Expansion Proposals for a Truly National AFL

[terrybull]

24 teams?
So how many games does each team play per season?
Seems strange.

23 games + Finals and Playoffs

 

[Tonatopia]

23 games + Finals and Playoffs

And by having 24 teams, the gap between the best team and worst team (1st v 24th) would be vast. Why create such desparity and boring games.

Also, with 24 teams, there would be plenty of meaningless games (dead rubbers) for club's positioned say 12th to 20th.

And furthermore, with 24 teams per division, and only 1 premier, you are creating a system where on average, a club will win a premiership ever 24 years.

All of these considerations is why I opted for 12 teams per division.

And the notion of 23 games per season is just silly, considering our historical tradition of 22 games per season and it is only fair that matches are played, home and away, giving further support for 12 teams per division.

 

[Tonatopia]

Here is further evidence that regional football team in Shepparton and Albury Wodonga would compete at a high level, and therefore attract audiences and sponsorships. Check out some of the players drafted from the Murray Bushrangers;

Steven Tingay
John Longmire
Daniel Bradshaw
Anthony Stevens
Fraser Gehrig
Barry Hall
Adem Yze
Clayton Oliver
Jy Simpkin
Steven King
Ben Mathews
Rory Hilton
Adam Houlihan
David Teague
Glen Bowyer
Michael Stevens
Aaron Henneman
Josh Fraser
Ryan Houlihan
Kayne Pettifer
Chris Hyde
Justin Koschitzke
Jarrad Waite
Daniel Cross
Steve Johnson
Shannon Byrnes
Tom Lonergan
Mark McGough
Hamish Mcintosh
David Mundy
Brett Deledio
Alipate Carlile
Sam Rowe
Jarrod Harbrow
Ben McEvoy
Steel Sidebottom
Jonaton Ceglar
Jack Ziebell
Taylor Duryea
Sam Reid
Jamie Elliot
Shaun Atley
Matthew Taberner
Jack Crisp
Tom Clurey
Zac Williams
Jarman Impey
Dougal Howard
Josh Schache
Esava Ratugolea
Charlie Spargo
Lachie Ash

 

[Tonatopia]

to those that scoffed at the suggestion that Geraldton could not compete in a national divisional league, then please look at the attached article from the Age, published 10 years ago, before the Fyffe/Cripps era;

Midwest production line WA's best

When it comes to producing young AFL talent, Geraldton and the mid-west beats the rest of the state - and statistics prove it.

www.theage.com.au

Players from the Midwest included;
Fyffe
Cripps
O'Meara
Jack Martin
Josh Kennedy
Paul Haselby
Harry Taylor
Chris Mainwaring
Murray Wrenstead
Graham Polak
Troy Cook
Daniel Chick
Jaydon Schofield

WA's top five draftee production regions (1998 to 2010):
Midwest – 15 draftees – 11.04 draftees per male aged 13-18 – 18.73 draftees per 1000 male players aged 13-18
East Fremantle – 28 – 2.86 – 18.43
Wheatbelt – 13 - 10.38 – 18.38
Subiaco – 17 – 5.48 – 15.50
Great Southern – 12 – 5.38 – 14.23

 

[Tonatopia]

All these reports are useless, if they dont address the future structure of the league, that being, an open, divisional model.

If Darwin had their own team, and a new stadium, potentially with a roof, you would expect 15,000 per game, which should be enough to sustain a Div2 side, and push for Div1 contention.

Check out the crowds for the All Stars games below;


And in a Divisional format, there is no reason that a team from the red centre could not participate, such as the Alice Springs All-Stars, co-sponsored by NIAA, and possibly owned by a Philiansthropist, such as Twiggy Forrester. You would expect 10,000 per game at Traeger Park based on the game below;

 

[Kwality]

to those that scoffed at the suggestion that Geraldton could not compete in a national divisional league, then please look at the attached article from the Age, published 10 years ago, before the Fyffe/Cripps era;

Midwest production line WA's best

When it comes to producing young AFL talent, Geraldton and the mid-west beats the rest of the state - and statistics prove it.

www.theage.com.au

Players from the Midwest included;
Fyffe
Cripps
O'Meara
Jack Martin
Josh Kennedy
Paul Haselby
Harry Taylor
Chris Mainwaring
Murray Wrenstead
Graham Polak
Troy Cook
Daniel Chick
Jaydon Schofield

WA's top five draftee production regions (1998 to 2010):
Midwest – 15 draftees – 11.04 draftees per male aged 13-18 – 18.73 draftees per 1000 male players aged 13-18
East Fremantle – 28 – 2.86 – 18.43
Wheatbelt – 13 - 10.38 – 18.38
Subiaco – 17 – 5.48 – 15.50
Great Southern – 12 – 5.38 – 14.23

Any follower of WA footy knows the value in the bush, its not new.

 

[RedV3x]

Any follower of WA footy knows the value in the bush, its not new.

Especially WAFL clubs that would be horrified to lose their recruiting zones.
That's why the WAFL doesn't have a Kalgoorlie or a Bunbury side.

 

[RedV3x]

If Darwin had their own team, and a new stadium, potentially with a roof, you would expect 15,000 per game,

At AFL one-off games.
To get 13,000 regularly to a game would require 10% of the population of Darwin to turn up.
Do you think that is feasible ?

 

[Kwality]

Especially WAFL clubs that would be horrified to lose their recruiting zones.
That's why the WAFL doesn't have a Kalgoorlie or a Bunbury side.

It didnt suddenly start happening when the WAFL zoned the bush.

 

[Tonatopia]

At AFL one-off games.
To get 13,000 regularly to a game would require 10% of the population of Darwin to turn up.
Do you think that is feasible ?

Those stats proves that it is sustainable in Darwin. How is the GreenBay Packers sustainable? How is Geelong Sustainable? I think you are too pessimistic.

 

[RedV3x]

Those stats proves that......

Darwin likes one-off AFL games.

To get 13,000 regularly to a game would require 10% of the population of Darwin to turn up.
Do you think that is feasible ?

 

[RedV3x]

It didnt suddenly start happening when the WAFL zoned the bush.

When was that ?

 

[Kwality]

When was that ?

Early to mid 70s?

 

[terrybull]

And by having 24 teams, the gap between the best team and worst team (1st v 24th) would be vast. Why create such desparity and boring games.

Also, with 24 teams, there would be plenty of meaningless games (dead rubbers) for club's positioned say 12th to 20th.

And furthermore, with 24 teams per division, and only 1 premier, you are creating a system where on average, a club will win a premiership ever 24 years.

All of these considerations is why I opted for 12 teams per division.

And the notion of 23 games per season is just silly, considering our historical tradition of 22 games per season and it is only fair that matches are played, home and away, giving further support for 12 teams per division.

ok ok forget the 24 teams and put in 12 or whatever you desire. That was not my point.

The point I was trying to make is how the divisions are structured.

 

[terrybull]

check out the report Im sending to politicians, clubs and media.

thanks Bigfooty for refining my proposal.
I wont stop with this, because I know it is the future for our game. I can see it.

Take out the International teams in the report and you will be taken a little bit more serious.

Not even soccer has an International League. Heck not even Europe has one, though some stronger clubs did try a break-away and failed.

 

[Tonatopia]

Take out the International teams in the report and you will be taken a little bit more serious.
Not even soccer has an International League. Heck not even Europe has one, though some stronger clubs did try a break-away and failed.

And if an international side wants to join?
Then what?

Lets start easy for you, and say a privateer from Auckland want to field a team in div 4, and has a $10M budget allocated.

 

[terrybull]

And if an international side wants to join?
Then what?

Lets start easy for you, and say a privateer from Auckland want to field a team in div 4, and has a $10M budget allocated.

You need to take on step at a time. The most important point for you to get through is the divisions and free market. Worrry about that getting accepted first.

Even Hitler didn’t try to invade the whole world in one step…

 

[RedV3x]

And if an international side wants to join?

The AFL was seriously working towards an AFL side in Auckland.

 

[RedV3x]

Not even soccer has an International League.

There are a number of international Australian Rules Football competitions in Europe.

 

[Tonatopia]

The AFL was seriously working towards an AFL side in Auckland.

The easiest way to get international sides join the AFL, is to just open up the league. Although, this can only be done on a divisional format.
Its not that difficult to comprehend.

 

[terrybull]

There are a number of international Australian Rules Football competitions in Europe.

Geez… I didn’t know that.
I starred the first team in Sweden in 1993

But there is no way a current International side could compete with an Australian.

And as I said it’s a very huge ask of having an International AFL when even soccer hasn’t pulled this off.

 

[terrybull]

The easiest way to get international sides join the AFL, is to just open up the league. Although, this can only be done on a divisional format.
Its not that difficult to comprehend.

Why can it only be done by a divisional format? That’s a insane statement. If the AFL want a team in Auckland and pump money in the project then it can be done regardless of the competition format.

 

[Tonatopia]

Why can it only be done by a divisional format? That’s a insane statement. If the AFL want a team in Auckland and pump money in the project then it can be done regardless of the competition format.

then what happens if it is a success, and then Wellington want a team?
And so on.

Think long term, and understand we have the most dynamic full contact football code on earth.

 

[RedV3x]

The easiest way to get international sides join the AFL, is to just open up the league.

The league is open to any entity who support a team.

Although, this can only be done on a divisional format.

It would be hard to achieve and almost impossible with a divisional structure.

Its not that difficult to comprehend.

Its not that difficult to comprehend that there is no money to support a divisional structure.

 

[RedV3x]

then what happens if it is a success, and then Wellington want a team?
And so on.

That would mean Auckland has been a success.
What possible problem could there be ?