What If Port Entered The AFL In 1991?

[ibd77]

So what would have happened if Port won the license back in 1990?

Here is my take on things, how about yours?

Port Vs SANFL

• Port immediately removed from the SANFL
• Port excluded from using Football Park
• Port excluded from fielding a reserves side in SA including amateur league?
  
• SANFL immediately launches a counter AFL team (Adelaide Crows) to limit the impact on the SA football scheme
• SANFL move quickly to secure SA talent

Port Adelaide

• Port negotiates with the SACA to host home games at Adelaide Oval
• Port maintain solid crowd attendances
  
• Port negotiates with the AFL to enter a reserves in the VFL
• Port has soul control over their AFL license
• Port transfer most of their 1990 SANFL squad to the AFL and recruit their former expat players from other AFL clubs e.g. Bradley, Anderson, Leslie, etc...

SANFL

• The Crows struggle to attract the interest of the SA football public with mediocre attendances at their games
  
• In an about face, SANFL invite Port to host some of their home games at Football Park
• Port accepts but attendances are poor as the fans aren't happy with accessibility and services of the ground in comparison to Adelaide Oval
• The SANFL competition begins to struggle and the SANFL begins to make heavy financial losses
• Realizing the success and further potential of Adelaide Oval, the SANFL negotiates with the SACA to redevelop Adelaide Oval to play all AFL Games

SACA & AFL

• Laughing all the way to the bank

SA Government

• Glad that they don't have to spend a cent.

 

[Jonts]

Nah we would've played at footy park

Bradman was still alive and saca had no debt

They weren't going to let footy be played there

 

[ibd77]

Nah we would've played at footy park

Bradman was still alive and saca had no debt

They weren't going to let footy be played there

So would have Alberton Oval got redeveloped to host AFL games?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I included a summary of the AFL bid in the review of the 1990 season a couple of years back.

The then SAFA said they would host Port's reserves and Ross Oakley said the AFL's financial modelling was done on the basis of Port playing at Alberton when Football Park was made unavailable.

 

[Rising Power]

So would have Alberton Oval got redeveloped to host AFL games?

I doubt it. Perhaps a make-shift redevelopment of one of Cheltenham or Victoria Park racecourses.

Logical nickname is the Crows, as we're from SA and it's the most closely related bird to a Magpie.

Shit if we had some LSD we could dream about this stuff for a week

 

[bomberclifford]

We would be the Port Pirates and the Sturtwood Deadlegs would be our nemeses.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

We would be the Port Piers but everyone would call us the Port Piries and we'd have to send out media releases every few years.

 

[I Dont Care]

We would be the Port Piers but everyone would call us the Port Piries and we'd have to send out media releases every few years.

I laughed

 

[FPPF]

• Realizing the success and further potential of Adelaide Oval, the SANFL negotiates with the SACA to redevelop Adelaide Oval to play all AFL Games

If Port did end up joining on it's own, and free of the sanfl, why would the sanfl be involved in where Port played AFL? Much less be involved in redeveloping Adelaide Oval.

I was under the belief that the sanfl didn't want to be part of the AFL, but where forced to create a composite franchise when Port tried to join.
By Port joining, the AFL roadshow would have come to town with or without the sanfl anyway.

 

[LFC2010]

Adelaide wouldn't have a premiership yet considering they haven't won one yet in this current finals format.

 

[Andre]

Nah we would've played at footy park

Bradman was still alive and saca had no debt

They weren't going to let footy be played there

Bradman also disliked (hated possibly) the SANFL and would have grabbed the chance to stick it to them by having Port play games at AO. Would have been with AO as the undisputed master of the ground, so it'd be more money pouring into SACA coffers for virtually no downside.

SANFL wouldn't have formed another side quickly. They'd have hummed and ummmed. If we'd gotten in Norwood would have tried to ride our coat tails shortly after for whatever license was available next. Other SNAFL clubs alone or in groups would have tried to one up them. The SANFL would have been left a backwater. The AFL would have picked Norwood down the track.

Our numbers would have been higher as we'd have captured those who'd follow any AFL side as long as it was from SA. Like the Crows and us, they'd have been in long enough by the time Norwood rocked around that they were then mostly rusted on. Norwood would be a defacto Crows for everyone who hated Port, so then their numbers would have been decent. Basically the same total numbers as their are now, but capturing that once of SA AFL crowd, plus a 7 year head start, would have been the split instead of 70-30 or or 65-35 amongst those following Crows/Port it'd be those numbers, but us as the more dominant club.

SA footy, after the teething the first ten years, would have eventually had more and more funding from the AFL until the SANFL was a toothless relic.

Ah what could have been. Still the writing is on the wall now for the SANFL, it's just going to take another generation, rather than them already having no power.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

The sanfl wanted to join but wanted bulletproof conditions after the initial wobbles of the West Coast set up. The AFL were sick of them doing the white shoe shuffle in the sand.

When Port went for it they grabbed at a watered down version of what Port negotiated like a demented Port Pahram crab wolfing down a tasty piece of fritz.

 

[Us against the rest]

Imagine the talent we would have kept and some we would have picked back up from victoria. A ready made finals team, with jack at the helm.

 

[tribey]

The sanfl wanted to join but wanted bulletproof conditions after the initial wobbles of the West Coast set up. The AFL were sick of them doing the white shoe shuffle in the sand.

They get off scot-free on this score, the gropers.

The reason why the SANFL went balls deep with the gratuitous state branding of the Crows and everything in between is because the 1987-1990 returns on West Coast were utterly putrid - and this despite the fact they were instantly competitive and made finals in their second and fourth years.

WCE average home attendance:

1987 - 24434
1988 - 21008
1989 - 18691
1990 - 24448

And all this after paying $4,000,000 upfront in just 30 days.

 

[ploppy]

Would have to wait a few years some of the players but we could have put a handy side together.

Fiachi Delany Wanganeen
Mead Hughes Wilson
Tregenza Buckley Bradley
Burgoyne Treadrea Obst
Bond Hodges D Smith

 

[tribey]

Would have to wait a few years some of the players but we could have put a handy side together.

Fiachi Delany Wanganeen
Mead Hughes Wilson
Tregenza Buckley Bradley
Burgoyne Treadrea Obst
Bond Hodges D Smith

Herein lies the problem. In all likelihood Buckley still goes to Collingwood via the Brisbane Bears and Tredrea gets drafted to somewhere like Fitzroy. Wilson is also a top-3 pick when his time comes.

We'd gain on one end, lose on t'other.

 

[PAFC04]

Easy to think in hindsight, and the first thing come to my mind is that would have revamped Alberton Oval to be tourist attraction for the footy purist, it had the right road for trams (which is current project in SA transport plans, which has been shelved) and other forms of transport facilities.

if that would of happened, we would be one rich club, not only in heart and soul, with plenty of dosh..... perhaps with a cacapcity of 40K at Alberton with 60K membership is not to far out of the realms at that time, it sure would cost a lot less than 500mil with a 50mil footbridge. With out paying rent!!

We could of been in the same position as where Geelong is right now and have been ...

 

[fireboy]

Norwood footy club says hi at least twice , Kenny Eustice and Maxy B

 

[Portology]

Herein lies the problem. In all likelihood Buckley still goes to Collingwood via the Brisbane Bears and Tredrea gets drafted to somewhere like Fitzroy. Wilson is also a top-3 pick when his time comes.

We'd gain on one end, lose on t'other.

True.

Buckley goes to the Pies via Port and the Pies trade him for something like Chris Scott, etc.

McLeod and the Wakelins get to be the kids hidden in the Brendan Lade retreat on KI.

Bradley in 1991 may have been more amenable to a return at that point, certainly easier than just after a second flag at Carlton in 1995.

 

[FPPF]

Easy to think in hindsight, and the first thing come to my mind is that would have revamped Alberton Oval to be tourist attraction for the footy purist, it had the right road for trams (which is current project in SA transport plans, which has been shelved) and other forms of transport facilities.

if that would of happened, we would be one rich club, not only in heart and soul, with plenty of dosh..... perhaps with a cacapcity of 40K at Alberton with 60K membership is not to far out of the realms at that time, it sure would cost a lot less than 500mil with a 50mil footbridge. With out paying rent!!

We could of been in the same position as where Geelong is right now and have been ...

Adelaide Oval's redevelopment cost over 500 million, close to 600 million if not just over if you include the Western stand redevelopment which came first.
Capacity is around 53,500..+standing room for 3,500. Chuck in another stand on the northern end and you are talking possibly around 65,000. Another stand will cost around 70-100 million at least. So total cost will exceed 700 million.

How do you figure that redeveloping Alberton oval to a 60,000 seat arena, will cost less then 500 million?

To expand Alberton to that capacity you would need significant property acquisition surround the stadium. You'd need to buy at least 5-6 of the surrounding blocks(and I don't mean individual property blocks..but as in..drive around the block). Probably a few more. Because nobody wants to have a 60,000 seat stadium on their front door step or over their back fence.

The footbridge is part of the overall and wider redevelopment of the area in relation to Adelaide Oval to make it more accessible and appealing.
The footbridge cost around the 30 million dollar mark.
To make Alberton more accessible you would need to extend the tram line up Port Road towards the Port. The Cheltenham stop on the Outer Harbor train line would also need to be redeveloped to cope with the extra people. Those works alone will far exceed the cost of the footbridge across the torrens.

 

[El_Scorcho]

It never occurred to me that we'd have almost certainly not taken Tredrea if we went in in 1990, unless we had some pretty awesome Port Adelaide juniors related draft concessions.

hmmm

 

[PA88]

We would likely have been given concessions to select SA based players of which Port would likely have taken some of those younger crows 'legends' such as Bickley, Riccuito, and ... Smart.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Herein lies the problem. In all likelihood Buckley still goes to Collingwood via the Brisbane Bears and Tredrea gets drafted to somewhere like Fitzroy. Wilson is also a top-3 pick when his time comes.

We'd gain on one end, lose on t'other.

Not necessarily. The terms and conditions negotiated by Port were much more enticing than what the crows agreed.

Ford's Review

The AFL’s keenness to have Port Adelaide involved in its competition was reflected in the entry conditions negotiated with Port. Port was guaranteed that 28 of 44 players already drafted could remain in SA; Port would have access to up to six out-of-contract former SANFL players in the AFL; a three year moratorium on drafting players was agreed; Port would retain its country zone as well as some of the rest of SA as a zone; a limit was placed on use of Port’s yearly dividend for paying off its entrance fee; there was no up-front fee payment with the AFL paying $1.4 million in the first two years. Port’s plan also included fielding a reserves team in the AFL, or optimistically, using Port Adelaide in the SANFL for this purpose. When the SANFL’s reaction became clear, it was reported that the South Australian Football Association would become the home of Port Adelaide’s reserve grades.

Ford's Review

So it depends how long the other clubs would have put up with a Port zone or Academy if you like but guys like Buckley, Tredrea, McLeod, Wilson could have been available to us as zone selections.

And people are thinking just Port players. All those crow premiership heroes could have been Port players - Smart (hahaha), Hart, Bickley, Ricciuto, Rehn, Ricciuto ... and then with a 3 year moratorium we would have had another crack at what was left of local talent, players like Nick Holland, Jon Robran, Andrew McKay, Brett Chalmers, Shane Bond, Che Cockatoo-Collins. Would have been a handy set up.

 

[tribey]

Not necessarily. The terms and conditions negotiated by Port were much more enticing than what the crows agreed.

Ford's Review

Ford's Review

So it depends how long the other clubs would have put up with a Port zone or Academy if you like but guys like Buckley, Tredrea, McLeod, Wilson could have been available to us as zone selections.

And people are thinking just Port players. All those crow premiership heroes could have been Port players - Smart (hahaha), Hart, Bickley, Ricciuto, Rehn, Ricciuto ... and then with a 3 year moratorium we would have had another crack at what was left of local talent, players like Nick Holland, Jon Robran, Andrew McKay, Brett Chalmers, Shane Bond, Che Cockatoo-Collins. Would have been a handy set up.

Given Oakley's revelations, our superior conditions were fluffed up in order to guarantee the wider bait-and-switch.

If by some miracle we did cirçumvent the SA mafia and become the AFL's 15th team I'm sure any concessions would've been watered down before the go-date, just as St Kilda lobbied for before we actually did come in.

 

[charcolechaddy]

Norwood footy club says hi at least twice , Kenny Eustice and Maxy B

Yes the biggest loser was the Noorwood rednecks.

Spineless little creatures.