Opinion New AFC HQ (Part 2): Dale dug a hole

[Eagleboy2011]

Why do we want home games?

I doubt it's something the club even cares about campaigning for.

They help create a club culture. Somewhere supporters can go. I'm sure the club is serious.

 

[crows dude]

Why do we want home games?

I doubt it's something the club even cares about campaigning for.

Thats fine.

Then neither should port.

 

[crows dude]

I would imaging that we'll try, but it'll come at a cost. It may be financial or it may be changes to number of listed players. We're different to Port because they've always had a team in the SANFL, it was a condition of them getting the second license. We had to negotiate our way into the comp and one of the aspects was perpetual away games. We're going to have to negotiate our way out of that. Nobody at the SANFL or the clubs won't be seeing this as an opportunity to extract a little bit more from us. Which is exactly what they should be doing.

We are no longer different to Port. We need to have whatever they have. Before we had no home ground. Our home was a building site. Once we do we should have the same as Port.

 

[Dc9798]

Why do we want home games?

I doubt it's something the club even cares about campaigning for.

I’m hoping our reserves side will be in an AFL reserves comp by the end of the decade.

 

[Cromulant]

Why do we want home games?

I doubt it's something the club even cares about campaigning for.

Its probably something they do care about given its a long term viable home.

 

[Cromulant]

I’m hoping our reserves side will be in an AFL reserves comp by the end of the decade.

Unlikely

 

[jackster83]

Its probably something they do care about given its a long term viable home.

AFL preseason and AFLW games sure.

I doubt we give too many shits about our SANFL side though. Any games held there will only lose money and hardly anyone will turn up.

Maybe a game against WWT given the long-standing connection West Torrens had with the ground.

Did I mention that we really don't give a crap about our reserves side?

 

[Cromulant]

AFL preseason and AFLW games sure.

I doubt we give too many shits about our SANFL side though. Any games held there will only lose money and hardly anyone will turn up.

Maybe a game against WWT given the long-standing connection West Torrens had with the ground.

Did I mention that we really don't give a crap about our reserves side?

I still think we'll want to play games there, I dont see the current arrangement as being beneficial at all.

 

[crows dude]

AFL preseason and AFLW games sure.

I doubt we give too many shits about our SANFL side though. Any games held there will only lose money and hardly anyone will turn up.

Maybe a game against WWT given the long-standing connection West Torrens had with the ground.

Did I mention that we really don't give a crap about our reserves side?

Well thats really sad that we dont care about the whole club. I know I do. As a kid I remember getting to Norwood matches early and watching the reserves with my Dad, Grandfather and Brother. I loved watching it. Preferably it would be as a curtin raiser to the AFL matches and in a proper AFL reserves comp which by 2027 should be happening. If we cant do that then would you prefer that our players go back into a mini draft and be played all over the shop throughout the SANFL.

 

[Dc9798]

AFL preseason and AFLW games sure.

I doubt we give too many shits about our SANFL side though. Any games held there will only lose money and hardly anyone will turn up.

Maybe a game against WWT given the long-standing connection West Torrens had with the ground.

Did I mention that we really don't give a crap about our reserves side?

Realistically, crowd wise, what would we be expecting if our reserves hosted games, 1,000, 1,500 absolute max?
I agree, I don’t think the reserves hosting games is high on the clubs agenda.
A gathering spot for our AFL men’s away games however I can see something working with that.

 

[flashcrow]

Realistically, crowd wise, what would we be expecting if our reserves hosted games, 1,000, 1,500 absolute max?
I agree, I don’t think the reserves hosting games is high on the clubs agenda.
A gathering spot for our AFL men’s away games however I can see something working with that.

"If you build it, he will come" - Field of Dreams

 

[brucetiki]

Well thats really sad that we dont care about the whole club. I know I do. As a kid I remember getting to Norwood matches early and watching the reserves with my Dad, Grandfather and Brother. I loved watching it. Preferably it would be as a curtin raiser to the AFL matches and in a proper AFL reserves comp which by 2027 should be happening. If we cant do that then would you prefer that our players go back into a mini draft and be played all over the shop throughout the SANFL.

Apparently supporting all parts of the club is ‘ramming it down your throat’ and ‘trolling’ by certain posters

 

[1970crow]

If we can’t have sanfl at the by, what are we even doing here?

Upgraded facilities and ovals that are closer to the city and a home for AFLW. I reckon we'd do it even if we reverted to farming our players out to SANFL clubs instead of running our own team.

But of course we'll be trying to have SANFL home games, the only question is at what cost. They're not going to give up home ground advantage and the little bit of money they make hosting our games without getting something back. And seeing as the AFL has made it clear a national reserves comp isn't on the radar, the SANFL and clubs know that we've got nowhere else to go that won't cost us more.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

If we got allocated home games wouldn't we prefer to do curtain raisers at Adelaide Oval before our AFL home games?

 

[Cromulant]

If we got allocated home games wouldn't we prefer to do curtain raisers at Adelaide Oval before our AFL home games?

Youd think so.

The SANFL clubs probably wouldn't mind it either.

 

[Scorpus]

AFL preseason and AFLW games sure.

I doubt we give too many shits about our SANFL side though. Any games held there will only lose money and hardly anyone will turn up.

Maybe a game against WWT given the long-standing connection West Torrens had with the ground.

Did I mention that we really don't give a crap about our reserves side?

We absolutely should care about the reserves side and how they perform does matter

Just look at the latest premiers and where their reserves sides finished that year

Brisbane 2025: Made VFL semi-final
Brisbane 2024: Made VFL prelim
Collingwood 2023: Made VFL finals
Geelong 2022: Did not make finals
Richmond 2019: Won VFL flag
West Coast 2018: Made WAFL finals
Richmond 2017: VFL runner up
Western Bulldogs 2016: Won VFL flag
Hawthorn 2015: VFL runner up
Hawthorn 2014: VFL runner up
Hawthorn 2013: Won VFL flag
Sydney 2012: Made NEAFL conference grand final
Geelong 2011: Did not make finals
Collingwood 2010: Made VFL finals

So only twice since 2010 has the AFL premier not made the reserves finals, and on 8 occasions (half the time) the AFL premier made at least the prelim final (or equivalent) in the reserves comp

Ideally we want our reserves team to go deep into SANFL finals and the best way to achieve that is finishing high on the ladder taking every advantage we can get - including having a legitimate home ground

 

[brucetiki]

Youd think so.

The SANFL clubs probably wouldn't mind it either.

The players would love the opportunity to play at Adelaide Oval.

 

[spenze]

They help create a club culture. Somewhere supporters can go. I'm sure the club is serious.

And then we could take them on bus rides post match

 

[Dirty Bird]

Are the crowds that much lower at games involving us?

Comes down to Club by club.

Central District, we were #9 and #10 (out of 10)
Glenelg, we were #2 and #10 (out of 10)
North Adelaide, we were #5 and #8 (out of 9)
Norwood, we were #9 (out of 9)
South Adelaide, we were #7 and #8 (out of 10)
Sturt, we were #1 and #5 (out of 10)
West Adelaide, we were #5 and #10 (out of 10)
Woodville-West Torrens, we were #6 (out of 9)

Interestingly, we drew bigger crowds on average against Glenelg, South Adelaide, Sturt, West Adelaide and Woodville-West Torrens than Port Adelaide.

Port Adelaide only drew bigger crowds than us vs Central District, North Adelaide and Norwood

 

[Dirty Bird]

By how much? I find it extremely difficult to believe they make a loss out of those matches if they are making profits out of others. Profits would no doubt be lower due to lower attendance, that's a given, but making a loss is garbage or terrible management. Even if you allowed free entry and provided absolutely nothing and nobody at all turned up, you'd break even. I expect this is a tool used for leverage when yearly negotiations occur regarding our fee to play in the league. I'd do it if I was a group of SANFL clubs, be stupid if they didn't.

Norwood took Adelaide's game to the country
North took South's game to the country
Woodville-West Torrens took Adelaide's game to Adelaide Oval

 

[GreyCrow]

And then we could take them on bus rides post match

 

[crows dude]

If we got allocated home games wouldn't we prefer to do curtain raisers at Adelaide Oval before our AFL home games?

Id love that.

Had three in 2025

Only the two showdowns next year.

If we cant get games at Thebby then we should be trying hard to get at least 5 curtin raiser games at Adelaide Oval

 

[mcleod at 50 lines it up]

Apparently supporting all parts of the club is ‘ramming it down your throat’ and ‘trolling’ by certain posters

If you're a bit sensitive to the word trolling you were having a bit of laugh at least. What else would call referring to the aflw premierships when someone is lamenting the lack of success of the men's team for 30 years? A serious conversation point?

 

[BRL121]

Id love that.

Had three in 2025

Only the two showdowns next year.

If we cant get games at Thebby then we should be trying hard to get at least 5 curtin raiser games at Adelaide Oval

Curtin's already been raised.