Expansion 20th AFL team location

[Do the Dew]

Okay then,

the Eredivisie has 18 clubs for a population of around 17 million.

the Premiera Liga has 18 clubs for a population of around 10 million.

the Pro League has 18 clubs for a population of around 12 million.

They are the 6th, 7th and 8th strongest football leagues in Europe (according to EUFA coefficients).

They're all tiny countries though compared to Australia, thus with far higher population densities. We could swallow the entirety of western Europe with room to spare. European countries tend to also have a bunch of major cities with soccer teams attached to each, sometimes multiple.

Comparing apples and oranges.

 

[amazingjoshy]

Joondalup is like 20-30kms from Perth CBD. It's a part of the Perth metro area which has like 2 million people. I'd think it's gonna do alright. Big challenge is pulling away some fans from West Coast and Fremantle.

Joondalup will not work imo, noone will support it, theres no attachment or football tradition there for anyone to jump on.
.

 

[kranger]

For anyone saying NT, here is a study on how an NT team would fair…

https://www.aflnt.com.au/sites/default/files/uploads/NT%20AFL%20Team%20Scoping%20Report.pdf

 

[Seedsfan]

No 20th team.

Instead get Melbourne teams to play home games against non-Vic teams at the secondary markets that will never get it’s own team.

• Collingwood vs Gold Coast in Cairns
• Essendon vs Brisbane in Sunshine Coast
• Carlton vs GWS in Wollongong
• Richmond vs Sydney in Newcastle
• St Kilda vs Tasmania in Albury
• Melbourne vs Freo in Darwin
• Melbourne vs West Coast in Alice Springs
• Bulldogs vs Adelaide in Ballarat
• Bulldogs 2nd vs Port in Ballarat 2nd
• Hawks vs Tasmania in Launceston
• Kangaroos vs Tasmania in Hobart

The QLD and NSW teams get games in other cities in their state for greater exposure.

Melbourne has two NT games both against WA teams as they are the shortest flights for them.

Bulldogs get 2 games in Ballarat against the SA teams since they are somewhat close.

TAS get to have extra games in their stadiums as a good will gesture to fill out the event calendar and as they don’t get to have a derby. Also Hawks and Roos get to keep some attachment to where they are currently playing.

Geelong just keep on playing in Geelong.

And that basically covers everyone off.

The only changes might be for Melbourne to get both NT games, and St Kilda to play a game in Albury against Tasmania.

Cheers champ, always great to start the morning off with a laugh

 

[kranger]

When Perth was founded in 1829, there were three settlements along the Swan River. Perth (administration centre), Fremantle (the port 15km to the south west of Perth) and Guildford (agriculture hub 10km to the north east of Perth).

In 1889 the Fremantle to Guildford railway was opened, which followed the northern shore of the Swan Rover via Perth.

Whilst Perth and Fremantle grew, Guildford was overtaken by Midland as the important agricultural hub, as it had the railway workshops and the livestock yards.

Both Freo and Guildford are renowned for their history and identity, but are now just suburbs of the larger Perth metropolitan area.

Guildford is often thought as the gateway to the Swan Valley wine region, which are all in the local government of the City of Swan and is associated the Swan District region (with the name used for WAFL team, baseball club, hospital, gymnastic group etc).

Midland is also the administrative centre for the City of Swan, but also the regional hub for the northern portion of the Perth Hills being the City of Kalamunda and Shire of Mundaring. This is all an Aussie Rules mad area.

Fremantle has two current WAFL clubs and has an AFL team. Perth has three named WAFL clubs. Guildford neighbours onto Bassendean (originally known as West Guildford)which is the home of WAFL club Swan Districts, and the other big neighbour of Midland had the now defunct Midland Junction WAFL club.

So a suggestion for a WA3 team is ‘Guildford’, with a training facility at Bassendean Oval, playing out of Perth Stadium.

 

[peetoo]

Compare the population of England (and Wales I guess), France, Italy and Spain to Australia though.

England - 56 mill
France - 67 mill
Italy - 59 mill
Spain - 47 mill
Australia - 26 mill

After epl. There’s lots of half empty stadiums for games in England these days

 

[Blackhawk42]

Canberra makes the most sense, with the reach South through the entire Riverina offering something quite enticing. The odd home games in Wagga and Albury would be realistic and absolutely ram home the strength of the Barassi line.

However, the AFL has backed themselves into a corner setting the ACT up as the Giants secondary market. They do quite well there so I don't see how they would ever realistically change it.

 

[Couch Coach]

Ireland - Away fan trips would be great.

Conor Nash

11

Conor Nash

Age

27

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198cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.7

2star

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3.9

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4.8

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2.0

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3.1

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0.3

2star

No current season stats available

D

8.4

3star

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4.2

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.4

3star

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4.0

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0.2

2star

(Hawthorn), Mark O’Connor (Geelong), Conor McKenna (Brisbane), Callum Brown (GWS Giants), James Madden (Brisbane), Mark Keane (Adelaide), Darragh Joyce

41

Darragh Joyce

Age

28

Ht

195cm

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96kg

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11.4

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6.8

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4.6

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1.8

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1.4

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207.6

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No current season stats available

D

11.4

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K

6.8

3star

HB

4.6

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

1.4

4star

MG

207.6

4star

(Brisbane), Barry O’Connor (GWS Giants).

 

[JPetro83]

They should be working on how to keep it at 18 teams.... 20 teams... far out. way too many. If they want to keep Gold Coast then merge North Melb with them. the more teams we get the more and more our comp will start to adopt the American way of things i.e lame conferences, wildcard rounds etc etc.

 

[LordLucifer]

NT is my choice with TIO Stadium having a roof

So many people keep blathering on about the NT but conveniently seem to forget that they play their seasons the other way around to the rest of the country.

Right now, it is cricket season up there, when its cricket season elsewhere they play footy.

Its due to the dry & the wet seasons.

NT is not a viable option and never ever will be regardless of how many players it produces.

 

[random260]

Joondalup will not work imo, noone will support it, theres no attachment or football tradition there for anyone to jump on.
.

Agreed. But I think those saying a random bumble**** suburb in Perth. Well it's not going to work might as well pull out Gosnell/Kwinana if we go that root.

For me it's Perth or bust. Also western/country Perth is not as fanatical as western Sydney

 

[Dirty Bird]

They really couldn’t Port was struggling financially only a few years ago

But the way Port markets itself (Us against the world) no one would be flipping from them.

Their support would remain the same.

A 3rd SA team would rip into the Crows.

I can see from a fan perspective, a 3rd SA team being better supported than a 3rd WA. But commercial support is greater in WA.

 

[LordLucifer]

NEW START UP ENTITIES
20. Canberra
21. Northern Sydney
22. North Brisbane

END RESULT
22 teams
21 round season (play each other once)
Final 10
12 non-finalists receive a bonus pre-first round draft pick



RELOCATION OPTIONS
Sunshine Coast (355K)
Illawarra (393K)
Central Coast (340K) or Newcastle (682K)

 

[LordLucifer]

Joondalup is like 20-30kms from Perth CBD. It's a part of the Perth metro area which has like 2 million people. I'd think it's gonna do alright. Big challenge is pulling away some fans from West Coast and Fremantle.

"like" ???

Hate the ****ing overuse of that word these days !!!

 

[Great8]

I could definitely see that working. maybe a Norwood/ Sturt JV based at the Parade? Ready-made old school class rivalry with Port, though you’d get a lot of conflicted Adelaide fans.
Canberra’s my preference though..

Norwood won’t happen, that ship has long sailed. As a lifelong Norwood member with family ties to the club I can tell you that the interest just isn’t there anymore and Norwood would only consider it if it was on their terms which means it won’t happen

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Perth makes most sense. Fish where the fish are and we know that when WCE are flying, they will have 30k odd missing out on a ticket.

Canberra is the next best but surely the ACT government will have to commit some $ to a facility upgrade.

Will Perth supporters really ditch the Eagles just because they can't get a ticket? I can't imagine Collingwood or Richmond supporters jumping ship to North or Dogs because they can't get tickets to games.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

One team in Hobart, one in Launceston. Instant rivalry. Problem solved

 

[Seedsfan]

But the way Port markets itself (Us against the world) no one would be flipping from them.

Their support would remain the same.

A 3rd SA team would rip into the Crows.

I can see from a fan perspective, a 3rd SA team being better supported than a 3rd WA. But commercial support is greater in WA.

How many crows fans would switch? 10% or 20? It’s not enough to sustain a third club

 

[Adz2332]

Argh the talent pool is already to diluted as is. no need for a 20th team.

Merge kangas and GC back to 18.

 

[Fire]

way too many. If they want to keep Gold Coast then merge North Melb with them.

Your idea was fresh 15 years ago.

 

[NorthernBastard]

remove a team or teams and improve the overall standard - too many list cloggers already!

(I'm sure this won't happen, as the league will want more money, which comes from more matches)

 

[Adz2332]

Your idea was fresh 15 years ago.

but still valid

 

[Seedsfan]

but still valid

In what way? North maybe shit on field but can actually stand on their own two feet off the field

 

[Consolaçao]

They're all tiny countries though compared to Australia, thus with far higher population densities. We could swallow the entirety of western Europe with room to spare. European countries tend to also have a bunch of major cities with soccer teams attached to each, sometimes multiple.

Comparing apples and oranges.

So which sparsely populated island continent should we be comparing ourselves to?

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Joondalup will not work imo, noone will support it, theres no attachment or football tradition there for anyone to jump on.
.

They will if it's the West Perth football Club. I agree if it's a new franchise then it will struggle.