I think the AFL agenda is to re-instate the AFL reserves competition in the next couple of years and do away with a state league tier completely in Victoria (and in time have the WAFL and SANFL operate as colts competitions as well).
The AFL strongly advocates the American college system and are trying to implement it slowly by stealth. They don't want people over the age of 21 playing grassroots footy, they want them to be at an AFL game - paying for memberships, ground admission fees, merchandise and food and drink that they all get a share of. Senior grassroots football is an expenditure that they would rather not have. Every dollar spent at a grassroots match is revenue that they would rather you to spend on them.
Of course, they will always want the kids to be playing Auskick and junior footy, with the best players going on the Under 18 system and then onto AFL lists. When the rest of the players don't reach these levels, they want you to go and attend AFL matches instead.
Why would they want to fund a state league in Victoria when their intended model is:
Junior footy -> Under 18 leagues (which will probably become U21 when the AFL reserves returns) -> AFL reserves -> AFL
Funding a revived VFA would not be their preference as they would not consider that part of their model.
The AFL strongly advocates the American college system and are trying to implement it slowly by stealth. They don't want people over the age of 21 playing grassroots footy, they want them to be at an AFL game - paying for memberships, ground admission fees, merchandise and food and drink that they all get a share of. Senior grassroots football is an expenditure that they would rather not have. Every dollar spent at a grassroots match is revenue that they would rather you to spend on them.
Of course, they will always want the kids to be playing Auskick and junior footy, with the best players going on the Under 18 system and then onto AFL lists. When the rest of the players don't reach these levels, they want you to go and attend AFL matches instead.
Why would they want to fund a state league in Victoria when their intended model is:
Junior footy -> Under 18 leagues (which will probably become U21 when the AFL reserves returns) -> AFL reserves -> AFL
Funding a revived VFA would not be their preference as they would not consider that part of their model.
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