www.nmfc.com.au/news/2015-09-03/north-to...ider-resting-players
Interesting given the AFL's stated position re manipulating finals/ladder positions.
So if they do and lose, as you'd expect, it pretty much denies the Doggies an opportunity to finish 5th.
Though 5th would still be possible for the Doggies but they'd need to beat Brizzie by a margin ~85+ pts more than the margin the Tiges beat Norf by.
It also prevents the scenario of Tiges having to play Adelaide in SA should the doggies have leap frogged Tiges into 5th spot and Crows dispose of the Cats.
Which creates further changes to the finals matches i.e. which teams face each other when advancing thru the final series.
Obviously Norf feel playing Tiges again the following wk with their fully rested best team is their best opportunity to advance past the 1st wk of the finals.
Pretty sure this compromises the integrity of the game re manipulating final 8 ladder positions as opposed to our situation where no ladder positions for any finals bound team is affected.
The above assumes as expected Sidanee beat GC if they don't it adds further changes to the final outcome and would have us playing Tiges 1st wk of finals if Tiges percentage improves above that of Sidanees.