Quote from: tbrick18 on March 19, 2024, 09:37:59 AMQuote from: nrico2006 on March 18, 2024, 05:58:52 PMAlways been stupid. A league with 7 games and there is a final for top 2. Be understandable if there were 20 games, but not enough teams in the divisions for this setup. Plus you see teams who are near the relegation zone in the penultimate week and nearly make the final by the next.
The flip side to this is that since we only play each other once in the league, there is no chance to redeem yourself from a "slip". The league final provides that for the 2 most consistent teams in that league perhaps?
I quite like the Div 1 league finals, but at the lower divisions, promotion is the prize imo and not a league title.
What about doing something drastic? Maybe league winners get a bye in the first round of their provincial championship and don't make the championship draw until the league has finished.
That would give some real value to the Div2/3/4 winners in particular.
The AI structure now does give weight to league positions but maybe not enough?
Or we just leave it as is. For some teams the only realistic chance of winning a competition, or getting to play in Croke park is a league final and that might be their priority.
Could just seed the provincial draws based on final league position. The difference between 3rd & 4th seed could change the chances of a provincial final (and subsequent all Ireland seeding), and simultaneously helps ensure that inadequate teams don't take up a San Maguire spot because a lopsided provincial draw gifted them a run to the final.