WA football review.

[pablo668]

The health of the 2nd tier comps. ie WAFL, SANFL, & TSL is CRUCIAL to maintaining a thriving & growing AF culture in each heartland state. AF culture is not simply confined to the AFL comp. We need the 100 + year old State League 2nd tier clubs to attract maximum publicity, crowd, sponsor, & media support. They are often tribal, proudly suburban, often working class, with proud & impressive histories.

The VFL/AFL destroyed the VFA when it lost its Sunday game monopoly (The Cain govt. had previously banned the VFL from playing on Sundays, to safeguard the vitality of suburban, tribal VFA football). Some VFA clubs also contributed to their demise, by overspending on players, causing significant financial problems.
In Melb., AF culture & popularity has been diluted with the loss of the once very popular VFA. On a per capita basis, Melb. AFL crowds are now significantly lower than they were in the 70's -but on raw nos., still very high. There are probably now similar nos. of regd. soccer players in Melb. as there are AF regd. nos. (Soccer has huge female nos., particularly in schools; & soccer is easily superior in its regd. nos. in the western suburbs, a very large immigrant community).

The extremely highly paid AFL executives are supposed to be "the keepers of the code" -in the heartland states, IMO they have been failing for a long time, on community participation metrics; & on the hideous, congested, ugly aesthetic AFL game style since c. 2003

Do you believe that AF culture is stronger NOW in Perth -or when the WAFL was extremely strong , prior to the 1987 introduction of WCE?
WAFL GF's had record crowds up to 52,000 c. 1980 -what was Perth's population then?
Per capita, I assume GR regd. AF nos. are lower now cf 1980 (with the rise of regd. soccer & RU nos., big British, NZ, & Sth African communities in Perth)?

I really wouldn't know to be honest. I think what happened was that the majority of WA footy fans hopped onto the Eagles when they came along, and some ditched the Eagles for Freo when they happened and a lot of Freo people who were never that comfy with the Eagles backed Freo as well.

Whatever was left over, kept attending/supporting, holding ties to the WAFL.
The population has grown in WA, so in terms of numbers the Footy culture is probably as strong as it's ever been and possibly stronger.
It's a big question and I'm not sure how to answer it.

One thing I think has happened is that the majority of current fans in WA (AFL) are fairweather fans. I think there was a disconnect when the Eagles came along and the tribalism/loyalty that usually inhabits footy fans isn't as strong as it is in more traditional clubs. There are some very rusted on fans of both clubs now and I think it is slowly changing, or hope it is.

The culture among WAFL fans is still strong, but it is a dying thing unfortunately, fewer and fewer give a damn about it. Only old guys like me really care.

 

[Kwality]

Crowds dropped off over the first few years of the national comp, there was no real acceptance of the national comp until 1991 - the crowds at Subi have been posted but I cant find them. The gentrification of footy grounds has seen capacity reduced & the sale of seasons seating to members has lowered regular attendances but increased the dollars received.

The West has questioned the colts changes:
https://thewest.com.au/sport/wafl/the-tuesday-wafl-wafc-creates-a-problem-for-itself-ng-b88435808z

The WA Football Commission has invented a problem that does not exist in order to be paid to fix it.

That is the rationale for their attempt to slice the colts competition away from the nine WAFL clubs.

As strange as it seems for a State league competition that is heavily subsidised and could not operate in its current format without the annual $5 million WAFC handout, the colts are the only arm of the business that has commercial value.

But to get the substantial cash on offer from the AFL - the fundamental driving force for the eagerness to accept the Boston review recommendation - the WAFC has to snatch the colts competition away from the clubs who have been responsible for its management.

It is a de facto expansion of the AFL empire by further centralising the game’s operations and marginalising the game’s tradition club heartland.

& in defence of WA football:
Notice who was the round one AFL rising star? Draft pick 18 Sam Powell-Pepper, of WAFL club East Perth.

Who also made a bright debut in round one? Draft pick 6 Sam Petrevski-Seton, of WAFL club Claremont.

Dig a bit deeper and have a look at some of the pillars of the AFL.

• Who won two of the past three Brownlow medals? WAFL products Nat Fyfe and Matt Priddis.

• Who are two of the best power forwards in the game? WAFL products Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin.

• The best ruckmen? WAFL products Aaron Sandilands and Nic Naitanui.

• The best defender? WAFL product Alex Rance.

Seven of the most significant players in the game are products of a supposedly flawed system while dozens of others somehow manage to get a kick every weekend.

 

[Garlic muncher]

Crowds dropped off over the first few years of the national comp, there was no real acceptance of the national comp until 1991 - the crowds at Subi have been posted but I cant find them. The gentrification of footy grounds has seen capacity reduced & the sale of seasons seating to members has lowered regular attendances but increased the dollars received.

The West has questioned the colts changes:
https://thewest.com.au/sport/wafl/the-tuesday-wafl-wafc-creates-a-problem-for-itself-ng-b88435808z

The WA Football Commission has invented a problem that does not exist in order to be paid to fix it.

That is the rationale for their attempt to slice the colts competition away from the nine WAFL clubs.

As strange as it seems for a State league competition that is heavily subsidised and could not operate in its current format without the annual $5 million WAFC handout, the colts are the only arm of the business that has commercial value.

But to get the substantial cash on offer from the AFL - the fundamental driving force for the eagerness to accept the Boston review recommendation - the WAFC has to snatch the colts competition away from the clubs who have been responsible for its management.

It is a de facto expansion of the AFL empire by further centralising the game’s operations and marginalising the game’s tradition club heartland.

& in defence of WA football:
Notice who was the round one AFL rising star? Draft pick 18 Sam Powell-Pepper, of WAFL club East Perth.

Who also made a bright debut in round one? Draft pick 6 Sam Petrevski-Seton, of WAFL club Claremont.

Dig a bit deeper and have a look at some of the pillars of the AFL.

• Who won two of the past three Brownlow medals? WAFL products Nat Fyfe and Matt Priddis.

• Who are two of the best power forwards in the game? WAFL products Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin.

• The best ruckmen? WAFL products Aaron Sandilands and Nic Naitanui.

• The best defender? WAFL product Alex Rance.

Seven of the most significant players in the game are products of a supposedly flawed system while dozens of others somehow manage to get a kick every weekend.

The issue for mine is the ranking of WA boys in the draft order- wasn't Priddis a rookie and the others relatively low.

I think they are somewhat underrated compared to eastern state boys

 

[greatwhiteshark]

The issue for mine is the ranking of WA boys in the draft order- wasn't Priddis a rookie and the others relatively low.

I think they are somewhat underrated compared to eastern state boys

I don't think to many are missing out, if you work hard, train hard, play well then you will get where you want to get. How many get drafted is not relevant in my view, the best young players get drafted based on opinions of senior AFL recruiting people, no matter whether you are from WA, Victoria or NSW if you are good enough you will get there.
The opinion that more might get drafted if there was better coaching is just an excuse, is every system perfect or does every system have perfect coaches? the answer is of course no but its just a cop out by the WAFC to say we will get more drafted players with a better coaching system because at the end of the day the same players will still be drafted.

 

[Kwality]

I don't think to many are missing out, if you work hard, train hard, play well then you will get where you want to get. How many get drafted is not relevant in my view, the best young players get drafted based on opinions of senior AFL recruiting people, no matter whether you are from WA, Victoria or NSW if you are good enough you will get there.
The opinion that more might get drafted if there was better coaching is just an excuse, is every system perfect or does every system have perfect coaches? the answer is of course no but its just a cop out by the WAFC to say we will get more drafted players with a better coaching system because at the end of the day the same players will still be drafted.

The suggestion in The West is the WAFC have done the AFLs bidding for the money.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

The suggestion in The West is the WAFC have done the AFLs bidding for the money.

Always about the coin, just goes to show you how political and almost corrupt it all is.

 

[Kwality]

The last time I looked the Eagles and Dockers are financial powerhouses, that's all the AFL wants so what is the problem, why look to the WAFL to try and solve issues poorly managed by the very wealthy WAFC.

Always about the coin, just goes to show you how political and almost corrupt it all is.

Are you suggesting the WAFC are flush with money or trying to work out how to operate with a reduced income, specifically from as stadium manager at Subi?

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Are you suggesting the WAFC are flush with money or trying to work out how to operate with a reduced income, specifically from as stadium manager at Subi?

The WAFC I am not sure are flush with money but they sure waste a hell of a lot, have you seen how many employees they have? The biggest cost the WAFC has is wages. Way to many people getting paid in admin of football instead of actually football.
At this stage or they have lost is the rent from the 2 AFL clubs, currently they still run Subiaco and can still have concerts and other things there.
They will still receive the royalties from the AFL clubs.
They need to stop wasting so much money on reviews and admin and spend there money on football.

 

[jatz14]

The WAFC I am not sure are flush with money but they sure waste a hell of a lot, have you seen how many employees they have? The biggest cost the WAFC has is wages. Way to many people getting paid in admin of football instead of actually football.
At this stage or they have lost is the rent from the 2 AFL clubs, currently they still run Subiaco and can still have concerts and other things there.
They will still receive the royalties from the AFL clubs.
They need to stop wasting so much money on reviews and admin and spend there money on football.

Generally, what sets a good program apart from a poor one is the quality of the admin. Get the admin right, the rest tends to follow.

From what I have seen, admin needs work?

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk

 

[Kwality]

The WAFC I am not sure are flush with money but they sure waste a hell of a lot, have you seen how many employees they have? The biggest cost the WAFC has is wages. Way to many people getting paid in admin of football instead of actually football.
At this stage or they have lost is the rent from the 2 AFL clubs, currently they still run Subiaco and can still have concerts and other things there.
They will still receive the royalties from the AFL clubs.
They need to stop wasting so much money on reviews and admin and spend there money on football.

That's so true of the footy industry, too many people all paid over the odds.

 

[The_Wookie]

WAFL review thread that is specific to WA football. Moving to WAFL board.

 

[Kwality]

WAFL review thread that is specific to WA football. Moving to WAFL board.

Changes that effect the draft .....
AFL funding to effect change ....

 

[greatwhiteshark]

W

Changes that effect the draft .....
AFL funding to effect change ....

Wookie likes to think the AFL are not involved with WA footy.........

 

[The_Wookie]

Changes that effect the draft .....
AFL funding to effect change ....

Wookie likes to think the AFL are not involved with WA footy.........

Wookie doesnt care if the AFl are involved or not. Wookie does however believe that a thread on a review of WA football properly belongs in a board that deals with WA football.

 

[Freofalcon]

Wookie doesnt care if the AFl are involved or not. Wookie does however believe that a thread on a review of WA football properly belongs in a board that deals with WA football.

Wookie has also been known for ripping a man's arm from its socket.

 

[Kwality]

Wookie doesnt care if the AFl are involved or not. Wookie does however believe that a thread on a review of WA football properly belongs in a board that deals with WA football.

Of course .... ignorance is bliss !!!

At a time when the Colts comp is moving toward change it was interesting to see Aliir Aliir strutting his stuff for Sydney last night, recalling he was drafted from East Freo U19s:
After being overlooked in the 2012 AFL draft, Aliir made the decision to relocate to Perth to live with his family. There he joined the East Fremantle Football Club and spent the 2013 season playing for the club's Colts team.[5] With East Fremantle, he was converted from a ruckman to a defender.[6]

Not ignoring he came to our game in Q. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliir_Aliir

 

[Kwality]

W


Wookie likes to think the AFL are not involved with WA footy.........

Certainly overeggs the differences in opinion between the two bodies.

 

[The_Wookie]

Of course .... ignorance is bliss !!!

Its not about ignorance. Its about putting threads where i believe they are best suited. WAFL discussion belongs properly on the WAFL board.

 

[pablo668]

Its not about ignorance. Its about putting threads where i believe they are best suited. WAFL discussion belongs properly on the WAFL board.

This isn't just about the WAFL, it's also about the AFL's influence on the WAFL and the future of how players in WA will be recruited and developed for the AFL. So it is pertinent.
Essentially you're just being petty, not sure why.

 

[swannies]

I heard a number of years ago the AFL wanted the Kimberley region for a TAC cup side. They seem to have expanded this thought. And the AFL clubs didn't want to pay for the recruitment of players.
I still have to read the report but there is a 6 week period in which you can make comment. I am thinking about submitting comment, after reading the report. What are the chances that they will take any notice?

 

[Kwality]

I heard a number of years ago the AFL wanted the Kimberley region for a TAC cup side. They seem to have expanded this thought. And the AFL clubs didn't want to pay for the recruitment of players.
I still have to read the report but there is a 6 week period in which you can make comment. I am thinking about submitting comment, after reading the report. What are the chances that they will take any notice?

If you don't submit, you wont be heard & that's for certain.