20th AFL Team

[Bjo187]

Barr is a big AFL fan. He's said before in a reddit AMA "If the AFL are financially able to support a 20th team, Canberra would be a logical choice."

I reckon Barr would be secretly ecstatic if we got a team. But he also has to remain balanced publicly, with two rugby teams and a potential A-League team, he can't be seen too much in favour of oval sports (cricket's a bit easier). He's also careful not to upset the Giants relationship. So at this stage, I can completely understand why Barr wouldn't be publicly pushing for a team.

I'm not too sure on Lee's sport policies, but it doesn't matter, Lee will never win. Would be good if she got behind it though as an election goal. It would at least put it more into the public sphere and spark more discussion.

So we need Barr still there in 2030 or so which unfortunately is a stretch.

 

[Tandy]

I don't think we will see a 20th team for 20 plus yrs if at all. Tasmania will become Dillons 'legacy' just as it was Gil's 'legacy' by announcing it (as well as COVID era). So in Dillons next 10 yrs he won't be pushing for team 20. No need to take such risks and ruin the reputation he builds. So that's 2034 with 19 teams. Keeping in mind GWS and GC will still be a huge drain on the competition even if they win flags between then. Not to mention the lowly Vic clubs. Then we get a new boss for around 2035, they'll take their time warming the seat before thinking of team 20, even though they'll be media discussion and public pressure. They'll start thinking about it in 2040 and by 2050 they'll be gone and a new replacement in charge. In 2055, with some of the heavy lifting being completed by their predecessor we may see team 20 announced or new to the competition.
Keeping in mind I'm thinking out loud and haven't thought any of this through. Cheers

 

[Canberra Pear]

So we need Barr still there in 2030 or so which unfortunately is a stretch.

Not that much of a stretch. We need change, but if he wants to stay, he probably could. I'd say the ACT is the safest premier/chief minister seat in the country.

But we just need him to get the ball rolling like Gutwein did. Getting Manuka upgraded 'for the cricket' clears a major hurdle, then the push for an AFL team becomes less expensive.

 

[Bjo187]

I don't think we will see a 20th team for 20 plus yrs if at all. Tasmania will become Dillons 'legacy' just as it was Gil's 'legacy' by announcing it (as well as COVID era). So in Dillons next 10 yrs he won't be pushing for team 20. No need to take such risks and ruin the reputation he builds. So that's 2034 with 19 teams. Keeping in mind GWS and GC will still be a huge drain on the competition even if they win flags between then. Not to mention the lowly Vic clubs. Then we get a new boss for around 2035, they'll take their time warming the seat before thinking of team 20, even though they'll be media discussion and public pressure. They'll start thinking about it in 2040 and by 2050 they'll be gone and a new replacement in charge. In 2055, with some of the heavy lifting being completed by their predecessor we may see team 20 announced or new to the competition.
Keeping in mind I'm thinking out loud and haven't thought any of this through. Cheers

I think Dillon will be a short term leader, he didn't want the gig until talked into it, not a guy that likes the limelight. If the AFL had any sense, they'd be getting in a few likely successors that they see potential in. We all know they only pick from inside AFL house, so upskilling some people internally would be smart. After all their employee budget is over 300 million per year, I'm sure they can find the money.

 

[Bjo187]

Not that much of a stretch. We need change, but if he wants to stay, he probably could. I'd say the ACT is the safest premier/chief minister seat in the country.

But we just need him to get the ball rolling like Gutwein did. Getting Manuka upgraded 'for the cricket' clears a major hurdle, then the push for an AFL team becomes less expensive.

That's good news. As seen with albo offering to fund an entire team in his favourite sport for 10 years, it's very important to have a leader in charge that is a footy fanatic when a new license comes on the table.

I reckon albo will be onto the Manuka bbl upgrade play though, so he won't contribute federal funds to it. He will realise it indirectly helps out the afl potentially getting a licence in a place he would think is 'Canberra raiders rugby league football club' territory.

 

[Canberra Pear]

That's good news. As seen with albo offering to fund an entire team in his favourite sport for 10 years, it's very important to have a leader in charge that is a footy fanatic when a new license comes on the table.

I reckon albo will be onto the Manuka bbl upgrade play though, so he won't contribute federal funds to it. He will realise it indirectly helps out the afl potentially getting a licence in a place he would think is 'Canberra raiders rugby league football club' territory.

League is definitely Albo's favourite sport, but I don't think he's particularly anti-AFL.

I'm sure his Hawthorn fandom is exaggerated a bit for the southern states, but he seems somewhat invested. The Albanese government has been very pro the Tasmanian team.

At the very least, I don't think he'd be anti-AFL enough to block a cricket stadium upgrade to spite AFL.

 

[Bjo187]

League is definitely Albo's favourite sport, but I don't think he's particularly anti-AFL.

I'm sure his Hawthorn fandom is exaggerated a bit for the southern states, but he seems somewhat invested. The Albanese government has been very pro the Tasmanian team.

At the very least, I don't think he'd be anti-AFL enough to block a cricket stadium upgrade to spite AFL.

Appreciate your opinion, but I do. He has made snide remarks about the afl going into gc and gws before and will be keen to protect his rugby league patch. It's his number 1 love in life and as per any leaguie, he sees afl as a threat. He goes out for private lunches and dinners with v'landy's all the time and even invited him to the white house for crying out loud.

 

[Walshawk]

I hear what you are saying. It’s a really tough ask - particularly since a side in that position would be off Broadway compared with the AFL side. If Aspley couldn’t/didn’t want to sustain it then an expansion side would have no chance unless they got some serious external funding from the governing body &/or business community.

In saying that. AFL Tas no longer need to fund a state league. The AFL announced a 10-year $360m funding package for Tassie last year. Potentially some funding could be allocated from that as well.

North Launceston and Launceston are not happy about going back to regional football. There’s a possibility that they might want to get involved in an initiative like this because they are genuinely concerned about losing players and it has already started, so they may be able to assist with volunteers etc.

With what I have read, VFL lists for aligned clubs can be up to 30 players:

• 15 Category A / Primary and
• 15 Category B / Development (under 22’s, NGA’s, internationals, converts from other codes).

Therefore, that’s only 15 list spots for the best players in the state who are over 22 and they’ll be competing for game selection each week against AFL-listed players as well. It’s not great - considering there’s no state league for these types of players to compete in and the next tier down is regional football.

Furthermore, all of these players would be required to relocate to Hobart. If someone from Launceston, Devonport or Burnie needs to move to Hobart to try and play at a decent level (with only limited opportunities on offer) then they’ll might as well relocate to Adelaide, GC or Melbourne?

Standalone clubs can have 28 Category A and 12 Category B, so my rationale is to provide an extra 40 spots. I hope they have some kind of a plan in place for this issue or we’ll be bleeding talent in a huge way. Particularly from the North of the state, and long term this will have a domino effect on the quality of footy at all levels.

FYI, Southport have just signed up Hugh Dixon - that brings them to a total of 6 ex-Tasmanians on their list and that’s just one club!

So give one of the Launceston teams the nod? Which one? What happens to the other one? They would lose ALL of their best players not just a handful. How do you think a team made up of players from Nth Tasmania go against Devils reserves topped up with the best Hobart players? Or Box Hill or Casey? The reality is that they would be permanently down the bottom of the ladder with Coburg, Preston and Frankston. Plus 21 teams is already unwieldly. 23 is ridiculous.
A second tier of footy would be great but if anything the move will be to reduce the number of stand alone VFL clubs, not increase.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Appreciate your opinion, but I do. He has made snide remarks about the afl going into gc and gws before and will be keen to protect his rugby league patch. It's his number 1 love in life and as per any leaguie, he sees afl as a threat. He goes out for private lunches and dinners with v'landy's all the time and even invited him to the white house for crying out loud.

And I also appreciate your opinion, but half of AFL fans have made snide remarks about GC and GWS, probably an even higher percentage on bigfooty. What kind of remarks has Albo made?

He absolutely does love league, there's no denying it, it's clearly his first love. But as far as prime ministers go, he seems to follow AFL more than any other since Gillard. He's gone down to see the Hawks premierships at least twice. I know it's not on a rugby league patch, but $240m to fund Hobart is also huge.

So, absolutely, Albo is a pro-rugby league first and foremost. But I disagree that he would deny funding for a cricket stadium because of the second-hand benefit to AFL.

 

[Rob]

A vast majority of politicians, whilst claiming to be hard core fans of one sport or another, don't particularly give a shit. They're not as parochial as we are on bigfooty, league unlimited, or any other forum. They're certainly not going to spend hundreds of millions because they are true devotees.

They care about votes and schmoozing with the right people.

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

So give one of the Launceston teams the nod? Which one? What happens to the other one? They would lose ALL of their best players not just a handful. How do you think a team made up of players from Nth Tasmania go against Devils reserves topped up with the best Hobart players? Or Box Hill or Casey? The reality is that they would be permanently down the bottom of the ladder with Coburg, Preston and Frankston. Plus 21 teams is already unwieldly. 23 is ridiculous.
A second tier of footy would be great but if anything the move will be to reduce the number of stand alone VFL clubs, not increase.

I think that in time there could be changes in this space. We continue to hear stories about a future national AFL reserves competition. That would be the impetus to create some changes within the VFL system because the current model is broken with some of those clubs like you mentioned. If AFL reserves come in then state leagues will become third tier. Tassie won't even have a third tier though, so that's the predicament they could find themselves in. How would players go from playing fourth tier (regional football) to being a reserves listed player with the Devils? It would be one hell of a jump.

 

[Canberra Pear]

I think that in time there could be changes in this space. We continue to hear stories about a future national AFL reserves competition. That would be the impetus to create some changes within the VFL system because the current model is broken with some of those clubs like you mentioned. If AFL reserves come in then state leagues will become third tier. Tassie won't even have a third tier though, so that's the predicament they could find themselves in. How would players go from playing fourth tier (regional football) to being a VFL listed player with the Devils? It would be one hell of a jump.

I just assumed Tasmania would also have a team in the VFL. So a team in the AFL, Reserves, then a third team in the VFL.

 

[Bjo187]

And I also appreciate your opinion, but half of AFL fans have made snide remarks about GC and GWS, probably an even higher percentage on bigfooty. What kind of remarks has Albo made?

He absolutely does love league, there's no denying it, it's clearly his first love. But as far as prime ministers go, he seems to follow AFL more than any other since Gillard. He's gone down to see the Hawks premierships at least twice. I know it's not on a rugby league patch, but $240m to fund Hobart is also huge.

So, absolutely, Albo is a pro-rugby league first and foremost. But I disagree that he would deny funding for a cricket stadium because of the second-hand benefit to AFL.

It was something along the lines of he thinks they made a mistake and should have stuck to afl heartlands and gone to Tasmania instead of gws and gc. It shows the typical league fan bitterness and fear of afl going into nsw and qld.

Also the funding, he tried to squeeze as much money outta the afl as possible 'we want the afl to make a bigger commitment". Then he offers 600 mil for an overseas nrl side.

I just felt he was trying to even up the ledger after the afl spanked the nrl in the tv rights deal. Funnily enough 600 mil is the difference between the 2 sports tv deal over the 3 years 2025 to 27. So he is effectively giving the nrl a new team for free, but they actually make money off that extra game. On the other hand, the afl were forced to tip in 15 mill for the tassie stadium and make an over 300 mill monetary commitment to a new team in Tasmania.

Effectively what the result is, the afl aren't going into rugby league states again, instead they're going into Tasmania, the afl have to put their hand in their pocket for the stadium to get his funding (something no other sport in the country does) and the afl have to spend hundreds of millions on a new team. Where as the nrl have to spend nothing and actually make money off extra games being sold to tv networks at the same time.

It basically eradicates the massive monetary advantage the afl had over those 3 years on the nrl. So yes, the whole thing definitely helps out his favourite sport and favourite person Peter Vlandy's.

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

I just assumed Tasmania would also have a team in the VFL. So a team in the AFL, Reserves, then a third team in the VFL.

Tasmania will be entering the VFL in 2026, two years before the AFL team launches. However, if the national reserve comp occurs and state leagues become third tier, then the Tas VFL team would play up in the national reserves. Are you suggesting that the Devils should also have a ‘thirds’ side that compete in a theoretical third tier VFL?

That would certainly be a different pyramid to every other AFL club. Also, would all of these third tier players be required to relocate to Hobart to play for said VFL club? No one has received any plans yet, let alone answers to these types of questions.

There has been nothing announced by AFL Tas yet about what would underpin a VFL side except that they want three really strong regional comps (a new SFL premier div - Hobart, a NTFA premier div - Launnie and NWFL continuing as it has - North West).

It’s all well and good for footy in the South because the SFL premier league will comprise the 5 current state league clubs + Brighton. In the North of the state, it’s more complex. NTFA premier will consist of Launceston and North Launceston + four yet to be determined NTFA clubs who will be promoted to the top division. The NWFL has 8 clubs, none of which have been in the state league since Devonport and Burnie both dropped out around 2018.

I don’t know how all three regions are supposed to magically develop elite-level comps when even the TSL was already a lower standard than the state leagues from the big 3 states. In saying that it’s going to be easier for the South since their premier division clubs will be all coming fresh out of the state league (bar one).

Also, no one knows what the plan is to cater for those who want to play at a standard above regional football. If there is no plan, then we’ll lose plenty more to the SANFL, WAFL, Southport etc. The exodus has already started, since plenty of TSL players have jumped ship instead of playing the final state league season in 2024. It’s no surprise that North Launnie and Launnie have been particularly impacted already and both clubs have been outspoken in the media about this and called out AFL Tas.

Anyway, well off topic for this thread. Only went down this path because someone asked about a theoretical second Tasmanian AFL side and ended up here haha.

 

[BigChippa52]

After South, Devonport and Burnie all left the TSL, it was always destined for failure because it stopped being a genuine state wide comp.

yep when I did designs for it, I made more teams to even it out one thing I didn't like was that the Hobart tigers wern't in the TSL either, hope it comes back some day even with sandy bay

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

yep when I did designs for it, I made more teams to even it out one thing I didn't like was that the Hobart tigers wern't in the TSL either, hope it comes back some day even with sandy bay

The Hobart Tigers started in the TSL. However, after a few years when AFL Tas wanted to bring in Kingborough, they said that a southern team has to make way. In their wisdom AFL Tas said they only want one club in the Hobart CC area and proposed a merger between North Hobart and Hobart.

In the end Hobart decided to withdraw from the merger before it proceeded, to drop back to the SFL. Now they are struggling for numbers and are at risk of folding. A sad state of affairs but indicative of how footy has been mismanaged in the state for so long.

 

[BigChippa52]

The Hobart Tigers started in the TSL. However, after a few years when AFL Tas wanted to bring in Kingborough, they said that a southern team has to make way. In their wisdom AFL Tas said they only want one club in the Hobart CC area and proposed a merger between North Hobart and Hobart.

In the end Hobart decided to withdraw from the merger before it proceeded, to drop back to the SFL. Now they are struggling for numbers and are at risk of folding. A sad state of affairs but indicative of how footy has been mismanaged in the state for so long.

sad to hear hope they can get more numbers

 

[Walshawk]

It was something along the lines of he thinks they made a mistake and should have stuck to afl heartlands and gone to Tasmania instead of gws and gc. It shows the typical league fan bitterness and fear of afl going into nsw and qld.

Also the funding, he tried to squeeze as much money outta the afl as possible 'we want the afl to make a bigger commitment". Then he offers 600 mil for an overseas nrl side.

I just felt he was trying to even up the ledger after the afl spanked the nrl in the tv rights deal. Funnily enough 600 mil is the difference between the 2 sports tv deal over the 3 years 2025 to 27. So he is effectively giving the nrl a new team for free, but they actually make money off that extra game. On the other hand, the afl were forced to tip in 15 mill for the tassie stadium and make an over 300 mill monetary commitment to a new team in Tasmania.

Effectively what the result is, the afl aren't going into rugby league states again, instead they're going into Tasmania, the afl have to put their hand in their pocket for the stadium to get his funding (something no other sport in the country does) and the afl have to spend hundreds of millions on a new team. Where as the nrl have to spend nothing and actually make money off extra games being sold to tv networks at the same time.

It basically eradicates the massive monetary advantage the afl had over those 3 years on the nrl. So yes, the whole thing definitely helps out his favourite sport and favourite person Peter Vlandy's.

Don’t worry. The NRL is not stupid enough to start a team in PNG.

 

[Bjo187]

Don’t worry. The NRL is not stupid enough to start a team in PNG.

Why not, there is zero risk if you're not paying a cent towards it.

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

I hope the NRL do go in to PNG, because it will essentially be a signal that they’ve resigned themselves to remaining an Eastern seaboard and Pacific competition. They actually need PNG because their participation rates (even in their heartland states) indicates that they have impending issues with their limited player pool.

Despite the difficulties in doing so, expanding to PNG, NZ and the Pacific etc will likely be important for the future of their sport because NSW and QLD alone aren’t producing enough talent to fill all their own clubs + Melbourne and theoretically, clubs in WA and SA as well.

I reckon that’s why Perth has fallen out of favour because the NRL realise they will hardly have any locals capable of playing at the elite level and they’ll be pushing it up hill to convince many West Aussies into playing league ahead of Aussie Rules.

 

[Walshawk]

Why not, there is zero risk if you're not paying a cent towards it.

You think having a team in a corrupt, dangerous and very poor third world country has zero risk? Very little to be gained as well. It would be a disaster on and off the field.

 

[Bjo187]

You think having a team in a corrupt, dangerous and very poor third world country has zero risk? Very little to be gained as well. It would be a disaster on and off the field.

If it's being paid for exclusively by the Aussie taxpayer, what's the risk? The gains are getting more people to play a sport barely anybody plays these days, plus access to a population of 11 million people following your sporting competition.

 

[Rob]

If it's being paid for exclusively by the Aussie taxpayer, what's the risk? The gains are getting more people to play a sport barely anybody plays these days, plus access to a population of 11 million people following your sporting competition.

You're just looking at it financially.

It could end up being a totally uncompetitive team where nobody wants to play. That's not good for the NRL or rugby league in PNG.

 

[Aussie in exile]

You're just looking at it financially.

It could end up being a totally uncompetitive team where nobody wants to play. That's not good for the NRL or rugby league in PNG.

I think that the NRL will make it competitive with the signings they let the team make.

 

[Bjo187]

You're just looking at it financially.

It could end up being a totally uncompetitive team where nobody wants to play. That's not good for the NRL or rugby league in PNG.

That's why albo is pouring tens of millions of taxpayer dollars into setting up development academies there. They already produce a few players, it should be a production line with the money old mate is throwing at it. If an AFL club had the same money being thrown at their nga's it would become a footy factory for clubs.