I think there is a bit of miscommunication here, that last thing that you said is what I'm advocating for anyway (to a certain degree). The current main problem with the VFL is thats its suffering from relevance deprivation, I mean really, what is the point of the VFL, at least with this league it would revert old rules back and restrict the coaches, and hope for an older style of game play, and market it as that. It would have a point so to say, the VFL lives off something it used to be.
Old rules? Like what, bring back the biff?
The VFL was popular in Victoria because it was the best league in Victoria. The SANFL and WAFL were popular for similar reasons.
When the AFL became the best league in Victoria (and WA and SA), the appetite for regional state footy completely evaporated. No amount of rule changes is going to reverse that.