AFL Utopia, what does it look like?!

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Dynamics

Cancelled
Jul 23, 2007
6,791
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Collingwood
They already have that, it's called trading.


For contracted players sure, but how exactly does one trade for an uncontracted free agent when they are yours for free? o_O Unless you're saying free agency should be abolished, which I disagree with.

Roos was probably right in that clubs will increasingly follow the WB / Lake lead and get what they can for players while they are still under contract, and avoid free agency altogether.
 

Dynamics

Cancelled
Jul 23, 2007
6,791
11,872
AFL Club
Collingwood
A competition with

Collingwood
Carlton
Hawthorn
Geelong
Essendon
Western Bulldogs
Melbourne
North Melbourne

Sydney
Western Sydney
South Sydney
Canberra
Newcastle

Brisbane
Gold Coast
North Queensland

West Coast
Fremantle
Greater Perth

Tasmania

Adelaide
Port Adelaide

Play every team once +2 rivalry rounds

Every week has a thursday night game. Top 7 make finals, teams 8-11 play in a wildcard round before finals to get the last 2 finals spots, top team gets a weak off first weak of finals


Imagine the crowds at Manuka for Canberra vs North Queensland. :D
 

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Dynamics

Cancelled
Jul 23, 2007
6,791
11,872
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Collingwood
in my utopia the small teams are supported a bit better than they might actually be :p

Mine too! In my utopia Canberra has the aussie rules following it had in the 60s-80s, before the VFL/AFL let the Brumbies and Raiders take over. If they'd got in early you could genuinely have Manuka hosting 20-30k regularly, but that ship has sailed I fear. Even better they wouldn't have demolished footy park in Phillip and would have turned it into Canberra's home ground, leaving Manuka for cricket. Coulda shoulda woulda.
 

cos789

Brownlow Medallist
Suspended
Feb 19, 2004
10,490
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Subiaco
Afl is a true national sport and their should be more pride and passion row resenting their states.

There is heaps of that.
It's the clubs that veto their players getting injured.

Get rid of international rules and have origin or an all star game a couple of weeks after the gf.

Why? Plenty og people in two countries love it.

an all star game a couple of weeks after the gf.

The All Stars concept wasn't a total success.
 

The Blue Baggers

Premiership Player
Apr 7, 2013
3,919
3,280
AFL Club
Carlton
if you were starting the afl rather than expanding the vfl it would probably look like this;

6 Victorian - Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Richmond, Hawthorn & Geelong
2 WA - Eagles, Dockers
Sydney Swans
Brisbane Lions
Adelaide Crows
Tasmania (home games split b/w Hobart & Launceston)

12 teams play everyone home & away .... 22 rounds, SIMPLE
 
Aug 27, 2014
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there are no other teams worthy
My thoughts have been changing in recent months.
Utopia in past was this league with 12 clubs, play each other twice in home and away and top five finals series as before.
Then the VFA, SANFL and WAFL leagues as strong as they could be below this.
Plus State of Origin Football in early to mid March before club seasons begin.

However I concede that model that was great in 1980s for those that enjoyed is no longer going to happen. We have moved so far away from that now it is gone forever.
The best bet now is settle on a 20 club league model with a Tasmanian team in there as soon as possible. The 20th club I am a bit more open of what region demands another club more. It could be ACT region, a 3rd club in Perth or simply another club in NSW that is not based as a Canberra club. That might even work better along side State of Origin football coming back for real.
Each club play each other once over 19 rounds and final 8 we have now gives plenty of time for a really good State of Origin program somewhere from March to July somewhere best suited.

Utopia would also include proper pre-game football entertainment. No cringe worthy american ideas like kiss cam and sing alongs but actual bloody football games to view your developing players.
A full reserves league for all 20 AFL clubs and plays before seniors if day games. Night games the reserves play earlier at another ground close by.
If pre-game player warm up on field has to go, all for it to have this.

So that covers the elite level of state of origin and club football.

What happens to the next level down?
Well in practical terms I have given up the idea of VFA, WAFL and SANFL ever being like anything in their hey day. With AFL gobbling up over 800 players now it is gone forever. However in the modern era maybe something can be done to make them more relevant to the modern context of AFL football dominating all. Maybe all these clubs like the West Perth's, Norwood's, South Fremantle's, Glenelg's, Port Melbourne and Sandringhams of the world with such long history get the next best thing and become the breeding ground of all the young draftees in national pool by becoming under 21 league's and not full senior teams anymore. So instead of the best 17 and 18 year olds playing in things like the TAC Cup in Victoria for Calder Cannons, Oakleigh Chargers or whatever they instead are playing with Sandringham and Port Melbourne or other VFA clubs. Under 21's keeps it relevant for most players still dreaming of getting into AFL system via some drafts. Outside of that, footballers 21 and older can play in suburban league's and country league's.

To me it makes the pathways to elite football more clear and a context to whatever clubs below the national league of AFL.

State of Origin needs to be brought back as pinnacle of the game.
It needs the money, time and support put into it so that club football cannot destroy as it did in 1990s.
If that also means financial kick backs to clubs with more representation, so be it.

Club senior football at national level covers the AFL and the state league's below that transformed into an under 21 level that gives those clubs new context in modern football world whilst also keeping those clubs identity for the future we moving to.

We get to watch our reserve players on same day as our senior team and those wanting to follow how youngsters not yet drafted going can check out the WAFL, SANFL and VFA footy as next tier down. I think that would be my football utopia for the times we are moving towards into next few decades.
 

Silent Alarm

sack Lyon
10k Posts
Jul 9, 2010
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I never got the hype for reserves football.

Growing up in country WA, we would probably only get to one, maybe two AFL games a year. It was always a buzz and we'd tend to get there really early to watch the boys run around. Quite often they'd have matches on before, usually under 16s or some Clontarf teams for the entertainment. Despite the memories, my life is too busy now to try and emulate that. I have things to do and as much as the idea is nice, getting to the footy 35 minutes before is as much as I'll ever have time for. I don't think people have time to spend six hours at the footy, or to get everyone on a train at 11am, or put up with their kids wanting two by $30 'meals.' It's just not relevant in the 21st century.

The current youth model of TAC here and WAFL/SANFL colts seems to work pretty well. A lot of kids like the idea of playing for Claremont or South Fremantle as it is – there is an aura about being involved in those systems, even to people who may not romanticise the idea of old WAFL football as much as nerds on the internet do.

I think the modern all-encompassing super league idea had to happen. About a week ago I had a realisation where it hit me that, with three main leagues, each league wouldn't be an AFL-level entity... they'd all be A-League/NBL levels of professionalism. Although that's not terrible, you do wonder how viable it would be to maintain 8 or 10 or 12 teams without a monster administration being able to clean up the poorer clubs. I think the worst thing about the AFL we have now is that sometimes the interstate, non-Victorian clubs can feel like secondary admissions. I go to matches here in Victoria and the inter-town feel is really communal and brings out a village, competitive emotion.

And that's not because people in Melbourne care more about footy. In some ways I think people in Perth actually give more shits and footy culture might actually extend way more into the psyches of people who don't usually give a thought to sport. It is simply because the massive professionalism of AFL also exists in a place where everyone has a team they've been born into (basically).
 

SgtSchulz

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 24, 2014
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Other Teams
Mark Webber
Premier League (National)
Teams - 12
  • 1st - Footscray
  • 2nd - Sydney
  • 3rd - GWS
  • 4th - Geelong
  • 5th - Hawthorn
  • 6th - Adelaide
  • ----------------------- Finals
  • 7th - West Coast
  • 8th - North Melbourne
  • 9th - St Kilda (No playoff required due to no extra pressure)
  • 10th - Port Adelaide (criteria met, relegated) :crossmark:
  • 11th - Melbourne (criteria met, relegated) :crossmark:
  • 12th - Collingwood (criteria met, relegated) :crossmark:
Championship (National)
Teams - 18
  • 1st - Richmond (criteria met, promotion) :whitecheck:
  • 2nd - Carlton (criteria not met, forced promotion for Gold Coast) :noentry:
  • 3rd - Gold Coast (criteria met, forced promotion due to lack of NEAFL teams) :whitecheck:
  • 4th - Fremantle (criteria not met, automatic promotion for Hobart) :noentry:
  • 5th - Brisbane
  • 6th - Essendon
  • 7th - Hobart (criteria met, forced promotion due to lack of TSL teams) :whitecheck:
  • 8th - Sturt
  • ----------------------- Finals / Forced Promotion Qualification
  • 9th - St Mary's (criteria not met, automatic promotion failed due to missing Finals) :noentry:
  • 10th - Ainsley (criteria not met, automatic promotion failed due to missing Finals) :noentry:
  • 11th - Casey Scorpions
  • 12th - Subiaco
  • 13th - Williamstown
  • 14th - South Fremantle
  • 15th - South Port
  • 16th - Glenorchy
  • 17th - Woodville-West Torrens
  • 18th - South Adelaide
State Leagues (State)
Six teams per league
  • SANFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • VFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • WAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • TSL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • NTFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • QAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • NSWAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • ACTAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
Second Tier State Leagues (State)
Eighteen teams per league
  • SA Championship
  • Victorian Championship
  • WA Championship
  • Tasmanian Championship
  • NT Championship
  • Queensland Championship
  • NSW Championship
  • ACT Championship
Regional Wildcard Cups (Regional)
Regional teams interested in joining relevant state leagues can gain entry via Regional Knockout Wildcard Cups.
 

Garlic muncher

Cancelled
Feb 3, 2016
4,480
3,258
AFL Club
Collingwood
Premier League (National)
Teams - 12
  • 1st - Footscray
  • 2nd - Sydney
  • 3rd - GWS
  • 4th - Geelong
  • 5th - Hawthorn
  • 6th - Adelaide
  • ----------------------- Finals
  • 7th - West Coast
  • 8th - North Melbourne
  • 9th - St Kilda (No playoff required due to no extra pressure)
  • 10th - Port Adelaide (criteria met, relegated) :crossmark:
  • 11th - Melbourne (criteria met, relegated) :crossmark:
  • 12th - Collingwood (criteria met, relegated) :crossmark:
Championship (National)
Teams - 18
  • 1st - Richmond (criteria met, promotion) :whitecheck:
  • 2nd - Carlton (criteria not met, forced promotion for Gold Coast) :noentry:
  • 3rd - Gold Coast (criteria met, forced promotion due to lack of NEAFL teams) :whitecheck:
  • 4th - Fremantle (criteria not met, automatic promotion for Hobart) :noentry:
  • 5th - Brisbane
  • 6th - Essendon
  • 7th - Hobart (criteria met, forced promotion due to lack of TSL teams) :whitecheck:
  • 8th - Sturt
  • ----------------------- Finals / Forced Promotion Qualification
  • 9th - St Mary's (criteria not met, automatic promotion failed due to missing Finals) :noentry:
  • 10th - Ainsley (criteria not met, automatic promotion failed due to missing Finals) :noentry:
  • 11th - Casey Scorpions
  • 12th - Subiaco
  • 13th - Williamstown
  • 14th - South Fremantle
  • 15th - South Port
  • 16th - Glenorchy
  • 17th - Woodville-West Torrens
  • 18th - South Adelaide
State Leagues (State)
Six teams per league
  • SANFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • VFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • WAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • TSL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • NTFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • QAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • NSWAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
  • ACTAFL
    • 1st
    • 2nd
    • 3rd
    • 4th
    • 5th
    • 6th
Second Tier State Leagues (State)
Eighteen teams per league
  • SA Championship
  • Victorian Championship
  • WA Championship
  • Tasmanian Championship
  • NT Championship
  • Queensland Championship
  • NSW Championship
  • ACT Championship
Regional Wildcard Cups (Regional)
Regional teams interested in joining relevant state leagues can gain entry via Regional Knockout Wildcard Cups.

Big game for a big country, but unfortunately we don't have a big population.

I like the idea though.

I wonder how ground rationalisation would have worked in the pro/rel scenario.
 

SgtSchulz

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 24, 2014
6,065
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Other Teams
Mark Webber
Big game for a big country, but unfortunately we don't have a big population.

I like the idea though.

I wonder how ground rationalisation would have worked in the pro/rel scenario.
I will elaborate on it more but basically the pro/rel heavily favours having all states and territories represented. Once that is the case then the league simply works as a normal pro/rel. However to get a forced promotion (i.e. outside top 2-3) that team must at least make finals.

I should probably make the second division smaller so it could be more easily supported by the governing body.
 

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I will elaborate on it more but basically the pro/rel heavily favours having all states and territories represented. Once that is the case then the league simply works as a normal pro/rel. However to get a forced promotion (i.e. outside top 2-3) that team must at least make finals.

I should probably make the second division smaller so it could be more easily supported by the governing body.

I was going to leave it because it's the 'utopia' thread, but...

Money, salary cap, draft....That's a lot of clubs...and if div2 is a long way below div1 in such things, then promoted teams will be going straight back down the following year.
 
NORTH EAST
BRISBANE BEARS
GOLD COAST SUNS
SYDNEY SWANS
CANBERRA GIANTS

VICTORIA
MELBOURNE TIGERS
COLLINGWOOD MAGPIES
ESSENDON BOMBERS
GEELONG CATS

SOUTH
ADELAIDE CROWS
PORT ADELAIDE POWER
NORWOOD REDLEGS
STURT BLUES

WEST
JOONDALUP FALCONS
PERTH EAGLES
FREMANTLE SHARKS
MANDURAH THUNDER


No Tasmanian Division?
 
Mar 21, 2008
4,385
4,003
FNQ
AFL Club
Tasmania
Other Teams
Devils, Tigers & Jackjumpers
I want nothing more in the sporting universe than a Tasmanian home grown team wearing dark green, rose and primrose (yes, that's what it's supposed to be) in the AFL to balance the cricket team. Tigers and Devils. A two headed sporting monster tag-teaming itself between summer and winter on a weekly all year round mission to gore mainlanders...wins or bloodshed, nice to have both but I'll settle for one at a time...

Perfection...

The rest of the AFL can please itself, whatever, although I'm not keen on footy between Monday and Wednesday (warming to Thursday, but the ladder in the paper on Monday morning should never contain an asterisk), and I f###ing hate the twilight slot with a passion. The kicking out of bounds shananigans of the last few years also needs a revamp...
 
Last edited:
Mar 21, 2008
4,385
4,003
FNQ
AFL Club
Tasmania
Other Teams
Devils, Tigers & Jackjumpers
Option to have only crowd noise for all games on TV.
I had Foxtel when they introduced this over a decade ago, and watched a couple of matches which went down to the final siren with the commentary off but the sound up...

It was brilliant, loved it. Haven't watched a single game via a foxtel receiver since - does it still exist...?
 

shaqsuns

Club Legend
Jun 13, 2011
1,267
1,113
Gold Coast
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
Cleveland Cavaliers
  • only 20 interchanges a game
  • more tv coverage on fox footy and FTA through talk back shows, pre game shows, post game shows and kids footy shows
  • reversible away jumpers and for the AFL to get rid of this silly white rule
  • more "100 goal a season" goal kickers
  • no more David King and his useless stats
  • when a player drops the ball in a tackle its called holding the ball not "play on"
  • draft lottery
  • no nominating clubs during the trade period so clubs can trade with who ever they want without the player interfering. (that's what free agency was made for)
  • 22 games for each club they play each team once (17) have a rivalry round which they play each year (18) and the other 16 teams rotate on a 4 year basis playing 4 teams to end the year (22)
I'm sure there is more but thats enough for one night
 
Mar 5, 2005
19,379
9,728
Between the Big Sticks
AFL Club
West Coast
SYDNEY SWANS - SCG
SYDNEY GIANTS - SPOTLESS STADIUM
MELBOURNE MAGPIES - MCG
MELBOURNE BULLDOGS - ETIHAD STADIUM
BRISBANE BEARS - GABBA
PERTH EAGLES - PERTH STADIUM
ADELAIDE CROWS - ADELAIDE OVAL
GOLD COAST SUNS - METRICON STADIUM
CANBERRA RAMS - MANUKA OVAL
TASMANIAN DEVILS - BELLERIVE OVAL
GEELONG CATS - SIMONDS STADIUM
NT THUNDER - TIO STADIUM
 
Aug 27, 2014
38,196
41,193
spacetime
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
there are no other teams worthy
  • only 20 interchanges a game
  • more tv coverage on fox footy and FTA through talk back shows, pre game shows, post game shows and kids footy shows
  • reversible away jumpers and for the AFL to get rid of this silly white rule
  • more "100 goal a season" goal kickers
  • no more David King and his useless stats
  • when a player drops the ball in a tackle its called holding the ball not "play on"
  • draft lottery
  • no nominating clubs during the trade period so clubs can trade with who ever they want without the player interfering. (that's what free agency was made for)
  • 22 games for each club they play each team once (17) have a rivalry round which they play each year (18) and the other 16 teams rotate on a 4 year basis playing 4 teams to end the year (22)
I'm sure there is more but thats enough for one night

You put some good thought into it.
Not bad mate.
 
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