Give the the trophy now

[Agostinho]

We also have a great run of home games to come (8 of our last 13). Brisbane have 5 of their last 11 at home.

Brisbane are on the road the next 3 matches in a row though - if they win all of those I'd say we're out of the race.

[General Ashnak]

Unless we win our next 3 games as well...

The key game will be when they play us here, we must win it.

[AUFC_Leeds]

Ridiculous... the Championship (aka toilet seat) is the pinnacle of Australian Football, imo it's absurd to stubbornly ignore this just because overseas they don't have finals.

This is how I rate the importance of AU's possible competitions.

#1 - Club World Cup Winner (possible, just not realistic)
#2 - AFC Champions League Winner
#3 - A-League Champion (you know, the winner of the Grand Final)
#4 - A-League Premier (topping the table)

Now personally, I see qualifying for the ACL as almost a minimum, it's become such an important part of AU's identity & success.
I just won't be happy with losing another grand final after finishing in the top 2.
One of the most successful clubs in the A-League needs to actually win something more than a couple of pre-season cups.

i agree!!! give me the toilet seat anyday over the plate

[General Ashnak]

Major Premier over minor champion. Never will convince me that a cup comp other than the ACL or CWC has greater importance than the best team over the course of a season.

In fact if we get a FFA Cup then I will hold that higher than the toilet seat as well.

[Adrian]

Topping the table is a greater achievement. I refuse to believe that a team that wins every game of the season except the last is worse than a team that scrapes through into the knockout rounds and gets lucky in the finals.

[Adrian]

Also the CWC is a fucking joke. I'd rate it last.

Very happy to see Adelaide play in it, would love to see them beat a bigger team there, but the title itself is worthless.

[King_Billy]

Major Premier over minor champion. Never will convince me that a cup comp other than the ACL or CWC has greater importance than the best team over the course of a season.

In fact if we get a FFA Cup then I will hold that higher than the toilet seat as well.

+1

[King_Billy]

Also the CWC is a fucking joke. I'd rate it last.

Very happy to see Adelaide play in it, would love to see them beat a bigger team there, but the title itself is worthless.

True. However, this would look fkn awesome on an AU strip!

[spaceCowboy]

Everyone whos bagging the finals system needs to realize that in the A-League's short history the team that has finished 1st at the end of the regular season has won the GF, the only exception being season 1, where Sydney, who finished 2nd won.
This so far is proving the finals system to be a success, is it not?

[King_Billy]

Everyone whos bagging the finals system needs to realize that in the A-League's short history the team that has finished 1st at the end of the regular season has won the GF, the only exception being season 1, where Sydney, who finished 2nd won.
This so far is proving the finals system to be a success, is it not?

and season 3 when Newcastle won the Championship after finishing second.

Were Sydney the best team because they beat Melbourne in a penalty shoot out after Melbourne missed a chance on the goal line or because they amassed the most points over a 27 week season?

[shinAUFC]

Lets face it guys, the A-league needs the finals system.

There is a 3rd of the season left, as it stands the season would be dead for anyone lower then 4th pretty much, with only real interest on the adelaide /brisbane games.

The finals is a big money spinner for the league, it becomes trendy for the casuals to attend, honestly its one of the only times alot of clubs will experience a genuine football crowd.

I would like to see the finals distanced from the premiership thought, if somehow they can convince some fans and mostly the media that the finals are a different entity then it may be a nice compromise.

[General Ashnak]

I agree the finals are needed in the HAL, but it is as a money spinner for the FFA more than anything. Hopefully we can get a real cup comp going, and once promo/rele happens then there will always be interest in games. You will have the top of the table fight and the relegation battles - that will be epic (even though it is about 15 years away).

[spaceCowboy]

Everyone whos bagging the finals system needs to realize that in the A-League's short history the team that has finished 1st at the end of the regular season has won the GF, the only exception being season 1, where Sydney, who finished 2nd won.
This so far is proving the finals system to be a success, is it not?

and season 3 when Newcastle won the Championship after finishing second.

Were Sydney the best team because they beat Melbourne in a penalty shoot out after Melbourne missed a chance on the goal line or because they amassed the most points over a 27 week season?

oops missed the newcastle season lol.
But what im saying is that no one who finished outside the top 2 has ever a GF, meaning the best team/s over the course of the season are also performing in the finals.

Id also say that Sydney were better due to both beating Melbourne on pens, and being first after the 27 rounds.

[King_Billy]

Lets face it guys, the A-league needs the finals system.

There is a 3rd of the season left, as it stands the season would be dead for anyone lower then 4th pretty much, with only real interest on the adelaide /brisbane games.

The finals is a big money spinner for the league, it becomes trendy for the casuals to attend, honestly its one of the only times alot of clubs will experience a genuine football crowd.

I would like to see the finals distanced from the premiership thought, if somehow they can convince some fans and mostly the media that the finals are a different entity then it may be a nice compromise.

Exactly. No-one is saying we shouldn't have finals. All myself and a few others are saying is that they should be seen as two different competitions not one competition with a 33 week qualification process.

If your view is that the A-league is one competition then obviously the toilet seat is the most important award a team can win.

IMO as of next season one we have 3 competitions (the FFA cup and the A-league premiership and championship) the toilet seat will be 3rd on my wishlist

[General Ashnak]

That would be a good way to sell it, if we had the Premiership (home & away season) and a Champion's Cup at the end of season that would satisfy me.