The biggest "What could've been?"

[Gydafud]

There are many sliding door moments throughout VFL/AFL history that make you think, "What could have been?". From players, to administrative, what are some that stand out in your mind?

Original VFL Park Capacity
Having the train line extended to the stadium and the full plans for the stadium capacity fulfilled, would it be hosting the Grand Final from now on? 150,000 fans packed out in the eastern suburbs could have been possible if the infrastructure supported it. Or would it have been the great white elephant for the VFL?

Promotion/Relegation National League
There was talk sometimes in the 50s to have a national league that incorporated promotion/relegation from the state leagues. Would that have been the more ideal setup to the eventual VFL/AFL transition? Would this have been your preferred method?

Nathan Ablett Retiring
This is just one for cats fans, but a young player with so much potential and promise pulls the plug early on his career. What would it have meant for the Cats group of 2008+ if he was still playing? I always feel it would have made our 2008 campaign a bit better without having to play Lonergan forward.

What else is there?

 

[Bokonon_]

There are many sliding door moments throughout VFL/AFL history that make you think, "What could have been?". From players, to administrative, what are some that stand out in your mind?



Promotion/Relegation National League
There was talk sometimes in the 50s to have a national league that incorporated promotion/relegation from the state leagues. Would that have been the more ideal setup to the eventual VFL/AFL transition? Would this have been your preferred method?



What else is there?

This idea is fascinating and it would have allowed a pathway to thrive fir the once great state league clubs. Great for the SANFL, WAFL and the VFL, which are inevitably declining to the point rhey'll have to be supported by the AFL to keep grass roots footy alive as a nursery for players. Or perhaps the hunger for talent by the AFL will eventually make them irrelevant with a seoarate pathway for the elite which is starting to happen now.

Couldn't be done with the draft though or clubs stepping up would fall down before they could develop talent to sustain themselves at the elite level.

The Northern states who cant sustain a competition to the required level would never be able to participate at the elite level.

 

[pjcrows]

What if the AFL invested squillions in a team from Tasmania instead of the dungheap at the Gold Coast?

 

[Frank Gallagher]

Ablett's knees were shot when he retired.

Oh you meant Nathan, my bad.

 

[telsor]

Original VFL Park Capacity
Having the train line extended to the stadium and the full plans for the stadium capacity fulfilled, would it be hosting the Grand Final from now on? 150,000 fans packed out in the eastern suburbs could have been possible if the infrastructure supported it. Or would it have been the great white elephant for the VFL?

It was out of the way an difficult to get to when it was the VFL.

Roll forward to the AFL, and imagine interstate teams fans trying to get there for the grand final.

For good or ill, the central location of the MCG is a massive benefit, but especially for those from other states.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

Zones being rotated around.

 

[Gydafud]

This idea is fascinating and it would have allowed a pathway to thrive fir the once great state league clubs. Great for the SANFL, WAFL and the VFL, which are inevitably declining to the point rhey'll have to be supported by the AFL to keep grass roots footy alive as a nursery for players. Or perhaps the hunger for talent by the AFL will eventually make them irrelevant with a seoarate pathway for the elite which is starting to happen now.

Couldn't be done with the draft though or clubs stepping up would fall down before they could develop talent to sustain themselves at the elite level.

The Northern states who cant sustain a competition to the required level would never be able to participate at the elite level.

Yeah, the Northern states would be the hardest part to sustain. People wouldn't go because it wasn't the elite competition, creating a larger divide to the established state competitions. It was much easier to set up a single club in NSW/QLD compared to setting up an entire competition to many levels.

I wonder what would happen if a lower club with a star player dropped back down to the state league. Would that club be able to retain them? Would that create the yo-yo effect that some clubs have in the premier league of forever bouncing back and forth between divisions?

 

[Gydafud]

Zones being rotated around.

How was that proposed to happen? A re-draw of the zones every year?

 

[Proper Gander]

If ... Melbourne had merged with Hawthorn

then ...

We would have stuffed them up somehow, anyhow. There would be no dynasty - the hybrid would have ended up on the Gold Coast and we would have lost to Port in China because Cale Morton

 

[Gydafud]

It was out of the way an difficult to get to when it was the VFL.

Roll forward to the AFL, and imagine interstate teams fans trying to get there for the grand final.

For good or ill, the central location of the MCG is a massive benefit, but especially for those from other states.

I think at the time of proposal, there was definitely the train station that was meant to be build near the stadium and I think there was talk of an eastern suburbs airport. If the Grand Final was locked in to VFL park before the competition became national, but became national in the same way, it might have been in the better interest of the the Victorian government to invest more in the infrastructure to make it accessible.

 

[Macpotata]

What if Port didn't choke on Saturday night.

Saturday night chokers. Sounds like something from Kings Cross.

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

How was that proposed to happen? A re-draw of the zones every year?

The country zones were to be roated around every year to ensure that no club could dominate but 2 clubs Hawthorn and Carlton did not want to be rotated because they had the best zones.

 

[telsor]

I think at the time of proposal, there was definitely the train station that was meant to be build near the stadium and I think there was talk of an eastern suburbs airport. If the Grand Final was locked in to VFL park before the competition became national, but became national in the same way, it might have been in the better interest of the the Victorian government to invest more in the infrastructure to make it accessible.

Rail line, sure, an eastern airport would be past Dandenong, so not that beneficial, and then there is all the rest of the infrastructure...hotels, restaurants, bars, etc etc etc. It's just too far from all those things.

 

[Gydafud]

The country zones were to be roated around every year to ensure that no club could dominate but 2 clubs Hawthorn and Carlton did not want to be rotated because they had the best zones.

Zoning was always terrible and the draft is a much easier system to manage. If it was clear that certain zones were generating better players, they could have merged the 2 ideas to give lower clubs the choice to pick up a player from ANY zone. 2nd bottom might mean everything expect the best zone, or perhaps the previous zone wouldn't be available.

 

[telsor]

The country zones were to be roated around every year to ensure that no club could dominate but 2 clubs Hawthorn and Carlton did not want to be rotated because they had the best zones.

The other side of it was that the clubs were supposed to help with development in their zones, and that was never going to happen if the zones rotated.

Moving the boundaries was more likely/possible.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

What if...

North Melbourne has relocated to the GC? Would they have bastardised further with another move to Tasmania?

Fitzroy had always stuck with their 'Gorilla' name, would they have the opportunity to re-enter the league as the Fitzroy Gorillas?

What If Fitzroy survived up until the new television rights deal came through?

What if everyone finds out what Essendon's original nickname was?... it's not pretty, let me tell ya...

 

[Aramis]

All Hawthorn's wasted high picks in the mid 2000's....
2005 Draft
Pick 3 - Xavier Ellis... chosen over Scott Pendlebury and Josh Kennedy (WCE)
Pick 6 - Beau Dowler... chosen over Paddy Ryder, Nathan Jones and Shannon Hurn
2006 Draft
Pick 6 - Mitch Thorp... chosen over Joel Selwood, David Armitage and Jack Riewoldt
Pick 24 - Brent Renouf... chosen over Kurt Tippett, Tom Hawkins, Todd Goldstein and Robbie Gray
2007 Draft
Pick 29 - Brendan Whitecross... chosen over Jack Steven and Easton Wood

One final one that hurts is 2010 Draft...
Pick 38 - Mitch Hallahan to Hawthorn
Pick 40 - Luke Parker to Sydney.....

 

[Gydafud]

What if everyone finds out what Essendon's original nickname was?... it's not pretty, let me tell ya...

The "Same Olds"? Definitely down there with the "Pivotonians" or "Red Legs" .

 

[marty36]

If Ross Oakley hadn't tricked Port into thinking they would get a team in before the crows were created

The crows would never have formed


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[Young Gun #6]

What if Moore kicked that shot or Hodge wasn't incorrectly awarded holding the ball in the 2014 prelim. No 3 peat, No 2 peat, Hawks discussed very differently and Port win a premiership as the only team outside the top 4 in the current system without a bye week.

 

[Marmozet]

If Gary Ablett Jr stayed at Geelong, then I'm certain Geelong would have been 2013 premiers.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Hawthorn lose the 2013 prelim.

Game goes other way - would Hawks have stuck with Clarkson?

 

[Gydafud]

Hawthorn lose the 2013 prelim.

Game goes other way - would Hawks have stuck with Clarkson?

Was he under pressure at that point? Back to back prelims isn't a sackable offence.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Was he under pressure at that point? Back to back prelims isn't a sackable offence.

I think Kennett was grumbling.

 

[The_Flying_Egg]

From a Dogs point of view a few come to mind

- What if Peter Gordon, Dennis Gallimberti and others weren't around to stop us merging with Fitzroy
- What if the Dogs got Barry Hall a year earlier like they tried. Were a bees dick from the Grandfinal without him in 09
- What if Adam Cooney never cracked his kneecap
- What if Luke Darcy didn't demand the Dogs interviewed Luke Beveridge