Rumour AFL expansion

Parkers tatts

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Mar 10, 2019
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There's been rumours over here in WA for the last 24 months that a 3rd WA side is in tbe works. WAFL club's have been linked to the idea of merging to form a club.

The AFL would like to expand the competition to 20 sides. Which will allow Tassie to get a side whilst also allowing the AFL to have it's own licence to mine the rivers of gold in footy over here.

3aw have now broken the story saying it's on the cards for 2026. They have said there's some push back from the existing sides stating they want it to remain a 18 team comp.

How do people feel about this. Especially with tv rights money having significant challenges around the world lately.
I’ve not heard that once in the media anywhere regarding the Perth 3 rd team
 
I’ve not heard that once in the media anywhere regarding the Perth 3 rd team
It's been in the West RE: perth and the cardinals looking at an AFL side. A while back. It's been doing the rounds really strongly over here. Especially since the AFL flagged expansion at the start of the year.
 

MUFKilda

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Oct 8, 2017
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Any truth in the relocation to China rumours?

Haven't you heard the St Kilda being relocated to St Kilda rumour? Uninhabited island in the Scottish Outer Hebrides which is world famous for its bird colonies. At least Saints might win there, unlike in China!
 
Haven't you heard the St Kilda being relocated to St Kilda rumour? Uninhabited island in the Scottish Outer Hebrides which is world famous for its bird colonies. At least Saints might win there, unlike in China!

St Kilda
 
Long term there is no issue with the idea. WA is footy mad and has two sustainable, financially viable clubs and could certainly build and sustain a 3rd. Tasmania has long deserved a footy team of their own even if they don’t have the capacity to become a powerhouse.

In the short term it just makes no sense. With all of the debate about the standard of the game and rule changes, not enough attention has been paid to dilution. We brought two new teams in who took over 80 players between them. Add to that the players they draft every year since. The talent pool has been diluted and the stars are spread too thin at the moment.

Surely over time the inclusion of GCS and GWS will help to grow the game and, subsequently, the talent pool. We need to wait for the talent pool to catch up before we even consider moving to 20.

If we are desperate to grow and change and improve the game, then bring in the national reserves in a few years time. The national reserves fixture would be aligned with the AFL’s fixture. Games would be played preferably straight after the AFL game on the same field (or a field close by) or the next morning if the AFL teams play Friday or Saturday night. This gives all emergencies the chance to play. Add the national reserves to the TV rights for Fox.

Logistically, it’s hard. It would also cost a lot of money to get these teams traveling. But the benefit would be equality in reserves competitions (helpful for some mister state clubs in particular), greater access for footy fans, bigger crowds on tv and in person hence more capacity to make money, clear pathways for talent.

That’s the costly change that should happen as we look to the new tv rights deal. Let it help to develop the talent pool and let’s look to expand in 15 years or so.
 
Jan 10, 2011
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Long term there is no issue with the idea. WA is footy mad and has two sustainable, financially viable clubs and could certainly build and sustain a 3rd. Tasmania has long deserved a footy team of their own even if they don’t have the capacity to become a powerhouse.

In the short term it just makes no sense. With all of the debate about the standard of the game and rule changes, not enough attention has been paid to dilution. We brought two new teams in who took over 80 players between them. Add to that the players they draft every year since. The talent pool has been diluted and the stars are spread too thin at the moment.

Surely over time the inclusion of GCS and GWS will help to grow the game and, subsequently, the talent pool. We need to wait for the talent pool to catch up before we even consider moving to 20.

If we are desperate to grow and change and improve the game, then bring in the national reserves in a few years time. The national reserves fixture would be aligned with the AFL’s fixture. Games would be played preferably straight after the AFL game on the same field (or a field close by) or the next morning if the AFL teams play Friday or Saturday night. This gives all emergencies the chance to play. Add the national reserves to the TV rights for Fox.

Logistically, it’s hard. It would also cost a lot of money to get these teams traveling. But the benefit would be equality in reserves competitions (helpful for some mister state clubs in particular), greater access for footy fans, bigger crowds on tv and in person hence more capacity to make money, clear pathways for talent.

That’s the costly change that should happen as we look to the new tv rights deal. Let it help to develop the talent pool and let’s look to expand in 15 years or so.


Agree with most of that except an afl reserves comp. would kill the next grade down being state footy and then that would kill local footy

I know we all love the saints but without local footy there is nothing. And it would cost a fortune.
 

St Plugger

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Feb 28, 2012
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Long term there is no issue with the idea. WA is footy mad and has two sustainable, financially viable clubs and could certainly build and sustain a 3rd. Tasmania has long deserved a footy team of their own even if they don’t have the capacity to become a powerhouse.

In the short term it just makes no sense. With all of the debate about the standard of the game and rule changes, not enough attention has been paid to dilution. We brought two new teams in who took over 80 players between them. Add to that the players they draft every year since. The talent pool has been diluted and the stars are spread too thin at the moment.

Surely over time the inclusion of GCS and GWS will help to grow the game and, subsequently, the talent pool. We need to wait for the talent pool to catch up before we even consider moving to 20.

If we are desperate to grow and change and improve the game, then bring in the national reserves in a few years time. The national reserves fixture would be aligned with the AFL’s fixture. Games would be played preferably straight after the AFL game on the same field (or a field close by) or the next morning if the AFL teams play Friday or Saturday night. This gives all emergencies the chance to play. Add the national reserves to the TV rights for Fox.

Logistically, it’s hard. It would also cost a lot of money to get these teams traveling. But the benefit would be equality in reserves competitions (helpful for some mister state clubs in particular), greater access for footy fans, bigger crowds on tv and in person hence more capacity to make money, clear pathways for talent.

That’s the costly change that should happen as we look to the new tv rights deal. Let it help to develop the talent pool and let’s look to expand in 15 years or so.

The answer is very obvious. Whilst the growth of talent pool is the ideal, a better and quicker solution is moving to a 16 a side competition with 2 interchange players or even back to having 2 substitutes. That way we could have 20 teams, one of them being Tassie, without adding to the overall number of AFL players.
 
Jan 10, 2011
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The answer is very obvious. Whilst the growth of talent pool is the ideal, a better and quicker solution is moving to a 16 a side competition with 2 interchange players or even back to having 2 substitutes. That way we could have 20 teams, one of them being Tassie, without adding to the overall number of AFL players.
Simple answer but then it’s not afl footy.
 
Aug 28, 2018
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Can’t we just keep it at 18 and play each team twice? I’m sick of the players union bitching about playing too much when leagues like the EPL and NBA play almost three games a week for a lot longer.
 
Can’t we just keep it at 18 and play each team twice? I’m sick of the players union bitching about playing too much when leagues like the EPL and NBA play almost three games a week for a lot longer.
Less physically taxing though.
 

Doug Hogan 23

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Can’t we just keep it at 18 and play each team twice? I’m sick of the players union bitching about playing too much when leagues like the EPL and NBA play almost three games a week for a lot longer.
Surely you’re taking the piss? The NBA is a pansy sport played over 48 minutes with 14 time outs! If you look at some you get fouled, they should be able to play every day.
The EPL is 90 minutes of passing the ball sideways and if you touch someone you get a yellow card. AFL is a brutal sport fitness wise and physicality wise. Give me a spell.
 

Doug Hogan 23

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FWIW there will be no 19th or 20th team, there’s not enough population, talent nor money to go around. Re-location will be the salvation for those in Tassy and probably NSW for a third team, one day in the distant future.
 
Aug 28, 2018
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Surely you’re taking the piss? The NBA is a pansy sport played over 48 minutes with 14 time outs! If you look at some you get fouled, they should be able to play every day.
The EPL is 90 minutes of passing the ball sideways and if you touch someone you get a yellow card. AFL is a brutal sport fitness wise and physicality wise. Give me a spell.

Sorry mate, agree to disagree. Didn’t mean to offend.
 

sauce_head

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 24, 2006
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Surely you’re taking the piss? The NBA is a pansy sport played over 48 minutes with 14 time outs! If you look at some you get fouled, they should be able to play every day.
The EPL is 90 minutes of passing the ball sideways and if you touch someone you get a yellow card. AFL is a brutal sport fitness wise and physicality wise. Give me a spell.
I agree. Let’s face it, if more games could be squeezed in they would be. It’s for the same reason they play so few NFL matches but so many baseball and basketball matches.

Having played thousands of basketball matches and quite a few Aussie rules, I can say categorically it’s easier to get up for a basketball match than an Aussie rules match!
 

St Muir

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The answer is very obvious. Whilst the growth of talent pool is the ideal, a better and quicker solution is moving to a 16 a side competition with 2 interchange players or even back to having 2 substitutes. That way we could have 20 teams, one of them being Tassie, without adding to the overall number of AFL players.
I’m sure it’s an old debate but maybe time to revisit? The game has become about crowding space and for long periods is a bit of a rolling maul. The AFL tried 666 and it hasn’t worked. 646 might.
 

Yawkey way

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I agree. Let’s face it, if more games could be squeezed in they would be. It’s for the same reason they play so few NFL matches but so many baseball and basketball matches.

Having played thousands of basketball matches and quite a few Aussie rules, I can say categorically it’s easier to get up for a basketball match than an Aussie rules match!
Players train several days a week, there are plenty of sports where two sessions a day are common along with cross training as well. The difference is the physical contact, the moment you add that in you can forget expanded seasons or multiple games a week.

I don’t expect any expansion in the next ten years to be honest, any change to the current makeup is far more likely to come from relocation imo.
 
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Yawkey way

Norm Smith Medallist
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I’m sure it’s an old debate but maybe time to revisit? The game has become about crowding space and for long periods is a bit of a rolling maul. The AFL tried 666 and it hasn’t worked. 646 might.
They had a 16 man game in the vfa for awhile with no wingman, personally I never liked it.

I think we have a great product a few of the changes I’ve seen have improved it. Out of bounds on the full, the centre square and tinkering to take out the thuggery and protect the ball player have all been good, the interchange was a good decision. I think from memory the 16 a side did create a lot more space but the games had the feel of inter club practice matches.
 

St Muir

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They had a 16 man game in the vfa for awhile with no wingman, personally I never liked it.

I think we have a great product a few of the changes I’ve seen have improved it. Out of bounds on the full, the centre square and tinkering to take out the thuggery and protect the ball player have all been good, the interchange was a good decision. I think from memory the 16 a side did create a lot more space but the games had the feel of inter club practice matches.
I agree there was too much space back in the VFA days but the players were much slower. The problem these days is the players have become super fit athletes and the game has become quite congested, making it difficult for skilled players to strut their stuff. I've got a bit of a longing for those bursts out of the pack, a couple of bounces & hitting the full forward, lace out on the lead, or better still space for him to leap & bring down a mark.
 
FWIW there will be no 19th or 20th team, there’s not enough population, talent nor money to go around. Re-location will be the salvation for those in Tassy and probably NSW for a third team, one day in the distant future.

you could fit a 3rd team in WA right now and i think the reason why this is suddenly on the cards from the AFL its self over the off-season is due to political maneuvering of the big 4 over in the east

they're quietly shitting them selves over how big WCE has grown. they have lions share of the market over here. 2 out of 3 WA are WCE supporters. they have a massive wait list just to get a membership. because of this they can effectively name their price at how much they charge. sponsors are lined up waiting for a shot. they have a bunch of "influencer" types from politicians to big business decision makers involved with the club.

the thinking is you introduce a 3rd WA team to erode some of that power base. football over here is like printing money when you have an AFL side. if the dockers weren't such a s**t show for so long, they'd be rolling in it like WCE.

the other big issue is the WAFC own WCE and Freo, not the AFL.
 
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