Where to next? Tasmania? ACT? Northern Territory? North Queensland?

Where to next?

  • Tasmania

    Votes: 86 78.2%

  • ACT

    Votes: 11 10.0%

  • Northern Territory

    Votes: 2 1.8%

  • North Queensland

    Votes: 11 10.0%
  • Total voters
    110

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Matchu

Matchu

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran
Apr 12, 2007
7,751
7,041
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Make your case and your proposed model. Mine:

Tasmania
Population: 512,100 (2012)
Stadia: York Park, Launceston (21,000), Bellerive Oval, Hobart (20,000 by 2015)
Average Crowd Attendances: 2013 - 13,237 (Launceston), 11,743 (Hobart) 2012 - 15,687 (Launceston), 12,620 (Hobart)
Advantages:
  • Quite a large population in comparison to other expansion areas.
  • Possesses the two largest stadiums of the expansion areas.
  • Has had strong attendances in recent years when compared to Gold Coast and GWS.
  • Has produced AFL players in the past and has a strong history with the game.
  • No competition in the Winter months.
Disadvantages:
  • No current team based in a league outside of Tasmania.
  • Population split into two major areas (Hobart and Launceston) who both feel deserving of the team being based in their area.
  • Population not expected to increase heavily.
Model proposition: Split games between Hobart and Launceston each year with the extra game rotating every season. Base the team at whichever ground can offer the best facilities. Give the team exclusive access to Tasmanians for the first few years and a bit of extra cap room to help establish itself.

ACT
Population: 373,100 (2012)
Stadium: Manuka Oval, Canberra (13,550)
Average Crowd Attendances: 2013 - 8352, 2012 - 8430
Advantages:
  • Can make use of the world class facilities at the Australian Institute of Sport.
  • Appears to have a strong local competition with four teams in the NEAFL.
  • Stadium is located near the Canberra CBD.
Disadvantages:
  • Is generally considered a traditional Rugby area and an AFL team will have to compete with both the Brumbies (Rugby Union) and Raiders (Rugby League).
  • Does not have a strong history of producing players.
  • Attendances aren't that strong.
Model proposition: Base the team at Manuka Oval and make use of the facilties at the AIS. Give the team exclusive access to NSW/ACT players for the first few years with the team eventually setting up an academy zone from Canberra to the Victorian border. Give the team some extra cap room for an extended period of time so it can compete.

Northern Territory
Population: 233,300 (2012)
Stadia: Marrara Stadium, Darwin (15,000), Traeger Park, Alice Springs (10,000)
Average Crowd Attendances: 2013 - 7732 (Darwin), 8350 (Alice Springs) 2012 - 7719 (Darwin)
Advantages:
  • Has a strong team in the NEAFL.
  • Has a strong history of producing AFL players.
  • No competition all year round.
Disadvantages:
  • Has the lowest population of the expansion areas and isn't predicted to grow at a fast rate.
  • Attendances aren't that strong.
Model proposition: Base the team at Marrara Stadium in Darwin and play one regular season home game a year in Alice Springs. Give the club exclusive access to NT players and set up an academy zone for the whole of NT. Give the team extra cap room, perhaps even permanently because Darwin is not a desirable place to live if you aren't from there.

North Queensland
Population: 500,000+
Stadia: Cazaly's Stadium, Cairns (12,000), Tony Ireland Stadium, Townsville (10,000)
Average Crowd Attendances: 2013 - 11,197 (Cairns), 2012 - 10,961 (Cairns)

Advantages:
  • Has a large population and is expected to grow.
Disadvantages:
  • Is traditionally considered to be a Rugby League area.
  • A team would have to compete against the Cowboys (Rugby League) in Winter months.
  • No current team outside of north Queensland.
  • North Queensland split into two major areas (Cairns and Townsville).
Model proposition: Base the team at Cazaly's Stadium in Cairns with a preseason fixture each season in Townsville. Give the club exclusive access to QLD players for a few years and eventually set up an academy zone that stretches from Rockhampton up to Cape York. Give the team extra cap room for an extended period of time.
Obviously all main stadiums would need to be upgraded to a minimum of 25,000 if they were accepted into the league but I'm sure the AFL would have no problem making that happen. Your turn.
 

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Beijing or Shanghai, yes it's a long shot but the population is huge and IMO you'd get atleast 15,000 people on board when you include all the Aussies working/living there, add in Australian tourists and those who want to go for the experience. The only struggle would be getting players to play there and sponsorship (of course these are huge problems).

That happens so far into the future though, could be Tassie in one year China the next! I'd love for the game to go international. I'm just using my imagination right now.
 
Victorian teams would like a side in Tassie. Short flight for them, pain in the back flank for everyone else. :cool:
 
Kreuuuzeurns said:
Beijing or Shanghai, yes it's a long shot but the population is huge and IMO you'd get atleast 15,000 people on board when you include all the Aussies working/living there, add in Australian tourists and those who want to go for the experience. The only struggle would be getting players to play there and sponsorship (of course these are huge problems).

That happens so far into the future though, could be Tassie in one year China the next! I'd love for the game to go international. I'm just using my imagination right now.
Click to expand...

Good idea until you factor in teams traveling to and from China.
 
Kreuuuzeurns said:
Beijing or Shanghai, yes it's a long shot but the population is huge and IMO you'd get atleast 15,000 people on board when you include all the Aussies working/living there, add in Australian tourists and those who want to go for the experience. The only struggle would be getting players to play there and sponsorship (of course these are huge problems).

That happens so far into the future though, could be Tassie in one year China the next! I'd love for the game to go international. I'm just using my imagination right now.
Click to expand...
That won't work, as the above poster said, the travel factor is huge and I don't think a China team would want to travel to Australia on a fortnightly basis. A home and away game in Shanghai would work but a permanent team will never happen. The only international team that could be plausible is New Zealand. The next option is Tasmania.
 
roo2macca said:
That won't work, as the above poster said, the travel factor is huge and I don't think a China team would want to travel to Australia on a fortnightly basis. A home and away game in Shanghai would work but a permanent team will never happen. The only international team that could be plausible is New Zealand. The next option is Tasmania.
Click to expand...

Yeah, because travelling from WA to New Zealand is entirely fair and plausible.
 

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Kreuuuzeurns said:
Without knowing the exact numbers I'd assume Perth to Wellington is a longer trip than Sydney/Brisbane to Beijing.
Click to expand...
Perth to Wellington is 5257.56km and Sydney to Beijing is 8754.30km.
 
I think Tasmania with a game split between Hobart/Launceston is the most plausible next move, and should happen at the same time as a WA3 team. I don't see FNQ or Darwin as sustainable options at this point.

I think a 20 club league is the absolute max sustainable for the next 30ish years at least, but they shouldn't even entertain the idea unless they can 100% guarantee the futures of the current 18 clubs. If they can do that I'd totally welcome an attempt at bringing two more in for 2020.

Shoei said:
Yeah, because travelling from WA to New Zealand is entirely fair and plausible.
Click to expand...

Harden up, it's only a seven hour flight, easily accommodated around bye rounds or a 9 day break.
 
18 teams is already probably too many, you definetely don't want to add any more than that, and there's a pretty strong consensus that Victoria has too many clubs.

I'd be looking to merge two of the smaller VIC clubs, and relocate one of them to Tassie. Then create another new expansion team.

The 3 Vic teams in the firing line would unfortunately have to be the Saints, Bulldogs and North (sorry guys, but if any teams are ever being booted its one of these 3).

Merge the Saints and Western Bulldogs, and relocate North Melbourne to Tassie.

That already reduces the Vic clubs from 10 to 8, and gives 1 expansion team. You then have 17 which is an odd number, so add another team in the ACT.

For me this is a win, win, win because you achieve the following:
*Cut down the overpopulated Victorian footy market
*Expand in to two new areas
*Keep the league at the current 18 teams.
 
Let's remember that the AFL is in favour of keeping an equal amount of teams in the AFL so it's likely that a Tasmanian team would be joined by another team entering the league the following year. Everyone seems to agree Tassie is next be who would join them?

Also, make sure you read the questions carefully. I asked "Where to next?" We already have to teams in Perth.
 
Air_Chester said:
Harden up, it's only a seven hour flight, easily accommodated around bye rounds or a 9 day break.
Click to expand...


Because there's never any bitching and moaning when teams have to play to game in the West twice a season.

How about the eagles start selling games in Indonesia or Singapore, Hey its only a 10 hour flight right?
 
Tassie then Canberra. Although the New Zealand option is definitely a good option depending on the development of the game there.
 
A Tasmanian team that managed to avoid alienating either Hobart or Lonny would be ideal, seems a bit impractical and unlikely though. Of the options only Tassie would be a serious contender for another team though and that's probably 20 years away from even being considered.

GWS would need to sever all ties with Canberra for an ACT side to be considered, probably about 100k short on the ideal population too. Maybe in a couple decades when Perth is ~3 million would there be a 20th team. NT and FNQ, not in my lifetime. A New Zealand franchise is more likely.
 
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