North melbourne 'lose' Ballarat zone

[The_Reaper]

Didn't Tassie not even have a statewide league until a few years back? Quite amazing for the smallest state in terms of area

Every other statewide league is dominated by the one city though.

WAFL is 8 teams in Perth and on in Mandurah
SANFL is all Adelaide
VFL has a reserves team in Geelong and one team in Ballarat

 

[bombersfan4000]

Ballarat bulldogs. ...lol. 10 million dollar man playing in front of 10k people.

the 10k crowds are larger than what Boyd played in front of with GWS

 

[ManOfClay]

Great result for us, as much as it pains me to see labor in.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Ballarat bulldogs. ...lol. 10 milluon dollar man playing in front of 10k people.

20k*

 

[Ant_]

Ballarat bulldogs. ...lol. 10 milluon dollar man playing in front of 10k people.

million*

 

[Modified Dog]

I've very much come to terms by now with the fact that the AFL is the most controlling league governing body in world sport.

One of the few things I enjoyed about Jeff Kennett's outspoken presidency at Hawthorn was the way he'd give the AFL s**t for being a bloated organisation with more people on it's payroll than the 16 clubs combined.

Too many people within the AFL ranks who are just trying to justify their salary, making changes for the sake of change, meddling in everyone's affairs, constantly tinkering with the rules, tipping off drug cheats, rigging the fixture, trying to control the media and spreading the AFL propaganda with their network of lackeys.

You're dead right. What other sporting body in the world involves themselves so deeply in every aspect of the competition? Maybe the WWE. They'd be the closest comparison. It's not even a real sport. The WWE (and the AFL) both brand themselves as being in the "Entertainment Industry".

The AFL should just f**k off and let the 18 clubs duke it out with minimal interference. It's like they and Channel 7 want to turn footy into a scripted reality show. Every decision they make is based on squeezing every last dollar they can out of their customers and sponsors, no matter how it compromises the game.

Hawthorn's success over the past 7 or 8 years has been the only thing which has kept me interested. A bit like the Australian cricket team when they had Warnie, McGrath, Ponting and the Waugh twins. Cricket is the most boring sport in the world, but the main reason I stayed tuned for years was because that champion team was so good to watch. Nowadays I don't even bother with it.

Once the Hawks fall off their perch, I'll probably have zero interest in the shitty AFL. They can have their Suns, Giants, Swans, chemically-enhanced Bombers and equalised Saints and Bulldogs. I probably won't bother watching for much longer. AFL footy is a game of diminishing returns anyway. The game has been eroded on and off the field. It's not the same game which I fell in love with as a kid. I probably get as much, if not more, enjoyment from following the NFL and English Premier League.

 

[ManOfClay]

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2014-12-01/labors-win-means-ballarat-boon

AFL matches for premiership points in Ballarat is now a reality with Labor’s triumph in the Victorian state election on Saturday.

The Western Bulldogs and then opposition leader Daniel Andrews announced last month a $31.5 million upgrade to the Eureka Stadium sports precinct in Ballarat, with the Bulldogs to play home games there from as early as 2017.

Bulldogs President Peter Gordon is optimistic about the future of football in Ballarat and the club’s relationship with the regional hub.

“We’re really pleased at the opportunity and we’re also pleased for the people of Ballarat,” Gordon said, speaking this morning with SEN.

The Bulldogs hope the expansion into regional Victoria will reinvigorate the community aspect of football, after encouraging signs with the Bulldogs VFL side in 2014.

“There’s been a bit of a move back to community footy and away from theatre-goer oriented stadium of the last 20 years and we want to take advantage of that.

 

[Tas]

Pre 2007

2001 - 17,460
2002 - 16,589 average
2003 - 16,714 average
2004 - 15,067 average
2005 - 16,610 average
2006 - 17,889 average

Since 2007

2007 - 17,402 average
2008 - 17,528 average
2009 - 17,402 average
2010 - 16,172 average (talk of the AFL lobbying for 7 North games in Tasmania)
2011 - 15,716 average
2012 - 15,687 average (North takes 2 games to Hobart)
2013 - 13,241 average
2014 - 13,824 average

Either fewer fans are traveling from the mainland to Tasmania (although our Melb based home crowds are up 70% on a decade ago) or fewer Tasmanians are now going to the fixtures.

Since North have moved into Tasmania, the Hawthorn crowds have dropped off considerably, having rarely dropped below 16,000 for almost a decade, the average fixture now struggles to draw 14,000 (despite Hawthorn being back to back premiers, at the peak of their powers)

North appear to be doing good things in Hobart but it clearly has impacted on Hawthorn

Jesus, are you going to draw us a graph and explain how North is responsible for your sex life being worse since the honeymoon?

I think Hawks are going the missionary position too often at Launceston. Average winning margin was 52 points this year playing power houses like Brisbane, Eagles, Suns and Dogs with an average attendance of 13,825. Average winning margin last year was 50.5 vs GWS, Brisbane, Fremantle and the Dogs for average attendance of 13,338.

Road kill victories are pretty boring for neutral supporters. Might want to throw up some more opposition up there now and then.

Your crowds were on the decline before we played any games in Hobart, I am sure we haven't helped at all but the writing was on the wall before we came along that the vast majority of team Hawks dragged up to Lanceston were mostly easy beats you didn't want to play at the MCG in front of a low crowd.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

Bump.

3 years after the AFL handed the Ballarat zone to the Western Bulldogs, the North Ballarat Roosters have been kicked out of the VFL for governance issues, they finished on the bottom of the ladder this year.

North Melbourne, led by Eugene Arocca, spent 8 years starting AFL community & junior programs in Ballarat and fostered a alignment with the Roosters in the VFL. The NM/NB partnership led to 3 consecutive VFL premierships with many mature age kids from the region drafted including Isaac Smith, Brett Goodes & Orren Stephenson.

Sad to see them go, I can't see why the AFL didn't suggest that the Dogs align their VFL side (or even take them over) instead of directly competing with a stand alone VFL side. The Dogs have moved in and brought 1-3 games of AFL football, but the region loses a recently successful & historic VFL team and 11 games of VFL per season.

 

[Iamspock]

Bump.

3 years after the AFL handed the Ballarat zone to the Western Bulldogs, the North Ballarat Roosters have been kicked out of the VFL for governance issues, they finished on the bottom of the ladder this year.

North Melbourne, led by Eugene Arocca, spent 8 years starting AFL community & junior programs in Ballarat and fostered a alignment with the Roosters in the VFL. The NM/NB partnership led to 3 consecutive VFL premierships with many mature age kids from the region drafted including Isaac Smith, Brett Goodes & Orren Stephenson.

Sad to see them go, I can't see why the AFL didn't suggest that the Dogs align their VFL side (or even take them over) instead of directly competing with a stand alone VFL side. The Dogs have moved in and brought 1-3 games of AFL football, but the region loses a recently successful & historic VFL team and 11 games of VFL per season.

This result is all of North Ballarat's making, nothing to do with the Bulldogs.

 

[Handsome.B.Wonderful]

This result is all of North Ballarat's making, nothing to do with the Bulldogs.

The Dogs are happy to see North Ballarat go, they did nothing to help local football in Ballarat, instead they are only too happy to take the $$$ from their 1-2 games per year there, they will likely send a VFL game that way now.

What they should have done is align with the Roosters and strengthen the last regional VFL club.

 

[go you pups]

Thoughts on Bendigo (previous Essendon alignment) and Frankston then?

Much bigger issues in the VFL than just this in isolation, its been happening for years, smaller isolated clubs not being able to look after themselves.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Thoughts on Bendigo (previous Essendon alignment) and Frankston then?

Much bigger issues in the VFL than just this in isolation, its been happening for years, smaller isolated clubs not being able to look after themselves.

Agreed, not the dogs fault. The secondary competitions nationwide require a bit of restructuring.

 

[boncer34]

Thoughts on Bendigo (previous Essendon alignment) and Frankston then?

Much bigger issues in the VFL than just this in isolation, its been happening for years, smaller isolated clubs not being able to look after themselves.

Bendigo and North Ballarat are two entirely different beasts.

 

[BTs Nana]

Well that's one surefire handicap line gone for next season.

Food is good up the club though.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Agreed, not the dogs fault. The secondary competitions nationwide require a bit of restructuring.

this 100%

the afl is making it impossible for non afl owned vfl clubs to survive unless they become shell clubs for the afl

vic footy doesnt just revolve around 10 clubs

 

[Bunk Moreland]

North Ballarat will be fine - and more importantly back where they belong.

They're a proud club, not a reserves team for North and not a whipping boy for the sick joke that is the "VFL".

 

[magpienato]

Thoughts on Bendigo (previous Essendon alignment) and Frankston then?

Much bigger issues in the VFL than just this in isolation, its been happening for years, smaller isolated clubs not being able to look after themselves.

With that said, I have no idea how Werribee is going to survive.

 

[go you pups]

With that said, I have no idea how Werribee is going to survive.

Are North leaving them?

 

[magpienato]

Are North leaving them?

North are fielding their own VFL team next season
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...e/news-story/8cbc653bd3977b87931d68f21496b64f

I presume they will just leave Werribee behind in the dust which is unfortunate.

 

[go you pups]

North are fielding their own VFL team next season
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...e/news-story/8cbc653bd3977b87931d68f21496b64f

I presume they will just leave Werribee behind in the dust which is unfortunate.

Hhmmm, as a western suburbs boy, I hope they keep afloat

I haven't really looked at what Coburg has done recently, but I thought they would struggle once Richmond left them.

Dunno how Port got into a financial mess, but surely only Port and Willy survive long-term due to their decent supporter bases and pulling power on players that are not long out of the professional system, hanging in for a second chance.

 

[magpienato]

Hhmmm, as a western suburbs boy, I hope they keep afloat

I haven't really looked at what Coburg has done recently, but I thought they would struggle once Richmond left them.

Dunno how Port got into a financial mess, but surely only Port and Willy survive long-term due to their decent supporter bases and pulling power on players that are not long out of the professional system, hanging in for a second chance.

Yeah Port Melbourne I really want to survive. It's fair enough that AFL teams have 'reserves' teams in the VFL but at this point, its pretty much just become a second AFL with a few stand alone teams. I would love to see the VFL give a bit more support to these kinds of clubs because they make up what the VFL really is, a Victorian Football League, not a metropolitan city-league.

 

[SCRAY72]

Best we can hope for is for Willi, Port, Sandy, Frankston,Box Hill and Coburg somehow stay alive. That way most of Melbourne is covered.
VFL needs a review and restructure.

 

[thegreig]

Best we can hope for is for Willi, Port, Sandy, Frankston,Box Hill and Coburg somehow stay alive. That way most of Melbourne is covered.
VFL needs a review and restructure.

Box Hill aren't going anywhere, they have nothing to do with the mustangs of old though the club is completely under Hawthorns control

 

[The_Reaper]

Best we can hope for is for Willi, Port, Sandy, Frankston,Box Hill and Coburg somehow stay alive. That way most of Melbourne is covered.
VFL needs a review and restructure.

The AFL just needs to have a proper national reserves competition and maybe even put a Tassie team in it as a way of building up to an AFL spot.