AFL Internal Club Rankings

Remove this Banner Ad

Papa G

Papa G

Hall of Famer
Veteran 10k Posts 30k Posts
Apr 13, 2006
32,946
77,348
The Bitter End
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
What I think the AFL's internal club rankings are ie their importance to the competition in terms of TV rights, crowds, interest, health of the league, TV rights, Money, TV rights, who is dispensible, growth of the game, TV rights...

1. Collingwood
2. Sydney
3. Essendon
4. West Coast
5. Adelaide
6. Brisbane
7. Carlton
8. Hawthorn
9. Richmond (ha, I didn't even do that intentionally)
10. Fremantle
11. Geelong
12. St Kilda
13. Port Adelaide
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Melbourne
16. North

No GWS/GC as too hard to judge at this stage.
 
Papa G said:
What I think the AFL's internal club rankings are ie their importance to the competition in terms of TV rights, crowds, interest, health of the league, TV rights, Money, TV rights, who is dispensible, growth of the game, TV rights...

1. Collingwood
2. Sydney
3. Essendon
4. West Coast
5. Adelaide
6. Brisbane
7. Carlton
8. Hawthorn
9. Richmond (ha, I didn't even do that intentionally)
10. Fremantle
11. Geelong
12. St Kilda
13. Port Adelaide
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Melbourne
16. North

No GWS/GC as too hard to judge at this stage.
Click to expand...
Essendon 3rd is a bit rich, there's nothing seperating Ess, Carl and Rich all have huge TV following, if it's on current form then Rich and Ess would be below Carlton, but if we're talking about clubs the AFL would like to be successful then Richmond, Essendon and Carlton would be as big as Collingwood if they were playing finals.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Collingwood made themselves important through Eddie...15 years ago we were heading down a very very different path...

AFL didn't chose to make Collingwood/Essendon/West Coast/Carlton/Richmond important...they did it themselves (whereas Sydney do need importance so they can capture the market)
 
The big 4 are actually less of a worry for them.
ie, they could do absolutely nothing for Blues/Rich/Coll/Ess & they'd still have a big following & decent financials, and hence still have the opportunity to put together good sides.
If they're up & going they'll be more than happy to rake in the profits but they won't look after a struggling big 4 side like they will a struggling North or Dogs IMHO, let alone a Syd/Bris or a newbie like GC.

If a club was to fall over tomorrow, a Coll/Ess/Carl/Rich or Crows/Freo/Eagles would lead to more people dropping off than others though IMHO.

They've put themselves in an odd spot because they're both administrator & financial support net.
 
What a stupid thread. This is more of the calibre of the first time poster topics. It is just going to cause trolling of "which team do you support" comments.
 
Brisbane, Sydney, West Coast and Adelaide are all cornerstones for a national game. I'm not sure any Victorian club would rank higher. If Collingwood were struggling the game would still be in good shape. Collingwood still factor highly however because of their healthy rivalries with all the major interstate clubs. They would round out the top 5 for sure.
 
Interesting thread :thumbsu:

I don't think its hard at all to judge the importance of GC and GWS to the AFL. I'd have it as:

1. Gold Coast (GWS to take the number one spot next year)
2. GWS
3. Any of Carlton/collingwood/essendon/richmond
7. hawthorn. They have a big stake in Tassie, and I don't have them higher solely because Tassie doesn't seem all that important to the AFL atm. I can see them flying up in the coming years though
8. Any of wce/freo/syd/brisbane/port/adel
14. melbourne. Have a small stake in the NT. Will become crucial later on down the track.
15. bulldogs. Have a small stake in the ACT, As above.
16. geelong. An integral hub for regional supporters. But I think the club is more important to the town of Geelong than it is to the AFL.
17. st kilda. Did have ties to Tassie, but the club seems concerned with getting a flag before its too late than to improve the AFLs standing.
18. north. trying their best to build ties with western Victoria and Tassie. If they can pull it off, their standing will no doubt improve.

So basically, I've set my ladder up as:

(new expansion teams)
(the foundation of support in Vic)
(the club currently overseeing the Tas project/development)
(the original AFL expansion teams)
(clubs who have a small foot hold in new markets that are continuing to set the AFL up for further expansion)
(the rest of the Vic clubs)

As I was getting further down the list, I realised there's not much in it in my eyes. They all seem "equal", but just that some are more equal than others.
 
DeZi said:
Collingwood made themselves important through Eddie...15 years ago we were heading down a very very different path...

AFL didn't chose to make Collingwood/Essendon/West Coast/Carlton/Richmond important...they did it themselves (whereas Sydney do need importance so they can capture the market)
Click to expand...
I think all the "big 4"* are entrenched enough & have enough good people amongst their supporters that they will, eventually, rise out of just about anything.
If it wasn't Eddie leading you up from '96 through to '02 when you got back into finals in a big way again, it would've been someone else sooner or later.

*NB term is used in the accepted form and I don't really care for any Hawk supporter bitching along "Hawks >>> Richmond" lines
 
It took until post number 3 for a Richmond supporter to try and prove his club hasn't been irrelevant for 30 years.

"But, but, but I swear. Once we get good again, we will be important"

FFS, YOU HAVEN'T BEEN RELEVANT FOR 30 YEARS
 
Im pretty sure i read somewhere that St.Kilda were the 2nd most watched team on tv last year in which case you are very wrong with where you have us
 
Kolarov said:
It's not based on onfield success.
Click to expand...

It starts with it though.

Would you rather watch West Coast vs Brisbane or Geelong vs St Kilda?

Interest, crowds, health of the game, tv rights......more people would rather the later two then the first two atm, no?
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Slattery_20 said:
I think all the "big 4"* are entrenched enough & have enough good people amongst their supporters that they will, eventually, rise out of just about anything.
If it wasn't Eddie leading you up from '96 through to '02 when you got back into finals in a big way again, it would've been someone else sooner or later.

*NB term is used in the accepted form and I don't really care for any Hawk supporter bitching along "Hawks >>> Richmond" lines
Click to expand...

Mate the AFL had to give bucketloads of money to Carlton for them to stave off bankruptcy. They weren't going to save themselves.
 
Papa G said:
What I think the AFL's internal club rankings are ie their importance to the competition in terms of TV rights, crowds, interest, health of the league, TV rights, Money, TV rights, who is dispensible, growth of the game, TV rights...

1. Collingwood
2. Sydney
3. Essendon
4. West Coast
5. Adelaide
6. Brisbane
7. Carlton
8. Geelong
9. Richmond (ha, I didn't even do that intentionally)
10. Fremantle
11. Melbourne
12. Hawthorn
13. St Kilda
14. Port Adelaide
15. Western Bulldogs
16. North

No GWS/GC as too hard to judge at this stage.
Click to expand...

You were close IMO

Call me paranoid but certain AFL elements would still dance on hawthorn's grave if they got a chance to.
Wanting to snatch tasmania and give it to north sort of confirmed this.

Melbourne higher because it was going to be "melbourne hawks" - Gotta have a team called "melbourne, old chap !

Geelong and carlton high because they got helped out of much deeper doodo than fitzroy were in.

Let me point out that the Hawks should be pushing top 5 or so - on performance, but i doubt the AFL will ever see that
 
Shockdown said:
It starts with it though.

Would you rather watch West Coast vs Brisbane or Geelong vs St Kilda?

Interest, crowds, health of the game, tv rights......more people would rather the later two then the first two atm, no?
Click to expand...

west coast have their membership at maximum capacity and share a state that could literally break away and form its own country with only one other team.

brisbane have a huge market that until recently was all theirs, and are integral to ensuring the off field success of gold coast via a new rivalry that will improve interest in the lions by extension.

Regardless of what you feel would be a better quality of game to watch, more people would be watching the bris/wc game.
 
Shockdown said:
It starts with it though.

Would you rather watch West Coast vs Brisbane or Geelong vs St Kilda?

Interest, crowds, health of the game, tv rights......more people would rather the later two then the first two atm, no?
Click to expand...

But if there was no West Coast or Brisbane, there would be virtually no one watching the AFL in Brisbane and significantly less in Perth. ie If we just had the old VFL telecast into our living rooms, just watching Vic teams, with no local teams do you actually think the interest in the game would be that high outside Victoria? This is their value - TV rights and in Brisbane's case especially opening up new markets and new consumers.
 
HyperAgressiveDonk said:
Mate the AFL had to give bucketloads of money to Carlton for them to stave off bankruptcy. They weren't going to save themselves.
Click to expand...

The millions were to pay for the grandstand newly completed when the AFL shifted all matches to Etihad. Its usually called compensation. And none of it was helped by the fine.
 
Papa G said:
What I think the AFL's internal club rankings are ie their importance to the competition in terms of TV rights, crowds, interest, health of the league, TV rights, Money, TV rights, who is dispensible, growth of the game, TV rights...

1. Collingwood
2. Sydney
3. Essendon
4. West Coast
5. Adelaide
6. Brisbane
7. Carlton
8. Hawthorn
9. Richmond (ha, I didn't even do that intentionally)
10. Fremantle
11. Geelong
12. St Kilda
13. Port Adelaide
14. Western Bulldogs
15. Melbourne
16. North

No GWS/GC as too hard to judge at this stage.
Click to expand...

I know you didnt want to because you support them, but Port should be in the bottom 2 rungs. Melbourne are much much more important to the afl than port.
 
Bulldogs are the only team in Melbourne's west, the largest growing area in Melbourne. Being a multicultural area full of people new to Australia, they have the potential to garner much more supporters to the game, thus putting money in the AFL's pockets.

They also have a stake in Darwin and Canberra.

Don't think they are that low on the ladder in terms of importance to the AFL.
 
Adelaide and WCE are bomb proof.

Port and Freo are probably self sustaining except in the case of several rotten years and the AFL won't worry too much about them.

Brissy and Sydney are vitally important and will be kept close to the AFL heart.

New teams will be mothered and coddled.

North might just be targetted. Hopefully not. Otherwise the Vic clubs will be let get on with it. All are self sustaining except in bad runs where assistance can be given and should be given if necessary and unavoidable. This is a sport.
 
lemons123 said:
I know you didnt want to because you support them, but Port should be in the bottom 2 rungs. Melbourne are much much more important to the afl than port.
Click to expand...

Totally disagree. Melbourne, probably after North, the most expendable team in the league. They are very much a 'meh' team in the Vic market and have virtually no profile outside President's fight for life, tin rattling, might have a good team due to tanking for the 3rd time in the last 50 years. I always hear this arguement that Melbourne were the first team, or they "invented" football, or they could never die because they are called "Melbourne" - all pretty much weak and don't actually get bums on seats, interest or money in the bank. Melbourne should never have got themselves in this position though, they were actually the most powerful club in the country 50 years ago, but have totally frittered it away. Maybe that's why no body respects or cares for them anymore.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

BigVic
Where does the 2023 AFL grand final rank?
2
Replies
41
Views
2K
Xtreme
Xtreme
D
The rankings (from best to worst) of the 127 VFL/AFL premiership teams
7 8 9 10 11
Replies
271
Views
9K
dean33
dean33
G
Ranking Victorian clubs by size
7 8 9 10 11
Replies
270
Views
13K
OnceWeWereKings
OnceWeWereKings
Roby
Team Youth Rankings
2 3 4 5
Replies
122
Views
10K
Roby
Roby
Aristotle Pickett
Opinion Ranking the Rioli's (who have played AFL).
2 3 4 5
Replies
102
Views
5K
Meteoric Rise
Meteoric Rise
James_
Rank Them
2
Replies
30
Views
1K
Purple7x08_24
Purple7x08_24
Obeanie1
List Mgmt. Next club to face a rebuild.
Replies
7
Views
110
Footy Smarts
F

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top