My dream AFL fixture.

I love games that matter. Games that play a part in determining the final eight.
I hate games that dont matter. Games at risk of being thrown or at least seen to be thrown because
the only thing a side might have to gain is an earlier draft pick.
I love the tradition of 22 rounds.
I hate the inequity of 22 rounds.
I dont want too much to change.
I want rounds 19 to 23 to completely change.

My dream AFL fixture changes nothing about rounds 1 through 18 (that is assuming a split round
about round 9 and that by round 18 all sides have played 17 games and played each other once).
My dream AFL maintains a final eight.
My dream AFL fixture gives every side a week off after round 18.
My dream AFL fixture breaks the draw into three pools for the last 5 home and away games of the
year as follows based on their ladder position after round 18:

Pool A (two sides from the top 4, two sides from 5 through 8, two sides from 9 through 12)
Pool B (two sides from the top 4, two sides from 5 through 8, two sides from 9 through 12)
Pool C (sides 13 through 18)

In 2014 this could have resulted in the following pools:
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<-.+, =35>-;./3 !-.+ %235)?23 &.?4>)/3 #?-/4
!""#$%&$ (%#)*+%# ,-&." /01 /+*$2"
,&))+$3.&&% /&)% ,&*"2 14$" 5#)6&4-$#
7+89:&$% 0#"2 ,&*"2 !*3)#" 12 ;+)%*

In rounds 19 through 23 each team in Pool A play each other once with the top three being given
the home game three times. Where possible one home game will be a shared home game. The
same applies to Pool B.
Sides finishing 5
th
and 6
th
in their pool are not eligible for the finals. After round 23 is completed the
first week of the finals is:
Pool A First v Pool B Second - First Qualifying Final
Pool B First v Pool A Second - Second Qualifying Final
Pool A Third v Pool B Fourth - First Elimination Final
Pool B Third v Pool A Fourth - Second Elimination Final

In rounds 19 through 23 each team in Pool C (sides 13 through 18) play each other once with the
top three being given the home game three times. Where possible one home game will be a
shared home game. This Pool is not eligible to play finals as of the end of round 18. This Pool is
playing for the following.
A 2nd division minor premiership.
Some sort of draft reward (maybe an extra chance in a lottery).
Avoiding the wooden spoon.
Some sort of financial carrot.

Notes:
If any side by means of a bad ladder position ends up only having 10 home games, the league takes
that into consideration the following year when scheduling rounds 1 through 18.