Killing off the VFA clubs.

[MG MG]

With more and more AFL teams going stand alone in the VFL, the VFL will eventually have to kill off some stand alone teams. Who do you think will go.

Bendigo, Coburg and Frankston I thinks.

 

[mediumsizered]

With more and more AFL teams going stand alone in the VFL, the VFL will eventually have to kill off some stand alone teams. Who do you think will go.

Bendigo, Coburg and Frankston I thinks.

The VFL will want a continued presence in Bendigo.

Coburg always seem to be teetering on the edge, but with Phil Cleary getting behind the club, they won't lie down easily, although lack of overall support could be their undoing.

Frankston are almost like a regional team & therefore could be considered important strategically to the VFL. Their lack of recent success isn't a good look, but I have a feeling the VFL would be reluctant to cut them loose.

 

[Big Jablonski]

What is a lack of recent success? Having 6 players drafted in 3 years? i would suggest that they have been more successful than most sides in the competition at this.
And remember it is 10 million verses 140k.
The Dolphins are doing very nicely and will rise up both ladders this season without fail.

 

[mediumsizered]

What is a lack of recent success? Having 6 players drafted in 3 years? i would suggest that they have been more successful than most sides in the competition at this.
And remember it is 10 million verses 140k.
The Dolphins are doing very nicely and will rise up both ladders this season without fail.

Does the Frankston Football Club exist only to develop players to be drafted by AFL clubs, or to win premierships?

The harsh reality for the stand-alone VFL clubs is that on-field success is the best way to ensure increased revenue & memberships. Supporters aren't just interested in the 'greater good'.

 

[Big Jablonski]

If they were to add Tory Dickson and Aaron Edwards along with the other 6 being Hibberd, Baugley, Van Unen, Osborne, Martin and McGuiness you would reckon that a top 6-8 finish would be pretty well much a lock.
Take out Birchall,Guerra,Gibson,and Savage along with Mitchell and Simpkin, and then loose Buddy and Roughie and you have got a hawthorn side that would finish in the bottom half as well.
As I also said The dolphins are around 9 million light and have to make do with whats left over from the draft and their opponents have first crack at the cream.
Also lets get this point straight its the BARRACKERS that dont see greater good however it is the true SUPPORTER that SUPPORTS FINANCIALLY that can see what is happening down there.
Just remember they may well be down in the cellar but without them you play amongst yourselves.
After a few years in the doldrums, they have recruited very well, very young, and from memory it is the first year that not one Stingray boy has gone to another club and that the Dolphins have been the club of choice for these boys along with 5 Box Hill boys, and lots of others(around 38 new faces) and the main reason why this is so?
Because they want to get drafted not because of dollars because they dont have anything substantial today.
Therefore maybe the greater good is the pathway to success and on that score they are successful.

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Dwyer towers saad hibberd sinclair goodes stepenson im sure theres a few more

 

[Big Jablonski]

From the one team weagle youve got one from a premiership side not 6 from the wooden spooners. Kapisch?

 

[finders]

Frankston have picked up some handy players and will have a pretty good season.

 

[Paul_Pennywise]

Up the Dolphins!

 

[David Schwarz]

Depressing what they've done to the mighty VFA

I've seen my mighty bullants get shanked by a snake in the grass, the manner in which it was done was most heart breaking as well

 

[West_Coast_Eagles]

Do you know why? The club had no supporters. Honest question. If preston were for example to go it alone would they be viable?

 

[pazza]

Apparently St. Kilda want to play standalone themselves in 2014, playing out of Moorabbin.

Sandringham too want to be standalone and would most likely survive such a move.

 

[Gezza1967]

https://www.facebook.com/pages/VFA-Footy-The-Halcyon-Days/183319391711258?ref=hl

Here's a FB page I've set up a while back called VFA Footy The Halcyon Days. Heaps of VFA photos & memorabilia.

 

[StevenFutureAFL]

I think it is a disgrace the VFA teams are being replaced by VFL reserves teams. Why? What does it acheive? It is just selfishness from AFL teams trying to copy Geelong and Hawthorn's development model, it does not interest football viewers who would much prefer to watch traditional clubs play with some sense of pride in their club. It is great to watch matches like Port Melbourne vs Coburg or Frankston vs Sandringham, but who cares about Northern Blues vs Collingwood reserves, nobody.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Well it's essentially the doing of the AFL. Which you can't fault. South Australia and Western Australia can get away with affiliations or seconds because the effect is minimal – you 'lose' two independent teams (Peel and East Perth), equally spread AFL listed players (SANFL at the mo), or chuck in those reserves teams but still mostly maintain the strength of the existing state level sides.

The issue is that Melbs has so many AFL clubs intent on having their own twos. Those existing VFA/VFL clubs either become irrelevant and relegated or completely lose everything that made them them. When clubs like the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda want their own VFL teams, you've essentially surrendered to the reality.

What I'd like to see in the next ten years is an NEAFL-like approach, in terms of splits and conferences. You'd have all the Victorian AFL clubs fielding a VFL reserve team. Then the VFA/VFL clubs would exist. So you'd end up with 20-ish sides, but each would only play another once.

I don't know. Maybe that's just shit and patronising. Maybe it's worth admitting that the price of maintaining VFL history in the AFL means relegating the Port Melbourne's to suburban irrelevance. The old WAFL and SANFL clubs are just teetering between that.

 

[StevenFutureAFL]

If anything teams like Port Melbourne should be going up into the AFL, possibly a division 2, not being relegated to the suburban leagues.

The idea of conferences could actually work, at least a lot better than the current model, but it would cut out the possibility of VFL teams being able to be promoted/ relegated if a 2nd division was introduced, as Geelong 2nds could not be promoted from the VFL to the AFL, however that problem still exists currently.

AFL seconds teams in general are a horrible idea, and hamper the development of the AFL, if you look at the English Premier League model, the VFL would be a division which could allow for promotion to the AFL, this does not make sense if clubs already in the AFL are competing in another lower division.

 

[Riccardo11]

It is my understanding that the licenses for the existing VFL teams run out at the end of next year. If it is a choice between the remaining VFA sides leaving the VFL to seek a more appropriate level of competition (most likely in the NEAFL) or continuing to be less and less relevant and competitive in the virtual AFL Victorian sides reserves comp, I'd take the former. Ending an association (pun intended) that began (for most) in the 1880's would be sad, but its better than doing nothing.

 

[Stratford]

I think such clubs as Coburg, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Frankston, Williamstown & Box Hill, and newer clubs like Bendigo need to leave the AFL clubs to their own devices. Form a new VFA. Victoria needs its own State League, our answer to the SANFL or WAFL.

 

[The Convert]

Exactly right. The AFL teams can have their AFL Reserve Grade competition and the old and new VFA style clubs can run a state league. Box Hill could think about the top EFL clubs or not think about them. The good thing is the AFL would have to increase listed numbers or recruit a B tier list who will play reserve grade forever knowing they will be shafted endlessly for A listed players.

Sorry I do not want to play for you should be interesting. Lets face it most people want to play first grade and if you sit on the bench or do not get a game despite being one of the better players in your 'reserve' grade team you will not stay long

 

[walhawk]

I think such clubs as Coburg, Port Melbourne, Sandringham, Frankston, Williamstown & Box Hill, and newer clubs like Bendigo need to leave the AFL clubs to their own devices. Form a new VFA. Victoria needs its own State League, our answer to the SANFL or WAFL.

Only Port, Willi, maybe Frankston and Sandy could afford to play in a new VFA.
Box Hill and Coburg have no supporters and no money.
You can never undo what has been done.
Suburban football is thriving (Vermont would have more supporters than any VFL club) - people clearly do not want a state league.