VFL 2022

[Walshawk]

Casey and Southport have shown they are the firm favourites for the VFL flag this season with big qualifying final wins today. Casey are obviously strong due to their Melbourne connection but the Sharks are doing what they've done for many decades against highly fancied opposition and springing all kinds of upsets. I must say it's nice to see Southport doing it on the semi-national stage now because they'll final get the credit they deserve if they continue this form.

Side note - is it time to change the name of the league for the upcoming 2023 season? I know the 'VFL' has history but we've got a situation in this finals series where we have three finals being hosted in Victoria, three finals being hosted in Queensland and one final being hosted in New South Wales with the grand final already locked in for Ikon Park. That means if you don't include the grand final venue which was already predetermined, there are more finals matches taking place outside of Victoria than those that are taking place inside Victoria this year. It's also entirely possible that we'll have an all-Queensland grand final this year given Brisbane beat Melbourne last week and will likely face them in the prelim in two weeks. Does it just need to become the Eastern Football League (EFL) or something similar next year to fairly reflect what it's become?

Eastern Football League is the biggest comp in Melbourne. Reckon EAFL. Pretty sure an all Interstate GF would be played at the home venue of the highest qualified team.

 

[GC2015]

Eastern Football League is the biggest comp in Melbourne. Reckon EAFL. Pretty sure an all Interstate GF would be played at the home venue of the highest qualified team.

Do you know this? I thought it had already been announced that Ikon Park will be hosting the VFL GF this year.

EAFL could work. Just need to remove 'Victorian' because it's not a fair reflection of what the league has become.

 

[eth-dog]

Eastern Football League is the biggest comp in Melbourne. Reckon EAFL. Pretty sure an all Interstate GF would be played at the home venue of the highest qualified team.

EFL has 78 games of senior football and under 19's every week
VAFA has 148 games of senior football and under 19's every week.

 

[GC2015]

Brisbane beat Carlton in the first Semi Final today and that sets up a prelim against Casey next week. Tomorrow we find out whether it's the Swans or Suns that will play Southport in the other prelim. Great to see two Queensland teams have already qualified for this year's VFL prelims and I really hope we can make it three of four from QLD in tomorrow's Semi Final.

 

[GC2015]

Very interesting to see that Brisbane have the opportunity to make the VFL/AFL reserves competition Grand Final 31 years after the Bears reserves team snatched an unlikely premiership in 1991. Perhaps more interesting is the increase in Queenslanders taking part in this reserves team and this 31 year period between events serves as a marker of just how far Queensland footy has come since the early days of the Brisbane Bears. We're looking at about a 45% representation of Queenslanders in Brisbane's reserves side now as opposed to the 35% in 1991. Back in 1991 Brisbane had access to the whole state of Queensland and you can see that represented in the amount of Southport/Cairns players that were in the team. Now you can see all the Queenslanders in Brisbane's reserves team are from their academy zone which again indicates growth within the state.

1991 Brisbane Bears reserves premiership team

B: Lachlan Sim (Moe, VIC), Simon Luhrs (Sherwood, QLD), Ben Thomas (Port Fairy, VIC)
HB: Brenton Phillips (North Adelaide, SA), Matthew Kennedy (Southport, QLD), Shaun Hart

Shaun Hart

Age

52

Ht

175cm

Wt

74kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.1

4star

K

10.5

4star

HB

5.6

4star

M

3.5

4star

T

2.1

4star

No current season stats available

D

24.2

5star

K

15.2

5star

HB

9.0

5star

M

5.0

5star

T

2.6

4star

(Shepparton, VIC)
C: Steve McLuckie (Southport, QLD), Brad Rowe (East Fremantle, WA), Troy Clarke (South Cairns, QLD)
HF: Ray Windsor (Sherwood, QLD), Peter Curran (Canterbury, VIC), Andrew Taylor (Albion, VIC)
F: Rod Lester-Smith (East Fremantle, WA), Cameron O'Brien (Old Xavierians, VIC), David Ogg (Swan Districts, WA)
R: Alex Ishchenko (East Perth, WA), David Wearne (Coorparoo, QLD), Corey Bell (Southport, QLD)
I/C: David O'Keeffe (Newcomb, VIC), Robert Dickson (Morwell, VIC)

Coach: Rodney Eade (Glenorchy, TAS)

QLD: 7/20 (35%)

2022 Brisbane Lions reserves prelim team

B: Nakia Cockatoo

12

Nakia Cockatoo

Age

27

Ht

185cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.6

2star

K

6.1

2star

HB

3.5

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.1

5star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.6

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

3.2

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.2

3star

(Southern Districts, NT), Wylie Buzza

13

Wylie Buzza

Age

28

Ht

199cm

Wt

103kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.1

2star

K

4.4

2star

HB

3.7

3star

M

2.9

3star

T

3.2

5star

G

0.7

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.2

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

4.2

4star

M

2.8

3star

T

3.6

5star

G

0.8

4star

(Mount Gravatt, QLD), Bruce Reville (Sherwood, QLD)
HB: Connor McFadyen (Wilston Grange, QLD), Ryan Lester

35

Ryan Lester

Age

31

Ht

192cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.9

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

7.0

4star

M

3.9

4star

T

2.7

4star

MG

170.4

3star

D

10.3

3star

K

5.8

2star

HB

4.5

3star

M

2.7

3star

T

1.5

2star

MG

140.7

3star

D

12.6

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

5.8

4star

M

3.8

4star

T

0.6

3star

(Oakleigh, VIC), Jaxon Prior (West Perth, WA)
C: Harry Sharp (East Point, VIC), Mitch Cox (Williamstown, VIC), James Madden (Dublin, IRE)
HF: Ely Smith (Yarrawonga, VIC), Charlie Bowes (Noosa, QLD), Blake Coleman (Morningside, QLD)
F: James Tunstill (Busselton, WA), Tom Fullarton (Caloundra, QLD), Mitch Robinson

5

Mitch Robinson

Age

34

Ht

184cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.9

5star

K

11.2

4star

HB

8.7

5star

M

4.1

4star

T

4.7

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

15.8

4star

K

11.3

4star

HB

4.5

3star

M

3.9

4star

T

1.9

3star

CL

1.8

4star

D

13.2

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.6

5star

(Lauderdale, TAS)
R: Henry Smith (Blackwood, SA), Kai Lohmann (Ballarat, VIC), Rhys Mathieson

36

Rhys Mathieson

Age

27

Ht

186cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.1

4star

K

7.9

3star

HB

9.2

5star

M

2.9

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

3.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

18.4

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

9.0

5star

M

2.2

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

2.8

5star

(Geelong, VIC)
INT: Deividas Uosis (Kerry, IRE), Tahj Abberley (Sandgate, QLD), Toby Triffett (Morningside, QLD), Riley Greene (Sherwood, QLD), Will Fletcher (Sherwood, QLD)

Coach: Mitch Hahn

Mitch Hahn

Age

42

Ht

188cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

13.2

3star

K

7.9

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

3.6

4star

T

2.6

4star

G

0.9

4star

No current season stats available

D

6.0

2star

K

3.4

2star

HB

2.6

3star

M

1.8

2star

T

0.2

3star

G

0.0

1star

(Zillmere, QLD)

QLD: 10/23 (43.5%)

And that's not even considering the amount of Queenslanders that will be competing in the other VFL prelim between Gold Coast and Southport! There's another 20+ Queenslanders competing in that game for anyone that's curious.

 

[parano1a]

Cracking game of footy today between Southport and Gold Coast.

 

[Hojuman]

Cracking game of footy today between Southport and Gold Coast.

Some terrible kicking for goal by the Sharks.

 

[eth-dog]

Tom Gribble goes B2B Liston Trophies. Great player.

 

[Pickitt]

What's ikons capacity? I've heard 35,21 and for some reason only 12k

 

[ringo1]

Tom Gribble goes B2B Liston Trophies. Great player.

Is there a complete list of votes anywhere?

 

[Breretonisahood]

Very interesting to see that Brisbane have the opportunity to make the VFL/AFL reserves competition Grand Final 31 years after the Bears reserves team snatched an unlikely premiership in 1991. Perhaps more interesting is the increase in Queenslanders taking part in this reserves team and this 31 year period between events serves as a marker of just how far Queensland footy has come since the early days of the Brisbane Bears. We're looking at about a 45% representation of Queenslanders in Brisbane's reserves side now as opposed to the 35% in 1991. Back in 1991 Brisbane had access to the whole state of Queensland and you can see that represented in the amount of Southport/Cairns players that were in the team. Now you can see all the Queenslanders in Brisbane's reserves team are from their academy zone which again indicates growth within the state.

1991 Brisbane Bears reserves premiership team

B: Lachlan Sim (Moe, VIC), Simon Luhrs (Sherwood, QLD), Ben Thomas (Port Fairy, VIC)
HB: Brenton Phillips (North Adelaide, SA), Matthew Kennedy (Southport, QLD), Shaun Hart (Shepparton, VIC)
C: Steve McLuckie (Southport, QLD), Brad Rowe (East Fremantle, WA), Troy Clarke (South Cairns, QLD)
HF: Ray Windsor (Sherwood, QLD), Peter Curran (Canterbury, VIC), Andrew Taylor (Albion, VIC)
F: Rod Lester-Smith (East Fremantle, WA), Cameron O'Brien (Old Xavierians, VIC), David Ogg (Swan Districts, WA)
R: Alex Ishchenko (East Perth, WA), David Wearne (Coorparoo, QLD), Corey Bell (Southport, QLD)
I/C: David O'Keeffe (Newcomb, VIC), Robert Dickson (Morwell, VIC)

Coach: Rodney Eade (Glenorchy, TAS)

QLD: 7/20 (35%)

2022 Brisbane Lions reserves prelim team

B: Nakia Cockatoo (Southern Districts, NT), Wylie Buzza (Mount Gravatt, QLD), Bruce Reville (Sherwood, QLD)
HB: Connor McFadyen (Wilston Grange, QLD), Ryan Lester (Oakleigh, VIC), Jaxon Prior (West Perth, WA)
C: Harry Sharp (East Point, VIC), Mitch Cox (Williamstown, VIC), James Madden (Dublin, IRE)
HF: Ely Smith (Yarrawonga, VIC), Charlie Bowes (Noosa, QLD), Blake Coleman (Morningside, QLD)
F: James Tunstill (Busselton, WA), Tom Fullarton (Caloundra, QLD), Mitch Robinson (Lauderdale, TAS)
R: Henry Smith (Blackwood, SA), Kai Lohmann (Ballarat, VIC), Rhys Mathieson (Geelong, VIC)
INT: Deividas Uosis (Kerry, IRE), Tahj Abberley (Sandgate, QLD), Toby Triffett (Morningside, QLD), Riley Greene (Sherwood, QLD), Will Fletcher (Sherwood, QLD)

Coach: Mitch Hahn (Zillmere, QLD)

QLD: 10/23 (43.5%)

And that's not even considering the amount of Queenslanders that will be competing in the other VFL prelim between Gold Coast and Southport! There's another 20+ Queenslanders competing in that game for anyone that's curious.

When the NEAFL teams were folded into the VFL there was plenty of doom and gloom that they wouldn’t be competitive. Well, in the 2022 VFL finals we had Southport, Bris, GC and Sydney. The QAFL is very strong at the moment and Bris in the Prelim. QLD footy going well!

 

[Dogs till i die]

VFL stand alone clubs' salary cap being largely restored to pre covid levels for 2023 will make them more competitive. Cap was cut to only $200k for them last and this year.

You can't be competitive playing AFL clubs where they would come up against several full time players earning more per year as individuals than you're allowed to pay 30+ players for the year.

 

[melbournemartin]

VFL stand alone clubs' salary cap being largely restored to pre covid levels for 2023 will make them more competitive. Cap was cut to only $200k for them last and this year.

You can't be competitive playing AFL clubs where they would come up against several full time players earning more per year as individuals than you're allowed to pay 30+ players for the year.

Amazing that one made the GF then.

 

[eth-dog]

Cracking GF so far

 

[nobbyiscool]

Can anyone explain the "new" VFL to me?

Are these northern teams in the comp permanently? Is the NEAFL coming back, or did COVID kill it for good?

Why are Southport in the competition if they aren't a reserves side? Seams quite an advantage that the majority of the best players in Brisbane are being funnelled into one team.

And what happened to the return of the Tassie team? Was it just delayed, or did COVID kill that off too?

 

[SSwans2011]

This is a tough one, because it would amuse me to see Southport winning a ******* VFL Grand Final.

But also, the only reason that club can exist in the VFL is the pokies, so * em.

Can anyone explain the "new" VFL to me?

Are these northern teams in the comp permanently? Is the NEAFL coming back, or did COVID kill it for good?

Why are Southport in the competition if they aren't a reserves side? Seams quite an advantage that the majority of the best players in Brisbane are being funnelled into one team.

And what happened to the return of the Tassie team? Was it just delayed, or did COVID kill that off too?

Northern teams are in the competition for good. I suspect Southport are in the league by virtue of being the strongest NEAFL team that wasn't a reserves side. Aspley are probably a bit stiff, but potentially overkill to have them in the comp. Shame NT Thunder no longer exist (I believe). Would have been great to have them in the VFL.

I think Tassie's re-entry has been delayed. Should happen in the next few years.

 

[Rickee]

Amazing that one made the GF then.

The rules for Southport as a non-Victorian stand alone side are much more generous than for Vic based ones. Hence why they have done so well the last 2 years.

 

[Innovativefwd]

The rules for Southport as a non-Victorian stand alone side are much more generous than for Vic based ones. Hence why they have done so well the last 2 years.

Rickee what are the then?