You have been given the task to re-build the composition of the various leagues under the control of AFL Goldfields for the benefit of the region beyond the short-term.
How would your revamp look?
How would your revamp look?
Goldfields Football Rebuild ... Your Say
- Thread starter MortlockWatcher
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- #2
I think that we need to revisit a merger of the CHFL and MCDFNL and divisional football.
If clubs aren't playing at their level with similar clubs (strong clubs together and struggling clubs together) then the struggling clubs are likely to face oblivion. Clubs need to come to the realisation that if they are reliant on recruiting from Melbourne or Ballarat or Bendigo for players then they won't travel to a team that is routinely belted.
I am proposing that the current 31 clubs from the two leagues go into a 10-10-11 format, with 18 round seasons and final fives. The format can be Division 1, 2, 3 or else Division 1, 2 North and 2 South.
If teams such as Dunolly, Campbells Creek and Smythesdale were all playing in a 10-team competition away from the Maldons or Beauforts then they would have a better chance of being competitive each week and therefore attract recruits to their club, knowing that in a 10-team league their chances of winning matches and playing finals is increased (50% chance in a 10-team comp). It would also stimulate interest in these clubs and communities.
Some may say that travel would be an issue. To those people, I will offer them two alternatives to consider - (1) would you like to travel and have a club that has a fighting chance on the field each week, or (2) would you like to go on as you are struggling to put teams out each week and eventually run out of steam in the next couple of years, fold, and run the real risk of your club never returning to a football field again.
GOLDFIELDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
NOTE: BASED ON SENIOR FOOTBALL LADDERS AS AT 25/7/19
I have gone with a 10-10-11 format based on performance not geography, however the Division 2 and 3 clubs could be split into North and South divisions.
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If clubs aren't playing at their level with similar clubs (strong clubs together and struggling clubs together) then the struggling clubs are likely to face oblivion. Clubs need to come to the realisation that if they are reliant on recruiting from Melbourne or Ballarat or Bendigo for players then they won't travel to a team that is routinely belted.
I am proposing that the current 31 clubs from the two leagues go into a 10-10-11 format, with 18 round seasons and final fives. The format can be Division 1, 2, 3 or else Division 1, 2 North and 2 South.
If teams such as Dunolly, Campbells Creek and Smythesdale were all playing in a 10-team competition away from the Maldons or Beauforts then they would have a better chance of being competitive each week and therefore attract recruits to their club, knowing that in a 10-team league their chances of winning matches and playing finals is increased (50% chance in a 10-team comp). It would also stimulate interest in these clubs and communities.
Some may say that travel would be an issue. To those people, I will offer them two alternatives to consider - (1) would you like to travel and have a club that has a fighting chance on the field each week, or (2) would you like to go on as you are struggling to put teams out each week and eventually run out of steam in the next couple of years, fold, and run the real risk of your club never returning to a football field again.
GOLDFIELDS FOOTBALL LEAGUE
NOTE: BASED ON SENIOR FOOTBALL LADDERS AS AT 25/7/19
I have gone with a 10-10-11 format based on performance not geography, however the Division 2 and 3 clubs could be split into North and South divisions.
| GOLDFIELDS DIV.1 | GOLDFIELDS DIV.2 | GOLDFIELDS DIV.3 |
| Waubra | Springbank | Creswick |
| Newlyn | Beaufort | Dunnstown |
| Buninyong | Skipton | R'wood-Cor. |
| Gordon | Bungaree | Daylesford |
| Hepburn | Learmonth | Carn-Lint |
| Carisbrook | Lexton | Ballan |
| Natte Bealiba | Maldon | Clunes |
| Trentham | Avoca | Navarre |
| Harcourt | Newstead | Maryborough Rovers |
| Talbot | Royal Park | Dunolly |
| Campbells Creek |
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- #4
What do you propose?
As a Talbot person, it would be hard for a town of our size to compete in that division. Highlighted by the fact that we are currently not fielding an u/17s team at the moment.
I don’t disagree with the thinking though.
I don’t disagree with the thinking though.
- Thread starter
- #6
Changing the status quo is the important part and my belief is that the structure is a way to make things better. Change is definitely needed and this is my two cents worth.
There are better people than I who can put the clubs in the best spots to sand off the rough edges.
There are better people than I who can put the clubs in the best spots to sand off the rough edges.
I don't propose anything mate. Because it won't happen. AFL Victoria don't give a rats about country football, they are quite happy to sit back and watch clubs die as they bleed them dry. History shows exactly that. As the name suggests, AFL Victoria care about the AFL and nothing else. As long as the AFL is making money so they can funnel it all into GWS and Sydney and the Gold Coast Suns, they are happy. If that's at the expense of country leagues in the game's heartland, who cares? That is the attitude. Country football is not the AFL. The worst thing they could have done was wind up the VCFL. But for the sake of it, your divisions are based on performances over one year. Beaufort won the flag last year and you have them in D2? They have a lot of injuries early, they could win it again. The MCDFL interleague team had players in it that wrre fringe players at best, in bottom half CHFL teams. There is no way those 5 teams in D1 could compete. Ash Munari wouldn't be kicking 16 goals against Hepburn or Buninyong like he beats up on the minnows in the MCDFL. How have the former LPFL teams fared in the CHFL? They can't cope. And I'm not talking about a brief spot in the 8 like Skipton, I'm talking about consistent competitiveness. Any divisions would need to be based on a number of factors. The top 10 from the CHFL based on senior football performances over a period of time, not the current ladder, strength of juniors - not just an u18 team filled with players from Ballarat, financial stability, quality of facilities and strength of netball, should decide Div 1. Then Div 2 and 3 should be made of the rest based on location, because people just won't travel 2 hours every 2nd week to watch crap football or for their kids to play at 9 am. Especially if they are driving past 5 or 6 or more other clubs on the way.
- Feb 19, 2018
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Would any of the MCDFL teams go to Loddon Valley as stand alone sides or merge with say Inglewood
Tiered comps dosnt work in country footy with relegation. The problem is castemaine and Maryborough have too many sides in their area to get players from. In reality both sides need to step down into this type of league to survive, with the minor teams to merge together to form another side to survive.
The bendigo and ballarat leagues could merge, so there is one league from bendigo to sunbury to ballarat and would be quiet powerful, with not that much travel in the scheme of country footy, as kyneton, sunbury, gisborne, darley bacchus and the meltons are close proximity, where you could have each side play each other once
The bendigo and ballarat leagues could merge, so there is one league from bendigo to sunbury to ballarat and would be quiet powerful, with not that much travel in the scheme of country footy, as kyneton, sunbury, gisborne, darley bacchus and the meltons are close proximity, where you could have each side play each other once
