Bye-bye to boost for top-4 spot

BRISBANE coach Chris Fagan has hit out at the timing of the pre-finals bye, claiming it does not deliver an advantage to the top-four teams.

As the Lions prepare for an elimination final against Richmond at the MCG on Thursday night, Fagan felt top-four teams could be at a disadvantage by having two games off in the space of three weeks following a qualifying final win.

The AFL had reverted to a pre-finals bye in season 2022 after the bye was moved to the week before the grand final last year.

Fagan said he would prefer the top-four teams to have just one week off after a qualifying final win to capitalise on their ladder position.

“I must admit, I’m not a huge fan of it,” Fagan said on 3AW.

“I think particularly for those teams that finish top four, I think if you win in that first week then you have got another week off.

“And then fundamentally what that means is you have worked hard all year to finish top four but you have played one game in roughly 24 to 27 days by the time you have played that prelim final and that isn’t always an advantage I don’t think.

“I thought it was better when the teams that finished in the top four played in their qualifying final, if they won, then they got a week off which was an advantage.

“So, I think all the advantage should go to the teams that finish in the top four. They have worked hard for a sixmonth period to get there and that should be what they receive.”

Fagan’s Lions finished sixth on the ladder after falling out of the top four following a heavy final-round loss to Melbourne.

The Lions suffered a onepoint semi-final loss to the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba last year.