VFL 2026

[bedford]

The AFL should stop overcomplicating the reserves situation and just do it properly.

Introduce an AFL Reserves comp next season with Tasmania as the 19th team. Fixture it normally, accept the rolling bye, and move on. It’s not a problem, it’s basic scheduling.

At the same time, the current VFL is finished in its current form. It should be stripped back and reconstituted as a proper second-tier VFA-style competition made up of standalone clubs, including Southport. That alone gives you a core ~8 team state league worth protecting and building around.

From there, you actually create a real pyramid instead of the current mess. You selectively invite 4–6 of the strongest, most ambitious local clubs in Victoria (Heidelberg, Strathmore, Balwyn, Wangaratta Rovers, etc.) to step up into a licensed second tier.

Not automatic promotion. Licences. Earn it, sustain it, or get out. If a club is getting belted by 100 points every week after 2–3 years, they drop back to their local league and someone else gets a shot. That’s how you create ambition without destroying clubs.

AFL reserves players should come strictly from elite U18 pathways (TAC Cup / Coates League system). No recycling VFL battlers just to fill lists.

Right now we’ve got a bloated, directionless second-tier system that pleases nobody. This would at least create structure, ambition, and a genuine pathway between local football, state football, and the AFL.

It won’t be perfect, but it’s a hell of a lot more coherent than what exists now.

Wang Rovers would have no interest , it can't work , it's been tried and doesn't work , eg Kilsyth

 

[eth-dog]

The AFL should stop overcomplicating the reserves situation and just do it properly.

Introduce an AFL Reserves comp next season with Tasmania as the 19th team. Fixture it normally, accept the rolling bye, and move on. It’s not a problem, it’s basic scheduling.

At the same time, the current VFL is finished in its current form. It should be stripped back and reconstituted as a proper second-tier VFA-style competition made up of standalone clubs, including Southport. That alone gives you a core ~8 team state league worth protecting and building around.

From there, you actually create a real pyramid instead of the current mess. You selectively invite 4–6 of the strongest, most ambitious local clubs in Victoria (Heidelberg, Strathmore, Balwyn, Wangaratta Rovers, etc.) to step up into a licensed second tier.

Not automatic promotion. Licences. Earn it, sustain it, or get out. If a club is getting belted by 100 points every week after 2–3 years, they drop back to their local league and someone else gets a shot. That’s how you create ambition without destroying clubs.

AFL reserves players should come strictly from elite U18 pathways (TAC Cup / Coates League system). No recycling VFL battlers just to fill lists.

Right now we’ve got a bloated, directionless second-tier system that pleases nobody. This would at least create structure, ambition, and a genuine pathway between local football, state football, and the AFL.

It won’t be perfect, but it’s a hell of a lot more coherent than what exists now.

Putting aside the fact that the Victorian clubs don't want to move into an AFL reserves, why would any of those suburban clubs go willingly from their status as big fishes in small ponds to being small fishes in big ponds?

Balwyn, for example, can spend triple the money that the VFL can, have more supporters through the gate than any VFL game outside of finals, and are almost a lock for top 4 every year.

Why would a club willingly sign up to a dying comp for absolutely no net gain?

Also no, they shouldn't. Otherwise guys like Christian Scerri, Robbie Fox, Luke Ryan, Zac Banch, Kieran Strachan and Tom McCarthy don't get a gig at AFL level off the top of my head. Teams should be able to pick whomever they want on their VFL/reserves list if they think they're good enough to play the level. What happens if a 21 year old who was never in an "elite pathway system" suddenly dominates for Old Xavs in the ruck, gets invited to play reserves footy and becomes a MSD candidate? Oh sorry, you weren't playing Eastern Ranges so we can't list you?

The current system doesn't work. The old system did work. Apply the KISS principle.

 

[Walshawk]

What happened to the ABC broadcasts?

 

[Walshawk]

Sounds extremely unlikely that the AFL clubs would agree to pay a licence fee to fund standalone clubs, although it's not as if it would dent their finances much.

Assuming you have 10 Victorian AFL reserves teams (either standalone reserves or affiliations) then Tasmania, and then finally the six current standalones, you'd have 17 teams. If you want an even number of teams then you can explore offering a licence to one of the larger local clubs in Victoria, or setting up a new club in a region that isn't really represented by an AFL club. With 18 teams you would have to add one double-up fixture for each club, so you could either give clubs the option to mutually agree on a "rivalry fixture" or base it on the previous season's ladder positions.

The AFL will be 24 games in 2028. Any comp comprising a majority of AFL reserves should be playing at least 20 games, if not 22 or 24. The AFL/VFL reserves fixture was always the same at the seniors. 18 games is for the suburbs, not state league.

 

[Spiny Norman]

What happened to the ABC broadcasts?

This week the ABC is broadcasting Sandringham v Box Hill. Usually the ABC will cover a Saturday afternoon game, but this is the one exception for the first half of the season.

 

[DTLSchulzy16]

Ladhams with an all time performance
40 disposals
47 hitouts
30 contested pos
19 clearances!
And a goal

 

[Dogs till i die]

Ladhams with an all time performance
40 disposals
47 hitouts
30 contested pos
19 clearances!
And a goal

Fair day out, but not sure who would have played in ruck for Footscray given the 2 listed ruckmen- Lachlan Smith and Louis Emmett had to play in the AFL because the 3 usual ruck options at AFL level , English, Lobb and Darcy are all out with only 3 good legs between them.

Good luck to him, he took full advantage as did his AFL team mates did last night.

 

[SeaSide]

Funding and self-interest are the key issues here.

Simply put, the AFL won't fund both an AFL reserves and a "VFA", and they have stated that in the past. The AFL hasn't brought back the AFL reserves yet because they are worried about the cost ... at a time they are spending money trying to break into unrealistic overseas markets instead of putting that money towards an ailing grassroots sector.

Metro clubs won't want to be involved in such a league. They would be much happier playing locally with long-standing rivalries that draw significant revenue. Most would be happy to be big fish in their current ponds. Heidelberg v Strathmore would be far less enticing to Heidelberg supporters than say a Greensborough or North Heidelberg.

Your "VFA" will need a reserves grade - how many reserves players from a club in the south-east will be willing to travel to Werribee or Keilor at significant cost in petrol and do it for nothing when they could be earning a couple of hundred playing locally instead.

When North Ballarat left the VFL, the chances of having country clubs involved went with it.

The football system had the perfect chance to create a proper state league in the 1990s which was to have 12 clubs (8 metro and 4 country) aligned to the TAC Cup clubs. Eight VFA clubs were going to be involved and play seniors and reserves with a TAC Cup club as their Under 18s. The idea was for North Ballarat, Traralgon, one of the Bendigo league clubs and one of the O&M clubs to be aligned to the country TAC clubs so that players statewide had access to the system without having to go to Melbourne to do so.

Self-interest came into play and the AFL clubs knocked the idea on the head, which is why we have the mess that we do now. Everyone wants what is best for them rather than for the game itself and there is no guidance or direction being provided by the AFL and AFL Victoria.

Football administrators have always put self-interest first as well. We have had a couple of occasions since World War II when amalgamation of the VFL and VFA has been put on the table, and even cases of trying to set up the structure of football so that there was promotion and relegation between VFA Second Division and below that a six-division metropolitan-wide competition. Had any of these ideas been implemented, then metropolitan football now would most likely have the same set-up as the English soccer pyramid.

In an ideal world, it would be great to have the AFL reserves and a VFA but unfortunately there are significant hurdles in the way for it to happen and be successful.

I've mentioned the England FA style before and it would be great, giving every club in Victoria a chance to be elevated into the top division under the VFL.

I’m sure it would work.

 

[SharpShooterzz]

Good to see Frankston get another win last night. Nothing special about it but a win is 4 points. Worrying to me is that Frankstons top 4 possesion getters are all defenders. Milne, Hamill, Voss, Moran. Midfield is getting beaten every week now. Talking of Moran, how is it he was dropped 2 weeks ago and only recalled last night to replace Barlow? Frankston look so much better with him in. Great intercept mark, and the best run and link up player in the side.

 

[MRobbo]

Crowd around 2000 at Kinetic Stadium last night
Pre match ceremony with the lights out is fantastic.
Most consistent game Frankston has played all season but still plenty to work on.
Club debuted a 3rd scoreboard at the ground last night.

 

[AussieNick1999]

Good to see Frankston get another win last night. Nothing special about it but a win is 4 points. Worrying to me is that Frankstons top 4 possesion getters are all defenders. Milne, Hamill, Voss, Moran. Midfield is getting beaten every week now. Talking of Moran, how is it he was dropped 2 weeks ago and only recalled last night to replace Barlow? Frankston look so much better with him in. Great intercept mark, and the best run and link up player in the side.

Wondered who he replaced last night. But yes I agree, no idea why he was dropped in the first place.

While it could have been a more convincing win, it was a great response after two awful games. Cotter looks like he's finding his feet after some not great form early in the season, and Oscar Lewis looked promising in his debut game. Ellison is improving as well with three goals last night, and obviously Blake O'Leary was the star with five goals for the night.

I'd still like to see a bit more ruthlessness when we've got teams on the ropes. Coburg were also playing for their season last night and we didn't stand up for a big chunk of the 4th quarter when they kicked three in a row. We need to learn to keep the foot down through an entire game, because better teams will overrun us if we pack up too early. But last night will be a massive boost for the club's morale, and if we knock over Richmond next week that'll get our season back on track.

I will say it wasn't a great turnout compared to previous Anzac games for us. I know neither us nor Coburg have been in great form but with the weather conditions being perfect I would have hoped to get more locals into the ground. From where I was sitting it looked like around 2k.

 

[AussieNick1999]

Crowd around 2000 at Kinetic Stadium last night
Pre match ceremony with the lights out is fantastic.
Most consistent game Frankston has played all season but still plenty to work on.
Club debuted a 3rd scoreboard at the ground last night.

We still need to get the PA system redone, Robbo. We actually paused selling records to observe the ceremony and from our spot you couldn't hear a word of it. I could barely make out the Last Post and the national anthem.

I also think it'd be good to incorporate the New Zealand anthem like the AFL does these days. They're an important part of the Anzac story and deserve some recognition.

 

[The_General#1]

Crowd around 2000 at Kinetic Stadium last night
Pre match ceremony with the lights out is fantastic.
Most consistent game Frankston has played all season but still plenty to work on.
Club debuted a 3rd scoreboard at the ground last night.

How good is Friday Night lights in Franga. More standalone clubs should invest in decent lighting. No doubt it’s a great revenue generator for the Dollys

 

[Walshawk]

This week the ABC is broadcasting Sandringham v Box Hill. Usually the ABC will cover a Saturday afternoon game, but this is the one exception for the first half of the season.

Sandy v Box Hill not in the ABC program guide.

 

[Spiny Norman]

Sandy v Box Hill not in the ABC program guide.

In that case I don't know as my source is the VFL broadcast page here, so one or the other is wrong: https://www.afl.com.au/news/1479966/watch-your-team-smithys-vfl-broadcast-guide

 

[Rickee]

My prefrence would be for an AFL reserves and a stand alone second tier competition.

The VFL/A should include:

Box Hill Mustangs
Casey Scorpions
Coburg Lions
Frankston Dolphins
Preston Bullants
Port Melbourne Borough
Sandringham Zebras
Werribee Tigers
Williamstown Seagulls

That is 9 teams, which would be the same number as the SANFL and WAFL if you exclude the one side that has a dedicated AFL reserves. Reintroduce the reserves and a companion womens league with all teams participating.

I feel like a model could be used to make the pathway from Talent League -> VFL -> AFL Reserves -> AFL if it's done with care and attention.

 

[troybe]

In that case I don't know as my source is the VFL broadcast page here, so one or the other is wrong: https://www.afl.com.au/news/1479966/watch-your-team-smithys-vfl-broadcast-guide

It’s on iView to stream

 

[Walshawk]

My prefrence would be for an AFL reserves and a stand alone second tier competition.

The VFL/A should include:

Box Hill Mustangs
Casey Scorpions
Coburg Lions
Frankston Dolphins
Preston Bullants
Port Melbourne Borough
Sandringham Zebras
Werribee Tigers
Williamstown Seagulls

That is 9 teams, which would be the same number as the SANFL and WAFL if you exclude the one side that has a dedicated AFL reserves. Reintroduce the reserves and a companion womens league with all teams participating.

I feel like a model could be used to make the pathway from Talent League -> VFL -> AFL Reserves -> AFL if it's done with care and attention.

That ship has sailed. Preston is gone and there is no Box Hill or Casey without their AFL partners. Clubs need dozens of volunteers, sponsors and staff. Nice concept but not happening.

 

[Rickee]

That ship has sailed. Preston is gone and there is no Box Hill or Casey without their AFL partners. Clubs need dozens of volunteers, sponsors and staff. Nice concept but not happening.

The stand alone clubs already have all of those things, though.

Preston still exists at VAFA level and I'm of the opinion that Box Hill and Casey would be able to reactivate under their traditional identies, the infrastructure is there and the respective councils have a vested interest in keeping their clubs alive. If Preston can rise from the ashes of the Northern Blues, then so can the Stangs and Scorps. They were both prepared to go it alone during COVID when the VFL stand alones planned to have a season without AFL involvement.

I think people underestimate the ex-VFA clubs. No way would the competition ever be as popular as it was in the early days of Sunday football, but I do believe a reactivated VFL/A could succeed as a 2nd tier competition under the AFL the way the WAFL and SANFL operate.

 

[bedford]

Great win by the Borough
Anyone know what the attendance was at the Tassie game

 

[troybe]

Great win by the Borough
Anyone know what the attendance was at the Tassie game

14,122

 

[MRobbo]

Great win by the Borough
Anyone know what the attendance was at the Tassie game

Ninja stadium crowd 14122

 

[bedford]

Ninja stadium crowd 14122

So what was the Hawks/Suns game

 

[MRobbo]

Crowd about 1000 at RSEA Park today
Suns were too good and got first win
Max King played 2 and a half quarters - 55 mins game time

 

[MRobbo]

So what was the Hawks/Suns game

8500 or thereabouts which was about capacity