VFL VFL Bye round - Are there options?

[76woodenspooners]

So next week our VFL team have a bye.

It has come at an inopportune time with our seniors starting to gel, and players like Williams, Cloke, Aish, Goldsack, Brown needing games to find form.

So would it be a good idea to send our VFL team interstate to play a practice match against a team in another league who also have a bye?

A look around the league fixtures reveals that Lauderdale in the Tasmanian Football League are the only top tier state team with a bye next weekend. The TFL is unlikely to be the same level as the VFL, but Lauderdale are currently third on their ladder so they might not be too bad?

Pros:
- Gives a bunch of players a game who need one (Cloke, Williams, etc)
- Introduces young players to a travel routine (Sier, Philips, Goodyear, Wills)
- Gives some players a chance to get away who might need it (Cloke?)
- Good bonding experience
- Provides our Tasmanian fans a chance to see Collingwood play
- Promotes the Collingwood brand in Tasmania
- Give some lads who have been helping out with coaching (eg: Scharenberg) more experience

Cons:
- Will cost some money (flight+Accom to Tassie for around 40 players+officials? $40K maybe? Not much)
- Might have to get the AFL / VFL / TSL to sign off on it.
- What's in it for Lauderdale? Would they even be interested?

Edit: SANFL league also have a bye this week - one of their teams could also be an option? (Thanks @watsamattU )

 

[Quicky]

I think it is a smart idea. We have players I think we would prefer to continue gaining form and match fitness in the twos. Only our twos are unable to play. It's something you would hope our football department have identified and made plans for early season.

I think it is a great opportunity for Lauderdale to play some AFL opposition, and something you would hope they would jump at. I think it is an opportunity for our VFL players to play in a different comp, to travel and have some benefits that may not be offered by rival suburban clubs. And our AFL players pushing for selection, get to continue to do so, without the need to rush them back.

 

[pablo disco bar]

It makes too much sense..

 

[Kappa]

The VFL is such a shit "competition" if we're being honest.

The constant byes over the past few seasons have been a joke

 

[THATSGOLD]

1 week off won't hurt them or us IMO. The team should basically go in unchanged this week.

 

[Scodog10]

It's a no for me.

I haven't checked the VFL fixture, but I assume we don't have the bye the same week as the AFL team? If so I think it's a perfect time to stagger the lists breaks.

The last thing I want is to see the likes of Sier, Phillips, Wills and Goodyear miss out on the midseason break by playing this week because it could ultimately do more harm than good.

Edit: just saw the fixture and the numpties that put it together have no idea! With two byes scheduled in the next 3 weeks I'm a yes to playing on one of those weekends. If we can make it work I'd just prefer to be in three weeks. The broader issue is probably whether we can afford it? Given we have no player development manager I assume it's a cost that we can't cover...

 

[sirlothie]

Isn't the point of a bye to have a break?

 

[76woodenspooners]

Isn't the point of a bye to have a break?

Our VFL team get a break in VFL round 8 (this week) ...

... and 3 weeks later in VFL round 11 (mid season synchronised with the AFL team's bye - fair enough) ...

... And five weeks later in VFL round 16.

How many breaks do the VFL team need?

 

[mattys123]

I heard a Williamstown fan yell out "you shouldn't even be in this competition" to our players on Saturday night.

I agreed.

There should be an AFL run reserved competition for all Victorian based clubs. The 10 Victorian clubs could simply play each other twice (with maybe a few third time meetings) and you'd have a 22-23 round reserves competition to match the AFL season length exactly.

Makes sense, so it will never happen.

 

[Kirby]

I heard a Williamstown fan yell out "you shouldn't even be in this competition" to our players on Saturday night.

I agreed.

There should be an AFL run reserved competition for all Victorian based clubs. The 10 Victorian clubs could simply play each other twice (with maybe a few third time meetings) and you'd have a 22-23 round reserves competition to match the AFL season length exactly.

Makes sense, so it will never happen.

The VFL competition would then just rot on the vine within a few years.

 

[mattys123]

The VFL competition would then just rot on the vine within a few years.

Yep it would, and that would be ok.

The stronger clubs (Port Melb, Box Hill, Williamstown, Werribee) would survive or find another league to play in, and move on with life.

The old VFA may even get back together and form some kind of alliance.

But the current system is flawed, especially when it seems long term that the Hawks may be the only team left in an alignment with a VFL club.

 

[Kirby]

Yep it would, and that would be ok.

The stronger clubs (Port Melb, Box Hill, Williamstown, Werribee) would survive or find another league to play in, and move on with life.

The old VFA may even get back together and form some kind of alliance.

But the current system is flawed, especially when it seems long term that the Hawks may be the only team left in an alignment with a VFL club.

Most suburban leagues are pretty strong these days so I'd guess they would find one of these leagues. I'd be surprised if they could get the old VFA comp back together after so long.

 

[WatsamattaU]

The SANFL also have a bye, since the VFL vs SANFL game is on this week. Why not try to play one of the AFL aligned clubs there (Port or Adelaide)?

 

[76woodenspooners]

The SANFL also have a bye, since the VFL vs SANFL game is on this week. Why not try to play one of the AFL aligned clubs there (Port or Adelaide)?

Good idea!

Updated OP

 

[unplugged]

It would be good, I guess. But I imagine there'd be too many issues with insurances, etc. for it to gain any traction.

Give them a rest. It's 14 or so AFL listed blokes who will likely get through another week without an injury. How unlikely is that!

 

[Seedsfan]

Before the Queens birthday round they can transfer out for a game happens all the time at the lesser levels

 

[Pie eyed]

It's a no for me.

I haven't checked the VFL fixture, but I assume we don't have the bye the same week as the AFL team? If so I think it's a perfect time to stagger the lists breaks.

The last thing I want is to see the likes of Sier, Phillips, Wills and Goodyear miss out on the midseason break by playing this week because it could ultimately do more harm than good.

Edit: just saw the fixture and the numpties that put it together have no idea! With two byes scheduled in the next 3 weeks I'm a yes to playing on one of those weekends. If we can make it work I'd just prefer to be in three weeks. The broader issue is probably whether we can afford it? Given we have no player development manager I assume it's a cost that we can't cover...

ED drops that much behind the couch...We can afford it.
Make it so Perty.

 

[Pie eyed]

It would be good, I guess. But I imagine there'd be too many issues with insurances, etc. for it to gain any traction.

Give them a rest. It's 14 or so AFL listed blokes who will likely get through another week without an injury. How unlikely is that!

Not playing is no guarantee.....dare I say "frisbee"

 

[MagpieBat]

I heard a Williamstown fan yell out "you shouldn't even be in this competition" to our players on Saturday night.

That's alright.

We'll leave and take the 2003 premiership with us then...

 

[TradeDraft]

That Sadly won't happen

 

[TradeDraft]

I heard a Williamstown fan yell out "you shouldn't even be in this competition" to our players on Saturday night.

I agreed.

There should be an AFL run reserved competition for all Victorian based clubs. The 10 Victorian clubs could simply play each other twice (with maybe a few third time meetings) and you'd have a 22-23 round reserves competition to match the AFL season length exactly.

Makes sense, so it will never happen.

I 100%

Agree they should bring back the Reserves.

Agree. Too good of a Idea for the AFL

 

[35Daicos]

So next week our VFL team have a bye.

It has come at an inopportune time with our seniors starting to gel, and players like Williams, Cloke, Aish, Goldsack, Brown needing games to find form.

So would it be a good idea to send our VFL team interstate to play a practice match against a team in another league who also have a bye?
~~~
Edit: SANFL league also have a bye this week - one of their teams could also be an option? (Thanks @watsamattU )

Glenelg may have been a decent option should Collingwood have been keen on this idea. The Bays managed a (rare) win in their last game, that was on 14 May, with a bye on the weekend just gone and no game this week they have a three week break before finally playing again on 4 June.

Glenelg even have an ex-Collingwood (AFL) player in Matthew Lokan as their coach. Woodville-West Torrens also have the same lengthy spell. Crazy programming!