Expansion 3rd Western Australian club

Aug 14, 2011
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Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
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Not bad summation on the original West Coast squad. At the time in 1987 somewhere around 60 WAFL players had moved to other vfl teams and there was a limit of four VFL recruits allowed by the vfl so the Eagles were left with the best of the overlooked WAFL talent to use and it took a bit of visionary thinking by second coach John Todd to get ahead of the curve and start recruiting the best 17 and 18 year olds ..Before that vfl talent scouts were not interested in recruiting future prospects ,they were mostly interested in seasoned more mature players that were proven at WAFL level and could come in as an instant player
Remembering Jako played Origin footy before he was on AFL list.
 
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
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West Coast
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Mclaren Mercedes F1
Not bad summation on the original West Coast squad. At the time in 1987 somewhere around 60 WAFL players had moved to other vfl teams and there was a limit of four VFL recruits allowed by the vfl so the Eagles were left with the best of the overlooked WAFL talent to use and it took a bit of visionary thinking by second coach John Todd to get ahead of the curve and start recruiting the best 17 and 18 year olds ..Before that vfl talent scouts were not interested in recruiting future prospects ,they were mostly interested in seasoned more mature players that were proven at WAFL level and could come in as an instant player
VFL clubs had a long history of taking kids before they got to WAFL footy, e.g Alec Epis, Gabo
 

RedV3x

It's about time some mods started being fair
Dec 14, 2015
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It's about time some mods started being fair
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Fremantle
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
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Mclaren Mercedes F1
We could increase the standard of WAFL footy by bringing in more teams and improving distribution.



it would increase crowds if regional centres were included.



it would increase development if regional centres were included.
Stretching what is top level footy does not do anything for the game.
 
Apr 25, 2012
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stirling senators
VFL clubs had a long history of taking kids before they got to WAFL footy, e.g Alec Epis, Gabo
Very few and the ones they took at age 17,18 were absolute standouts like Steve McCann .
Mostly they went for immediate top talent to bolster their team in the very comparative VFL and bring in the fans .That was more the mentality
 

RedV3x

It's about time some mods started being fair
Dec 14, 2015
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Indeed it has & the bottom end of the talent pool is a testament to that expansion, just as it would for WAFL footy.

There is no evidence to back to that statement.
There is no evidence that the standard of players has dropped - just the opposite, the way teams move the ball arounf.
 

Royalbeagle

Team Captain
Jun 11, 2019
311
358
AFL Club
West Coast
AFL is currently trying to develop an AFL national ‘reserves’ completion and in doing so further relegate the WAFL and SANFL to 3rd tier competitions. The next step in total control of the game (exemplified by how Australian Rules Football has become ‘AFL’).
Something needs to be done to prevent this from happening. If they are serious about the game and not just their brand they will acknowledge the heritage of the two great state leagues and combine and nationalise them. Bloody VFL.
 

RedV3x

It's about time some mods started being fair
Dec 14, 2015
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1,586
It's about time some mods started being fair
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AFL is currently trying to develop an AFL national ‘reserves’ completion and in doing so further relegate the WAFL and SANFL to 3rd tier competitions. The next step in total control of the game (exemplified by how Australian Rules Football has become ‘AFL’).
Something needs to be done to prevent this from happening. If they are serious about the game and not just their brand they will acknowledge the heritage of the two great state leagues and combine and nationalise them. Bloody VFL.

Totally agree.
The AFL initially disbanded the reserves as an unnecessary cost.
The AFL has allowed the old VFL clubs to manipulate the system to effectively regain reserves.
The AFL has to recognise that the AFL is a NATIONAL competition.
It has a duty to operate all clubs under the same conditions (as much as possible)
That means no reserves teams. Covid has shown that teams can exist on a lot less padding.
Get back to the original concept of no reserves teams AND strong state leagues.
FFS, has the AFL no pride in the history of the state leagues.
 
Last edited:
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Mclaren Mercedes F1
Totally agree.
The AFL initially disbanded the reserves as an unnecessary cost.
The AFL has allowed the old VFL clubs to manipulate the system to effectively regain reserves.
The AFL has to recognise that the AFL is a NATIONAL competition.
It has a duty to operate all clubs under the same conditions (as much as possible)
That means no reserves teams. Covis has shown that teams can exist on a lot less padding.
Get back to the original concept of no reserves teams AND strong state leagues.
FFS, has the AFL no pride in the history of the state leagues.

You only have to look at the roundabouts in the Victoria 2nd level since the AFL took over the game. Clubs in & out, affiliations ever changing.
The AFL have failed 2nd tier footy wherever they have been involved & no one is prepared to take them on.
An AFL reserves comp is a fix designed to push the problem off its plate.
Not sure many supporters of Vic footy (not simply a club) could see the AFL involvement in the local game as good for footy over the old firsts, seconds, thirds set up.
 

shammersting

Team Captain
Apr 1, 2006
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I would say give Perth two new teams. Peel and Joondalup. Both teams would play games against West Coast, Freo and each other at Optus, but all other teams at their own localised ground.

This gives Freo and West Coast two less trips to the east coast each and Optus Stadium gets 6 more games. Perth gets two new 25,000 seat stadiums within walking distance of existing train stations. Perth would have two games a week, which gives the AFL more flexibility to have late broadcasting time slots (such as Sunday nights into the east coast), which more teams on the east coast can not provide.

Peel, based at an upgraded Rushton Park similar to Carrara Stadium. The Peel region consists of the local governments of:

City of Mandurah;
Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale;
Shire of Boddington;
Shire of Murray;
Shire of Waroona;

For a total population of 140,000: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peel_(Western_Australia)

It is considered to have a separate identity to Perth, and in a straight line is the same distance from Perth, as Geelong is from Melbourne.

The City of Rockingham is located between the Shire of Serpentine-Jarrahdale and the coast, abutting the City of Mandurah’s northern boundary. So let’s add their population of 140,000, giving a total of 280,000 for this new AFL team, which is the same as Geelong.

This Peel team could also tap into the south-west of WA, since Bunbury is only a 75min drive from Rushton Park, compared to 110min to Optus Stadium.


Joondalup, based at an upgraded Joondalup Arena similar to the Sydney Showgrounds Stadium. Joondalup Arena is 25km north of Perth CBD in a straight line, which is a slightly longer distance than it is from the MCG to Waverley Park.

Joondalup is thought to be the CBD for Perth’s northern suburbs, with a large economic hub, including WA’s largest shopping centre, a police academy and a university campus, amongst other things.

The local government area of the City of Joondalup has a population of 160,000, with the neighbouring City of Wanneroo (from which Joondalup actually split from) has a population of 200,000 for a total of 360,000.

The City of Wanneroo also takes in the development areas of Yanchep and East Wanneroo, both of which are expected to have populations of over 150,000 each in the next several decades.
I don't know the logistics of Perth but would a Northern Perth name work for that area?
 

RedV3x

It's about time some mods started being fair
Dec 14, 2015
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It's about time some mods started being fair
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Not sure many supporters of Vic footy (not simply a club) could see the AFL involvement in the local game as good for footy over the old firsts, seconds, thirds set up.

I don't follow the changes in Victoria but i am thankful that the WAFL and SANFL still carry on the traditions.
With the advent of the AFLW is was simple to add a women's team to the equation and
immediately, the WAFLW benefits from the association and infrastructure.
 

RedV3x

It's about time some mods started being fair
Dec 14, 2015
5,063
1,586
It's about time some mods started being fair
AFL Club
Fremantle
I don't know the logistics of Perth but would a Northern Perth name work for that area?

Perth is divided into two regions, NOR, north of the river, generally Eagles and SOR, south of the river, generally Dockers.
The only regions open for grabs are the N.E. and S.E corridors.
Lathlain could have been the centre for a Perth team - Perth and east, but the Eagles did a pre-emptive strike and made Lathlain their headquarters.
The Dockers have moved south to Cockburn but are spiritually at Fremantle.
That does leave Joonalup/Wanneroo/Stirling physically open in the north but without support.
You could build a team around the concept of Armadale/Midland/Swan Valley but the population simply isn't there.
 

Royalbeagle

Team Captain
Jun 11, 2019
311
358
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West Coast
I don't follow the changes in Victoria but i am thankful that the WAFL and SANFL still carry on the traditions.
With the advent of the AFLW is was simple to add a women's team to the equation and
immediately, the WAFLW benefits from the association and infrastructure.

Has there been an independent cost analysis of the AFLW? I’m interested in the dollars and sense of it.
 

kranger

Club Legend
Nov 30, 2006
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Kalamunda
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Lathlain could have been the centre for a Perth team - Perth and east, but the Eagles did a pre-emptive strike and made Lathlain their headquarters.

I sense that was more to get as close to Optus Stadium as possible, since it’s only two train stops away.


The Dockers have moved south to Cockburn but are spiritually at Fremantle.

Which is shown from the Freo women’s team still playing at Freo Oval. And there are whispers of Freo moving their HQ back completely if the ground gets redeveloped.
 

RedV3x

It's about time some mods started being fair
Dec 14, 2015
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It's about time some mods started being fair
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Has there been an independent cost analysis of the AFLW? I’m interested in the dollars and sense of it.

Not that I am aware of and i don't know how you'd do the accounting.
There are costs everywhere AFL, AFLW, clubs, state leagues, state clubs down to councils providing more facilities to cope with womens' participation.
Then there are benefits.

When the AFLW was being constructed I favoured a NFL-W rather than an AFL-W.
I thought it would be good to have a truly balanced high profile league with the capital cities and maybe some newbies later.
Instead we have the AFL in women's clothing. i do see the advantages though.
Tribal rivalries are immediately adopted and produce attendances.
There is immense savings in terms of the non-duplication of staff and infrastructure.
There is bolstering of club history by the playing of games at traditional home grounds.
The high profile of the AFLW equates to money. How much, is a good question.
The AFLW is on television and rates reasonably well.
Most sponsors are keen to add AFLW to AFL so the actual amount is hard to gauge.
There is a huge merchandise boost and boost to the code generally.

The AFLW is big in NSW and Queensland especially and this could be seen as an indirect method of boosting the "product".
You have to ask why the NRL is looking to seriously boost investment in NRLW at a time when it's cutting investment across the board.
You could take the assumption that the NRL values the NRLW more than correcting the decline in junior participation.
 
Aug 14, 2011
44,794
16,853
Trafalgar
AFL Club
West Coast
Other Teams
Mclaren Mercedes F1
I don't follow the changes in Victoria but i am thankful that the WAFL and SANFL still carry on the traditions.
With the advent of the AFLW is was simple to add a women's team to the equation and
immediately, the WAFLW benefits from the association and infrastructure.
In Vic the historic VAFA clubs were a part of the rejig of footy by the AFL, & form part of Vics 2nd tier. There is little connection to elite U18s that are the biggest group on draft day.
None of the above will go away with a national Reserves comp.
 

Tonatopia

Team Captain
Sep 30, 2018
483
155
AFL Club
Melbourne
In Vic the historic VAFA clubs were a part of the rejig of footy by the AFL, & form part of Vics 2nd tier. There is little connection to elite U18s that are the biggest group on draft day.
None of the above will go away with a national Reserves comp.
The notion of a national reserves comp OR Div2 pro/rel?
Its happening mate.
 
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