WAFL Expansion is the only way it can Survive.

[StCicatriz]

So i’ve had a recent change of heart. Previously I’ve been opposed to a third Perth AFL team for fear of what it might do to the WAFL sides.

But why not optimise the use of Optus Stadium and get another team playing AFL there. You could even close level 5 to make it reduced operating cost and reduce capacity of 40,000 bring spectators closer together for better atmosphere.

The new AFL team would be based out of Arena Joondalup. Joondalup would cover Perth’s northern suburbs. It would also draw more AFL money into WA and our facilities instead of having AFL money going to support Victorian teams and therefore local Victorian jobs.

Fremantle would cover Perth’s southern suburbs. Eagles would cover Perth’s central suburbs. Which would also align with a north, central and south area used by WAFL teams.

Anyway, how would a third WA AFL team impact the structure of the WAFL.

Fremantle and the new Joondalup AFL side would be given stand alone WAFL teams as their reserves.

Claremont and Subiaco merge.

East Perth and Swan Districts merge.

And then Perth is split into 6 areas. The North West, North East, Central West, Central East, South West and South East. Peel Thunder would continue to cover Mandurah separately.

West Perth represent North West and are based out of Joondalup Arena.

The merged Swan Districts/East Perth team are North East and play at Bassendean Oval.

Perth are based out of Lathlain Park and are Central East.

Whilst the merged Claremont/Subiaco team are Central West based at Claremont Oval.

East Fremantle are based out of Cockburn as South East.

With South Fremantle representing the South West from Fremantle Oval.

Then you just need to have some fun with the fixtures, but the Eagles, Dockers and Joondalup WAFL teams would have home games at Optus Stadium as curtain raisers to their relevant AFL team.

The AFL clubs would have their pre-season games and their Womens teams play their games at the other oval in their area (ie Bassendean, Claremont and Fremantle Ovals), to help those field development as well.

And then the WAFC and state teams move into the WACA, perhaps also with Friday night WAFL game of the week.

Just thought I would put it out there as an alternative idea.

Why would subiaco be a central west team. They're primarily working through the northern corridor now. They have more in common with West Perth now than Claremont.

 

[StCicatriz]

So i’ve had a recent change of heart. Previously I’ve been opposed to a third Perth AFL team for fear of what it might do to the WAFL sides.

But why not optimise the use of Optus Stadium and get another team playing AFL there. You could even close level 5 to make it reduced operating cost and reduce capacity of 40,000 bring spectators closer together for better atmosphere.

The new AFL team would be based out of Arena Joondalup. Joondalup would cover Perth’s northern suburbs. It would also draw more AFL money into WA and our facilities instead of having AFL money going to support Victorian teams and therefore local Victorian jobs.

Fremantle would cover Perth’s southern suburbs. Eagles would cover Perth’s central suburbs. Which would also align with a north, central and south area used by WAFL teams.

Anyway, how would a third WA AFL team impact the structure of the WAFL.

Fremantle and the new Joondalup AFL side would be given stand alone WAFL teams as their reserves.

Claremont and Subiaco merge.

East Perth and Swan Districts merge.

And then Perth is split into 6 areas. The North West, North East, Central West, Central East, South West and South East. Peel Thunder would continue to cover Mandurah separately.

West Perth represent North West and are based out of Joondalup Arena.

The merged Swan Districts/East Perth team are North East and play at Bassendean Oval.

Perth are based out of Lathlain Park and are Central East.

Whilst the merged Claremont/Subiaco team are Central West based at Claremont Oval.

East Fremantle are based out of Cockburn as South East.

With South Fremantle representing the South West from Fremantle Oval.

Then you just need to have some fun with the fixtures, but the Eagles, Dockers and Joondalup WAFL teams would have home games at Optus Stadium as curtain raisers to their relevant AFL team.

The AFL clubs would have their pre-season games and their Womens teams play their games at the other oval in their area (ie Bassendean, Claremont and Fremantle Ovals), to help those field development as well.

And then the WAFC and state teams move into the WACA, perhaps also with Friday night WAFL game of the week.

Just thought I would put it out there as an alternative idea.

AFL reserves is coming. Only a matter of time.

WAFL will turn into an ammos comp I fear.

It's just a pitty the AFL hasn't been able to strengthen the state leagues into a college type system.

 

[Freomaniac]

AFL reserves is coming. Only a matter of time.

WAFL will turn into an ammos comp I fear.

It's just a pitty the AFL hasn't been able to strengthen the state leagues into a college type system.

You really think the AFL cares about the WAFL and SANFL? Yeah right.

I dont know how the WAFL clubs survive.

The main reason SANFL clubs survive is pokies from their social clubs.

Hell, I remember 2-4 years ago, Glenelg tigers were in financial strife, 2-2.5 million in debt. Yet they didnt fold. The reason they got in debt was because they borrowed 2 million to get the pokies in the clubs.

 

[Freomaniac]

AFL reserves is coming. Only a matter of time.

WAFL will turn into an ammos comp I fear.

It's just a pitty the AFL hasn't been able to strengthen the state leagues into a college type system.

like you actually care lol

 

[Freomaniac]

The WAFL need to invest more money into its marketing campaign. It needs a bigger online presence show casing current and up and coming talent. Take note of what all the big codes around the globe do to attract a wider audience and replicate a viable model.

Yes our market isn't as big as the American market, but look at how big NCAA basketball is in the US at the moment. It regularly show cases the games super stars and is probably growing quicker than the NBA.

Everyone in our state loves footy, the crowds that both Fremantle and West Coast get at Optus is a testament to this. Yet crowd attendance at WAFL league and colts level are very poor.

SANFL has done something similar.

All games are shown in the SANFL site. I go to South Adelaide games. Going to the bar on a rainy day is good.

They got a big tv and show the SANFL game live from the website

 

[kranger]

So the original premise of this thread, is for the WAFL to do well in the future it should grow in numbers.

An interesting way I thought to measure where more teams could go, was to use the WA state electoral boundaries, which would be the best representative of where an even number of people live in Perth.

2017 Western Australian state election - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Each electorate has about 27,000 voters, which works out to be about 44,000 residents (considering kids and non-citizens can’t vote).

There are 45 electorates that cover Perth and Mandurah.

Currently there are 5 WAFL clubs and 21 electorates north of the river. Whilst there are 4 clubs and 24 electorates south of the river.

So the clubs north of the river have about 4 electorates (176,000 residents) each. And the clubs south of the river have about 6 electorates (264,000 residents) each.

With the growing suburbs around Canning Vale and Byford, you could create a 10th WAFL club based in the south-eastern suburbs. Such as at Gosnells Oval which is near the town centre and train station to get that community vibe like Claremont and Bassendean Ovals.

Swan Districts realistically covers two of the electorates south of the river, being Midland and Mundaring areas, so the northern 5 clubs actually share 23 electorates. Whilst a new Gosnells club sees the 5 southern clubs sharing 22 electorates.

A is Peel electorates
B is South Freo
C is East Freo
D is Gosnells
E is Perth
F is Swans
G is Claremont
H is East Perth
I is Subiaco
J is West Perth

There are two electorates that I cut in half just to reduce travel to their relevant club so they have a half number.

Obviously this doesn’t split all the WAFL clubs based upon existing amateur and junior footy clubs, but surely the zoning for the new WAFL club could better factor that in, and not only be based off electoral boundaries.

Then get a Dockers Reserves to join make 12 teams and you can have a 22 week home and away season. With the Eagles and Dockers only playing away games, and increased fees from the Dockers to have the reserves team, means extra funding for all 10 WAFL clubs.

 

[mightymouse75]

The wafc own the local afl sides.
Eagles have 10m in the bank. Why don't the wafc realocate some of this money to struggling wafl teams ?

 

[Freomaniac]

The wafc own the local afl sides.
Eagles have 10m in the bank. Why don't the wafc realocate some of this money to struggling wafl teams ?

Because the WAFC are like a bunch of communists.

They will give the WAFL team the minimum amount of cash to survive while making sure west coast and Freo make as much profits

 

[Johnny Bananas]

So the original premise of this thread, is for the WAFL to do well in the future it should grow in numbers.

An interesting way I thought to measure where more teams could go, was to use the WA state electoral boundaries, which would be the best representative of where an even number of people live in Perth.

I like the idea of looking at electorates to gauge population, but I'd only use it as a guide to how many clubs can be sustained in an area, rather than for setting boundaries. Electorate boundaries shift every election, they don't necessarily constitute a community. I'd set boundaries using major roads and rivers.

It seems like railway lines work well as setting a rough centre line for zones, rather than boundaries (Swan and East Perth - Midland line, Claremont - Fremantle line, South and East Fremantle and Peel - Mandurah line, Perth - Armadale line, Subiaco and West Perth - Joondalup line).