Expansion Third WA-Based AFL Club ??

[Mr Eagle]

All three teams get an even representation in Perth/WA, all get decent training facilities in their respective areas and we then have a new stadium shared by all three clubs with none allowed training rights over any other.

Except - what's the bet that Subi Oval's days would be numbered the moment a new stadium got built? West Coast would then have to move into the new stadium or... expand Claremont? Leederville?

 

[chardonnay]

Except - what's the bet that Subi Oval's days would be numbered the moment a new stadium got built? West Coast would then have to move into the new stadium or... expand Claremont? Leederville?

The value of Subi is a big part of any financials for a new WA stadium, it'd be gone for sure & the money invested in the new stadium.
WAFC controlled & one of the reasons returns at games are so high, no blood sucking Melbourne Cricket Club or profit driven Etihad management.

The money goes back into WA footy which always delivers more players to the pool of players than it takes out.

 

[chardonnay]

The AFL recruiters would know they are there, they jsut wouldn't select them because they woudl rather a promising 18 yo.

doesn;t mean the players can't play. It woudl definatley reverse the youth at all costs trend, and you could even argue that it will increase the fielded playing talent of teams.

Sydney have regularly ignored the kids & this year so did Vossy. They'll both play finals.

As for the recruiters Barlows performance will have lots of recruiters under scrutiny or was there an instruction to ignore from club managements.

 

[DizzyHB]

Except - what's the bet that Subi Oval's days would be numbered the moment a new stadium got built? West Coast would then have to move into the new stadium or... expand Claremont? Leederville?

Well I guess that is true, but Leederville or Claremont wouldn't exactly hurt. Especially if WCE did make clear ties with Claremont like in my suggestion.

 

[tonk]

I'm fine with Fremantle and West Coast being the only two sides in Perth, but I'd still be pretty happy with a 3rd side as WA really is underrated when compared to Vic and SA in terms of state football.

So, if we were to go for a 20 team competition:

19th team - Tassie Devils. Green and maroon, possibly yellow.
20th team - Perth Royal Falcons. Black, red and blue. Representing Perth, West Perth and East Perth. All three clubs get their colours and history represented.

Perth Royal Falcons representing those three teams, training at Arena Joondalup.
Fremantle Dockers respresenting East Fremantle, South Fremantle and one of Swan Districts or Peel Thunder, training at Fremantle Oval.
West Coast Eagles representing Subiaco, Claremont and one of Swan Districts or Peel Thunder, training at Subiaco Oval.

All three teams get an even representation in Perth/WA, all get decent training facilities in their respective areas and we then have a new stadium shared by all three clubs with none allowed training rights over any other.

Good post.
I would love to see a third team in Perth. A 60 to 70,000 seat stadium would be nice to see.

 

[MeestaNob]

I reckon this would be great for the competition, and great for WA as they may finally get their 80,000 seat stadium happening.

 

[DrJon]

Guys, you need a membership base of around 30,000 at least to be competitive. Where is that going to come from? Considering that football fans already have a team to represent them in West Coast why would they change?

The only possible way that Joondalup could succeed would be if you played actual AFL games at Arena Joondalup. This would give them a separate identity from West Coast and attract local support, and sponsors.

If they play at Subi then I can't see the point.

 

[holybishop]

The AFL should relocate/merge some struggling Victorian teams before they start handing out new licenses. In the 21st century AFL clubs should be able to stand on their own two feet without AFL handouts and if they can't do that then they dont deserve to survive. Instead of creating a new team in Tasmania, move one there. North are idiots for not moving to the GC and eventually they're going to pay the ultimate price for their mistake.

 

[DizzyHB]

Guys, you need a membership base of around 30,000 at least to be competitive. Where is that going to come from? Considering that football fans already have a team to represent them in West Coast why would they change?

I raise this point again then, where did the support for Fremantle come from? Considering that football fans already had a team to represent them in West Coast why would they change?

 

[invinciBlues]

What about a team for the Geraldton area? Surely there'd be enough support there and surrounding areas for those not willing to make the 6 hour drive every second week for the Eagles or Dockers...

 

[holybishop]

I raise this point again then, where did the support for Fremantle come from? Considering that football fans already had a team to represent them in West Coast why would they change?

Fremantles situation was different. When the Weagles entered the VFL, it effectively killed the WAFL and demoted it to a second tier competition. As a result, diehard WAFL supports grew some huge hatred towards the Weagles. So when a second team was proposed for WA they all jumped on board to spite the Weagles.

Also, there has always been a rivalry between the cities of Fremantle and Perth, and since West Coast is effectively the "Perth" team those living in Fremantle were all attracted to the Dockers. Throw in the huge supporters base for South and East Fremantle in the WAFL, and you've got the makings of a strong off field football club.

There is no rivalry between Joondalup and anyone other city though, and times have long passed since the West and East Perth rivalrys with other WAFL clubs. Keep the new team out of Perth, and go south imo. A Mandurah team can be the "Geelong" of WA football.

 

[Esky Lid]

Mandurah can't support a WAFL Side. Forget it !

East Perth are the 'Collingwood' of the WAFL. they are one of the Powerfull Clubs .. along with West Perth. Haven't EPFC tried to join the VFL in the 70's & 80's ?

I am For it. Merge the Royals & Falcons. Don't call them Joondalup .. Just Perth will do. Perth United !!! And the is a King with a Falcon on his Shoulder !!

Now, I am off the the 'Design a Jumper' Board and somehow merge the Red Blue & Black into something.

 

[thefreodockers]

What about Darwin?

 

[greenred]

Mandurah can't support a WAFL Side. Forget it !

East Perth are the 'Collingwood' of the WAFL. they are one of the Powerfull Clubs .. along with West Perth. Haven't EPFC tried to join the VFL in the 70's & 80's ?

I am For it. Merge the Royals & Falcons. Don't call them Joondalup .. Just Perth will do. Perth United !!! And the is a King with a Falcon on his Shoulder !!

Now, I am off the the 'Design a Jumper' Board and somehow merge the Red Blue & Black into something.

Haven't heard of the Perth Football Club?

 

[FootyJunkie]

Haven't heard of the Perth Football Club?

Perth United FC, get the Demons on board.

 

[DizzyHB]

How would people feel about "United" in an AFL teams name? It is very soccer, but if merging to or three state teams it could work. Especially fitting in the Perth, West Perth, East Perth situation.

 

[The_Reaper]

Mandurah can't support a WAFL Side. Forget it !

East Perth are the 'Collingwood' of the WAFL. they are one of the Powerfull Clubs .. along with West Perth. Haven't EPFC tried to join the VFL in the 70's & 80's ?

I am For it. Merge the Royals & Falcons. Don't call them Joondalup .. Just Perth will do. Perth United !!! And the is a King with a Falcon on his Shoulder !!

Now, I am off the the 'Design a Jumper' Board and somehow merge the Red Blue & Black into something.

Actually one would argue that East Fremantle are the historical powerhouses of the WAFL- not East or West Perth.

Mandurah+Rockingham has a much larger population than Joondalup plus a Mandurah team would be able to attract a supporter base.

In terms of West Coast and Fremantle it is increasingly becoming a North of the river/South of the river split. Joondalup/Perth would just introduce another North of the river team which will struggle as West Coast already has these areas.
Even if every single East Perth, West Perth and Perth fans support a Joondalup/Perth team they would still struggle to reach crowds of 25 000 on average. The average football fan doesn't care for the WAFL anymore

 

[chardonnay]

The geographical base for a footy team is long gone, at least 50 years gone, an 1800s concept.

All three teams would play at the central stadium.

 

[The_Reaper]

The geographical base for a footy team is long gone, at least 50 years gone, an 1800s concept.

All three teams would play at the central stadium.

well who would support Joondalup/Perth?

 

[Copernicus]

I disagree with this quality dilution argument. What it will mean is that recruiters will be less inclined to go for 17-18 year olds exclusively each draft, and more Podsiadlys/Barlows/Sewells/M.Stokes/H.Taylors will be considered as viable choices. There are at least 100 AFL-ready players hiding out in the 2nd tier leagues right now, not drafted at age 18 and have all but abandoned their dream of getting a callup - and all they need is a chance.

I agree. How many blokes are tearing it up in the EFL, Ovens and Murray or other equivalent quality country league who could make it in the AFL, given the chance? Same applies to the VFL, SANFL and WAFL. I'll bet for every Podsiadly there's a Nick Sautner who has been consistently good in the VFL but has never gotten the call-up to the AFL for whatever reason.

I actually think it will be a good thing.

 

[The Falcon Strike]

There'd be a few hardcore Falcons/Royals/Demons supporters that would make the switch though.

If West Perth (or Carey Park) were elevated - i'd have to think about it

But a hybrid of Perth Royal Falcons doesn't represent my club at all - and would in now way have my allegiance.

I would have thought the best option for a new footy team would be a South/West team - the SWFL is a super strong league - and I belive would get great support - particularly if they were able to zone some of the junior footballers for a few years.

Upgrade Hands Oval for training and pre-season games - play at Subiaco.

 

[holybishop]

The days of hardcore WAFL supporters are long gone. Call it Joonalup all you want, its effectively another "Perth" team, and it wont survive.

Mandurah (and even the entire Peel region) will be huge in 10+ years time, and could easily hold an AFL club. Upgrade Rushton park, and alternate regular games between there and the Perth Stadium, much like what Geelong do.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

The days of hardcore WAFL supporters are long gone. Call it Joonalup all you want, its effectively another "Perth" team, and it wont survive.

Mandurah (and even the entire Peel region) will be huge in 10+ years time, and could easily hold an AFL club. Upgrade Rushton park, and alternate regular games between there and the Perth Stadium, much like what Geelong do.

Northern Suburbs dwarfs the southern suburbs and will do so more into the future. Northern Corridor will experience larger and more sustained growth in population and it will have Joondalup as it's main centre.

Mandurah is full or retiree's and unemployed youth. Thats not a misrepresentation either.

Not to mention Mandurah is all but part of Perth these days anway.

 

[Eastern Rangers]

Bring in a third team. Give them support, they are competitive and sucessfull. It's Perth so the job will take care of itself. Unless they are a basket case like Freo was early then they shouldn't have too many problems.

 

[juddy_Like]

I could not think of anything worse than Peel Thunder being in the AFL. They are a joke in the WAFL and lets leave it at that. Also as EH stated, Mandurah is full of old retirees who are about to die.


FWIW, people ask how Joondalup are going to get members. But they are in no worse position than the new GWS team and their ability to attract memebrs.