NO MORE VICTORIAN TEAMS LEFT

[Dutchy]

it will be inetersting next year, Kangas are starting preseson in 2 weeks time, fitness wont be an issue in 07.

Phil - member numbers are a joke, take 10,000 off each of the Crows and Powers numbers as they include AAMI stadium members for some stupid reason...im an AAMI member cause I like to go and wacth footy and Im automatically put into the figures for both the crows and power!!!! WHY?

If you take 10,000 off the Powers figures and they are around the numbers of the roos, dogs and demons...they have 35,000 members but cant get over 30,000 to their games....that doesnt add up to me!!!

if this is the rule Melbourne should be able include MCC members in their figures

[PhilG]

..

[Dutchy]

agree Phil, MCC membership is the best ticket in town, mate of mine is one and been in there many times...great spot, however whle they are cricket club members I bet 90% of them spend more days at the footy than the cricket!

[sydney-dog]

Dutchy

Starting pre-season in two weeks time is not Necessarily the answer, the key is the design of your training program and which training elements you focus on...

The crows last year had the shortest pre-season period of all the clubs, but the program is tailored completely different to all other clubs, it is high intensity, recovery during training is done on the move, they train to the whistle they do not stop.

Preparing teams for an AFL season is becoming a real science, so a longer pre-season will not necessarily provide good results unless the program is specific and meet certain key requirements

[Dutchy]

our requirement is we actually get fit!!!!

[FlyingHigh]

There was an article in the Advertiser coulpe of weeks ago saying how well the non-vic clubs are run off the field compared to the Vic clubs, and added to some of the posts above.

I think the saying is "The more things change the more they stay the same" - for years the it was acknowleged a lot of SANFL clubs were run better than the Vic clubs, and then when we tried to promote national leagues, even in night comps, once the Vics realised they were in trouble they didn't want to be involved anymore. Then they got the chequebooks out, found themselves broke and needed money through admitting the new teams. Now they're in trouble again - what will they do to get out of trounle this time around?

[Punk Rooster]

Would love for the AFL to dissolve, & return back to State League footy.

[mick]

Hear Hear Punky get rid of the corporate crap, the AFL is just an extended version of the old VFL, created to preserve 5 or so no hoper victorian clubs. They're still alive but just making up the numbers We should have had a divisional sytem with promotion and demotion like British soccer. I sort of follow the Crows but I'd vote anytime to disband them and have a divisional system where our great SANFL competition isn't marginalised like it is today.

[bayman]

Would love for the AFL to dissolve, & return back to State League footy.

vote 1 punk

at least you'd get my vote there !!

[heater31]

Yep I agree but it should have been done 20 years ago when the Bears came into the comp. Sadly its too late now and its no use shutting the gate if the horse has bolted

[Roylion]

Phil G

I am hearing you, Melbourne can not support 9 competitve clubs

Tell that to Roylion on the other thread!.

*Sigh*

I didn't say that Melbourne could indefinitely support 9 AFL clubs in Melbourne. In fact I believe in the medium term that eventually 1-2 Melbourne based clubs will be forced to relocate. In fact I have long been an advocate of a relocated Melbourne based AFL club on the Gold Coast and have been arguing such for the last five and a half years. And there is public record of that on bigfooty.com. 6th November 2000 was the first time I suggested it. Just search user name "Roylion" and the key term "Gold Coast" on bigfooty.com and you'll find it.

As I also believe that the AFL will not expand beyond 16 teams, what does that suggest about what I believe about the future of Melbourne clubs?

What in fact I did say here...

"With more support from the AFL they [Fitzroy] could have survived as a stand alone club in the AFL."

That may have been as the 'Canberra Lions' in 1996 and beyond or as a relocated 'Brisbane Lions' from 1987 onwards. Had they relocated, instead of merge, the club would be a continuation of the Fitzroy Lions, as Sydney Swans is a continuation of South Melbourne. Certainly if Fitzroy had received the level of support that certain Melbourne clubs are currently receiving, then it is quite possible that they would still be a stand-alone entity in the AFL.

and

"The AFL, I think, are quite aware of the fallout that would occur, if a club was seen to be let go, as Fitzroy was."

After the bitter acrimony of the Melbourne-Hawthorn failed merger and the North Melbourne - Fitzroy merger, the AFL are currently supporting Melbourne based clubs to remain in the AFL for the moment. The Western Bulldogs have already admitted that they would be gone, had the AFL not given them over $4 million from their competitive balance fund over the last few years. North Melbourne would also be in dire trouble without the $3 million they received and even with the extra assistance they are currently looking at the Gold Coast as a possible future home.

I dont disagree with North's Gold Coast initiative, but North's initiative is little different to the initiatives that Fitzroy attempted in 1978, 1986, 1992 and 1995, except that North have considerable AFL support in their venture.

[PhilG]

..

[heater31]

My proposal is that there needs to be a 12 team comp like the old VFL this comp could be made up of 2 teams from SA & WA 1 each in Brisbane & Sydney, 4 stay in Vic, 1 moves to Canberra, Tasmania, Gold Coast and Western Sydney or Central Coast. the rest move back to the VFL and that could split in to divs with promotion relegation.

either of the Gold Coast, 2nd NSW team could be subbed for a Darwin team also.




just a thought

[PhilG]

..

[heater31]

well we then go to Darwin if NSW cant take another team

[sydney-dog]

Phil G

I do a fair bit of work for the AFL in Sydney and in 5-10 years Sydney will definitely be able to sustain two teams and is a far better long term option to the AFL then Canberra

This w/end they will get 80,000 at Telstra Stadium, probably double the finals attendance for both NRL Prelim finals

The western suburbs is potentially a huge afl market with ausic programs more then doubling each year

If I was the AFL I would not be rushed in relocating a side to Canberra but would continue to develop the western suburbs of sydney because potentially this will stich AFL as the #1 football code in sydney, it is very much achievable

[magpie in the 80's]

i hear you S/D i live in canberra and i wouldn't expect a team to be relocated here. think of the past sports teams.
canberra cannons; GONE canberra comets: GONE, canberra cosmos; GONE. and now kangaroos: GONE. so what do we have left raiders: LEAGUE, struggling for members (only get a crowd when half the team is leaving) brumbies: RUGBY well supported of the 2(usually sold out 22,000). capitals WOMENS B/BALL struggling for members even with lauren jackson and the darters NETBALL (ais team failed to win a game this year)

[PhilG]

..

[Magpiespower]

People seriously underestimate how tough it's gonna be for the AFL to crack Western Sydney.

As PhilG pointed out, this area is league heartland - don't forget Canterbury's out there, too Phil!

There'll be a hell of a lot more time, money effort, pain and heartache involved than there ever was with the Swans.

[Rik E Boy]

There is a Victorian team in the finals this year....Melbourne Storm!

regards,

REB