18 Teams – A fair fixture – It can be done

18 Teams, 22 rounds, Specialty fixtures, And a Fair Draw.

by Neil Belford

It seems light years since the AFL has had anything remotely resembling a fair fixture, and given the influence the marketing gnomes have, we had all better work pretty hard to see the AFL delivers something that is fair.

The Footy Almanac think-tank has a solution, there are 22 home and away games – and what is more it will accomodate all the AFL’s requirements for ‘special fixtures’. It is truly worth of Andrew Gigacz’s genius, even though he didn’t think of it.

The fixture should be as follows:

There are 18 teams.

Each team plays the other teams once. This period will include all the special fixtures.

This accounts for the first 17 rounds

At the completion of round 17 the 18 teams are divided into 3 sections of 6. Each team in in the group plays the other teams once.

This accounts for the rounds 18 to 22.

The division into sections is performed according to every third ladder positions as follows:

Ron Barassi Section

  • First
  • Fourth
  • Seventh
  • Tenth
  • Thirteenth
  • Sixteenth

Malcolm Blight Section

  • Second
  • Fifth
  • Eighth
  • Eleventh
  • Fourteenth
  • Seventeenth

Graham Farmer Section

  • Third
  • Sixth
  • Ninth
  • Twelfth
  • Fifteenth
  • Eighteenth

The finals series proceeds as normal on the basis of league ladder at the end of round 22

Voila – 18 Teams, 22 rounds, Specialty fixtures, And a Fair Draw.

We should all evangelise for the Footy Almanac Fixture to be introduced.



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