Will we ever see 2 more clubs?

[Seedsfan]

Ducking reality over expansion has cost us in terms of beingf an elite comp, Demetriou squibbed it over the Gold Coast & the die was cast.

Expansion had to happen, everyone knew there would be some short term pain accompanied with it

 

[Johnny Bananas]

It already has, a number of teams have been struggling for years to put a competitive squad together, the gap between the best & worse is as apparent today as it was in ALL State comps.

This is a furphy, there's never been more talent than there is now. The only team really struggling right now are the Suns, because the Victorians keep pinching their players. The contrasting fortunes of Brisbane and Melbourne show us there isn't as big a talent gap between good and bad teams as you think, rather, performance also depends on form, experience, injuries and luck.

And even if there was some crippling shortage of talent, there's a relatively simple way to minimise the supposed shortage: cut the number of players on the field to 16 per side, as has been mooted for reducing congestion of play.

 

[theyellowsash]

I doubt any of us will be around come the year 2100,

dont be so sure. someone who is 100 in 2100 is legal drinking age now, and by that tame who knows what medical things will have happened to extend our lifespan.

either that or society goes full logans run and players retire by firing squad rather than a motorcade

 

[Kwality]

This is a furphy, there's never been more talent than there is now. The only team really struggling right now are the Suns, because the Victorians keep pinching their players. The contrasting fortunes of Brisbane and Melbourne show us there isn't as big a talent gap between good and bad teams as you think, rather, performance also depends on form, experience, injuries and luck.

And even if there was some crippling shortage of talent, there's a relatively simple way to minimise the supposed shortage: cut the number of players on the field to 16 per side, as has been mooted for reducing congestion of play.

The difference between the best & the rest is the problem - how many top level players do you need to make the 8, the 4?
Happy to acknowledge there are plenty of factors but year after year the excuses wear thin even for the true believers.
That you suggest the 16 player alternative suggests to me we are not really that far apart.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

The difference between the best & the rest is the problem - how many top level players do you need to make the 8, the 4?

I don't know, perhaps it's worth analysing Brisbane and similar clubs who have broken into the top 4 in recent years to determine that.

Happy to acknowledge there are plenty of factors but year after year the excuses wear thin even for the true believers.

For which clubs specifically?

That you suggest the 16 player alternative suggests to me we are not really that far apart.

I want it to happen for the sake of reducing congestion. I don't think there is a problem with a lack of talent. But this measure would have a benefit in that regard if you believe there is one.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

dont be so sure. someone who is 100 in 2100 is legal drinking age now, and by that tame who knows what medical things will have happened to extend our lifespan.

either that or society goes full logans run and players retire by firing squad rather than a motorcade

BigFooty is full of fat lazy alcho flogs

No way any of us survive to 100

 

[kranger]

I would probably say the arrangement the afl and its teams has with a couple of games being sold off each year to smaller markets like Darwin and Ballarat is pretty on the mark.

Each of these smaller places can’t sustain a team for a whole season, and Melbourne as a city is saturated so can do well with losing some of those home games for the smaller clubs.

The only changes I would envision would be:

1. No one would want to see a team relocated out of Victoria. It would alienate fans from Melbourne and the new home City may always see them as being vexxed and won’t jump onboard properly. It also wouldn’t help any of the other struggling teams. I think a merger of two Victorian teams so they can combine their resources and keep their fans and sponsors etc would be better. It would also see less games in Melbourne so fans of the larger teams won’t have so many games to choose from, for which they can decide not to attend because they have the mentality that will see enough other games anyway.
2. Establish a new team in Tasmania which the Tasmanias can call their own and not a relocation.
3. Get a Melbourne team to sell two games to Newcastle. Perhaps North Melbourne when Tasmania gets a team. Its the largest Australian population centre without a team but also without any AFL games either.

But there is no need for much more expansion, that weakens the comp of player quality and financial resources.