RedV3x
It's about time some mods started being fair
just because some brainiac decided to confect some meaningless conferences.
But that's what you are proposing - playing an extra game with neighbours- that's the definition of a conference.
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: This feature may not be available in some browsers.
just because some brainiac decided to confect some meaningless conferences.
But that's what you are proposing - playing an extra game with neighbours- that's the definition of a conference.
I personally want to see tasmanian definitely in the AFL. It's beyond me how and why they aren't already in it, that's another conversation for another day.
I don't think a team in the Northern territory is a good idea purely based on the playing conditions, as unfortunate as it is, you can't control weather.
Then you worry about the talent pool etc. I think one more team is enough. You can then scrap the already shitty bye weeks, beyond me why the AFL do the bye rounds over three weeks instead of just one week. I get that money and tv deals are the issue but there's surely a better way.
I think the game is in good shape, given the likelihood of an uninterrupted season next year would be beneficial to everyone involved in the AFL.
If I had to change one thing it would be when a player purposely lays on the ball after being paid a free kick against so that players can get back and defend. Also blatantly pretending you don't know who's free kick it is to again slow play. Both should be penalized with a 50 meter penalty, that'll quicken the game up and allow for better scoring in no time.
The definition of a conferences is surely that teams are primarily competing for seeding for play off / finals in the same table as other teams in their conference.
Playing a return derby for points in a league where you play everyone else once I don't believe classes as a conference
Quite often talk about the future of the AFL revolves around expansion.
The AFL has a team in Australia’s 6 largest cities But that doesn’t mean the next couple of biggest are ready for a team too.
Simply consider how much smaller they are compared to the big 5.
The future of the AFL revolves around many things with further expansion not being a high priority.
But it doesn't rule them out either.
Simply consider that size is not the only criteria.
Geelong is an extremely successful AFL side.
Gold coast is a region rather than a city.
Tasmania is passionate about football and has produced many champions.
The N.T. is proposing a completely different model to that which exists now.
All national sports have realised that a Perth/Adelaide/Brisbane/Sydney/Melbourne model is too restrictive for a national model and the boutique model is more manageable and more comprehensive.
I agree with all that you have said. Although, Tasmanians will probably disagree and say that expansion should be a high priority.
I’ve long supported Tasmania as team 19. Which has previously led to me thinking Canberra should be team 20 to make even numbers.
Afterall, why give the nations capital to the two rugby codes. And GWS could then focus solely on Sydney.
But Sydney is a massive market. Perhaps a third Sydney based team is the better way to go for team 20, and GWS having a focus on Canberra is better for the AFL. Even though it may not be what is best for Canberra (compared to having its own team), the pro’s might outweigh the con’s to the league, and for some of the smaller Vic teams.
Sydney has a similar population to Melbourne but a fifth of the teams.
Sydney has more than three times the population of Adelaide but the same number of teams.
And there are four cities that are closer to Sydney than north west Tasmania is to Hobart, which have a combined population greater than Adelaide (Newcastle, Canberra, Central Coast and Wollongong). Where a team may not be viable as a standalone, but might benefit from sharing games with a Sydney based team, including away games to Vic teams (such as those about to lose Tasmania).
Anyone from Vic, WA or SA, know people don’t only support one team in an area. There are fans of multiple teams in area, but they might have some stronger footholds in certain areas. But this geographic locating of a team has always been helpful for sports teams.
Here is an electoral map of Sydney. It is a good way to identify how the population is currently distributed through Sydney.
View attachment 1272307
So Sydney 3 as AFL team 20.
GWS keep the western suburbs and Canberra.
Swans take the southern suburbs and focus on Wollongong.
Sydney 3 take the northern suburbs, Central Coast and Newcastle.
GWS then return 2 home games from Canberra back to Sydney. Whilst still playing two homes games in Canberra. And two Vic teams get to sell one home game each to Canberra to play GWS.
Two other (or the same as before) Vic teams also sell one home game each to Wollongong to play Sydney.
Then two other (or the same as before) Vic teams sell one home game each to either Newcastle or Central Coast to play Sydney 3. Whilst Sydney 3 also take one home game Newcastle and Central Coast each.
This means Canberra keeps the same number of games. GWS plays the same number of games in Canberra.
The AFL gets games in Newcastle, Central Coast and Wollongong, with a consistent ‘local’ team to support.
Each of the Sydney teams get 9 home games in Sydney, and the AFL get to have more resources focusing on the NSW market, such as players doing school clinics etc.
2-6 Vic teams get 6 games brought by a host city in NSW/ACT, replacing the Tasmania games.
I assume North Sydney Oval would be the plan for a team there, but that'll need a full redevelopment. It'll probably have to be rotated around to fit AFL dimensions. Couldn't imagine the space and infrastructure would allow for a stadium of more than 20k. Might have to play some bigger games at the SCG or Olympic Park.
I see a Sydney 3 team just using the SCG, or Showgrounds (depending where they end up being based). But both are existing good stadiums, that are central to the metropolitan area, and have good public transport access.
Consider how Perth has two teams but one good central stadium. The same for Adelaide. And Melbourne has 9 teams and only two stadiums.
The QLD and NSW teams having single tenant stadiums are the oddities. It was necessary to help create a separate identity to the existing teams in the non-traditional states for GWS and Gold Coast, but I don’t see it being necessary for a Sydney 3.
Having two AFL tenants in a single stadium will also help them have more weight in discussions.
Sydney is scattered and it would still be a pain in the butt for anybody from North Sydney to travel to Homebush or the SCG.
It also explains why NRL have such terrible crowds despite playing derbies most weeks.
While you have NRL teams sharing some of the bigger stadiums part-time, they've already developed independently around their more defined regions.
Yeah I agree a reconfigured North Sydney Oval with a North Sydney team playing out of there would be successful in my opinion. It needs to be seen as a truly local team if it is to be supported.
I actually think it probably would have been smarter to go with North Sydney as the second Sydney team than GWS, because they would have been basically absorbing old rugby union areas.
A relocated kangaroos would be perfect for North Sydney.
Yes. If the Swans had been able to to use North Sydney as a full size oval then it would have been a big boost to them in the formative years.
The North Shore Bears/Bombers are the local side and they would have boosted magnificently by playing at North Sydney oval.
It would be absorbing Sydney Swans heartland.
Kangaroos were tried and failed dismally, actually, worse than dismally.
Auckland Kiwis (10x Auckland & 3x Wellington)
(New Auckland Stadium = 40,000) (New/Redeveloped Wellington Stadium = 35,000)
Queensland Suns. They could play all games in Queensland for a start, rather than some in Darwin. Leave it to Vic clubs to sell home games.Gold Coast should drop the “Gold Coast” name to be just the “Suns” to represent the Sunshine Coast and North Queensland region
I actually think we cannot determine the success of the Gold Coast Suns until they have some on-field success.
I still hold up some hope that they would achieve decent attendances if they were a top 6 team.
Who's going to pay for it?If all goes to plan, it'll be at Western Springs. Artist's rendering below.
It's supposed to be "at least 18,000", but you can see there's room for expansion if it's needed.
Currently there's speedway at the venue, but they're attempting to do a stadium shuffle. Cricket from Eden Park to Western Springs, speedway from WS to Mt Smart, and League from Mt Smart to QBE / Eden Park. Eden Park is too expensive, and a terrible shape for cricket, so that has been the big catalyst, but articles suggest potential AFL matches are at least on the mind of planners, so hopefully that means the field is big enough for AFL
That was the plan at least. I believe Covid is delaying things because I haven't read much recently.
View attachment 1237727