Prediction Third club for Perth

wafti123

Senior List
Jul 17, 2012
298
302
AFL Club
Fremantle
Does anyone think there would be a market for a Third club in Perth? Obviously we would stick with Fremantle. We had 8 WAFL clubs in the 70s, 4 of which were fairly well supported.

Our population has increased substantially since then although we have many more distractions. You could argue that WA doesn't yet have a club representing Perth itself...
 

88mph

Club Legend
Oct 26, 2007
2,039
2,512
Fremantle
AFL Club
Fremantle
I've heard that the third club will be the Fremantle Sharks.

Dockers will be rebranding as Cockburn Dockers. Rosich thinks it's going to sell more memberships.
 

Johnny Dalmas

Getting Old and Grumpy
Oct 16, 2015
4,178
6,692
Albany
AFL Club
Fremantle
Does anyone think there would be a market for a Third club in Perth? Obviously we would stick with Fremantle. We had 8 WAFL clubs in the 70s, 4 of which were fairly well supported.

Our population has increased substantially since then although we have many more distractions. You could argue that WA doesn't yet have a club representing Perth itself...

Yes, absolutely there is a market for WA#3.

Google tells me that the population of Victoria is about 6.4 million. With 10 clubs, that's 640k people / club.

SA has about 800k / club.

In WA, with a population of over 2.5 million, it's over 1.25 million people per club.

We could easily sustain a 3rd club. When it happens it should be based in the northern suburbs.
 
Aug 16, 2009
10,006
21,685
UK
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Dragons FFC, Old Easts
Yes, absolutely there is a market for WA#3.

Google tells me that the population of Victoria is about 6.4 million. With 10 clubs, that's 640k people / club.

SA has about 800k / club.

In WA, with a population of over 2.5 million, it's over 1.25 million people per club.

We could easily sustain a 3rd club. When it happens it should be based in the northern suburbs.
Until we have 2 clubs dominating on and off the field instead of one and a basket case, then it's not going to happen - population irrelevant.
 

Johnny Dalmas

Getting Old and Grumpy
Oct 16, 2015
4,178
6,692
Albany
AFL Club
Fremantle
Any chance for WA#3 depends 2 things:

Firstly, a Tassie team. If they ever decide they want a Tassie team, then they will want #20 to avoid a bye

If that happens, then the second prerequisite is that they are worried about soccer or league gaining in popularity. For instance, if the NRL sets up a WA team, then they may be more motivated for WA#3 to try and push the upcoming sport out
 

wafti123

Senior List
Jul 17, 2012
298
302
AFL Club
Fremantle
I like the population per team figures but another thing to consider is whether there is a niche in that population that isn't attached emotionally to the two existing clubs.

All of the Melbourne clubs were already in existence when I was growing up, but a few clubs still have the lions share of the followers.
 

wafti123

Senior List
Jul 17, 2012
298
302
AFL Club
Fremantle
It could help lessen the fishbowl mentality in Perth where only two rivals are under the microscope.
 
Apr 25, 2011
2,213
4,678
AFL Club
Fremantle
Bring it on.

For Freo vs WCE, a game should just be an opportunity for 4 points. It's silly that it descends into biting, breaking jaws etc - need to have your players fit and available for the next few games as well, a suspended player might tip the balance between getting into and/or winning finals and the end game is the Grand Final, not about the pissing contest between 2 clubs.

Also A 3rd team would change the finances of the stadium, which could bring down ticket prices etc.
 

basashi

Premiership Player
Jun 18, 2010
4,070
5,449
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
FFC Quay Club
Joondalup

And it would be self funding before any other option on the table in front of the AFL - including Tassie (and the GC and GWS options.)
 
The AFL has had discussion from Joondalup to host a third AFL team, there would be many things to talk about but it would have some positives.

All three clubs would petition the AFL to play the others both twice and I expect the AFL will allow that because it will be the resolution in their eyes to the WA clubs travelling multiples of the next most travelling team.

If they keep the season at 22 games then we would play all 19 other teams then the Eagles, Falcons and one more team twice. Eleven home games and another two games in Perth.

The AFL grounds are the choke though, I don't see how we can not have more six day breaks if we play in a state where there has to be a game on two of Friday, Saturday or Sunday.
 

blue shark

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 15, 2009
5,452
4,851
perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Let's be honest this is all about weakening WC, nothing more, and that club should be the standard to what can be
achieved off the field rather than on it.
Every club has the chance to draft, recruit, trade, the AFL would be better to study, understand how to better run
Clubs rather than diluting the talent pool, that is already shallow.
Improving clubs like Freo, like what they have done with the Swans, Lions, Dee's, even WC, I want an elite comp.
Who is going to follow a Joondalup team, when they can follow WC?
Adding more basket cases to the league wont fix anything, besides footy runs in cycles, most clubs have a golden
era.
 

332docker

Club Legend
Apr 23, 2006
1,487
855
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Western Force
No, riduclous to try and expand even further. It should go back to 16 team comp IMO (suns and gws will both fail without massive propping up from AFLHQ) and move a couple of melb teams - 1 to tassie if they have to
 

wayToGo_

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 24, 2015
16,071
50,928
AFL Club
Fremantle
I for one would welcome the Rottnest Quokkas to the AFL.

The Western Bulldogs would have to rethink their latest jumper design as clearly Thor would be the Quokka's mascot, and the Hammer incorporated as part of their logo. I think there is plenty of upside given 25 million people worldwide got a glimpse via social media a few weeks back. Optus Stadium would be nicknamed "The Nest" by the Quokka faithful.

Plenty of West Coast supporters would also likely jump across as they like things that look cute and cuddly on the outside but might bite you if you get too close.
 
A third team is inevitable but I'd suggest it coincides with a fourth.

A North Perth side followed by an East Perth side. A population of 3.5m could easily support four sides.
 
Sep 24, 2010
2,285
2,235
Perth
AFL Club
Fremantle
Won't happen if WAFL controls the team, like WC and Freo. AFL house hate the current setup. WA doesn't.

If it does happen it will happen the year after Tas expansion team. Tas deserves a team.

Also when it happens Freo and Joondalup will get WAFL stand alone teams, to bring the comp up to 12. As long as WC wafl team is not too successful.
 

Johnny Dalmas

Getting Old and Grumpy
Oct 16, 2015
4,178
6,692
Albany
AFL Club
Fremantle
I like the population per team figures but another thing to consider is whether there is a niche in that population that isn't attached emotionally to the two existing clubs.

All of the Melbourne clubs were already in existence when I was growing up, but a few club. Our cuks still have the lions share of the followers.

I think there will be people who will swap to WA#3.

2 main reasons for me are:

1) WA Footy culture got pole-axed with the expansion of the VFL. While many Victorian families have supported their AFL team across generations, you can't say the same about WA AFL supporters. Most of the older ones got used to ditching a VFL team for a new WA AFL team or swapping from some support for WC to Freo in the mid-90s. We are more fluid in our support of footy over here because of that.

2) We have a bunch of kids who have never really gone to live footy. For so many years at Subi it was bloody hard to get a decent seat unless you signed up for a membership and so we have a generation of footy followers for whom the AFL is a TV show, not live sport. If WA#3 really marketed themselves to people as a chance to get a good seat at a reasonable price, they might do OK> With the added benefit of teaching people to actually watch footy again as opposed to just the TV version.
 

Johnny Dalmas

Getting Old and Grumpy
Oct 16, 2015
4,178
6,692
Albany
AFL Club
Fremantle
Won't happen if WAFL controls the team, like WC and Freo. AFL house hate the current setup. WA doesn't.

If it does happen it will happen the year after Tas expansion team. Tas deserves a team.

Also when it happens Freo and Joondalup will get WAFL stand alone teams, to bring the comp up to 12. As long as WC wafl team is not too successful.
Actually good point about the WAFC. Can see WA#3 having more motivation for the AFL if they are able to establish it outside the WAFC. They will start to use it as a lever for getting Freo and WC out from WAFC ownership.
 

Alfonz

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 23, 2005
8,359
11,445
AFL Club
Fremantle
Any new team should be in Tassie. And maybe from relocating/merging existing sides. Should ideally be less clubs, not more.

Can't see any genuine support for a new Perth side. They might have some chance if they played the games at a spruced up Joondalup or WAFL ground and/or tickets were super cheap.
 
Back