Expansion A third team in Queensland? AFL acknowledges QLD3 as a 20th licence option

[Coolangatta]

You're making the assumption though that each additional team grabs the same percentage of coverage as the first team. Even the swans struggle for coverage in Sydney, then the giants a fair way back from there, a third team wouldn't make a dent in this regard. I agree on school visits it would help, but the W teams should be near doubling the visits alone now.

There's also been a specific afl suppression agenda there, that started post federation when Australian football was booming in Sydney and still continues today.

I’m still thinking expansion should probably be based on locations that don’t have teams that represent them with Canberra being the obvious choice for team 20.

It’s interesting reading about the Dolphins. Plenty of time for the AFL to watch and learn and see if they become a big club in the NRL or not.

As you said, there’s no guarantee each additional team grabs the same percentage of coverage as the first.

So in the case of QLD3, the Sunshine Coast might be a better choice than northern Brisbane for expansion. I’m sure plenty from the northern suburbs would be able to make an easy trip there to see them play, too.

I see NSW3 in a similar vain. Why not take a crack at Newcastle? There’s footy history there, test the waters and see what happens.

They might be far less receptive than the Sunshine Coast, and then that’s where you’d perhaps look at Sydney 3 instead if the Giants are going well.

 

[GC2015]

So in the case of QLD3, the Sunshine Coast might be a better choice than northern Brisbane for expansion. I’m sure plenty from the northern suburbs would be able to make an easy trip there to see them play, too.

I think the issue you'd have there is people in Brisbane wouldn't see a Sunshine Coast team as their own and likely wouldn't jump on board for that reason. It didn't happen when the Bears were playing on the Gold Coast (despite being named Brisbane) and I highly doubt it would happen if a team was based on the Sunshine Coast. Just because it's close doesn't mean people will actually do it.

I think a team based in northern Brisbane that plays the majority of its home games at the new Olympic stadium and 1-2 home games on the Sunshine Coast would be the best outcome for growing the game in Queensland. That gives the Lions southern + western greater Brisbane, the new team gets the northern suburbs + the Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay area and the Suns get the Gold Coast as well as North Queensland. Pretty even split in terms of population between 1.5-2 million each when you take into account the smaller towns throughout the state.

The alternative would be to leave the Brisbane market to the Lions alone and they become a juggernaut that eventually has over 100k members and there are multiple regional teams in smaller cities near Brisbane being the Gold and Sunshine Coasts that will likely always be small market teams that struggle to keep up with the Lions in many areas. I personally think the AFL should be pushing for two cities teams + one regional team in Queensland as opposed to the opposite that would occur if they let the Sunny Coast have its own team.

 

[Freshwater]

I’m still thinking expansion should probably be based on locations that don’t have teams that represent them with Canberra being the obvious choice for team 20.

It’s interesting reading about the Dolphins. Plenty of time for the AFL to watch and learn and see if they become a big club in the NRL or not.

As you said, there’s no guarantee each additional team grabs the same percentage of coverage as the first.

So in the case of QLD3, the Sunshine Coast might be a better choice than northern Brisbane for expansion. I’m sure plenty from the northern suburbs would be able to make an easy trip there to see them play, too.

I see NSW3 in a similar vain. Why not take a crack at Newcastle? There’s footy history there, test the waters and see what happens.

They might be far less receptive than the Sunshine Coast, and then that’s where you’d perhaps look at Sydney 3 instead if the Giants are going well.

Giants are still a massive worry for the AFL. The game against Collingwood had a very poor crowd, good weather, big Collingwood contingent, stand alone game. The Sydney support is still so weak. This club nearly needs to move to Canberra as a failed experiment. Western Sydney just won’t do Aussie rules.

 

[raskolnikov]

Lol. Queensland can't support another team.

 

[Spirit Level]

Queensland barely supports 2 teams let alone 3

 

[raskolnikov]

Queensland barely supports 2 teams let alone 3

People forget what it was like less than 10 years ago when the Lions were shit.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Giants are still a massive worry for the AFL. The game against Collingwood had a very poor crowd, good weather, big Collingwood contingent, stand alone game. The Sydney support is still so weak. This club nearly needs to move to Canberra as a failed experiment. Western Sydney just won’t do Aussie rules.

Western Sydney has 10% of Australia's population. The AFL isn't abandoning Western Sydney.

Right now the Giants are doing it with one hand tied behind their back.

Their resources are spread too thin across two markets. The AFL needs to put them in Sydney full-time to give them a real chance there.

 

[Coolangatta]

I think the issue you'd have there is people in Brisbane wouldn't see a Sunshine Coast team as their own and likely wouldn't jump on board for that reason. It didn't happen when the Bears were playing on the Gold Coast (despite being named Brisbane) and I highly doubt it would happen if a team was based on the Sunshine Coast. Just because it's close doesn't mean people will actually do it.

I think a team based in northern Brisbane that plays the majority of its home games at the new Olympic stadium and 1-2 home games on the Sunshine Coast would be the best outcome for growing the game in Queensland. That gives the Lions southern + western greater Brisbane, the new team gets the northern suburbs + the Sunshine Coast/Wide Bay area and the Suns get the Gold Coast as well as North Queensland. Pretty even split in terms of population between 1.5-2 million each when you take into account the smaller towns throughout the state.

The alternative would be to leave the Brisbane market to the Lions alone and they become a juggernaut that eventually has over 100k members and there are multiple regional teams in smaller cities near Brisbane being the Gold and Sunshine Coasts that will likely always be small market teams that struggle to keep up with the Lions in many areas. I personally think the AFL should be pushing for two cities teams + one regional team in Queensland as opposed to the opposite that would occur if they let the Sunny Coast have its own team.

Similar to the Dolphins, I think. They play 2 games at the Sunny Coast, I believe. If they are a success, I could see the AFL following suit.

There’s a lot more people in Brisbane than the SC, and like you, I’d prefer to see cities be two team rivalries.

That’s why as a long shot I’d be looking at Auckland or Newcastle as team 22, instead of Sydney 3.

Otherwise, I’d go with South West WA instead of a 3rd team in Perth or any of the other major cities. I’d possibly consider NT or Northern Australia as team 22.

I do like Bris 2 as team 21, though (still prefer Canberra as 20 cause ACT in the national comp would be good for the game).

 

[mephisto_red]

Maybe when gws stops needing to give tickets away at petrol stations and schools, and achieves some modicum of support in western Sydney, can think about a third Sydney team (which is a fantasy concept). Though a 3rd Sydney team would be a more successful venture than an Auckland or Newcastle team ever would be.

 

[Bjo187]

What was there a trolls convention today where this thread was raised as a concern. All in one day like an ambush .

 

[Taper]

People forget what it was like less than 10 years ago when the Lions were shit.

I bet the people calling for a third QLD team are the same people who were calling for the Lions and Suns to merge 10 years ago.

 

[catters05]

Giants are still a massive worry for the AFL. The game against Collingwood had a very poor crowd, good weather, big Collingwood contingent, stand alone game. The Sydney support is still so weak. This club nearly needs to move to Canberra as a failed experiment. Western Sydney just won’t do Aussie rules.

Swans weren’t doing well for many years either. The Giants need to spend full time is west Sydney first before being labeled a failure.

 

[Freshwater]

Swans weren’t doing well for many years either. The Giants need to spend full time is west Sydney first before being labeled a failure.

Swans always had crowds. From day one in 1982 they had good crowds.
The AFL never allow them to drop out of the finals, but that’s a separate matter.

 

[MSB ROYS]

Swans always had crowds. From day one in 1982 they had good crowds.
The AFL never allow them to drop out of the finals, but that’s a separate matter.

Not true. Check out the average home crowds from 1988 to 1994: https://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ta-sydney-swans?t=A&h=H

 

[Bjo187]

Swans always had crowds. From day one in 1982 they had good crowds.
The AFL never allow them to drop out of the finals, but that’s a separate matter.

Giants membership revenue was up 67 per cent on 2023 as the club achieved a record 36,629 members, and merchandise revenue and home attendance increased 52 per cent and 2 per cent respectively.

Their social media has grown more than any other club in Australian sport the past 2 years and auskick registrations in the western sydney area are up over 300 percent on the same time last year.

Their training facility is currently getting upgraded and their stadium will be welcoming a new train line direct from the city and Parramatta in the next 5 or so years and over 20,000 new residents right on their doorstep in Sydney Olympic park, in the next decade or two.

 

[GC2015]

Current predictions suggest the Brisbane Lions are expected to hit 70k members this year and the Suns to hit 35k members. So we're likely to see the amount of AFL members in Queensland exceed 100k for the first time in 2025. I just don't see how the AFL can really ignore this kind of growth.

 

[Bjo187]

Current predictions suggest the Brisbane Lions are expected to hit 70k members this year and the Suns to hit 35k members. So we're likely to see the amount of AFL members in Queensland exceed 100k for the first time in 2025. I just don't see how the AFL can really ignore this kind of growth.

I also read yesterday Queensland are on track to crack 90k participants this year, extrodinary growth they were at 79k last year after 15 percent growth.

 

[Clark G]

Once the new stadium is ready, try a gather round there to test the waters.

 

[Coolangatta]

Once the new stadium is ready, try a gather round there to test the waters.

19 teams means 22 or 24 games for each club.

I think it’d be tempting to go back to 22 games per year with 2 gather rounds, 1 in Tassie and 1 in SA.

Good way to get more games a year out of the new stadium.

 

[Clark G]

Does the confirmation of a new NRL team in Perth change things in regards to where the AFL will seek to establish a 20th team?

 

[Cmarsh]

Does the confirmation of a new NRL team in Perth change things in regards to where the AFL will seek to establish a 20th team?

The AFL isn't affected by this development at all.

 

[GC2015]

Does the confirmation of a new NRL team in Perth change things in regards to where the AFL will seek to establish a 20th team?

Two trains of thought:

• Does the AFL going into full smother mode and start a third WA team in an attempt really decrease the media attention that the Perth-based NRL team gets? It's arguable that West Coast and Fremantle will already achieve this due to their popularity, but I can see the logic if someone was to make the argument.
• The AFL decides to fight fire with fire and starts a third QLD/NSW team. As of right now, I'd guess that a third QLD team is far more likely than a third NSW team should the AFL decide to go down this path. If you want to view Canberra as a third NSW team then there's certainly a case to be made for them as well if the AFL wants to fight fire with fire by expanding further into the northern states.

I don't think this development helps or hinders the NT bid in any way. That's my read on it. It's really just a question of whether the AFL want to consolidate what they already have OR if they want to expand further into the northern states.

 

[Coolangatta]

Two trains of thought:

• Does the AFL going into full smother mode and start a third WA team in an attempt really decrease the media attention that the Perth-based NRL team gets? It's arguable that West Coast and Fremantle will already achieve this due to their popularity, but I can see the logic if someone was to make the argument.
• The AFL decides to fight fire with fire and starts a third QLD/NSW team. As of right now, I'd guess that a third QLD team is far more likely than a third NSW team should the AFL decide to go down this path. If you want to view Canberra as a third NSW team then there's certainly a case to be made for them as well if the AFL wants to fight fire with fire by expanding further into the northern states.

I don't think this development helps or hinders the NT bid in any way. That's my read on it. It's really just a question of whether the AFL want to consolidate what they already have OR if they want to expand further into the northern states.

I’m not sure the AFL has made up their mind yet. Tassie was not on their expansion radar this early.

I do know the AFL is keen to grow the game in NSW/QLD though so you’d think Canberra or Brisbane 2 would actually be preferred over WA3 and NT for the 20th club.

 

[Bjo187]

There is a new AFL commissioner from the N.T footy scene appointed recently. It may be a wasted spot at the commission table when they should be picking the most talented people they can find. However, no doubt this strengthens the N.T bid, as the person is there as basically an advocate for indigenous footballers from the N.T (something that Tanya Hosch on the executive was doing anyway).

 

[LordLucifer]

Been saying it for years .................

AFL overtaking NRL in QLD

Membership is not the inherent part of rugby league culture that it is in AFL. Attendance is not the inherent part of rugby league culture that it is in AFL.

www.bigfooty.com

VIC - 7
NSW - 5 (add in Central Coast/Newcastle, North Shore & Illawarra)
QLD - 4 (add in 2nd Brisbane team, relocate Melbourne club to Sunshine coast)
TAS - 1
SA - 2
WA - 2
ACT -1 (relocate Melbourne club)

22 clubs play each other once in a 21-round season with no byes, 10 club finals series.