Bombers coach Brad Scott says the AFL’s daring proposal to introduce a “wildcard round” earlier than the finals will add to the already compromised integrity of the fixture.
Scott, who was the AFL’s common supervisor of soccer earlier than he was appointed as Essendon coach for 2023, criticised the league for prioritising “broadcast and attendance over fairness and equity”.
He mentioned any NBA-style system the place the groups ranked seventh to tenth would compete for a finals spot can be unfair on the edges that sit within the high eight on the finish of the house and away season.
The contemporary discussions come as solely six factors separate fifth-placed Geelong from Gold Coast in thirteenth with six video games to play and Essendon’s finals berth is below severe risk from the in-form Blues and Giants.
“I think it’s been a concept that’s been thrown around for a while. Maybe I’m a bit overly cautious of these things, but you fight tooth and nail for 23 games of the year to get to a position,” Scott mentioned.
“I think the seventh-placed team playing the 10th-placed team or whatever format that would be, there’s potential for some almost unjust outcomes based on a 23-game season and then it comes down to one game when a team has qualified well in front of another.
“In a fixture that is clearly inequitable, in almost every way … in a system where broadcast and attendance is prioritised over fairness and equity, to put something else which is potentially inequitable into the system is fraught with danger in my opinion.”
Scott mentioned the Bombers had comprehensively reviewed their efficiency following the 77-point loss to Geelong on Saturday, and he declared captain Zach Merrett’s wonderful for staging a “non-issue”.
“I didn’t address it with him … it’s a non-issue from my perspective, he got a lot of attention through the night,” he mentioned.
“If they thought it was a staging free kick, it was obviously a mistake from the umpire too.”
Scott mentioned there was prone to be extra choice frustration for a “not 100 per cent” Dylan Shiel, whereas Sam Draper stays at the very least two weeks away and won’t be picked till he’s cleared to rejoin predominant coaching.
“(Shiel has) one of those frustrating injuries where it’s not so debilitating that he can’t run or move, but he can’t produce what he’s so good at,” Scott mentioned.
“It’s really similar with Sam Draper as well – we want them at their best, and we can push them out there well below their best, but that just starts a vicious spiral. We start talking about their form rather than the injury, and that’s not dissimilar to someone like Sam (Weideman) as well.”
The coach was once more staunch in his defence of Weideman, whose scoring has dried up with seven goalless performances in a row.
Scott hinted a niggling damage was behind the drop within the former Demon’s impression for the reason that first half of the season.
He mentioned it was “very tempting” handy a senior debut to Elijah Tsatas after his dominant 11-clearance effort within the VFL towards Geelong however recommended the No. 5 decide must proceed to bide his time within the reserves till he rounded out his recreation to the coaches’ satisfaction.
Source: www.news.com.au
