WHEN the ladders at the end of the year for AFL North Coast junior age groups are being finalised, percentage will not be used as a determining factor.
After discussion with all clubs at the League Roadshow on Saturday, the AFL North Coast has introduced a new tie-break system across all competitive junior competitions.
In a bid to further enhance fairness and competitiveness across junior competitions within the AFL North Coast, a new ladder and tie-break system has been introduced. This new system aims to provide a fairer method for determining ladder positions in the event of teams finishing with identical win-loss match ratios.
The system aims to disincentive winning by large margins, and encourages coaches to equalise participation and time spent on the field for participants.
The tie-breaker system also promotes greater player movement in positions across the ground while encouraging rotation of players and improved game time for players which benefits player retention.
This system follows the lead of metropolitan Melbourne leagues such as the Yarra Junior Football League, Eastern Football Netball League and Northern Football Netball League who have implemented this system with success in recent years.
Under the revised rules, all junior ladders will now be based solely on win-loss match ratio percentage from games played within each respective division. Notably, there will be no consideration given to points for or against percentages in junior competitions.
In the event that teams are tied on the same match ratio percentage after the home and away season, the following tie-break system will be implemented to establish ladder positions:
Two Team Tie-Break System:
Match Ratio: The team with the superior match ratio percentage will be placed higher on the ladder.
Win-Loss Record of Head-to-Head Competition: If the match ratio percentages are still identical, the team with the better win-loss record in head-to-head competition between the tied teams will be favoured.
Points Against/Conceded in Head-to-Head Games: Should the tie persist, the team with fewer points against or conceded in head-to-head games between the tied teams will be given precedence.
Win-Loss Record Against Highest Common Opponent: If necessary, the win-loss record against the highest common opponent will be considered, proceeding downwards if needed.
Average Points Against: Finally, if all previous tie-breakers fail to separate the teams, the average points against will be used to determine the final ladder position.
Three Team (or more) Tie-Break System :
Best Winning Percentage of Games Played Among Tied Teams: The team with the highest winning percentage of games played among the tied teams will be placed highest on the ladder.
Points Against in Head-to-Head Games: If required, the points against in head-to-head games between the tied teams will be taken into account.
Record Against Highest Common Opponent: Following that, the record against the highest common opponent will be considered.
Average Points Against: Finally, the average points against will be utilised to finalize the ladder positions if the tie persists.
Community Football and Competition Manager for Northern NSW, Brad Greenshields, said the updated system was part of the continual goal to provide the best possible experience for junior participants.
"By no longer having percentage as a consideration, there's now a disincentive for strong teams to ‘keeping their foot on the throat’ to chase some percentage," Greenshields said.
“Basically by removing percentage, a strong team beating a team in the lower section of the ladder by just 10 or 20 points is worth just as much as beating them with a Mercy Rule result.”