CSM: Chapter 10.
10. Cakewalk …? Finishing top in the Final Five system was a massive advantage. All you had to do was win one final and you were into the Grand Final. That meant, as a grand finalist, you’d played one game in three weeks, whilst your opponent would’ve played three. Your side had a chance to rest and your players had additional time and less duress to recover from injuries. On the flip side, your opposition was going through the wringer, playing hard finals filled with pressure, the threat of elimination constantly looming over them. It was brilliant, and the way finals should work: finishing top should come with benefits no…
CSM: Chapter 6.
6. Creating History. A quick recap (for those who might not be in the know) – in 1980, the ladder comprised a final five. This involved the best finals system Australian Rules Football had ever seen, which worked like this: Week 1 1st gets the week-off – a rest, as a reward for finishing first. Qualifying Final: 2nd vs 3rd Elimination Final: 4th vs 5th. The loser is eliminated from the finals race. Week 2 Second Semi Final: 1st plays the winner of the Qualifying Final. The winner goes straight into the grand final. If 1st won (and they usually had an advantage as a side coming off a week’s…