The 17-5 fixture system still has too many problems to be considered for introduction to the AFL says Jon Ralph.
AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan has not ruled out changing the fixture system in future seasons, with the 17-5 system considered to be his favourite idea of the proposed alternatives.
The 17-5 fixture would see each of the 18 clubs playing each other once in the opening 17 rounds of the season, followed by five games against the fellow teams that occupy their third of the draw at the end of these 17 games.
This would see the top six teams fighting for the top four and a double chance, the middle six teams pushing for the final two places of the top eight and finals action, and the bottom six teams playing off for the draft order, with the team winning the most games to receive the number one draft pick.
This is an extension of the current fixture system, which weights the teams each club plays twice based on the previous year's ladder positions, and would in theory resolve issues with dead rubber games and struggling teams not performing at their best late in the season to improve their draft position.
However Ralph says that while he can see the advantages of the top six playing off for the double chance, the newly introduced bye between the end of the home and away season and the first week of finals mitigates the advantages of the top four.
“I concede that there are some advantages in the top six teams playing off against each other but you could say that if you’re in the top six, you know you have a bye post-round 23,” he said on SEN Breakfast.
“Why are you trying to squeeze your way into second position? You’re probably going to finish top four of those teams if you’ve kept your points on the way through.”
The Herald Sun football reporter says that the bottom six draft pick playoff system is even more concerning.
“I think the massive issue is the bottom six,” Ralph said.
“If a team is 13th and they’ve got six wins and there's a team that has not won a single game all year and the AFL says that you have to start winning games to win the first pick of the draft, I think that is totally unfair.”
He believes that a draft lottery system similar to those used in the NFL and NBA would fix the potential for draft position tanking, and that the current system is fine for teams higher up the ladder.
“Let’s make it a lottery system where teams can still win games of football and not lose their high draft picks,” said Ralph.
“I think this year we saw a race for the eight until two weeks out. We saw a lot of teams clamouring for position there. We still see clubs like Collingwood and Richmond and Port Adelaide this year where the coaches will be singing for their supper for their long term position.
“Yes there are some dead rubbers but right now there is a massive downside to that 17-5 system.”
However Ralph admits that the introduction of the 17-5 system is inevitable due to the League CEO’s position on the proposed fixture system.
“The number one dog in town Gil McLachlan, it’s his baby and he’s been pushing it very hard… when Gil has got a little baby, he tends to get his way,” he said.