Apple Isle Showdown: Tas Govt threatens to end Hawks, North deals if no plan for 19th side

[Rich01]

Maybe they won't have much of a call on 'staying' in Tassie?

We'll soon find out. I hope its a very short term stay if any at all!

Yep, if their hand is forced by the Tas govt, they are in a financial hole pretty quickly. Gives the AFL a fair bit of leverage if they need to bail them out.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

They snubbed their noses at Gold Coast, Canberra, Sydney, and probably Tasmania. They won't have anywhere else to go. Darwin, but that's not going to really help them. Maybe New Zealand.

Albury or Bendigo are viable options for selling games.

Their board gets very upset whenever relocation and them are used in the same sentence, but this wouldn't happen if they could stand on their own 2 feet instead of playing games in a different state to help try and keep their club afloat.

Given how opposed both the board and their fans are to relocation, I think they'd prefer the club stay in North Melbourne and just drop down to the VFL if they can't survive in the AFL. This isn't a problem at present though, they're turning a profit and have almost no debt. Let's see the impacts of the Arden St revitalisation and what they do after Tasmania kick them out first.

 

[madmug]

Albury or Bendigo are viable options for selling games.


Given how opposed both the board and their fans are to relocation, I think they'd prefer the club stay in North Melbourne and just drop down to the VFL if they can't survive in the AFL. This isn't a problem at present though, they're turning a profit and have almost no debt. Let's see the impacts of the Arden St revitalisation and what they do after Tasmania kick them out first.

Yes, good luck to them.

Who in Albury or Bendigo would pay the sort of money they need for a game or 4?

Especially if its NM v GCS or PA? Indeed, who'd bother going to the game?

 

[boncer34]

Yes, good luck to them.

Who in Albury or Bendigo would pay the sort of money they need for a game or 4?

Especially if its NM v GCS or PA? Indeed, who'd bother going to the game?

Who pays for the Bulldogs in Ballarat?

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Who in Albury or Bendigo would pay the sort of money they need for a game or 4?

State governments, same as they currently do for Ballarat and NRL games in regional NSW.

Especially if its NM v GCS or PA? Indeed, who'd bother going to the game?

People who enjoy watching live AFL games and don't want to drive 2-3 hours to get to Melbourne. Probably helps if North aren't pathetic on the field at the time, but that's true of all clubs everywhere.

 

[Roylion]

Yep, if their hand is forced by the Tas govt, they are in a financial hole pretty quickly. Gives the AFL a fair bit of leverage if they need to bail them out.

A "fair bit of leverage" to do what?

 

[Engimal v3]

Who pays for the Bulldogs in Ballarat?

North playing in Ballarat would be a great second market. It's a shame the AFL pulled the rug from underneath North and allocated the market that North were already building to the Bulldogs.

The only reason I can think of is that the AFL wanted North to have a dependence on Tasmania. You get the feeling that the AFL has held a bit too much of a grudge since being knocked back in 2007.

 

[madmug]

Who pays for the Bulldogs in Ballarat?

No idea who or how much. Maybe you can find out?

I'm more interested in them leaving here, not where they might go.

 

[RAPPA]

so if North is unfortunately relocated and rebranded as a Tasmanian team, will they be given any draft concessions etc? Surely the AFL won’t simply dump a club in the midst of a rebuild in a new location and not help boost its on-field performances? Perhaps they get free reign of Tasmania as a zone? Not advocating for it, but curious to think about the AFL’s strategies to build up the team’s Tassie appeal other than just slapping the team with a new name and logo.

 

[Rich01]

A "fair bit of leverage" to do what?

Whatever it is the AFL want with the comp.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

so if North is unfortunately relocated and rebranded as a Tasmanian team, will they be given any draft concessions etc? Surely the AFL won’t simply dump a club in the midst of a rebuild in a new location and not help boost its on-field performances? Perhaps they get free reign of Tasmania as a zone? Not advocating for it, but curious to think about the AFL’s strategies to build up the team’s Tassie appeal other than just slapping the team with a new name and logo.

Yes of course the relocated Club would need significant concessions. Send some top line players from the top 4 Clubs (one each) with big salary subsidies plus draft concessions.

The Melbourne market is not large enough to support 9 Clubs. North has gone backwards on the ground. They cannot recruit 'big fish' and the few talented kids on their list will be picked off. Give the relocated team a guaranteed 7 games at Docklands.

 

[boncer34]

No idea who or how much. Maybe you can find out?

I'm more interested in them leaving here, not where they might go.

I have no idea.

But I'm also not dismissing cities when games are being played in similar spots due to nobody paying for them.

 

[Engimal v3]

so if North is unfortunately relocated and rebranded as a Tasmanian team, will they be given any draft concessions etc? Surely the AFL won’t simply dump a club in the midst of a rebuild in a new location and not help boost its on-field performances? Perhaps they get free reign of Tasmania as a zone? Not advocating for it, but curious to think about the AFL’s strategies to build up the team’s Tassie appeal other than just slapping the team with a new name and logo.

If Tassie gets a team, it'll be a brand new team as clubs can't be relocated and none of the small Vic clubs are in dire straights. It will definitely get concessions, as per the most recent expansion clubs.

 

[madmug]

I have no idea.

But I'm also not dismissing cities when games are being played in similar spots due to nobody paying for them.

Not sure I follow either your point here, or your mode of English expression.

 

[Roylion]

Whatever it is the AFL want with the comp.

And what would that be?

 

[Roylion]

Yes of course the relocated Club would need significant concessions. Send some top line players from the top 4 Clubs (one each) with big salary subsidies plus draft concessions.

Can the AFL force players to play for a relocated club? Like Matthew Primus for example

North has gone backwards on the ground. They cannot recruit 'big fish' and the few talented kids on their list will be picked off.

Have they gone backwards off the ground?

Give the relocated team a guaranteed 7 games at Docklands.

For how long? Do you mean like Brisbane's guaranteed annual six Melbourne games?

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Can the AFL force players to play for a relocated club? Like Matthew Primus for example

Nope. But a $1.0M pa payday on top of the existing salary would be fair recompense. The Commission would have to tell the 4 Clubs to stfu.

Have they gone backwards off the ground?

In the black financially but that is the only good news.

Poor crowds and low membership. The Good Friday crowd of 28.5K was minimum 2/3rds doggies. For years Melbourne Bloods fans have outnumbered the Roos at Docklands.

To say they have buggered their rebuild is an underestimate. Scott left because the Board would not agree and wanted top ups and risible "war chest" pizzazz. I love Shaw but his appointment was premature to say the least.

For years they have publicly sought A graders with marginal success - players late in their career like Waite or chancers there for bonus paydays.

For how long? Do you mean like Brisbane's guaranteed annual six Melbourne games?

We are still bitter about being ripped off on that issue just as your mob is entitled to be. It would need to be somehow written into by-laws and contractually - 20 years? A minimum 7 games in Melbourne (not the Litter Box) would provide the Roo fans in Melbourne something to enjoy.

 

[Engimal v3]

In the black financially

Case closed then.

 

[Financialpanther]

Case closed then.

Pre or post jobkeeper and covid support?

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I think Noble was a good appt as was Blakey but there is only so much they can do.

 

[Roylion]

Nope. But a $1.0M pa payday on top of the existing salary would be fair recompense. The Commission would have to tell the 4 Clubs to stfu.

The players would have to be out of contract and have to want to go. The AFL can't just transfer players from the best four clubs.

In the black financially but that is the only good news.

Poor crowds and low membership.

North are at the bottom of the ladder presently. But apart from last year (which was a covid year) they have had 40,000+ members since 2014. They averaged 27,249 in 2019, but can average 38,000 + in years when they are top 8.

To say they have buggered their rebuild is an underestimate. Scott left because the Board would not agree and wanted top ups and risible "war chest" pizzazz.

They're rebuilding now. They won't be rebuilding forever.

We are still bitter about being ripped off on that issue just as your mob is entitled to be. It would need to be somehow written into by-laws and contractually - 20 years? A minimum 7 games in Melbourne (not the Litter Box) would provide the Roo fans in Melbourne something to enjoy.

Not worth the paper it is written on. North supporters know that. They have the Fitzroy experience to draw upon as evidence.

 

[Rich01]

And what would that be?

Not sure why you are asking me.

But if the AFL needed to cull or relocate a Melb side, a parlous financial situation, poor results and attendances would put North in the gun more so than before.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Not worth the paper it is written on. North supporters know that. They have the Fitzroy experience to draw upon as evidence.

.... and ours which was in fact orchestrated by Aylett.

 

[Roylion]

But if the AFL needed to cull or relocate a Melb side, a parlous financial situation, poor results and attendances would put North in the gun more so than before.

Are they breaching the terms of their licence with 'poor attendances' and 'poor results'?

How would the AFL bring this about?

 

[telsor]

Tas deserves its own AFL side.

Why?