Latest ZF Semi final format

[hawk]

Is anyone a fan of the new finals format? My understanding was that it was brought in to give all teams in the finals a chance to host a game, bringing more revenue for the hosting clubs. But looks like quite a few clubs across the divisions had to move their "home" games for various reasons, hence defeating the purpose of the new format.
And why have the away goals rule for the lower grades when it's unlikely that they get to play at their home ground anyway. Doesn't make sense to me!!!

for me, Hate it.
Old format rewarded the 1st 2 teams with 2 bites and forced 3rd & 4th to beat the 3 other teams thus earning the crown if achieved. At the end of each semi the winning team celebrated for achieving a move toward the title.

The end of each semi on the w/e saw each team trudging off knowing the real game will be beginning next week. In addition a big win in the 1st leg almost ruins the 2nd leg (except for the winning team of course). farce.

Players may have a different view, season isnt over if you make a couple of mistakes..

[the_butcher]

From ID2 Thread:

What are the other strikes against this format? I thought everyone was happy with it?

Personally I like the new format. It gives all teams a fair chance of progressing as the better team over two legs deserves to go through. Any team can lose a one off game, especially if conditions such as the weather arent conducive to playing football (eg semi finals a few years back when light towers etc were getting blown over!). Ive played in teams that have been knocked out of the semis when we have clearly been the better team, this format prevents that from happening as best as possible.

A simple solution to the forfeiting scenario is to do exactly what PV4 said: Both legs must be played or the offending team is disqualified. Pretty simple really.

I dont think any team would forfeit anyway. At the end of the day we sign up and pay rego to play football, not sit on our arses. I think we'd all rather play then have an easier passage through to the grand final.

pretty wells said. the system was brought in to provide a better opportunity for smaller clubs to make a profit hosting another home semi.
at the district meeting i was at which was held at the start of the year all clubs in attendance thought it was a good idea.
I know alot of ppl complain that it takes away the advantage of coming 1st because u dont have a second chance if you lose but realistically a team that finishes first has the advantage as they should beat a 4th place team over 180 minutes

I dont believe the "two bites of the cherry" arguement is valid as each team DOES get two opportunities. Even 4th place gets two bites.

Finishing 1st is a huge advantage as you get to play 4th and you also know even before a ball is kicked that one of the teams that finished 2nd or 3rd wont be in the grand final.

I think the biggest loser in the new system is the team that finishes the season in 2nd.

One of the dumbest things ive seen in regards to the finals is ID2 GF being played at Darling Street Oval when Olympic are in the semis. Fair enough if they finished 1st but not when they finished 4th. It's not very fair on the team they have to play if they make the GF, especially considering their opposition would have finished above them on the ladder.

[pv4]

i like the new format. clubs asked for definite-revenue from finals, and each club hosts a final (unless they have to move the location for some reason - but i can't see how that is the finals organisers fault). each team is guarenteed two games to get into the final. if a team smashes their opposition in the first week, they have every right to be sitting pretty come the second week. like i mentioned in the id2 thread, when milan were up 4-0 against arsenal after the first leg of champs league however long ago, all the talk & focus for leg 2 was about arsenal needing to come out full-blazing, win by heaps of lose by heaps. just like i imagine (the suns?) will have to do this upcoming week. or whoever mussy reserves are playing. they know the opposition is going to be playing at least 3 strikers, and are going to be on a full-scale attack to make the goals up. it adds a completely different dimension to the game.

i like it how it is now.

and i agree with the mutual ground thing. the only comp that has a hamilton team in it, draws hamilton's main ground as their grand final location. absolute joke. i firmly believe olympic won't make it through, but if they do it will be a drogba-esque-disgrace.

[russjaybee]

I too like the new format and think it's great that clubs get a chance to host semi's. Way better imo.

[boz-monaut]

I think the fact that so many clubs have moved their home legs has made it all seem like a shemozzle

unfortunately Cooks Hill were in the situation that we had to move our games as over use of our home ground by other clubs rendering our ground unplayable for semi finals football (many thanks to Uni for helping us out with the use of Ray Watt)

not to mention the cluster**** situation brought about by Simba on Sunday

so I'd say good in theory, just not in practice this year

[the_butcher]

I think the fact that so many clubs have moved their home legs has made it all seem like a shemozzle
so I'd say good in theory, just not in practice this year

Once again I dont think this is so much a problem with the format, more so a problem with ground maintenance (from the sounds of it).

What happened with Simba? I just looked through ID3 thread and couldnt see anything.

[Green Jelly]

What about the away goals rule? I can understand it being in place for 1st grade but makes no sense to have it for the lower grades.

[true waterboy]

The away goal rule is a joke for the lower grades but as a whole i like the new format

[boz-monaut]

What happened with Simba? I just looked through ID3 thread and couldnt see anything.

they didn't set up at Tech College for the Z3 reserve game Stockton v Uni

so with 15 minutes before scheduled kick-off they had to move the games to Ray Watt #2 (Cooks Hill were using #1)

basically, with the hosts being determined by 1st grade, Simba didn't seem to get the fact they had to set up their home ground for a semi to be played between two other teams

pretty disorganised situation, though this is the only occurrence as far as I know

[hawk]

From ID2 Thread:
I dont believe the "two bites of the cherry" arguement is valid as each team DOES get two opportunities. Even 4th place gets two bites.
Finishing 1st is a huge advantage as you get to play 4th and you also know even before a ball is kicked that one of the teams that finished 2nd or 3rd wont be in the grand final.
I think the biggest loser in the new system is the team that finishes the season in 2nd.
.

New system rewards teams who have form coming into the finals rather than during the whole season (familiar). 4th doesnt deserve 2 bites imo. The old system allows any combination to make the gf. Both national codes have adopted higher ranking teams that play each other. As for revenue, Mayfield did quite well and didnt make the semis.

[hawk]

they didn't set up at Tech College for the Z3 reserve game Stockton v Uni
so with 15 minutes before scheduled kick-off they had to move the games to Ray Watt #2 (Cooks Hill were using #1)
basically, with the hosts being determined by 1st grade, Simba didn't seem to get the fact they had to set up their home ground for a semi to be played between two other teams
pretty disorganised situation, though this is the only occurrence as far as I know

but on the plus side got to see 2 games "

[the_butcher]

. The old system allows any combination to make the gf.

How about 3rd vs 4th?

[hawk]

How about 3rd vs 4th?

1st and 2nd have ineligible players

Carn Azz!!

[Retro Jet]

they didn't set up at Tech College for the Z3 reserve game Stockton v Uni

so with 15 minutes before scheduled kick-off they had to move the games to Ray Watt #2 (Cooks Hill were using #1)

basically, with the hosts being determined by 1st grade, Simba didn't seem to get the fact they had to set up their home ground for a semi to be played between two other teams

pretty disorganised situation, though this is the only occurrence as far as I know

And from what I saw of the lines (er...none!) driving past the ground yesterday (Tue arvo), they wern't even ready for 1st grade either.
I think they need some help with the local Football infrastructure and proceedures or at least have the humility to ask for it.
They're pretty helpful at NF when push comes to shove.

On topic, I'm for the new format. Yes, the away goals seems odd for the lower grades but there's no other way around it,
especially for clubs with multiple teams from concurrent grades. i.e 1st & Res in semi's together or Res & 23's...grades where players tend to back
up as subs. Hosting a semi regardless of position 1 to 4 gives some guaranteed financial reward.
You can stick games on Fathers Day though. That's the target 3 years running now for our 1st grade....

On another note, I found out an interesting rule to the Yellow Cards from the email that was put out today by RH.
2 cards in the semi's sees you out for one game. We all know that. What caught me out was that if a player receives a card
in Leg 1 and also in the GF then they're out for Rnd 1 2013 as well.

[russjaybee]

In the old system it was impossible for 3rd and 4th to make the final, so no not everyone could make the final.

Also why do people think the away goals rule should be different between grades?

[pv4]

Also why do people think the away goals rule should be different between grades?

it's understandable - there's not really such a thing as an "away goal" when you're playing at the first grades home ground (assuming the lesser grade isn't the same team as the first grade host).

that's an interesting thought - imagine a clubs first grade come 1st, and reserve grade comes 4th. the second leg of the finals, it's at that clubs home ground. but that's considered an away leg for reserve grade.

[leftrightout]

it's understandable - there's not really such a thing as an "away goal" when you're playing at the first grades home ground (assuming the lesser grade isn't the same team as the first grade host).

that's an interesting thought - imagine a clubs first grade come 1st, and reserve grade comes 4th. the second leg of the finals, it's at that clubs home ground. but that's considered an away leg for reserve grade.

This situation has already come up.
In league 1 Suns came 3rd in 1st grade and 2nd in reserve grade.

1st grade played their home match on sunday at carrington, it was classified at reserve grade away game...

I dont mind the system but i agree that it is difficult with all 3 grades consisting of different teams!

[russjaybee]

Oh right I see pv4, hadn't considered that situation. Tricky problem.

[Jardelsimage]

On another note, I found out an interesting rule to the Yellow Cards from the email that was put out today by RH.
2 cards in the semi's sees you out for one game. We all know that. What caught me out was that if a player receives a card
in Leg 1 and also in the GF then they're out for Rnd 1 2013 as well.[/QUOTE]

Retro if you go back about 4 years ago most GF's were on Fathers day.
Dont tell me you did not know that rule, it's the same if you get sent off in the last game, you then serve your week/weeks out next season..... maybe we should do some checking hahahahaha
In regards to the format, i think its not that bad, at least one payday.
What stinks is the GF going to Magic again, lets keep the coin in our comp not make them richer......................

[hawk]

In the old system it was impossible for 3rd and 4th to make the final, so no not everyone could make the final.

Also why do people think the away goals rule should be different between grades?

Both 3rd and 4th don't deserve to be there.

Alot of ties were decided on away goals rule, soft as. Should be extra time to give the players a chance to crush each other. Clubs will sell more beer and teams can sing their winning song without suffering a 3-1 loss and still going through.