Mega Thread Non-Freo AFL Discussion 2025

[theGav56]

May wel have been hurdles the AFL creates to make it harder for us .i just don’t understand whyv

The AFL were reluctantly becoming a national league. The Eagles looked like becoming an unstoppable force. We were accepted in to prevent that. Us having any success was irrelevant and not part of the plan.

 

[Raz]

The AFL were reluctantly becoming a national league. The Eagles looked like becoming an unstoppable force. We were accepted in to prevent that. Us having any success was irrelevant and not part of the plan.

They had only won 2 Premierships when we joined, they still went on to win 2 more

Adelaide did back to Back
Brisbane did three peat
Port Adelaide won one.
Allowing that Sydney are now non victorian they even won multiple ones

Seems the AFL had no control over the interstate clubs winning so they didnt do a good job at that.

I think Fremantle as a Club need to own the recruiting mistakes we made in our early years.
Lack of Culture in the club to attract the best and retain them

We will see what the future holds, but whether or not the AFL secret boys club tried to keep Non victorian clubs from winning or jsut Fremantle, i think we need to look at ourselves first, before pointing fingers

 

[E Shed]

Sounds like the Tazzie team is becoming a nightmare with the people of Hobart bitterly divided over the stadium.
AFL refuses to budge on anything including more financial support.
Just a weird situation.

 

[theGav56]

They had only won 2 Premierships when we joined, they still went on to win 2 more

Adelaide did back to Back
Brisbane did three peat
Port Adelaide won one.
Allowing that Sydney are now non victorian they even won multiple ones

Seems the AFL had no control over the interstate clubs winning so they didnt do a good job at that.

I think Fremantle as a Club need to own the recruiting mistakes we made in our early years.
Lack of Culture in the club to attract the best and retain them

We will see what the future holds, but whether or not the AFL secret boys club tried to keep Non victorian clubs from winning or jsut Fremantle, i think we need to look at ourselves first, before pointing fingers

Non Victorian clubs are not the of the same species.

Port, like us, came into existence to limit the development of what could be virtual state teams in footballing heartlands

Sydney and Brisbane were expansion teams in rugby states. Suns and Giants are the next wave. The AFL lavishes advantages apon them.

The AFL wants expansion clubs in rugby states to be successful. They don't care about clubs from the heartland states.

 

[go_the_dockers]

Sounds like the Tazzie team is becoming a nightmare with the people of Hobart bitterly divided over the stadium.
AFL refuses to budge on anything including more financial support.
Just a weird situation.

Someone said the AFL's ideal scenario is no Tassie team, but all the blame on everyone except the AFL.

 

[King Tenz]

Someone said the AFL's ideal scenario is no Tassie team, but all the blame on everyone except the AFL.

Thought this was obvious from the start. Talk of bringing in a 19th team, which the league doesn’t need, and no real talk of a 20th. Would just mess with the fixtures for no real reason.

 

[Taylor]

Someone said the AFL's ideal scenario is no Tassie team, but all the blame on everyone except the AFL.

That is my position.

The media pressure for a Tasmanian team, along with all those memberships for the lulz counts made the public relations a nightmare on it - so they put a requirement on getting the team outside of the AFL's control to make someone else the bad guy when the prospect of a $30m a year money hole didn't go forward.

The AFL will have to front perhaps a quarter of a billion dollars before Tasmania is able to stand on it's own, assuming their plan is an even fixture so teams don't have byes every week to accommodate the odd number of sides.

They want the state of Tasmania to bleed too if they want it. Tie the political hands to the giant financial bolder so their politicians are stuck with it and will contribute money to keep the team going if their attendances or memberships flatten out into being another burden of a club like North/Melbourne/St Kilda etc.

If the political situation in Tasmania blocks the stadium and the team the AFL get to walk away saving a fortune having "tried", but oh well, sorry, better luck next time.

And the entire competition will breathe a massive sigh of relief at not losing their players.

 

[anchor man]

Thought this was obvious from the start. Talk of bringing in a 19th team, which the league doesn’t need, and no real talk of a 20th. Would just mess with the fixtures for no real reason.

Certainly don't need, but the AFL have always wanted.
Back in the Golden Greeks reign, he spoke in real terms of a 20 team, two conference, competition.
It has been on the AFL cards for many years.
Tassie should have been a priority before the last two franchises.
The only REAL answer to the vast problem is the fact that thre are at least four VFL teams too many in the competition.

 

[malpaso]

I think Fremantle as a Club need to own the recruiting mistakes we made in our early years.
Lack of Culture in the club to attract the best and retain them

Does somebody else own them at the moment? Do they need to have a press conference? Would it make you feel better?

 

[pK75]

The AFL will have to front perhaps a quarter of a billion dollars before Tasmania is able to stand on it's own, assuming their plan is an even fixture so teams don't have byes every week to accommodate the odd number of sides

I’ve been thinking about this an perhaps the AFL are fine with a rolling bye, it opens up Thursday to Monday football which the broadcasters will love, could eliminate 5 day breaks, if they did it correctly you could cycle teams through from Thursday games to Monday games then have the bye and start again the following week on a Thursday. All teams could have at least 7 days between games. Pity they aren’t smart (care enough) to look at the potential scenarios.

 

[freodog]

Does somebody else own them at the moment? Do they need to have a press conference? Would it make you feel better?

Look at Gold Coast they made plenty of mistakes but the AFL just gift them a never ending packet of Tim Tams until they win multiple premierships

 

[anchor man]

I think Fremantle as a Club need to own the recruiting mistakes we made in our early years.
Lack of Culture in the club to attract the best and retain them

Please, let us not go back to talking about the wrong decisions from 30 years ago.
Every one, the club included, know they screwed up some recruting.
This is a totally different group to what we had 30 years ago,
After reading the History of the WAFL in a book entitled, "Behind the Play, History of footballin WA, from 1968, I have my doubts about a lot of the stinkingly wrong accusations. The reveals from some of the top players, not on field, but board member players makes me wonder where a lot of the crap articles came from that made papers.
As I have said many times before, we were/ are the club that no one waanted but needed.The VFL/AFL didn't want us to be there, but they wanted to release the strength of the Eagles. FACT.
The WAFC didn't want us because were would be taking part of the EAgles strength away. They were the Goose that was laying the Golden egss.Were were not wanted to be and certainly not wantt ed to be successful.FACT>
We were not wanted byt the WAFL because it meant yet another drag on the competition.FACT.
We are still not wanted, only have to listen to the whinging whing rusted on WAFL supporters about the success that the club have had with the Peel amalgamation.They yell and scream about the Success with Peel, yet will not have a bar of the EAgles almost sending EAst Perth into oblivion, Pulling out of the WAFL competition twice because they were not competitive.Wanting to take over Perth FC, a failure. There is not a traditional club in the WAFL that want anything to do with the Eagles, yet , people still refuse to deal with the fact that they are a self serving and arrogant club.
Do we need to go back that far again!! No, we need to look forward to how good we have become and that out CULTURE is now second to none.
Please, do your self a favour, find the book I mention and read the part on the forming of our club.It will open your eyes,maybe not your backward minds. And there is even the repudiation of the crap about McCleod.
I still believe some of our "supporters" are just that in name. They would prefer to live in the bad past than the great future.

 

[Raz]

Please, let us not go back to talking about the wrong decisions from 30 years ago.
Every one, the club included, know they screwed up some recruting.
This is a totally different group to what we had 30 years ago,
After reading the History of the WAFL in a book entitled, "Behind the Play, History of footballin WA, from 1968, I have my doubts about a lot of the stinkingly wrong accusations. The reveals from some of the top players, not on field, but board member players makes me wonder where a lot of the crap articles came from that made papers.
As I have said many times before, we were/ are the club that no one waanted but needed.The VFL/AFL didn't want us to be there, but they wanted to release the strength of the Eagles. FACT.
The WAFC didn't want us because were would be taking part of the EAgles strength away. They were the Goose that was laying the Golden egss.Were were not wanted to be and certainly not wantt ed to be successful.FACT>
We were not wanted byt the WAFL because it meant yet another drag on the competition.FACT.
We are still not wanted, only have to listen to the whinging whing rusted on WAFL supporters about the success that the club have had with the Peel amalgamation.They yell and scream about the Success with Peel, yet will not have a bar of the EAgles almost sending EAst Perth into oblivion, Pulling out of the WAFL competition twice because they were not competitive.Wanting to take over Perth FC, a failure. There is not a traditional club in the WAFL that want anything to do with the Eagles, yet , people still refuse to deal with the fact that they are a self serving and arrogant club.
Do we need to go back that far again!! No, we need to look forward to how good we have become and that out CULTURE is now second to none.
Please, do your self a favour, find the book I mention and read the part on the forming of our club.It will open your eyes,maybe not your backward minds. And there is even the repudiation of the crap about McCleod.
I still believe some of our "supporters" are just that in name. They would prefer to live in the bad past than the great future.

I don’t doubt there were people not wanting us . But to put the whole blame on others and not take ownership of our own errors is what o see as wrong . It’s like blaming g umpires for losses and not the players for making mistakes at same time
Both things can be true

But in life we can only control what we do . Not what bothers do

So to live in life of blaming others and not looking internally is what I am against

Remove the errors we control and then we can move on

 

[Raz]

Does somebody else own them at the moment? Do they need to have a press conference? Would it make you feel better?

Oh ok . I not here to be belittled , enjoy your lives bye

 

[anchor man]

I don’t doubt there were people not wanting us . But to put the whole blame on others and not take ownership of our own errors is what o see as wrong . It’s like blaming g umpires for losses and not the players for making mistakes at same time
Both things can be true

But in life we can only control what we do . Not what bothers do

So to live in life of blaming others and not looking internally is what I am against

Remove the errors we control and then we can move on

Did you not read my post!!!
Believe me, those mentioned DID
NOT want Fremantle.
Do yourself a favour, find the book, go the the local library and ask if it is availableWhen you get it, take it home , open it and look for the chapter on the forming of the club.As I said, it will open your eys, maybe not your mind, but your eyes.
We can do nothiong about what has passed, we can do something about the here and now and into the future.
Those who you see as responsible probaly have forgotten. Get over it. Climb the fence and get over the other side.
It is not only you RAz, but plenty here.

 

[Raz]

Did you not read my post!!!
Believe me, those mentioned DID
NOT want Fremantle.
Do yourself a favour, find the book, go the the local library and ask if it is availableWhen you get it, take it home , open it and look for the chapter on the forming of the club.As I said, it will open your eys, maybe not your mind, but your eyes.
We can do nothiong about what has passed, we can do something about the here and now and into the future.
Those who you see as responsible probaly have forgotten. Get over it. Climb the fence and get over the other side.
It is not only you RAz, but plenty here.

I will repeat. I accept that many didnt want us. Dont need to read a book. (No library in country l live in that has the book)
However that is not the only Problem that arose.

You tell me not go back into the past for recruiting but the posts in here were all about the History of tryign to get us setup

I explained that obviously the AFL didnt plan well as if they wanted to weaken the Eagles that didnt occur until recent history, not back in 1995, and even back then the eagles were not that dominant. but yes certainly strong. But the AFL making it hard for Freo didnt work. The Eagles continued to win, Other interstate clubs won.

So we must consider the WHY?

And once the failure of AFL stopping Westcoast dominance and interstate clubs winning, WHY did they apparently keep bottlenecking the Dockers as people propose.

Was it only our creation and first years they tried to stop us? or is it still occurring today? If today then again WHY us?
Why build the Suns and GWS and hinder the Dockers? Why not punish Adelaide when they won back to back? Why not hinder Brisbane after winning 3 in a row and making a fourth GF.

So yes. AFL didnt want us in except to hinder Eagles. WAFC didnt want us in at all. OThers are still not wanting us to win or perhaps even be in competition.

Yes to all that . BUT WHY FREO? Why are other teams allowed to enter competition and WIN , WHY not us?

Facts are all great, but without knowing the WHY we can all twist facts to back our own theories. AS i did above with the FACTS of other teams winning from outside of Victoria.

 

[anchor man]

I will repeat. I accept that many didnt want us. Dont need to read a book. (No library in country l live in that has the book)
However that is not the only Problem that arose.

You tell me not go back into the past for recruiting but the posts in here were all about the History of tryign to get us setup

I explained that obviously the AFL didnt plan well as if they wanted to weaken the Eagles that didnt occur until recent history, not back in 1995, and even back then the eagles were not that dominant. but yes certainly strong. But the AFL making it hard for Freo didnt work. The Eagles continued to win, Other interstate clubs won.

So we must consider the WHY?

And once the failure of AFL stopping Westcoast dominance and interstate clubs winning, WHY did they apparently keep bottlenecking the Dockers as people propose.

Was it only our creation and first years they tried to stop us? or is it still occurring today? If today then again WHY us?
Why build the Suns and GWS and hinder the Dockers? Why not punish Adelaide when they won back to back? Why not hinder Brisbane after winning 3 in a row and making a fourth GF.

So yes. AFL didnt want us in except to hinder Eagles. WAFC didnt want us in at all. OThers are still not wanting us to win or perhaps even be in competition.

Yes to all that . BUT WHY FREO? Why are other teams allowed to enter competition and WIN , WHY not us?

Facts are all great, but without knowing the WHY we can all twist facts to back our own theories. AS i did above with the FACTS of other teams winning from outside of Victoria.

Because of all the resons I pointed out.
We were to become the team to bully. There was no other when we entered./
Are they still shafting us!! You bet, have done since day one.
Our aAdmin at the moment are fighting hard to correct the wrongs. Garlick and those others are putting pressure on the AFL.It was Fremantle that got the Roos and the approval of the AFL. They pressurised the AFL. The Eagles benefit, but had no input.
Look at the shonky shady BYE!!! we get every year. We have to wait until round 15 to even get a BYE.It is smoke and mirrors that you have a bye when you haven't played a game.
Are we still being shafted!! You bet we are.

 

[AstonSouffle]

Because of all the resons I pointed out.
We were to become the team to bully. There was no other when we entered./
Are they still shafting us!! You bet, have done since day one.
Our aAdmin at the moment are fighting hard to correct the wrongs. Garlick and those others are putting pressure on the AFL.It was Fremantle that got the Roos and the approval of the AFL. They pressurised the AFL. The Eagles benefit, but had no input.
Look at the shonky shady BYE!!! we get every year. We have to wait until round 15 to even get a BYE.It is smoke and mirrors that you have a bye when you haven't played a game.
Are we still being shafted!! You bet we are.

But also there comes a point we need to just get over it and become good, it's right there for the taking right now - Eagles are complete trash, and if Freo reach a point of dominance at the same time... we're genuinely looking at finally unlocking how to become that 100k membership club, and capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation.

 

[Raz]

Because of all the resons I pointed out.
We were to become the team to bully. There was no other when we entered./
Are they still shafting us!! You bet, have done since day one.
Our aAdmin at the moment are fighting hard to correct the wrongs. Garlick and those others are putting pressure on the AFL.It was Fremantle that got the Roos and the approval of the AFL. They pressurised the AFL. The Eagles benefit, but had no input.
Look at the shonky shady BYE!!! we get every year. We have to wait until round 15 to even get a BYE.It is smoke and mirrors that you have a bye when you haven't played a game.
Are we still being shafted!! You bet we are.

There was Brisbane Bears before us. 1986 they joined. yes less controllable perhaps as privalty owned. but whatever issues they had the fixed it and won 3 in a row!!!

Again not convinced we still being "shafted". Great on the admin to be doing whatever they doing, getting North to play in WA good move for money in WA.

I dont understand why you think the BYE is shady. i am guessing you referring to the Opening Round games where most clubs dont play so have a "BYE" and then starting round 2 each week the teams in opening round get a bye.
Not sure how that disadvantages Fremantle more than any other team

Fremantle gets it bye in the 2nd week of the byes Running from Round 12 to round 16, so we got round 13.

Again not sure how that HINDERS ONLY Fremantle.

The points beign raised by many is that Fremantle is the only club getting hindered. I dont see it . I see many things that should be improved but probalby wont , mostly for other reasons that are not HAtRED of Fremantle
For example Season should be extended to full 2 rounds against every club. Remove OR and all byes except if an uneven teams list (eg Tasmania)

As i have repeated many times. I agree that there has been many people not wanting us in the competition and not wanting us to win. But despite all your posts i dont see WHY you think it is still occuring and only occuring against Fremantle.

 

[anchor man]

The AFL were reluctantly becoming a national league. The Eagles looked like becoming an unstoppable force. We were accepted in to prevent that. Us having any success was irrelevant and not part of the plan.

As a Director of the club asked me at Fremantle oval one day after Derby. Would you want to be called the Fremantle Dockers or the Fremantle Lions.And yes, that was what the VFL/AFL wanted to do.
The National comp began in 1990.
So we were dealing with the AFL when we were granted our licence.

 

[Tas]

I will repeat. I accept that many didnt want us. Dont need to read a book. (No library in country l live in that has the book)
However that is not the only Problem that arose.

You tell me not go back into the past for recruiting but the posts in here were all about the History of tryign to get us setup

I explained that obviously the AFL didnt plan well as if they wanted to weaken the Eagles that didnt occur until recent history, not back in 1995, and even back then the eagles were not that dominant. but yes certainly strong. But the AFL making it hard for Freo didnt work. The Eagles continued to win, Other interstate clubs won.

So we must consider the WHY?

And once the failure of AFL stopping Westcoast dominance and interstate clubs winning, WHY did they apparently keep bottlenecking the Dockers as people propose.

Was it only our creation and first years they tried to stop us? or is it still occurring today? If today then again WHY us?
Why build the Suns and GWS and hinder the Dockers? Why not punish Adelaide when they won back to back? Why not hinder Brisbane after winning 3 in a row and making a fourth GF.

So yes. AFL didnt want us in except to hinder Eagles. WAFC didnt want us in at all. OThers are still not wanting us to win or perhaps even be in competition.

Yes to all that . BUT WHY FREO? Why are other teams allowed to enter competition and WIN , WHY not us?

Facts are all great, but without knowing the WHY we can all twist facts to back our own theories. AS i did above with the FACTS of other teams winning from outside of Victoria.

A 2nd AFL license in SA and WA was agreed to by the other license holders because there was a lot of public support in SA and WA for a second team. Ultimately, it is up to the other license holders to increase the number of licenses. Once the vote passed, it was then up to SANFL and WAFC to decide on the second team, as they have the rights to new licences in SA and WA.

The WAFC has rejected the idea of a third license in WA so there wont be a third team in WA any time soon. It seems the eventual 20th licence will be in NT, ACT or QLD.

The AFL doesn't give a shit about on-field results, thus QLD academies despite the strength of Brisbane and the rubbish assistance we got early on compared to what West Coast received. They realised what they gave us did absolutely nothing to help so felt they had to do more for West Coast. It wasn't because they hate us and love West Coast, they are too incompetent to be the masterminds of a conspiracy.

I do not understand why people in WA and SA think there is Victorian conspiracy, this was ironically still the status quo when the AFL was lead by Wayne Jackson from SA who didn't give a shit about the smaller Victorian clubs. It is what it is I guess, some people think the earth is flat despite the contrary evidence.

 

[anchor man]

But also there comes a point we need to just get over it and become good, it's right there for the taking right now - Eagles are complete trash, and if Freo reach a point of dominance at the same time... we're genuinely looking at finally unlocking how to become that 100k membership club, and capturing the hearts and minds of the next generation.

I totally agree, but the past just keeps on being brought up like the bile from last weeks Pizza.
It is too late to learn anything from 30 years ago.,As many here keep wanting to do.

 

[Raz]

A 2nd AFL license in SA and WA was agreed to by the other license holders because there was a lot of public support in SA and WA for a second team. Ultimately, it is up to the other license holders to increase the number of licenses. Once the vote passed, it was then up to SANFL and WAFC to decide on the second team, as they have the rights to new licences in SA and WA.

The WAFC has rejected the idea of a third license in WA so there wont be a third team in WA any time soon. It seems the eventual 20th licence will be in NT, ACT or QLD.

The AFL doesn't give a shit about on-field results, thus QLD academies despite the strength of Brisbane and the rubbish assistance we got early on compared to what West Coast received. They realised what they gave us did absolutely nothing to help so felt they had to do more for West Coast. It wasn't because they hate us and love West Coast, they are too incompetent to be the masterminds of a conspiracy.

I do not understand why people in WA and SA think there is Victorian conspiracy, this was ironically still the status quo when the AFL was lead by Wayne Jackson from SA who didn't give a shit about the smaller Victorian clubs. It is what it is I guess, some people think the earth is flat despite the contrary evidence.

The earlier posts from others eeek to suggest the AFL don’t want Fremantle winning , I never suggested that

 

[Raz]

I totally agree, but the past just keeps on being brought up like the bile from last weeks Pizza.
It is too late to learn anything from 30 years ago.,As many here keep wanting to do.

Strangely you’ve mentioned the past too of how Fremantle was put into competition , I only mentioned the past as yourself and others did too

I firmky believe that a strong Fremantle is what afl wants as it increases tv viewership

 

[Paracleet]

Strangely you’ve mentioned the past too of how Fremantle was put into competition , I only mentioned the past as yourself and others did too

I firmky believe that a strong Fremantle is what afl wants as it increases tv viewership

On balance they would prefer Freo be stronger than the small 4 Melbourne clubs at the very least, as we draw so many more eyes.

Tbh we probably draw more money than the mid tier Melbourne teams like Geelong and Hawthorn too, but since many of the admin are Geelong and Hawthorn supporters they wouldn't see it that way.