Resource Revised and Extended - Timeline of VFL/AFL Expansion

[The_Wookie]

Some information on the Norwood and Port bids for 1990 in this article
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...e/news-story/dc13dfdbbd3f8cc2beb939c308e48831

Norwood believes it was asked first. Then club president Nerio Ferraro recalls Oakley’s right-hand man Alan Schwab led a three-man VFL delegation to The Parade where they met Ferraro and his Norwood colleagues, Wally Miller and Bob Farnham.

After making his presentation, Schwab went for lunch on The Parade while Ferraro and his team considered the VFL’s national plan. Schwab returned to learn Ferraro would not act without a full board meeting — an event too difficult to organise before Schwab took his team to Alberton to meet Port.

On reflection, Ferraro thinks Norwood would have pressed on to take up a VFL licence had he gathered the club’s board. But Oakley suggests the Redlegs would not have won VFL approval.

“Schwab went to measure if Norwood would make an expression of interest rather than to make an offer,” Oakley told The Advertiser. “Norwood would have pinched the supporter base we needed for a future composite club.

“When the SANFL said no, we knew we had to get someone from SA. We could not have a national competition without a team from the one of the mainland states.

“We wanted a composite side first up, but we were knocked back by the SANFL. So we approached the two strongest-supported clubs — Norwood and Port Adelaide. But we always had more focus on Port Adelaide.”

 

[The_Wookie]

So "urge to merge" by Ian ridley, "shake down the thunder" by jim main and the crows 1991 yearbook have all landed on my desk. Expect additions shortly.

 

[The_Wookie]

From: "Camry Crows Official Yearbook 1991".

• 1990. July 3. Ports Ian Mckenzie calls Alan Schwab at the VFL and invites him to be guest speaker at the club.
• 1990. August 20. The SANFL launches its own AFL bid.
• 1990. October 9. The SANFL and AFL formally sign an agreement for Adelaide to enter the competition.
• 1990. October 12. The SANFL appoints an interim board for Adelaide. It included Max Basheer, Leigh Whicker, Bob Lee, Ed Betro, Bob Hammond, Ric allert and Adrian Salter. Graham Cornes was apponted coach and Neil Kerley football manager.
• 1995, October 25. Adelaide announces an initial squad of 57, later increased to 61, before finally being set at 52.

So that was kind of a waste. lol.

 

[killer]

In the May '68 issue of Football Life (p 35)
they talk about VFL and VFA setting up a
suburban league in the '50s which they would sponsor (run?) together

according to the author ( TJ Young PR guy of VFL )
the VFA undermined this process by setting up VFA franchises in Moorabbin and Box Hill, districts
which would have been assigned to this new league.
the end result was the VFL set up the Metropolitan league on its own

 

[footyfan1978]

It is interesting to think if the equalisation policies of salary cap and draft had not come into the league in 1980's where would we be now as a league ?
Carlton, Essendon and Hawthorn were clearly the best run clubs at the time. I suspect the way most of other clubs were being run to try to keep up would have seen many gone. Collingwood, Richmond, Footscray, St.Kilda and Fitzroy clearly would have gone on the financial path they were heading towards. I suspect Melbourne and even Sydney Swans would have died. North Melbourne experiment into private ownership may have eventually worked for them and possibly Geelong would have survived. They obviously sold off several players to Sydney run Edelsten in 1986 to keep their finances in check. I think the path would have seen new franchises with private owners become a thing. I doubt Sydney Swans would have survived. As it was they got into terrible trouble in early 1990's so I think they would have gone to the wall. A new Syndey franchise would have needed to be given a licence in the league. Maybe Sydney Giants would be the only NSW franchise and Gold Coast Suns the Queensland licence etc etc.

If it worked we would probably see a league something like Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney Giants, Gold Coast Suns, West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers, Port Adelaide Power, Adelaide Crows and Tasmania of some sort.
We would play 15 times in Melbourne and 7 times interstate each home and away season and probably still using a final five.
It would be an open market system and every chance new franchises come and go regularly into and out of existence.
Clearly a 12 club league would see high standard better teams at top end.
What we have now with 18 clubs and talented spread more thinly across it all is not at same level it would have been with a 12 club league.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

It is interesting to think if the equalisation policies of salary cap and draft had not come into the league in 1980's where would we be now as a league ?
Carlton, Essendon and Hawthorn were clearly the bet run clubs at the time. I suspect the way most of other clubs were being run to try to keep up would have seen many gone. Collingwood, Richmond, Footscray, St.Kilda and Fitzroy clearly would have gone on the financial path they were heading towards. I suspect Melbourne and even Sydney Swans would have died. North Melbourne experiment into private ownership may have eventually worked for them and possibly Geelong would have survived. They obviously sold off several players to Sydney run Edelsten in 1986 to keep their finances in check. I think the path would have seen new franchises with private owners become a thing. I doubt Sydney Swans would have survived. As it was they got into terrible trouble in early 1990's so I think they would have gone to the wall. A new Syndey franchise would have needed to be given a licence in the league. Maybe Sydney Giants would be the only NSW franchise and Gold Coast Suns the Queensland licence etc etc.

If it worked we would probably see a league something like Carlton, Essendon, Hawthorn, North Melbourne, Geelong, Sydney Giants, Gold Coast Suns, West Coast Eagles, Fremantle Dockers, Port Adelaide Power, Adelaide Crows and Tasmania of some sort.
We would play 15 times in Melbourne and 7 times interstate each home and away season and probably still using a final five.
It would be an open market system and every chance new franchises come and go regularly into and out of existence.
Clearly a 12 club league would see high standard better teams at top end.
What we have now with 18 clubs and talented spread more thinly across it all is not at same level it would have been with a 12 club league.

The tin rattlers would of saved them and they would not of died. Now they don't even need to do that, they just call up AFL house for a bailout.

 

[footyfan1978]

The tin rattlers would of saved them and they would not of died. Now they don't even need to do that, they just call up AFL house for a bailout.

Maybe! I put money into tins for other clubs too. However a year or two more of over spending to keep up with Hawks getting Plattens and Jarman's and Carlton Kernahan, Bradley, Motley and Naley may have seen some go completely beyond tin rattling saving them.

Salary cap could not have come in quick enough to help stop that happening.

 

[Fanster56]

When the AFC/ANFC/NFL/NAFC was in ostensible control of the game nationally it organised a number of promotional matches in Sydney and Brisbane. Some of these - those involving VFL clubs - have been referred to in this thread. But the AFC was (reasonably) even-handed in its dealings with the various states and there were a number of instances where teams from competitions other than the VFL engaged in promotional activities at the AFC's behest, e.g. -

In 1914, at the same time as the Sydney carnival, Collingwood, South Adelaide, Perth and Cananore engaged in a series of exhibition matches in Brisbane

In 1953 North Adelaide and Norwood played an official SANFL match for premiership points at the SCG (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzP0ah_2yps)

 

[The_Wookie]

dad sent me a copy of 'Soaring - The Official History of the West Coast Eagles first 10 years" by geoff Christian. Hopefully more info coming.

 

[The_Wookie]

• 1985 - The VFL obtains a $60,000 grant from the Federal Government for a feasibility study on national football. This was conducted by John Adams with strong support from WA. (Soaring, pg 12)
• 1985, Nov 6. Adams delivers his report. Major recommendations include a 12 team competition - eight from Victoria, two from Adelaide and 1 from Perth and Sydney. (Soaring, pg 12)
  
• 1986, Feb 7. WAFL Chairman Roy Annear states that he sees a national competition as essential to football in Australia, WA had to be represented and it had to be with a composite team. (soaring pg 12)
  
• 1986, June 6. West Perth announces that it will not support joining the VFL. (Soaring, pg 13)
  
• 1986, July 10. A report by Richard Colless, Peter Fogarty and John Walker is presented to the WAFL stating that 1) an expanded VFL was inevitable. 2) a composite team was the way forward. 3) Control of the team should rest with the WAFL. 4) The VFL would expand to WA by other means if the WAFL teams didnt support the composite option.
  
• 1987, Feb 6. A Limited Partnership is formed to raise the money to cover the costs of setting up and operating the team. The float eventually raised $12.3 million. (Soaring, pg 17)

 

[The_Wookie]

The Heraldsun evidently discovered something today that has been public knowledge for more than 30 years, as well as rating a mention in Oakleys book.

 

[Kwality]

dad sent me a copy of 'Soaring - The Official History of the West Coast Eagles first 10 years" by geoff Christian. Hopefully more info coming.

My copy is in storage (somewhere) - can you put up the timeline on the Eagles squad including but not limited to:
Vic clubs recruiting before the Eagles were formed
The original squad
Steps to allow the Eagles the same #s as all other clubs including draft concessions

 

[kikass]

Anyone see the tweets from Tim Cahill that the MCC saved the AFL
My initial reaction was what a crock, but to limited in knowledge to provide an unequivocal rebuttal

 

[The_Wookie]

Anyone see the tweets from Tim Cahill that the MCC saved the AFL
My initial reaction was what a crock, but to limited in knowledge to provide an unequivocal rebuttal

Hes full of it. And evidently hasnt read his own source material.

 

[Todman]

I'm not sure if it is relevant but sometime in the late 70s or early 80s the Tax office issues demand for unpaid tax against 11 of the 12 VFL clubs. I think it was unpaid Payroll tax. IIRC Carlton was the hardest hit. Sums varied from $5,000 to $250,000.

 

[The_Wookie]

for reference as I hadnt read this before

Government and Sport : The Case of the Western Australian Football Commission
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewconte...httpsredir=1&article=1918&context=theses_hons

Kwality and others.

 

[Kwality]

for reference as I hadnt read this before

Government and Sport : The Case of the Western Australian Football Commission
https://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewconte...httpsredir=1&article=1918&context=theses_hons

Kwality and others.

New to me too, good get Wookie - quick scan says our game was up 5hit Creek & we are still wearing some of the short terms decisions made chasing short term success.
Takes a bit of reading, & I'd recommend it to anyone interested how the current structure of WA footy eventuated, warts & all.

 

[The_Wookie]

some updates today

• 1992 – March 20. Ross Oakley says that there will almost certainly be a new team in the competition by 1995, but it will not come from Tasmania or the ACT, citing a lack of support in both. “It costs 4.5-5m to run an interstate club and we cant see the ACT doing that”.
• 1992 – April 2. Independent survey in the ACT shows 54% support for an AFL team in Canberra, with 51% saying they would attend matches at Bruce Stadium
• 1992 – October 13. The Chairman of the AFL for Canberra committee proposes that the Swans partly move to Canberra, playing matches in Wagga and Sydney. Tasmania says it will be ten years before its ready to make a bid.
• 1993 – Canberra launches another bid for an AFL side to relocate.
• 1994 – April 13. Ron Cahill from the AFL to Canberra committe says that the ACT and Tasmania are being overlooked in the rush to bolster a failed Sydney experiment by including second sides from WA and SA.
• 1995 – April 7. John Elliot says he was approached by Rupert Murdoch about forming a superleague in late 1994, but he declined. The AFL believed its license agreements that prevented a departing club from playing in another licensed competition for at least 2 years would prevent any club from leaving.
• 1995 – May 15. Tasmania says it has many options to try and pursade Ross Oakley to drop his opposition to a Tasmanian license, part of which would include a $20m upgrade of Bellerive Oval to seat at least 20,000.

Towards a National Competition - Timeline of VFL/AFL Expansion (updated 24/4/2023) - Sports Industry AU

Sources used: The Australian Game of Football…since 1858, edited by Geoff Slattery 100 Years of Australian Football – the official

www.footyindustry.com

 

[Resistor]

First I've read of the Bellerive Oval upgrade back then, I always thought the 1995 bid included the Hobart showgrounds stadium