Adam Simpson meets with AFL to discuss the inequalities that interstate teams put up with

[Sweet Jesus]

I’m a South Australian and the GF venue is a non negotiable.

Why? Because the AFL negotiated an agreement for it to be at the MCG?

At the end of the day clubs elected to join the VFL.

So what?

 

[jo172]

At Bellrieve North has played GWS and WC 3 times, Sydney and Adelaide twice and Port but is yet to host Collingwood, Essendon, Hawthorn or Footscray.

North wins 77.78% of their games at Bellrieve.

Collingwood and Essendon have never played in Tasmania. Insanity.

 

[Antares]

Everyone mentions the last two years, but the real bullshit was in 2015. West Coast finish higher than Hawthorn on the ladder, proceed to thrash them in the first qualifying final, but then Hawthorn win the home grand final despite being the worse team all year.

If you can't take the Grand Final away from the MCG, you have to take the MCG away from Collingwood, Hawthorn, Melbourne and Richmond. Make them play more games at Etihad.

 

[Underarm]

Non_Vic teams should imo get more home games and less traveling.

The GF can be changed its not locked forever, there is ways around it.

Every non-vic team should only be playing at the G against vic sides.

So their home ground advantage can grow? Adelaide played more game at the Adelaide Oval than Richmond did at the MCG, and Twice as many games with a significant home ground advantage.

That's because our fixture is set up based on the inequalities cancelling each other out.

The MCG access is a valid complaint, and I imagine all non MCG tennants request as many games there as they can each year. Interstate clubs - Especially Perth Clubs - haven't struggle to make Prelim Finals and Grand Finals in their history, but fall in a heap when they make the journey east.

 

[Great8]

If you're a South Australian I bet you take care saying that loudly in bars.

Not at all. I’m always having digs at Port or Crows supporters at pubs. All good banter and there are far more supporters of other sides in SA than what people think.
FWIW most Crows and Port supporters I engage with are happy for the GF to remain at the MCG but want other inequities sorted out

 

[jo172]

West Coast and Adelaide have played half as many games as Essendon and Collingwood at Kardinia Park despite it being used as a venue 40 years before they entered the competition.

 

[Miss Vanessa]

As per others suggestions, having non-Victorian clubs play games against MCG tenants in Tasmania and elsewhere is balls. If Melbourne want to play a game in the NT every year, then each club should have to play there once over a 17 year period. Likewise, if Hawks and The Roos want to play in Tasmania, then every club should have to play there once over a 5-6 year period, on a rotating basis. I think it would be great for the comp to see some big traditional clubs like Collingwood and Essendon play across Australia.

But if the GF really must be played in Melbourne, then I’d like to see a left field solution. Cut the final eight to a final four. Play the final four system until the GF, with higher ranked team always with home ground advantage. Gives premiers and runners up a real advantage for being the best two teams across the season. Following this, play a best of three series. Home, away and neutral ground. If it’s two non-Victorian teams, then the neutral decider is played at the MCG, thus guaranteeing (mostly) a GF at the G. Problem mostly solved.

 

[GROTTO]

Let every GF be played at the MCG.

However, let every non-Vic team who plays a final play it at their home ground.

Imagine the fallout out of that deal if the AFL had done that for the next 4 decades.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Not at all. I’m always having digs at Port or Crows supporters at pubs. All good banter and there are far more supporters of other sides in SA than what people think.
FWIW most Crows and Port supporters I engage with are happy for the GF to remain at the MCG but want other inequities sorted out

I was thinking more about the angst around the Crows entry. I'm guessing you're not of the generation that was around then.

 

[Great8]

Why? Because the AFL negotiated an agreement for it to be at the MCG?

So what?

My point you elected to join a comp that you knew would always look after its original members and now you complain. Why did clubs not bring it up before they joined or do their due diligence? The VFL was on its knees and you guys and the Crows bent over for them when you had all the power. To this day I still don’t know why you didn’t demand more

 

[jo172]

Richmond and Carlton are the only away Victorian teams to play in Darwin. Meanwhile Port and Fremantle have done it multiple times and Brisbane, West Coast, Adelaide and the Gold Coast once.

Melbourne is yest to play a Victorian team in Alice Springs. Have played Port (multiple times), Adelaide and the Gold Coast.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Crows, West Coast etc aren't real clubs, they are franchises that lack character. Let them start their own wannabe NBA franchise league run how they want to they can stop whinging. Go back to VFL with muddy suburban grounds that had charm, with full forwards kicking a hundred goals a year and the Winners being the only football show on TV.

Sounds like someone's come down with a nasty case of small club-itis.

If you're going to spew, spew into this...

 

[Sweet Jesus]

My point you elected to join a comp that you knew would always look after its original members and now you complain.

That's right. Is there a "no complaining" rule for every team that joins?

Why did clubs not bring it up before they joined or do their due diligence? The VFL was on its knees and you guys and the Crows bent over for them when you had all the power. To this day I still don’t know why you didn’t demand more

That makes no point either way about the legitimacy of the various grievances.

 

[Sttew]

Ditto Kardinia Park.

Playing at the Adelaide Oval doesn't exactly enthrall me

 

[jo172]

Playing at the Adelaide Oval doesn't exactly enthrall me

Does Geelong have to do it disproportionately more than other clubs? If so that's a fair grievance.

 

[Great8]

I was thinking more about the angst around the Crows entry. I'm guessing you're not of the generation that was around then.

Norwood member all my life and must admit I seriously considered defecting to the Crows from Essendon when they bid for the license. Hated Glenelg in the SANFL with a passion so when that ****wit Cornes was named inaugural coach of the Crows and brought in all his Glenelg buddies who I despised it was a pretty easy decision and one I don’t regret. SA actually has very large numbers of members from other interstate clubs. Not everyone is Crows or Port

 

[kickazz]

Minimum number of MCG games for all teams.
Away games at Hobart, Alice, etc to be shared equally amongst all teams.
Friday night games involving two quality non Vic teams.


Those are achievable things that should be strongly considered.

Travel and GF location - bit of a waste of time talking about it.

 

[Hoops]

The only issue I see is the GF being played on the MCG. It's only a problem because some clubs play 15 games there and some clubs play 2 or 3. The fact that non Victorian clubs play Victorian clubs elsewhere is a symptom of this problem it's not the problem itself. Why shouldn't clubs choose where they will play their home games and against whom.

 

[boncer34]

Crazy right! Wealthiest team in the league. Incredible home ground advantage for 11 of their 22 games. If a player wants to come home only have to compete with Freo for their signature (so no four club auction like with Dylan Shiel).

Plus they have won three premierships over the last 30 years at a rate of one a decade... hardly sounds like a victim of inequality.

Actually Shiel was a 2 horse race.

Publicly confirmed it was us or Carlton. Others were just white noise.

 

[TiggerMan22]

Already forgotten that they won the grand final?

Also its not like being an interstate teams is all negatives, clearly its harder to win a grand final since its always going to be away game for them, but they have an easier road to the grand final since there home games are legitimate home ground advantages unless they pay Freo. So theres at least some kind of balancing.
Compared to Vic team like Richmond who this year had 2 'home' games against other MCG tenants, so a harder road to the grand final but then an easier grand final.

 

[dplggr47]

Richmond and Carlton are the only away Victorian teams to play in Darwin. Meanwhile Port and Fremantle have done it multiple times and Brisbane, West Coast, Adelaide and the Gold Coast once.

Melbourne is yest to play a Victorian team in Alice Springs. Have played Port (multiple times), Adelaide and the Gold Coast.

I have a feeling Crows/Port don't mind the Darwin travel though, as they have club interests up there.

 

[jo172]

Minimum number of MCG games for all teams.
Away games at Hobart, Alice, etc to be shared equally amongst all teams.
Friday night games involving two quality non Vic teams.


Those are achievable things that should be strongly considered.

Travel and GF location - bit of a waste of time talking about it.

The GF discussion is worth having, just far more difficult and convoluted.

The three things you have identified could be solved next year if there was sufficient will.

 

[Upgrayedd]

Despite Hawthorn having played at York Park for yonks Essendon, Collingwood and Melbourne have never played there, Carlton, Geelong and Richmond have played there once.

Meanwhile Adelaide and the Gold Coast 5 times, West Coast 7 times, Brisbane and Port 9 times and Fremantle 11 times.

Hawthorn win there 77.5% of the time.

Really puts the fix in fixture.

This. We play basically 3 interstate clubs who struggled the previous year and the worst preforming victotian club

 

[Hoops]

Despite Hawthorn having played at York Park for yonks Essendon, Collingwood and Melbourne have never played there, Carlton, Geelong and Richmond have played there once.

Meanwhile Adelaide and the Gold Coast 5 times, West Coast 7 times, Brisbane and Port 9 times and Fremantle 11 times.

Hawthorn win there 77.5% of the time.

Really puts the fix in fixture.

Why is that an issue? The 'fix'ture is a problem but not for that reason, unless Hawthorn are more likely to play those teams then to play other teams as home games.

 

[Dazzler9]

Already forgotten that they won the grand final?

Also its not like being an interstate teams is all negatives, clearly its harder to win a grand final since its always going to be away game for them, but they have an easier road to the grand final since there home games are legitimate home ground advantages unless they pay Freo. So theres at least some kind of balancing.
Compared to Vic team like Richmond who this year had 2 'home' games against other MCG tenants, so a harder road to the grand final but then an easier grand final.

You seem to forget that our away games are genuine away games.