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big_e

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AFL future push: Eddie McGuire says Collingwood needs to play against Tasmania and Darwin teams by 2028
Glenn McFarlane

3 min read
April 7, 2021 - 8:35PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom


Eddie McGuire has drawn up a revolutionary blueprint on the future of the AFL that would see 20 teams competing by 2028.

The former Collingwood president and long-time football powerbroker believes the game has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to introduce a 19th and 20th franchise – with Tasmania and a combined Far North Queensland/Darwin side the most likely options.

But he sent a pointed warning to the Tasmanian Government and Premier Peter Gutwein, saying it needed to “step up or step out” or potentially “miss the boat again”.



McGuire said unless the Tasmanian Government agreed to commit $20 million annually to the code and the new club — which included investment in a roofed stadium, better junior pathways, universities and sports medicine facilities — it could forfeit its last hope of having a stand-alone team.


“The time has come for the all parties promulgating a team in Tasmania to put up or shut up,” McGuire said on Footy Classified.

McGuire’s bold plan to push football’s boundaries into the next generation includes:
# A 20-round AFL season in which all teams would play each other once (19 rounds), which “fixes the fixture”, plus an extra round comprising Blockbuster/Showdown/Derby matches;
# An expanded 12-team finals series, which would add at least $20 million to the TV rights;


# At least three matches to be played on the west coast of the United States to tap into American markets; and,
# A proposal for one Victorian team to be Tasmania’s “breakthrough” side until the stand-alone team is ready in 2028.
Eddie McGuire is pushing for a senior Tasmanian team in the AFL. Picture: Matt Thompson

Eddie McGuire is pushing for a senior Tasmanian team in the AFL. Picture: Matt Thompson

That Victorian “breakthrough” team — which he suggested could be North Melbourne given it already has a contract to play matches in Hobart — would be allocated four “home” and four “away” matches in Tasmania between seasons 2022 and 2027, with a further 12 games played in Melbourne and only two matches in different states.
McGuire said the Tasmanian Government had to find the best venue for a new stadium with a retractable roof.

It is understood McGuire — who was on the AFL’s “coronavirus cabinet” last year — has already discussed his proposal with a range of AFL heavyweights including league chief executive Gillon McLachlan and other club presidents.

His message to the Tasmanian Premier — whose Government will face an election on May 1 — was pointed: “You can have a stand-alone team in the AFL competition in 2028.

“(But) from this year you need to contribute not $10m but $20m per season indexed forever.
“You also need to hit the Federal Government up for a further $20m.

“The AFL will be in for a similar amount and you will need to find $10m-15m in commercial profit to make this work.

“In the next six years you (Tasmania) need to declare you are all in (for) AFL men’s and women’s football.”

McGuire said Tasmania under Gutwein would need to build pathway programs, scholarships and talent identification programs to contribute six players per year into the AFL Draft.

“You are averaging two at the moment,” he said of Tasmania.

“Sandringham Dragons average six from their catchment area. (That’s) not too much to ask.

“Premier, you need to decide where your ground is and to get a gold star your state needs a stadium with a roof on it.”

Part of the funding would come from infrastructure/health/education and tourism budgets.

“The economic impact more than covers the cost,” he said.

McGuire said a Victorian team could safeguard their future forever by choosing to be a part-time Tassie team for the next six seasons.

He once considered Collingwood playing a number of games on the Gold Coast after North Melbourne knocked back the AFL’s massive deal to base themselves up there at the end of 2007.

“It’s a competition challenge with a competition solution,” McGuire said on Footy Classified.
“A team has to decide it wants to be the Tasmanian breakthrough side.

“Let’s say it is North Melbourne. I (would) propose that North Melbourne play four home and four away games in Tasmania until 2028.

“They then get 12 games in Melbourne and play two interstate. Members would receive free KAYO (deals) and deals to travel to Tasmania.

“The four away games (would) come from AFL assisted clubs.

“One game per year (would be) a blockbuster versus a BIG club with a full festival of football scheduled in Tasmania with (AFL) Commission/President’s meetings, media relocation and symposiums to generally show we love them and are building something fantastic.

“At the end North (would be) seen as a great contributor to the competition. They get as many games in their home city as every non-Victorian team and their future is assured.”
Honestly, surely we've all had days where we've slacked off at work and come up with stupid ideas to fix our favourite sports.

Eddie is one of us, but instead of boring Steve from accounts, he can bore the whole country.
 

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hellas_johnny

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Honestly, surely we've all had days where we've slacked off at work and come up with stupid ideas to fix our favourite sports.

Eddie is one of us, but instead of boring Steve from accounts, he can bore the whole country.
Don't see a problem with this plan at all. As much as Eddie annoys me he spoke alot of sense
 

The Anvil

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AFL future push: Eddie McGuire says Collingwood needs to play against Tasmania and Darwin teams by 2028
Glenn McFarlane

3 min read
April 7, 2021 - 8:35PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom


Eddie McGuire has drawn up a revolutionary blueprint on the future of the AFL that would see 20 teams competing by 2028.

The former Collingwood president and long-time football powerbroker believes the game has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to introduce a 19th and 20th franchise – with Tasmania and a combined Far North Queensland/Darwin side the most likely options.

But he sent a pointed warning to the Tasmanian Government and Premier Peter Gutwein, saying it needed to “step up or step out” or potentially “miss the boat again”.



McGuire said unless the Tasmanian Government agreed to commit $20 million annually to the code and the new club — which included investment in a roofed stadium, better junior pathways, universities and sports medicine facilities — it could forfeit its last hope of having a stand-alone team.


“The time has come for the all parties promulgating a team in Tasmania to put up or shut up,” McGuire said on Footy Classified.

McGuire’s bold plan to push football’s boundaries into the next generation includes:
# A 20-round AFL season in which all teams would play each other once (19 rounds), which “fixes the fixture”, plus an extra round comprising Blockbuster/Showdown/Derby matches;
# An expanded 12-team finals series, which would add at least $20 million to the TV rights;


# At least three matches to be played on the west coast of the United States to tap into American markets; and,
# A proposal for one Victorian team to be Tasmania’s “breakthrough” side until the stand-alone team is ready in 2028.
Eddie McGuire is pushing for a senior Tasmanian team in the AFL. Picture: Matt Thompson

Eddie McGuire is pushing for a senior Tasmanian team in the AFL. Picture: Matt Thompson

That Victorian “breakthrough” team — which he suggested could be North Melbourne given it already has a contract to play matches in Hobart — would be allocated four “home” and four “away” matches in Tasmania between seasons 2022 and 2027, with a further 12 games played in Melbourne and only two matches in different states.
McGuire said the Tasmanian Government had to find the best venue for a new stadium with a retractable roof.

It is understood McGuire — who was on the AFL’s “coronavirus cabinet” last year — has already discussed his proposal with a range of AFL heavyweights including league chief executive Gillon McLachlan and other club presidents.

His message to the Tasmanian Premier — whose Government will face an election on May 1 — was pointed: “You can have a stand-alone team in the AFL competition in 2028.

“(But) from this year you need to contribute not $10m but $20m per season indexed forever.
“You also need to hit the Federal Government up for a further $20m.

“The AFL will be in for a similar amount and you will need to find $10m-15m in commercial profit to make this work.

“In the next six years you (Tasmania) need to declare you are all in (for) AFL men’s and women’s football.”

McGuire said Tasmania under Gutwein would need to build pathway programs, scholarships and talent identification programs to contribute six players per year into the AFL Draft.

“You are averaging two at the moment,” he said of Tasmania.

“Sandringham Dragons average six from their catchment area. (That’s) not too much to ask.

“Premier, you need to decide where your ground is and to get a gold star your state needs a stadium with a roof on it.”

Part of the funding would come from infrastructure/health/education and tourism budgets.

“The economic impact more than covers the cost,” he said.

McGuire said a Victorian team could safeguard their future forever by choosing to be a part-time Tassie team for the next six seasons.

He once considered Collingwood playing a number of games on the Gold Coast after North Melbourne knocked back the AFL’s massive deal to base themselves up there at the end of 2007.

“It’s a competition challenge with a competition solution,” McGuire said on Footy Classified.
“A team has to decide it wants to be the Tasmanian breakthrough side.

“Let’s say it is North Melbourne. I (would) propose that North Melbourne play four home and four away games in Tasmania until 2028.

“They then get 12 games in Melbourne and play two interstate. Members would receive free KAYO (deals) and deals to travel to Tasmania.

“The four away games (would) come from AFL assisted clubs.

“One game per year (would be) a blockbuster versus a BIG club with a full festival of football scheduled in Tasmania with (AFL) Commission/President’s meetings, media relocation and symposiums to generally show we love them and are building something fantastic.

“At the end North (would be) seen as a great contributor to the competition. They get as many games in their home city as every non-Victorian team and their future is assured.”

Wow, a free Kayo membership, let’s all get on board that idea. What a flog!


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regardless of the politics watering down the talent pool again is a fail.
Not if we bottom out now and get the best players in advance and avoid a rebuild at the time the expansion clubs come in.
Killed us last time. Sure, our recruitment wasn’t great - but we did bottom out in compromised drafts.
 

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Honestly, surely we've all had days where we've slacked off at work and come up with stupid ideas to fix our favourite sports.

Eddie is one of us, but instead of boring Steve from accounts, he can bore the whole country.

Without a word of a lie, one day at uni in the early 90s, a mate and I came up with a plan to fix cricket. Games were too long and too much time would go by between highlights. So if you could cut them back to around 3hrs, play 20 overs each and have teams dotted around the country playing each weekend like H&A footy matches. You could make up the talent pool by throwing big money at international players to come and join.

Don't see a problem with this plan at all. As much as Eddie annoys me he spoke alot of sense

Aside from each team playing each other once (and even then he waters that down by adding and extra 'blockbuster' round), there isn't one aspect of his plan that isn't utterly stupid.

- 12 team finals series :crossmark:. Yeah I guess it would mean more finals - mediocre finals. Even in a 20-team competition, why would we care about a final involving the 12th best team? They'd have spent 18 games proving how average they are, and they suddenly would have to beat 5 or maybe 6 of the best teams in a row to have a chance. It would be the biggest sporting turnaround since the Mighty Ducks went from being barely able to skate to world champions within 2 movies. (and at the same time proving minnow countries like the USA can stick it up huge sporting juggernauts. Like Iceland)
- 3 games on the US West Coast? :poo: Yeah because every Californian is currently wishing for another sport to follow live - especially one totally foreign to them. It would be a thorough waste of time, money and energy (see China and NZ games). The game doesn't need, and will never get, mass international appeal.
- The Tassie breakthrough team. :thumbsdown: Why on earth would any club do that unless it admitted it was on palliative care and wanted to stretch out the end. Which clubs are giving up a home game for this team (or the US games)? I guess not Collingwood as in 22 years as their president, Eddie never once advocated giving up home games.
 
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DuckYeah

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Not if we bottom out now and get the best players in advance and avoid a rebuild at the time the expansion clubs come in.
Killed us last time. Sure, our recruitment wasn’t great - but we did bottom out in compromised drafts.
This is a worthy point, the drafts were raped when we needed it most.
 

koshari

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Not if we bottom out now and get the best players in advance and avoid a rebuild at the time the expansion clubs come in.
Killed us last time. Sure, our recruitment wasn’t great - but we did bottom out in compromised drafts.
regardless even if we topped up with talent we would be playing other teams that were full of journeymen, my point is more teams in the league means more spuds to make up the numbers, our list at the moment is an obvious example of the dearth of top end talent. and we haven't even been able to fulfill our salary cap for years because regardless of money there simply isn't the talent to fill the cap space. .
 

WD Roo

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Honestly, surely we've all had days where we've slacked off at work and come up with stupid ideas to fix our favourite sports.

Eddie is one of us, but instead of boring Steve from accounts, he can bore the whole country.
Eddie ****ed up his last sentence

“At the end North (has always) seen as a great contributor to the competition. They get as many games in their home city as every non-Victorian team and their future has always been assured.”
 
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Piss off GC and GWS and make every other club play 1 relocated "exhibition" home game across those towns each year.

We've done it with Darwin, Cairns, Canberra, Gold Coast previously, just go back to that model but mandate all clubs to do the heavy lifting.

You could actually setup neutral venue games in this way, West Coast playing Adelaide in GC etc.

Nobody wanted GC or GWS, nobody really cares about them now. Pull them out, support Sydney and Brisbane and a Tassie team if you must and leave it there.
 
Jun 9, 2001
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If the deal is to send us to Tassie 'cos we're sh*t....why not have the bottom placed side of each season play their home matches in Tassie the following year? That should be an incentive for teams not to tank.

That's actually brilliant!

First 3 years North, saints and crows all have to do it until Collingwood end up down the there and the scheme is called off.
 

Passmore

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I’ll never understand how folks are happy to win the spoon.


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Speaking for myself only, I wouldn't say I'm happy to be running last. I'd rather be sitting in or near the top 4 looking forward to finals.

However, given where we are right now, I don't see a lot of glory in running second or third bottom. If you're going to be no good, you might as well be proper no good and take any advantages that come with it. Our system rewards failure.
 
Piss off GC and GWS and make every other club play 1 relocated "exhibition" home game across those towns each year.

We've done it with Darwin, Cairns, Canberra, Gold Coast previously, just go back to that model but mandate all clubs to do the heavy lifting.

You could actually setup neutral venue games in this way, West Coast playing Adelaide in GC etc.

Nobody wanted GC or GWS, nobody really cares about them now. Pull them out, support Sydney and Brisbane and a Tassie team if you must and leave it there.
Why are you so against making it a national sport? Remember, a lot of people didn't want North Melbourne in the early years.
 
Jun 9, 2001
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Why are you so against making it a national sport? Remember, a lot of people didn't want North Melbourne in the early years.

Because it's being done in reverse. They're contriving support out of communities rather than installing teams where the support demands it. That makes it a business decision not a sport one.

I don't hate the SA or WA clubs because those AFL teams were representations of existing passion in those states. Ditto a Tassie team.

We 30 years in and the swans and lions would fall over almost immediately without AFL underwriting.
 
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