Toast North to have standalone VFL team in 2018!

[Zondor]

I think this is a perfect opportunity to demote Scotts to VFL coach. :stern look

 

[True North]

EDFL 4 lyf.

Very good news going solo. Women's team next.

 

[Phillyroo]

I dunno about tinnies, reckon the beer tastes better in a glass bottle

Under no circumstances do you drink stubbies at country/suburban football.... can bar, can hill, can can can.

 

[Tas]

I don't expect any radical difference, other than not playing at Avalon.

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

201

Sam Mitchell would be my choice as Coach an excellent football brain plus an outsider to the club

2019 weagles coach. Allows Simmo to come home.

 

[giantroo]

Werribee / North Melbourne to standalone


http://websites.sportstg.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-118-0-0-0&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=54789625

AFL Victoria has been informed that Werribee and North Melbourne both intend to field standalone sides in the 2018 Peter Jackson VFL season, after mutually concluding a successful ten season agreement.

AFL Victoria will work with both clubs throughout the year to help them with the transition to standalone status for next season.

CEO Steven Reaper said there will be positives for both clubs with the change of alignment.

“The VFL will continue to foster a number of different team models that suit the various clubs involved, from standalone VFL and AFL clubs to strong AFL/VFL club alignments,” Reaper said.

“With the decision made early this season, both clubs now have time to prepare from an on and off field perspective for the upcoming 2018 season, and going standalone.

“Werribee will be able to offer 23 VFL listed senior positions each week in its side, and North Melbourne will list a number of top-up players, providing a host of up-and-coming talent in Victoria an opportunity to play VFL football.

“In this case, North Melbourne see it as the best model for the development of its players and to meet its strategic objectives.

“The VFL competition will continue to provide for the needs of various alignments and team models.”

2018 will be the first time since 1999 that both teams have not had an AFL/VFL partner - the Kangaroos having competed previously in conjunction with the Ovens and Murray Football League (Murray Kangaroos), Port Melbourne, North Ballarat and Tasmania (Devils). The VFL Tigers were affiliated with the Western Bulldogs prior to joining with North Melbourne in 2008.

Both clubs have stated the biggest impact will be in player development.

"This is a significant step for us as and is in line with our broader strategic aims and objectives, as we continue to head into an exciting new era," said North Melbourne’s General Manager of Football Cameron Joyce.

"There is a lot of work to be done in order to prepare for next season, but first and foremost, we are focused on ensuring that our current alignment with Werribee ends on the highest possible note.”

Werribee senior coach John Lamont - who has experienced the alignment from both sides’ perspective - is excited by the future direction for his playing group.

“What a wonderful opportunity for a player to come to our club in 2018. We have a new multi-million dollar facility and the chance to showcase your football ability on the big stage in a club environment second to none.”

Both agreed the relationship has worked for both clubs.

“The professionalism and cooperation has been exceptional. We are both tremendously grateful to have been in a partnership between two great clubs for nearly a decade,” Lamont said.

North began its partnership with Werribee in 2008 and although the on-field relationship will come to an end, the clubs will continue to work closely off the field.

"We have extremely strong ties with Werribee and I am pleased to say that this will still be the case going forward," said North CEO Carl Dilena.

"We will be looking at ways to continue our work together in the Wyndham region to help develop talent pathways for boys and girls, find new ways to grow the game and help develop key staff.

"While we will go our separate ways on the field, the same can't be said off the field and we will use our existing goodwill to further build and enhance our relationship in an effort to achieve some positive outcomes for the Wyndham community."

Werribee President Martin Carter endorsed Carl’s thoughts.

“We have built a solid foundation between the two clubs to enhance and grow our ongoing community based programs. The City of Wyndham can look forward to this continuing. More and more, we see our future players and supporters coming from our vibrant multicultural city. Our aim remains the same - to ensure the Werribee Tigers have a sustainable and successful future on and off the field.”

While planning will begin immediately for 2018 for both clubs, but clubs remain focused on the current season.

"We are all committed to ensuring this season is a successful one for North Melbourne and Werribee," said Carter.

 

[Hojuman]

Ripper

Now all we have to do is re-open the British/Shakespeare/Homebush Hotel

Excuse me. The Melrose & Ma Flynns !

 

[SMaturin]

Argh! Threads must merge!

 

[wazza03]

A long time coming, fantastic news!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Twinkletoes]

Argh! Threads must merge!

The other one's been locked now this news has broken. Play on.......

 

[The Nostradamus]

Huge news. Long overdue
Will be exciting watching us twice a week

 

[kool kangas]

Do all clubs have to have a grandstand or can we just bring foldup chairs.....

 

[Works atErrol St]

Excuse me. The Melrose & Ma Flynns !

The Black Prince was good to have a beer after or the Kensington if you left the other end.

 

[Pykie]

I am not so sure that a national reserves comp is inevitable. There's no money to be made from a reserves comp. If the Yanks can't make a national reserves comp work in any of their major sports, then there's a pretty decent chance the AFL won't try.

I agree that the VFL standalone clubs need to breakaway from the AFL's clutches and reform the VFA with the best local clubs as you suggest.

Meanwhile, the Victorian AFL reserves teams should just play practice games among themselves with no need for a ladder and no annoying byes every other week. And start the friggin' season the same week as the AFL and not 3 weeks later.

The MLB and the NBA both have national reserves.

AAA Baseball and the NBA D-League.

Also a good way of finally ridding us of Lamont.

 

[LT Smash]

The MLB and the NBA both have national reserves.

AAA Baseball and the NBA D-League.

Also a good way of finally ridding us of Lamont.

So what you are suggesting is that the AFL should have a reserves competition where every AFL team fields a second team under the same name. The same way that AAA baseball and D-League basketball features the names of MLB and NBA teams.

 

[Pykie]

First step will be getting some money out of the AFL to upgrade the facilities there, which would want to be started soon, or we may be playing out of the Western Oval to begin with, the VFL won't want portable toilets etc for 22 rounds.



Casey Fields with a mini grand stand (some undercover seating is pretty important) 2 sets of change rooms, public toilets, catering and a function room as well as some training facilities cost $4.2m

I think if we built it to tie in with the current buildings we could achieve something similar for the same amount.

May be a good chance to upgrade some of the training facilities it looks big from the outside but isn't huge when you go through it. Just a few adjoining rooms in the new area would be a big deal I think.

 

[SMaturin]

Old fashioned (but new) scoreboard please.

 

[SMaturin]

Think big and think long term. Look at Eureka Stadium in Ballarat as what could be achieved and more.

 

[astrovic]

Old fashioned (but new) scoreboard please.

While we're at it, can we bring back the white lab coats for goal umpires?

 

[Egga]

Sack Scotts! I mean, great news!

 

[ansonholt]

All that talk of our player development being less than stellar? This news will change that for sure. Both teams will be on the same page from 2018 onwards.

Just wish they could be curtain raisers like the old days. It was so awesome to go to the footy 3 hrs early just to watch the young blokes running around.

 

[Pykie]

All that talk of our player development being less than stellar? This news will change that for sure. Both teams will be on the same page from 2018 onwards.

Just wish they could be curtain raisers like the old days. It was so awesome to go to the footy 3 hrs early just to watch the young blokes running around.

You can kick a torp from Arden st to Etihad.

No reason why the VFL won't schedule a lot of games around North games, particularly North Sat night games and twilight games.

It's in their best interests.

This should be the strip as well....

 

[HongKongRoo]

The AFL really needs to look at a national reserves league. It would give dignity back to the state leagues and make it stupid to treat your first team as a development team considering everyone has a development team competing against each other.

The fixture would just copy the AFL fixture and te reserves would travel on the same plane as the 1sts.

It would also be fairer to the clubs whose young kids have to play in the NEAFL and it would be cool to get a genuine comparison on who has the best kids coming through.

Plus it gives the older players a chance to continue their career in an onfield mentoring role without being pushed out the door.

 

[R00StaR]

I am not so sure that a national reserves comp is inevitable. There's no money to be made from a reserves comp. If the Yanks can't make a national reserves comp work in any of their major sports, then there's a pretty decent chance the AFL won't try.

I agree that the VFL standalone clubs need to breakaway from the AFL's clutches and reform the VFA with the best local clubs as you suggest.

Meanwhile, the Victorian AFL reserves teams should just play practice games among themselves with no need for a ladder and no annoying byes every other week. And start the friggin' season the same week as the AFL and not 3 weeks later.

You wouldnt watch it on foxtel? Thats TV rights there, OR the AFL broadcasts its own via the net for a few bucks per month. Plenty of members would pay to see the away games. Having 30,000 people at the ground longer - more sales. There was some chatter on the radio about the reserves and curtain raisers potentially on the way back - i was working so didnt quite catch the whole discussion.

 

[R00StaR]

Didn't the AFL save the VFL, it at least prolong its life. It was my understand that the VFL was on its knees before the Weagles and Crows came in. But my education on AFL history does have a rather tainted SA media bias.

Any who, good news. I just hope Brad is up to having another 12 players he has to coach!

The AFL is the old VFL. The old VFA became the VFL. The old VFL (now AFL) wouldve been fine, the crowds would still be at least the same size. Just imagine every game in Melbourne! Rivalry would be through the roof.