Expansion Who will now become the 20th AFL team?

[dino_67]

Glenelg should make a bid to join the AFL. They're clearly becoming the most popular SANFL club in recent times.

And just to piss Port off, they should go in as the Glenelg Tigers.

Glenelg v Richmond matches can be known as the "Tiger derby' which can also be a mini state of origin as you'd have the Vic Tigers against the SA Tigers (an opportunity the AFL missed out on with Port Magpies!)

I hope Brisbane Tigers manage the same thing with the NRL.

Yesn't

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Glenelg should make a bid to join the AFL. They're clearly becoming the most popular SANFL club in recent times.

And just to piss Port off, they should go in as the Glenelg Tigers.

Glenelg v Richmond matches can be known as the "Tiger derby' which can also be a mini state of origin as you'd have the Vic Tigers against the SA Tigers (an opportunity the AFL missed out on with Port Magpies!)

I hope Brisbane Tigers manage the same thing with the NRL.

Damien Hardwick would be absolutely licking his lips with the head coaching role

 

[Captivating]

I'm not sure the 19th team is over the line yet. No stadium = no Tassie Team

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Surprise city putting forward proposal for 20th AFL license

Queensland are pushing to become the first outer-Victorian state to host three AFL clubs.

www.zerohanger.com

A proposal has been put forward for Cairns to become the focal point of a new expansion AFL team.

The proposal arrives only months after Tasmania was awarded the 19th AFLlicense. An addition of a 20th team would make sense to create league balance and prevent teams from being forced into a bye as early as Round 1.

Junior participation has skyrocketed in Queensland, even recently overtaking both Victoria and South Australia, strengthening the likelihood of Queensland becoming the first outer-Victorian state to host three AFL clubs is greater than ever.

Cairns has held 13 games at Cazaly's Stadium since 2011 with the Suns and the Tigers becoming a common matchup for the local Queensland fans. This matchup has created multiple games with over 10,000 in attendance despite neither club representing North Queensland.

Speaking to News Corp, AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees said the region was more than capable of servicing an AFL club.

“Cairns has the sustainability to be able to house an AFL club, with also having one of the best grounds available to them,” Lees said.

“We are probably better suited than Darwin due to our potential growth that has been shared by the council of what Cairns will look like by 2032.

“And with the Gabba going offline in 2026, we will be pushing very hard to get Brisbane games up here.

“So we can bring that type of content to Cairns but also we have the capability to be able to do that week-in, week-out with our own team.”

In 2021, popular television personality and former Magpies presidents Eddie McGuire stated that he believes the AFL could profit up to as much as $20m more if the 20th AFL license was awarded at the same time as Tasmania.

The profits would arrive as a result of avoiding bye rounds throughout the season to compensate for an odd number of teams. This is evident through the integrations of the Gold Coast Suns and subsequently the Greater Western Sydney Giants back in 2011. The delay of the Giants' integration created a somewhat confusing and complicated fixture during the 2011 season.

McGuire pushed the idea of a North Queensland-Darwin side back in 2021 on Channel 9's Footy Classified.

“The natural home for me is Darwin and Far North Queensland. Call them the Crocodiles,” McGuire said.

“Billions of dollars of sporting infrastructure is going into the Olympics in Queensland.

“It will give Indigenous boys and girls opportunity to play professional sport. What momentum for the game and Indigenous health for boys and girls in their own backyard.”

Despite the potential for a Cairns AFL team, Craig Lees still wants to keep the relationship that exists between Cairns football and the Gold Coast Suns.

Six players from the Cairns junior clubs from 2022 moved to the Gold Coast Suns Academy, making Cairns one of the top feeders into that program.

Additionally, 12 other competitors in the men's and women's tournaments received state league contracts for the 2023 season.

“We want all our young guns to get the opportunity to play at the highest level so of course we would keep that opportunity alive,” Lees said.

“Queensland is going to over take South Australia in participation numbers this year.

“That to me sounds like we need to make sure all our young talent coming through get the best opportunity.”

Calls from prominent media personalities have been made to see the Suns rebranded as the 'Northern Suns' and represent the far north areas of the nation following the side's recent success in hosting games in Darwin.

 

[Truetiger]

I'm not sure the 19th team is over the line yet. No stadium = no Tassie Team

Surely it gets up. Well it deserves it, otherwise I would say Darwin.

 

[Taper]

That is correct. No club (other than AFL owned ones) can be forced to move.

Rebranding from the Bears to Lions using AFL owned intellectual property.


You're correct. North won't be going anywhere.

Could the AFL force Port to relocate, given their board is controlled by the AFL?

 

[kranky al]

Does the AFL have a strict anti private ownership/financing policy on clubs? Only way the NT can happen before 2050. Relying on the feds to fund it indefinitely is risky.

Imagine if the afl actually gave a s**t about developing football talent outside of Victoria


They could get the feds to completely 100% fund an north / west team.

That team could afford to only get 10-20 k crowds - most of whom wouldnt pay a cent in entry or membership year in year out.

And still get endless funding. The Afl could do this without putting its hand in its pocket even once. They could do this, provide a jobs pathway for retiring aboriginal football players, do immeasurable good in the community, come out looking like good guys, provide a pathway for young aboriginal kids to real futures and quadtruple the amount of aboriginal talent in the game.

I work up north a lot, i have contracts supplying comms to remote communities. The amount of times i just stop work (its good to be the boss) and grab a chair and just go watch… looking at potential riolis and krakoeurs and ryans etc etc weaving magic on a field barefoot.

There

Is

So

Much

Talent

Up

North.


I believe the key to unlock it is footy / afl / federal government / mining working together.

The Afl encouraging aboriginal players to part time study to the teachers while they are playing. These teachers to finish their careers and go up and teach - and more importantly be mentors, provide schools - good meals, safe places if required and get the feds and mining to spring for good money for these teachers.

The mining companies are gung ho af for hiring aboriginal folk. Twiggy especially but all the big mining companies ive worked for will bend over backwards to help aboriginal folk get work with them.

Create schools up there with trade pathways. Encourage attendance using footy as the carrot, both to play and to get tickets to games - send afl players up there - indig and non indig. Have accomodation for remote kids to live in as well as kids in need. Surround these kids with successful role models. Have aboriginal tradesmen teach these kids trade basics with apprenticeship pathways. Most importantly - teach these kids their culture. Instead of blue gold red and green have factions based on culture . Have cultural studies be as important part of the curriculum as maths and a science.

We currently have a near bottomless pit of money that doesnt seem to get much value for dollar. Im convinced that a few schools like this could really make a difference.


The AFL could lead the charge on this without spending a cent - we would all benefit. The dilution of talent from expansion could be reversed and we could have a new golden age of talent that currently is lost in teenage years as kids fall off.


Create a northern team plays out of Karratha, alice, darwin.


Get it done.

 

[Tigerlaird]

Damien Hardwick would be absolutely licking his lips with the head coaching role

He used to play for the Bays too! Would be the perfect match.

 

[Coolangatta]

Imagine if the afl actually gave a s**t about developing football talent outside of Victoria


They could get the feds to completely 100% fund an north / west team.

That team could afford to only get 10-20 k crowds - most of whom wouldnt pay a cent in entry or membership year in year out.

And still get endless funding. The Afl could do this without putting its hand in its pocket even once. They could do this, provide a jobs pathway for retiring aboriginal football players, do immeasurable good in the community, come out looking like good guys, provide a pathway for young aboriginal kids to real futures and quadtruple the amount of aboriginal talent in the game.

I work up north a lot, i have contracts supplying comms to remote communities. The amount of times i just stop work (its good to be the boss) and grab a chair and just go watch… looking at potential riolis and krakoeurs and ryans etc etc weaving magic on a field barefoot.

There

Is

So

Much

Talent

Up

North.


I believe the key to unlock it is footy / afl / federal government / mining working together.

The Afl encouraging aboriginal players to part time study to the teachers while they are playing. These teachers to finish their careers and go up and teach - and more importantly be mentors, provide schools - good meals, safe places if required and get the feds and mining to spring for good money for these teachers.

The mining companies are gung ho af for hiring aboriginal folk. Twiggy especially but all the big mining companies ive worked for will bend over backwards to help aboriginal folk get work with them.

Create schools up there with trade pathways. Encourage attendance using footy as the carrot, both to play and to get tickets to games - send afl players up there - indig and non indig. Have accomodation for remote kids to live in as well as kids in need. Surround these kids with successful role models. Have aboriginal tradesmen teach these kids trade basics with apprenticeship pathways. Most importantly - teach these kids their culture. Instead of blue gold red and green have factions based on culture . Have cultural studies be as important part of the curriculum as maths and a science.

We currently have a near bottomless pit of money that doesnt seem to get much value for dollar. Im convinced that a few schools like this could really make a difference.


The AFL could lead the charge on this without spending a cent - we would all benefit. The dilution of talent from expansion could be reversed and we could have a new golden age of talent that currently is lost in teenage years as kids fall off.


Create a northern team plays out of Karratha, alice, darwin.


Get it done.

Yep, would love to see it happen, but I would also love to see Canberra and North Queensland happen.

Canberra 2033, NT 2040, NQ 2045. I know that’s way too early for many but like you said, get federal backing in for NT, and hopefully the other clubs are financially strong so it’d just be NQ that relies on AFL help for 20 or so years.

 

[Tigerlaird]

Whoever gets the 18th NRL team between Perth and Adelaide, the other will get the 20th AFL team.

So if Perth Pirates or Jets join the NRL then Glenelg-South Adelaide Panthers will join the AFL. If Adelaide Rams or Bears join, then it’ll be Joondalup Falcons in the AFL.

 

[Coolangatta]

Whoever gets the 18th NRL team between Perth and Adelaide, the other will get the 20th AFL team.

So if Perth Pirates or Jets join the NRL then Glenelg-South Adelaide Panthers will join the AFL. If Adelaide Rams or Bears join, then it’ll be Joondalup Falcons in the AFL.

No chance of SA3 being team 20.

It’s going to be Canberra, WA3, or possibly NT/Northern Australia because of populism and the misguided notion of a “complete” comp.

 

[Mootsy]

probably the Williamstown Seagulls, y'know, they are a 160 year old club, their colours are cool and they have a unique mascot that poses no issues except maybe taking your fish and chips away.

 

[Canberra Pear]

I'm not opposed to Cairns for a team (long-term). I think they've got some real advantages over Darwin.

Cairns has more potential for support than Darwin. Cairns has more people than Darwin, but more people again in the surrounding regions. Plus relatively nearby Darwin-sized cities in Townsville and Mackay.

But on the downside, Cairns would have fewer local players, a less AFL-focused population, and likely less government support. Also, it's a bit of a stretch to say they have "one of the best grounds available" as the article said. The Saints didn't seem too keen on continuing there.

Neither of these locations should become Team 20, but if Darwin is in the running, Cairns isn't ridiculous in comparison.

 

[TheUnicorn]

I'm not even convinced Tasmania will be a 19th team let alone a 20th.

 

[Toump Ass]

Speaking to News Corp, AFL Cairns general manager Craig Lees said the region was more than capable of servicing an AFL club.

Kinda weird there is a GM of AFL Cairns when currently, Cairns do not have an AFL Team. Like what does he do? Oversee the local leagues?

 

[Kanye West]

I'm not sure the AFL can afford to carry another Gold Coast, but if they built a club in NZ I think it would be the best thing for the future of the game!

 

[1990crow]

Tasmania and Canberra should be the new teams.
North and St.Kilda should he relocated.

North Queensland would make more sense than Darwin. Darwin could be their second home with GC also playing games there.
North Crocodiles - Blue, Green and White.

Newcastle the other. Newcastle Saints.
Cinammon brown, Red and White.

 

[1001x1001]

I think it has to be China ... Go the mighty PANDAS....

 

[STRONGandBALD]

The Canberra Concreters would be pretty mint. Mascot would be a guy with a block head lol

 

[Percel]

The Canberra Concreters would be pretty mint. Mascot would be a guy with a block head lol

Why concreters?

 

[Tigerlaird]

The AFL should develop a pyramid system bound by the principle of promotion and relegation, and merge with other football leagues in the country.

The new system should be as follows:

AFL PREMIERSHIP (LEVEL 1)
20 teams, bottom two are relegated to Championship

AFL CHAMPIONSHIP (LEVEL 2)
20-24 teams, top 2 are promoted to Premiership

The AFL is essentially split into two divisons, with the promotion and relegation between Level 1 and 2 only. Expansion clubs will join the championship and compete for promotion to the premiership. The premiership will retain the same structure as the current AFL and be considered as such.

AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIVISION 1 (LEVEL 3)
Merger of the state leagues (SANFL, WAFL, VFA/VFL, NSWFL, QFL, TFL) reorganised with a minimum of 10 clubs in each state division.
No promotion, relegation to Level 4.

ANFL DIVISION 2 (LEVEL 4)
Promotion to Level 3, relgation to level 5.

Australian Rules Football Regional Association (LEVEL 5 +)
All the regional and amateur leagues are organised into the ARFRA (VAFA, Adelaide Footy League, etc).​