have you had enough advantage? I think we all agree saying 10 metres forward is stupid. If you have control and have passed the ball, you've gained your advantage. Isn't the fact the minor premiers get to play at home, and are guaranteed not to be knocked out if they get beaten by an upstart 8th team enough advantage? Or do we let them "run 10 metres" by letting them have another home game and hopefully win that one?

Should we use the AFL model? I still think the Storm would've beaten them in week 1, and that would likely have left them playing Parramatta in week 2 anyway.

For purely financial reasons, the Broncos-Dragons semi final worked out beautifully. A packed out Suncorp Stadium and no doubt massive TV ratings is a win for the NRL. Would there have been a full house at the SFS? Maybe. Even that's only 42000. ANZ Stadium? If they got 50000 they would've done very well. Even from an advantage perspective, the Dragons have never held fears playing at Suncorp Stadium, and the Broncos had lost all their previous home finals there!

I've read about one variety of McIntyre where team 1 gets to choose their opponent out of teams 5-8. Team 2 gets to pick one of the remaining 3, team 3 gets to pick one of the remaining 2 and team 4 plays whoever's left.

Let's consider that. Dragons would've had first choice out of Manly, Brisbane, Newcastle and Parramatta. Of those 4, you'd say Newcastle were the most vulnerable.
Of the last 3, you'd probably pick either Manly or Brisbane. Bulldogs without Kimmorley would probably lean towards playing Manly rather than a Broncos forward pack on a roll.
So Titans would have a choice of Brisbane and Parramatta...would they be fooled into thinking the Dragons' last round flogging of Parramatta would make them an easy target? Doubt it. They'd still love the idea of knocking off big brother and so pick the Broncos.
That'd leave Melbourne facing Parramatta in Melbourne.
Rules still the same, lowest ranked losers out, highest ranked winners through to week 3. At least that way the minor premiership isn't a poisoned chalice taking on a potentially red hot team 8 as has been the case the last 2 seasons.

One thing I do agree on. Storm vs Broncos at Etihad Stadium hours after the AFL Grand Final? Please. If there's 10000 people there they've done well, and that's an ugly look for our game. Common sense would dictate that the NRL should've moved it to Sydney, play it at the Sydney Football Stadium. Those two high profile teams would still attract a solid 25000 there.

But where the NRL has consistently gone wrong is listening to the howls of protest resulting from knee jerk reactions of the media, the coaches and the general public to particular events in the game at that time. The NRL responds by knee jerk reactions that temporarily appease the masses...and then invariably the downside of those decisions arise and again the media, the coaches and the general public go up in arms.

You only need to look at the dominant, surrender, grapple, chicken wing, crusher, ball stripping, separation, two refs etc etc debacle to see how knee jerk reactions to trying to improve the balance in the ruck have resulted in needlessly complicating what should be a simple game.

This is just another area where the NRL could knee jerk and take away home city/region finals again, and we'll have Warriors vs Cowboys or Broncos vs Gold Coast at Sydney stadiums...and then the howls of protest again.

I agree we need leadership, but that should not involve actioning every suggestion from every columnist, commentator, fan or coach that gets in their ear.

 

[Aeetee]

did he respond ?

 

[Coxy]

Give him a chance, I only sent it an hour ago! He probably hasn't finished having his wife read it to him yet :P

 

[Nashy]

He won't reply. You didn't include pictures and colouring pens. Poor guy is probably sobbing in the corner, blowing his nose on the handkerchief you could throw over the Broncos defense anytime he's commentating.

 

[Flutterby]

Good reply by you Coxtopher

 

[mrslong]

Great reply Chris, made a lot of sense.

 

[Professor47]

Top email there boss...

I don't agree with the "choosing" of bottom half teams... that is too novelty for me.

Personally, I just think IF we are going to stick with a TOP 8 system in the NRL, let's adopt the AFL one so that it rewards 3/4 ... simple as that.

Secondly, I think they should go back to the old rule for home ground in the finals. (If they are going to stick with the McIntyre system)

So that would be - if they Broncs/Cows clashed in week 2 again - SFS it is. Just suck it up IMO. Just my personal opinion. If both clubs REALLY want to work something out then fair enough but I'm still iffy about that. Let it be black and white and suck it up.