Is it time for two divisions of the AFL?

[Sojourner]

With the number of AFL sides approaching 18 and the fact that all sides cant play each other twice, is a good next step to have something along the lines of Premiership League and Championship League as is the case in the EPL?

There would clearly be several ways of going about it, the most obvious seems to add sides from the NT and Tas into the mix then separate the top 10 sides into the Premier League and the bottom 8 sides plus the two new sides into the Championship league and have everyone play each other twice, with a Grand Final series in each division, the top sides of C/L go up, the sides that finish bottom in P/L drop down.

Thoughts?

[CoverKing]

Simple Answer NO.
Yeah its not ideal that the draw is not equal for all sides, but in the end, the best sides still make the grand final. all it would eventuate to the rich becoming richer and the poor becoming poorer IMO. the draft and salary cap is made to make everyone go up and down. im happy with how it is at present

[Trader]

No.

[Grahaml]

Terrible idea. Possibly the most poorly thought through suggestion I've heard regarding the AFL.

[Rik E Boy]

No.

A better idea would be bigger lists and an even draw where everybody plays each other twice. So 34 matches plus four weeks finals equals a nine month season which is only one month longer than it is now. Expand the lists so that the clubs can have squads and watch the TV dollars flow in.

regards,

REB

[gadj1976]

Yes, and it will happen.

[Jim05]

Yes, and it will happen.

Agreed.
Only a matter of time

[gadj1976]

I should elaborate....

When we get to 20 sides (maybe before), we'll have two divisions.

The gap between the 'good' and 'poor' sides is ever increasing and hence this is a way to even it up - from a win loss ratio only I might add.

The AFL wont stand for having teams 7-0 (and potentially getting stronger on and off the field) and 0-7 (and potentially getting worse on and off the field) for much longer.

Essentially it'd be say an East and West conference style set up with 10 teams playing each other (in their own div) twice (18 games) and then possibly playing say 6 from the other div.

The AFL can then have an elaborate scheme whereby the finals can be a World Series, where the two conference winners play each other in a best of "eleven-teen" to see who is "World Champions".

(ok that last bit is me being mischevious, but the rest is a monty).

[Jim05]

Not sure about the east v west, but i definately reckon a div 1 and 2 with promotion and relegation.

[pels]

Not sure about the east v west, but i definately reckon a div 1 and 2 with promotion and relegation.

Thats what should have happened from the start 3 divisions containing all clubs from Vic, SA & WA with promotions & relegation and every club has a chance to make Div1 not the garbage we have got now.

[The Jack]

No.

A better idea would be bigger lists and an even draw where everybody plays each other twice. So 34 matches plus four weeks finals equals a nine month season which is only one month longer than it is now. Expand the lists so that the clubs can have squads and watch the TV dollars flow in.

regards,

REB

Would be ideal if footy was the only sport you cared about REB! AFL encroaches enough into cricket as it is for mine.

[The Jack]

I should elaborate....

When we get to 20 sides (maybe before), we'll have two divisions.

The gap between the 'good' and 'poor' sides is ever increasing and hence this is a way to even it up - from a win loss ratio only I might add.

The AFL wont stand for having teams 7-0 (and potentially getting stronger on and off the field) and 0-7 (and potentially getting worse on and off the field) for much longer.

Essentially it'd be say an East and West conference style set up with 10 teams playing each other (in their own div) twice (18 games) and then possibly playing say 6 from the other div.

The AFL can then have an elaborate scheme whereby the finals can be a World Series, where the two conference winners play each other in a best of "eleven-teen" to see who is "World Champions".

(ok that last bit is me being mischevious, but the rest is a monty).

Certainly this idea, rather than promotion/relegation is the only way they'll go I reckon. And I think it's the right way, the difference between AFL clubs and not is massive nowadays, can't see how it could work.

[gadj1976]

No.

A better idea would be bigger lists and an even draw where everybody plays each other twice. So 34 matches plus four weeks finals equals a nine month season which is only one month longer than it is now. Expand the lists so that the clubs can have squads and watch the TV dollars flow in.

regards,

REB

Surely you're taking the Pi$$, 34 games.....

[Groover]

Why not have 3 separate Divisions of 6?
Keep league games the same as they curretly are, but finals will be decided who get top 2 in their Divison, also the 2 next best teams will make up the 7th and 8th position for finals.

[gadj1976]

Why not have 3 separate Divisions of 6?
Keep league games the same as they curretly are, but finals will be decided who get top 2 in their Divison, also the 2 next best teams will make up the 7th and 8th position for finals.

the derivation of what actually happens is anyone's guess. I'm of the opinion it will happen just not sure what it will look like.

Your suggestion is workable as well.

[Hondo]

Not sure about the east v west, but i definately reckon a div 1 and 2 with promotion and relegation.

Promotion/relegation wouldn't work here. It works in the EPL because it's cheque book recruiting so if you go up a division you can buy players to be instantly competitive.

Here, with the draft and trading system a state league team would hypothetically be 5 years away from being a finals team in the AFL with the need to draft kids and develop them.

Also, those div 2 teams would need to be financially ready to immediately step up to AFL standard if promoted and how would every state league team in Australia be able to find that sort of money when all they can promise investors is that they MAY be promoted to div 1 and HOPEFULLY will stay there but sorry Mr Sponsor we don't know when and for how long we'll be in Div 1. Imagine the AFL's finances if Collingwood got relegated You've got to have the certainty for investors of what teams are in the AFL ("div 1"), rather than leave it to chance.

There's other problems such as the need for a minimum no of teams in a region such as SA to support TV rights deals that gets thrown up in the air if one or both SA based teams dropped out of div 1.

Divisions like East v West I don't mind so long as the AFL GF match-up options are not forever limited to Group A winner v Group B winner. If Collingwood are in one division and Essendon another I don't want to see it such that those 2 teams (for ex) could never play off in a GF because of the arbitrary divisions.

[Sojourner]

My 2c is that I think its very likely to happen and probably in the not to distant future. Bear in mind that the over riding consideration in the AFL is the best way to make money and lots of it for the AFL. A Div 1 would have some very strong sides competing against one another and have a far more even competition than what we have now with the also rans getting flogged each week by the top sides. The AFL get more games and two finals series to benefit from. If they wish to they could have a knockout FA cup so that the bottom teams could get a go at the div 1 teams which again results in more media exposure and money coming in. Think there would also be a very intensive focus through the media on which clubs would be likely to be promoted and relegated and it would not hurt for their to be a consequence for finishing bottom and thus being relegated.

The AFL appear to follow aspects of the EPL competition, so its a fairly logical progression that this is how it will happen.

[whufc]

I posted my thougths else where before but i think there is more chance of the current 18 teams being split into two confrences!

Conference 1Melbourne
Geelong
St.Kilda
Richmond
Carlton
Collingwood
Essendon
Hawthorn
Western Bulldogs

Conference 2
Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Fremantle
West Coast
Greater Western Sydney
Sydney
Kangaroos (based in Tasmania or Canberra)

Each team plays their own conference team 3 times (24 week minor round). This enables conference 1 to have lots of blockbusters and 50K plus crowds to most matches. Plus the Victorian clubs will save lots on travel expenses. The Conference 2 clubs already travel every 2 week so their travelling costs will only be affected minimally.

Top 4 from each conference make the FINAL 8 where better home and away records decide seedings and home ground advantage until the GF is played at the MCG.

[Rik E Boy]

No.

A better idea would be bigger lists and an even draw where everybody plays each other twice. So 34 matches plus four weeks finals equals a nine month season which is only one month longer than it is now. Expand the lists so that the clubs can have squads and watch the TV dollars flow in.

regards,

REB

Would be ideal if footy was the only sport you cared about REB! AFL encroaches enough into cricket as it is for mine.

Teeball has killed Cricket so the AFL should capitalise.

regards,

REB

[Rik E Boy]

I posted my thougths else where before but i think there is more chance of the current 18 teams being split into two confrences!

Conference 1Melbourne
Geelong
St.Kilda
Richmond
Carlton
Collingwood
Essendon
Hawthorn
Western Bulldogs

Conference 2
Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Fremantle
West Coast
Greater Western Sydney
Sydney
Kangaroos (based in Tasmania or Canberra)

Each team plays their own conference team 3 times (24 week minor round). This enables conference 1 to have lots of blockbusters and 50K plus crowds to most matches. Plus the Victorian clubs will save lots on travel expenses. The Conference 2 clubs already travel every 2 week so their travelling costs will only be affected minimally.

Top 4 from each conference make the FINAL 8 where better home and away records decide seedings and home ground advantage until the GF is played at the MCG.

So Geelong would play Hawthorn, Carlton, Essendon, Collingwood three times while Freo or Sydney get GWS, Gold Coast and Port three times. **** that for a joke. If you are going to bring in a conference system you should at least play the teams in the other conference at least once like they do in the NFL. Have a look at the current ladder and then see how much your proposed conference system would compromise the competition....even more than the current flawed draw does now.

regards,

REB