"Up Yours Oakley"

[Bald]

I genuinely don't understand the 'Up Yours Oakley'. Who is Oakley?

 

[Yojimbo]

I genuinely don't understand the 'Up Yours Oakley'. Who is Oakley?

Ross Oakley the Gil or Andy D at the time of the proposed merger with Fitzroy.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I still see these stickers on the back of cars every now and then - the peoples anger over the failed '89 merger will never completely go away. I cannot believe this clown has been admitted into the AFL Hall of Fame. Oakley over Carey? Disgrace.

Maybe they should have a Hall of Infamy, Oakley and Carey could be inaugural members.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Problem is the AFL still hasn't changed.

It's a mega- rich unaccountable club looking after the interest of corporate spivs, not caring about the interest of the average punter.

Their treatment of at Tassie footy and continuing embrace of gambling money will tell you that.

 

[TempletonTheRat]

Problem is the AFL still hasn't changed.

It's a mega- rich unaccountable club looking after the interest of corporate spivs, not caring about the interest of the average punter.

Their treatment of at Tassie footy and continuing embrace of gambling money will tell you that.

are you Paul Keating?

 

[charcoalchicken]

Did they look at the promotion/relegation system during this time when they were trying to get rid of victorian clubs, fitzroy were the unfortunate sacrifice but it's fair to say the plan back then by the afl head honchos was a complete disaster.
I understand where they were coming from in trying to expand the game to being national but surely the promotion/relegation system would have been a much more viable option and easier to sell to the general public, no one loses there club and you expand more smoothly to a national game, the afl is still faced with the same problem of there probably being one or two too many victorian clubs 3 - 4 decades later.

 

[DognBones]

Did they look at the promotion/relegation system during this time when they were trying to get rid of victorian clubs, fitzroy were the unfortunate sacrifice but it's fair to say the plan back then by the afl head honchos was a complete disaster.
I understand where they were coming from in trying to expand the game to being national but surely the promotion/relegation system would have been a much more viable option and easier to sell to the general public, no one loses there club and you expand more smoothly to a national game, the afl is still faced with the same problem of there probably being one or two too many victorian clubs 3 - 4 decades later.

It is quite unique in world sport to have 9 teams from one city in a National competition. Even in London, a city much bigger than Melbourne, there are only 5 soccer teams in the EPL. Of course, in their system, as you intimate above, there is always the chance to add more through promotion/relegation.
To be fair to the VFL/AFL administration at the time, when several clubs were struggling to survive, a reduction in Melbourne clubs seemed inevitable and a consequence of natural evolution. In our case, people power and a small group of 'true bulldog' administrators saved us from the death rattle but as a business there was no doubt we were unviable.
In recent times the re-structuring of the national competition has brought about financial security to all the remaining Melbourne clubs and all their history and culture is intact. This is an amazing outcome for a truly national competition. There will always be those, however, who will ask the question, is this a good thing, particularly if there is further expansion? Perhaps then, a relegation/promotion system will be inevitable.

 

[ThirdLegUp]

Did they look at the promotion/relegation system during this time when they were trying to get rid of victorian clubs, fitzroy were the unfortunate sacrifice but it's fair to say the plan back then by the afl head honchos was a complete disaster.
I understand where they were coming from in trying to expand the game to being national but surely the promotion/relegation system would have been a much more viable option and easier to sell to the general public, no one loses there club and you expand more smoothly to a national game, the afl is still faced with the same problem of there probably being one or two too many victorian clubs 3 - 4 decades later.

The problem the AFL still has, is its inability to think beyond its greed.

Turning a State competition into a National Competition. Problem No.1, there will be far more teams in the founding state then the others. Killing off century old clubs would have to be the most simple minded, devoid of cultural understanding approach possible... thus no surprise that's the one the brains trust at the AFL went for. Promotion/relegation is just 1 of MANY alternate and far more palatable options. "Well, we discussed losts of options" oh really, AFL, so you discussed all these options and the one you chose was the option where you would have to perform one underhanded deed after another. I guess what comes naturally is indeed the easiest option.

If you watch the Galimberti interview with Bob Murphy on the Club homepage you'll hear how all the fight back would have counted for nothing had not the AFL made a few simple minded mistakes in all their Machiavellian dealings to get their desires done. We would no longer exist were they not so single minded in their approach, they made very foolish mistakes.

Ross Oakley is a low life cretin, all this "honouring" does, is tell you exactly who the AFL have deep understanding and affinity toward.