VFL to merge with NEAFL, under-18 comps revamped in massive changes to AFL’s second tier

[Walshawk]

Paul Amy on SEN now. Licences sent out last Friday. Some clubs still deciding (inc Aspley) but 20 team league likely.

 

[Sammoll]

Here's the article, but basically Bullants are back, Aspley, Southport and Sydney Uni have been given licenses. 20 team, 16 round season is likely to kick off mid-april. Name change for the league is possible.

The AFL will wait until after its grand final before unveiling details of the remodelled VFL for 2021.The league sent licence offers to clubs last Friday and with them a request to hold off on making any major announcements.

The clubs must now confirm their participation in a competition that will take in clubs from Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

But the AFL confirmed yesterday that all the Victorian stand-alone clubs had been offered licences, including the Northern Bullants, who had been aligned with Carlton as the Northern Blues.

The AFL also confirmed that NEAFL affiliates Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney, GWS, Southport, Aspley and Sydney University had been invited to a competition that will be the largest second-tier league in the country.

Up to 20 clubs could participitate: the AFL stand-alones, VFL stand-alones, AFL-VFL aligned and former NEAFL clubs.

Salary caps have been ticked off: $100,000 for the AFL stand-alone and aligned clubs, and $200,000 for the other stand-alone clubs.

A name change remains a possibility given that three states will be represented in the league.

In its communication to clubs the AFL is referring to it as the “VFL/East Coast Competition’’.

It’s believed the competition will run for 16 rounds and kick off in mid to late-April, depending on COVID-19 restrictions.

Officials will try to limit travel to two to three trips per clubs, with teams preferably flying in and flying out on the same day.

Meanwhile the zones proposed by the AFL for the Victorian clubs are likely to be tweaked before they are introduced.

They are seen as a way of strengthening the clubs’ ties with the NAB League teams and promoting the pathway between the under-age league and the VFL.

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[Walshawk]

Unless there are a heap of new AFL/VFL alignments, can’t see how there will be ‘up to 20 teams’. I count 24.

 

[Freomaniac]

There’s a similar perspective in the SANFL, an arrogance that the whole comp should bend and bow to every whim or need of both AFL reserves teams and squealing when they don’t get their way.

you knew this was andrew demitrious plan? lol

 

[Tackle Bag]

Wish the stand alone VFA sides had gone out on their own and invited a few strong local clubs to form a new state league.

 

[Walshawk]

Wish the stand alone VFA sides had gone out on their own and invited a few strong local clubs to form a new state league.

There is no sustainable financial model without the AFL. Plus no local clubs would want to join - too risky. There are enough clubs already, except that Casey and Box Hill are ghost clubs that would fold overnight without their AFL partners.

 

[chazwazza]

There is no sustainable financial model without the AFL. Plus no local clubs would want to join - too risky. There are enough clubs already, except that Casey and Box Hill are ghost clubs that would fold overnight without their AFL partners.

Of course there’s not, AFL working to an antiquated neo Liberal trickle down model that doesn’t trickle down. It’s all about glad handing and looking after their own. They’ve ****ed the code for decades

 

[Freomaniac]

The worst thing to happen to footy in general was the AFL electing themselves as the “custodians of the game“ and making every decision wholly about themselves. It’s arse about, all State bodies should’ve been on a national commission that ultimately oversaw the game at all levels.
Classic capitalist trickle down bullshit that never seems to trickle past the self interest of the few.

it took them 3-4 decades to do it but the AFL finally made sure that they run the sport.

AFL holds the power and most importantly the money. No Australian rules football league pulls in over a billion in tv rights money.

The AFL had their personal agenda and has no intention to work with either the SANFL or WAFL.

The AFL used to fund grassroots footy in the northern country areas of WA. Not anymore. They see the western Australian football commission, the group that owns the eagles and dockers licenses as the enemy.

SANFL clubs are independent but rely on pokies to make ends meet and make money.

AFL have shown how badly run they are. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, it's was about the tickets sales that made the money.

From 2000ish onwards when Foxtel won some rights for the AFL tv rights, the AFL has become more dependent on tv rights money.

I have said this before. Had the AFL saved up 10% of the tv rights money the have made in the last 10 years, that spare cash wouldn't of solved the cash flow shortage of the TV rights money in 2020 but definately would of softened the problem.

Also, each year the SANFL only gets 1 million from the AFL. Footy in Queensland and NSW got 50 million each in 2019.

Sure, I am keen for Aussie rules to grow in Queensland and NSW, but SA and WA and tassie deserves some AFL

 

[Redline]

Next step is to merge SANFL with the our VFL.

I think we will see the three second teir comps under the one umbrella including match payments and rules but the three play amongst themselves. Similar model to Basketball I think?

I don't really see what merging the VFL and NEAFL will achieve.

 

[Freomaniac]

Of course there’s not, AFL working to an antiquated neo Liberal trickle down model that doesn’t trickle down. It’s all about glad handing and looking after their own. They’ve f’ed the code for decades

again.... This was decades in the making.

Once the AFL has not their hundreds of millions of dollars, do they care about the SANFL or WAFL?

Just need to look at the state of Tasmania. The moment they were branded as AFL Tasmania, that league was irrelevant.


The moment the SANFL is rebranded as AFL South Australia, then to me that's the final nail in the South Australian Aussie rules footy

 

[Freomaniac]

I think we will see the three second teir comps under the one umbrella including match payments and rules but the three play amongst themselves. Similar model to Basketball I think?

I don't really see what merging the VFL and NEAFL will achieve.

Does this help the SANFL?

 

[Tackle Bag]

There is no sustainable financial model without the AFL. Plus no local clubs would want to join - too risky. There are enough clubs already, except that Casey and Box Hill are ghost clubs that would fold overnight without their AFL partners.

There are quite a few local clubs In Vic that are more than capable of operating in a state/ premier league with a salary cap of up to 300k (to pluck a number). They’ve been doing it In their local leagues for years.

The only reason the existing or proposed model is not viable (or barely) for stand alone Vic clubs is the involvement of the AFL.
Remove the AFL reserves involvement and running costs are not too different to a local league.

Some of the more powerful local clubs are going to have more money than you can poke a stick at in their accounts in three or four years, with the new salary caps of 100-150k.

Won’t be long before they are going to start making noise about not being able to use their financial strength to advantage.
Victoria is going to need a premier league.

 

[Pedantic]

There are quite a few local clubs In Vic that are more than capable of operating in a state/ premier league with a salary cap of up to 300k (to pluck a number). They’ve been doing it In their local leagues for years.

The only reason the existing or proposed model is not viable (or barely) for stand alone clubs is the involvement of the AFL.
Remove the AFL reserves involvement and running costs are not too different to a local league.

Some of the more powerful local clubs are going to have more money than you can poke a stick at in their accounts in three or four years, with the new salary caps of 150k.

Won’t be long before they are going to start making noise about not being able to use their financial strength to advantage.
Victoria is going to need a premier league.

Naive to think that clubs will adhere to new salary caps when plenty weren't even playing by the old ones

 

[Tackle Bag]

Naive to think that clubs will adhere to new salary caps when plenty weren't even playing by the old ones

Agree 100%. Even more so when the top division caps are set so low.

 

[Walshawk]

There are quite a few local clubs In Vic that are more than capable of operating in a state/ premier league with a salary cap of up to 300k (to pluck a number). They’ve been doing it In their local leagues for years.

The only reason the existing or proposed model is not viable (or barely) for stand alone Vic clubs is the involvement of the AFL.
Remove the AFL reserves involvement and running costs are not too different to a local league.

Some of the more powerful local clubs are going to have more money than you can poke a stick at in their accounts in three or four years, with the new salary caps of 100-150k.

Won’t be long before they are going to start making noise about not being able to use their financial strength to advantage.
Victoria is going to need a premier league.

Why would a local club forgo the long standing local rivalries in their league? Why would their members want to travel two, three, four times as far. Suburban leagues have reserves and juniors, they mean more to more people than most VFL clubs do. Some play in front of bigger than VFL crowds. Why would you give all that away?

 

[MegaA]

it took them 3-4 decades to do it but the AFL finally made sure that they run the sport.

AFL holds the power and most importantly the money. No Australian rules football league pulls in over a billion in tv rights money.

The AFL had their personal agenda and has no intention to work with either the SANFL or WAFL.

The AFL used to fund grassroots footy in the northern country areas of WA. Not anymore. They see the western Australian football commission, the group that owns the eagles and dockers licenses as the enemy.

SANFL clubs are independent but rely on pokies to make ends meet and make money.

AFL have shown how badly run they are. Back in the 1980s and 1990s, it's was about the tickets sales that made the money.

From 2000ish onwards when Foxtel won some rights for the AFL tv rights, the AFL has become more dependent on tv rights money.

I have said this before. Had the AFL saved up 10% of the tv rights money the have made in the last 10 years, that spare cash wouldn't of solved the cash flow shortage of the TV rights money in 2020 but definately would of softened the problem.

Also, each year the SANFL only gets 1 million from the AFL. Footy in Queensland and NSW got 50 million each in 2019.

Sure, I am keen for Aussie rules to grow in Queensland and NSW, but SA and WA and tassie deserves some AFL

Interesting- 50 million to NSW and Queensland yet they claimed in 2017 that the 1 million expenditure to run the VFL development league was too much and not feasible therefore scrapped the comp despite the crying and pleading from the traditional VFA clubs.

 

[Tackle Bag]

Why would a local club forgo the long standing local rivalries in their league? Why would their members want to travel two, three, four times as far. Suburban leagues have reserves and juniors, they mean more to more people than most VFL clubs do. Some play in front of bigger than VFL crowds. Why would you give all that away?

Why wouldn’t this league have res and 19s?

I think some clubs would look very positively at the opportunity to seperate themselves as the club playing the best standard in their region. That combined with a cap much higher than the local comps would make these clubs very attractive to local talent.

Look at Berwick footy club In Melbourne’s south east for example. They just left a league that has all their old rivals in it to embrace a new challenge at a higher standard in EFNL premier.


These clubs would keep their supporters and would be playing against other big clubs every week so crowds would be good.

These aren’t ghost clubs like Casey and others that no locals care about.

Port Melbourne or Williamstown coming to play a local powerhouse in a new comp would bring in great crowds

 

[MegaA]

I have heard that the salary cap will be $200 k in this new comp. Good luck to the heavyweight clubs being able to get quality players that will help them win a premiership. Local footy will be able to offer better money therefore depleting the talent and standard of the comp. Going to be very hard for mighty Port Melbourne and that other club across the bay to see on field success.

 

[Tackle Bag]

I have heard that the salary cap will be $200 k in this new comp. Good luck to the heavyweight clubs being able to get quality players that will help them win a premiership. Local footy will be able to offer better money therefore depleting the talent and standard of the comp. Going to be very hard for mighty Port Melbourne and that other club across the bay to see on field success.

And the player list rules forcing the clubs to have a majority of kids so they can’t recruit too many mature players in their prime.

 

[Freomaniac]

Interesting- 50 million to NSW and Queensland yet they claimed in 2017 that the 1 million expenditure to run the VFL development league was too much and not feasible therefore scrapped the comp despite the crying and pleading from the traditional VFA clubs.

Well its funny isnt it?

Fair enough 50 million is given to the Northern states.

Yet last season both North and hawthorn got 2-4 million per year from the Tasmanian Government by hosting games in Tassie.

I found that funny that the AFL claimed that 1 million to run a VFL development league is too much.

How much does the AFL invest on the TAC cup?

Another thing I will Bring up as well. At one point, Wasnt the Salary cap for the SANFL clubs was $350-$400,000? Its not much when you think about it in that 2014-19 era where it Was the 10 teams in the SANFL. 8 Of the normal SANFL clubs. The Port Magpies being linked with the Porta Adelaide Power in the AFL and crows having a Team in the SANFL too.

Now the Salary Cap in the SANFL is only $200,000 next season. So 8 SANFL clubs on $200,000 equals $1.6 million. Its not a lot of money really.

Considering Teams like Central Districts, West Adelaide and South Adelaide have their own Pokies near their stadiums, It shouldnt be hard to raise that $200,000 for their salary cap.

 

[MegaA]

And the player list rules forcing the clubs to have a majority of kids so they can’t recruit too many mature players in their prime.

I haven't read the official rules (as they haven't been released) but if rumours are true then the new rules will make it hardly worth fielding a side for Port, Willy and Werribee who are in the competition to win it and not to merely make up the numbers by fielding a bunch of inexperienced, under developed youngsters.

 

[Redline]

I have never understood the AFL approach to the second teir competitions. I understand we need the development opportunities but plenty of that exists in different forms. It feels like their is a constant fight from the AFL to keep those leagues from being the best they can.

For example if I am a 25 year old who is good enough for VFL/SANFL but not AFL and prepared to put in the time and effort to play in a semi pro comp and be reimbursed for it why is that a bad thing? It feels like they are constantly doing what they can to keep those types of player out and push them down to community football.

Contrary to popular belief in South Australia for example there is a big drop from SANFL to a Amateurs or Country football.

Good young players who perhaps are not drafted straight out of the under 18s will always come through and probably have a better experience in those second tier comps.

I just don't get what scares the AFL so much about the mature age cohort of players and semi professional footballer.

 

[MegaA]

I have never understood the AFL approach to the second teir competitions. I understand we need the development opportunities but plenty of that exists in different forms. It feels like their is a constant fight from the AFL to keep those leagues from being the best they can.

For example if I am a 25 year old who is good enough for VFL/SANFL but not AFL and prepared to put in the time and effort to play in a semi pro comp and be reimbursed for it why is that a bad thing? It feels like they are constantly doing what they can to keep those types of player out and push them down to community football.

Contrary to popular belief in South Australia for example there is a big drop from SANFL to a Amateurs or Country football.

Good young players who perhaps are not drafted straight out of the under 18s will always come through and probably have a better experience in those second tier comps.

I just don't get what scares the AFL so much about the mature age cohort of players and semi professional footballer.

It appears that all they care about is having a strong AFL and AFLW and dont care one bit about traditional non AFL clubs. They would be okay with seeing their demise as long as that further strengthens their no 1 comp. Where was the AFL when, Frankston, Preston, Bendigo needed help ? Its becoming too much like America where all focus is on the major league and everything else is pretty much non existent.

 

[Rickee]

I'm glad the Bullants are back, but I expect them to be under their original moniker of Preston with the traditional monogrammed strip as opposed to the generic 90s "Northern" version.

 

[Rickee]

I'm was hoping there might be a suggestion of a return of the reserves/development league with new stand alone clubs with no AFL affiliation. The "local club of origin" thing hasn't really been helpful for us.