Footy in Western Australia

[BigVic]

Eagles and Freo at the bottom of the ladder and their U18 talent pool is weak.

How does WA footy become competitive again? Where are they heading?

 

[Danw0w]

I'm still positive about Freo. Backwards steps like this year are common, especially for younger sides. I will tip them to make the 8 next year.

 

[stallon]

The Eagles are in a rebuild, every(most) team goes through it at some point. Freo have one of if not the youngest list in the game, they're fine, they've got a bunch of 19-22 year olds who look solid. I expect both these teams to be in finals a lot over the next 2-10 years(maybe 3-4 before the eagles get there).

U18s will come gold again, its a bit of luck each year where the best are

Footy in WA is fine

 

[Free Agent]

CODE Sports

CODE Sports

www.codesports.com.au

WA footy is not fine. Get the goggles off.
WAFL is in a horrible state and on the brink of collapse. Attendance and struggling financially in most departments. Then you see a bigger picture why both AFL sides are crap. The development in Eagles and Freo isn't there with the WAFL. Far from the standards of SANFL and VFL.

This is the main issue. The WAFL is crap and Eagles having our own side was a mistake because with our injuries at AFL level most of them that would of been WAFL players are now playing AFL and there's hardly many players left for the WAFL. The quality of the WAFL is having an major affect on both clubs development. AFL wont do anything because they expect Eagles to just fix it. That would be like asking Collingwood to fix the VFL. Just a joke how AFL headquarters think and do things. Last I checked it was a national comp and AFL is a billion dollar industry. Shouldn't the AFL be putting some money into the struggling WAFL. Just neglected WA and the results speak for themselves. It will only get worst too.

Also GC GWS and Sydney Academies have killed any bottom dwellers over the last few years. Rebuild takes longer when half the draft is comprised every year

 

[NetworkNerd]

8 years ago WA was number 1 for footy... it ebbs and flows

 

[Grave Danger]

Whatchew talkin about - the WA teams drew the two biggest crowds this week! East Perth top of the WAFL ladder and Swans beating Subi must be a worry though...

 

[basashi]

The larger worry is the age profile of fans in WA. Ratio of old to young is worse.

 

[Tiger2709]

General admission is ridiculous for the Eagles, 50+ while for the Dockers it's about $20 cheaper, not sure why but both cost a lot more than in Melbourne?

 

[BigVic]

It's too expensive for a match at Optus Stadium. Seeing a Collingwood match on TV is better than a day out at Optus which is $50 for Eagles and $30 for Freo home matches.

 

[bzparkes]

Eagles and Freo at the bottom of the ladder and their U18 talent pool is weak.

How does WA footy become competitive again? Where are they heading?

Let us spend money on our academies outside the soft cap and have the ability to match a bit on 1 player of choice, anywhere in the draft.

That will incentivize both clubs to actually invest in developing junior talent, because currently there's none.

 

[Jibroni]

It was only a few years ago both SA Clubs were "struggling", things change quickly. The only difference I see is that people in SA seem to have more interest in the SANFL compared to WA, but their love for the game is as strong as anyone's and dare say more talent has been drafted from WA in recent years.

But still if you said to me that a club as big as West Coast would win one game in a season and resemble Melbourne 2012/13, I would probably go and buy a lotto ticket.

 

[Danw0w]

General admission is ridiculous for the Eagles, 50+ while for the Dockers it's about $20 cheaper, not sure why but both cost a lot more than in Melbourne?

Supply and demand

 

[Lingsface]

Only one player in the all Australian 16 side as well??? Wtf.

Still have a lot of stats in the competition I would guess to say at least 20 percent in all Australian squad last year were from Western Australia a few recent Brownlow and the best forward of the last 30 years.

 

[Clark G]

I'm still positive about Freo. Backwards steps like this year are common, especially for younger sides. I will tip them to make the 8 next year.

Do you see similarities with say Richmond in 2016?

 

[Taper]

The larger worry is the age profile of fans in WA. Ratio of old to young is worse.

How come young people in WA aren't getting into footy as much?
What sports are they getting into instead?

 

[The Lobbster]

Do you see similarities with say Richmond in 2016?

I've been trawling over some data based on list games and ages for some posts on the Freo board. I see more similarities based on those 2 (admittedly narrow) data points with 2019 Melbourne.

2019 MELB
23.9 yrs old (13th in the AFL)
55.4 games (14th in the AFL)

2023 FRE
23.9 yrs old (15th in the AFL)
54 games (16th in the AFL)

Melbourne got their list just a bit more mature and were in the prime window by 2021. Also similar based on my admittedly limited Melbourne knowledge, with strong defences and midfields and a weaker forward line. Whether it comes together for Fremantle or not is anyone's guess.

 

[Bjo187]

I bet if the eagles and dockers ran their academies and had full access the talent coming out of w.a would triple overnight. It has been a disappointing year for w.a footy and the afl needs to keep an eye on it.

The fact the wafc is broke is staggering, wtf have they been doing with all the money the two afl clubs pour in every year? Certainly haven't been putting much into development by the looks of it.

 

[Shane Heard]

General admission is ridiculous for the Eagles, 50+ while for the Dockers it's about $20 cheaper, not sure why but both cost a lot more than in Melbourne?

Every Essendon v WC games at Optus for last 4 or 5 years I just relent and buy the $130 premium seats on the wing because that’s all that’s available every time..otherwise its nose bleed crap seats up high for $35-$45.
I just pay the price because there are simply no other options available.

 

[Freomaniac]

I bet if the eagles and dockers ran their academies and had full access the talent coming out of w.a would triple overnight. It has been a disappointing year for w.a footy and the afl needs to keep an eye on it.

The fact the wafc is broke is staggering, wtf have they been doing with all the money the two afl clubs pour in every year? Certainly haven't been putting much into development by the looks of it.

what do you mean the WAFC is broke?

The western australian footy comission is essentially a branch of the WA government

 

[Bjo187]

what do you mean the WAFC is broke?

The western australian footy comission is essentially a branch of the WA government

I think they are in debt, they have posted financial losses a lot recently.

The funny thing is footy in W.A has gone backwards whilst Western Australian Richard Goyder has been chairman of the AFL.

Can't even get the bloody games on 7's main channel half the time in Perth. Shows how pathetic he's been as the games Chairman.

 

[basashi]

How come young people in WA aren't getting into footy as much?
What sports are they getting into instead?

Adult followership is mostly based on childhood attendance, not childhood tv footy watching. we have gone through a long period in which it is quite difficult to get tickets. in melbourne and adelaide the vast majority of 16 year olds have been to a game. In WA its not like that at all.

 

[Markfs]

Adult followership is mostly based on childhood attendance, not childhood tv footy watching. we have gone through a long period in which it is quite difficult to get tickets. in melbourne and adelaide the vast majority of 16 year olds have been to a game. In WA its not like that at all.

This is a good point. I paid $400 for two tickets to the pie game earlier this year.....and the seating has freed up quite a bit in the post covid era. The MCG provides walk-up seats most weeks for $27. If I was living in richmond or hawthorn, i'd be down at the ground both sat and sunday. Kids can get in for $5....Footy in WA is almost elitist now with most spectators old folks from the western suburbs. We're tracking down the same path as rugby union

 

[The_Reaper]

The Norm Smith medalist is Western Australian. What is the issue?