Analysis Would relegation make the AFL better?

Would relegation make the AFL better?


  • Total voters
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If I were to tweek my original proposal, I would let the top team in Div 2 play in an elimination final in Div 1 .
Then any team can win the flag.

If you were to stop tweaking, maybe we wouldn't get these threads.
 

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Jun 7, 2013
1,751
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Falcons
Yeah, because they use a salary cap, they use a trade or draft system and they are also required to delist a certain number of players off their list every year.

The similarity between the 2 leagues are so close.
Yeah a salary cap would make trades/free agency even worse. Why would a gun free agent want to go to the team that ran 10th and is in division 9 or whatever this nuff is proposing, if a team in division 1, the only one that can win the premiership apparently, offers something similar.

You're correct saying the leagues aren't similar though. Imagine having to sit through a 38 game season when you don't follow one of the top 5 clubs knowing you're * all chance of winning.
 
Jan 31, 2020
401
545
AFL Club
Adelaide
Yeah a salary cap would make trades/free agency even worse. Why would a gun free agent want to go to the team that ran 10th and is in division 9 or whatever this nuff is proposing, if a team in division 1, the only one that can win the premiership apparently, offers something similar.

You're correct saying the leagues aren't similar though. Imagine having to sit through a 38 game season when you don't follow one of the top 5 clubs knowing you're * all chance of winning.

Why does any Free Agent want to do that now?
 

GWT6

Club Legend
Jun 7, 2011
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Western Sydney
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….Or the AFLPA mandated bye continues to exist and everyone plays 21 games. We currently play 23 rounds for 22 games…

21 + 1 double up against a rival isn’t the worst thing in the world anyway. One favourable re-match is much better than the scope we have at the moment for five which causes large variability in difficulty year on year.
Yep, bye round - got me there.
 
This would be a great way for soccer in this country to go about it, they could pull it off as well if they really wanted.
They are actually one step ahead of you here, a second division is meant to be kicking off next year.
 

marcmurphy3

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 15, 2006
6,633
11,370
Brisbane
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There’s way too many reasons why it wouldn’t work.

For one, you’d just about have to scrap the draft
Yep. You'd pretty much have to scrap all the equalisation measures. You can't force rich clubs to underspend and prop up poor clubs, then expect them to accept the significant financial ramifications that come with relegation. Doesn't work. It would become like EPL.
 
May 30, 2006
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Working wonders in the EPL where the same 5 teams have won the premiership for the past 40 billion years
Very different, as they don't have a salary cap or any other equalisation measures and have multibillionaire private ownership. Money buys success which brings money .....
While there are definite advantages for a big money club in the AFL they are curtailed a lot.
 
Jun 7, 2013
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Very different, as they don't have a salary cap or any other equalisation measures and have multibillionaire private ownership. Money buys success which brings money .....
While there are definite advantages for a big money club in the AFL they are curtailed a lot.
Success also buys success. Chance of premiership success plays a role in free agency/trade decisions for players. The OP suggested making half the competition ineligible to play for the premiership in any given year.
 

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GWT6

Club Legend
Jun 7, 2011
1,616
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Very different, as they don't have a salary cap or any other equalisation measures and have multibillionaire private ownership. Money buys success which brings money .....
While there are definite advantages for a big money club in the AFL they are curtailed a lot.
How would teams in second division be able to compete for the same sponsorship as First division teams? How could they have the same salary cap when revenue would be so much smaller? Why would good players play in second division

The EPL is highly popular - but it really is one of the worst competitions in any sport.
 

Coolangatta

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 27, 2007
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Western Australia
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19 teams are too many
Perfect competition would've been:

Adelaide Crows (SA)
Brisbane Lions (QLD)
Canberra Koalas (ACT)
Carlton (VIC)
Collingwood (VIC)
Essendon (VIC)
Fremantle (WA)
Geelong (VIC)
Hawthorn (VIC)
Melbourne (VIC)
Northern Territory Crocodiles (NT)
Port Adelaide (SA)
Richmond (VIC)
Sydney Swans (NSW)
Tasmania Devils (TAS)
West Coast Eagles (WA)

NT would've taken the longest to come in, but that's 15-16 teams and full national representation.
 
Mar 1, 2010
23,158
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Perfect competition would've been:

Adelaide Crows (SA)
Brisbane Lions (QLD)
Canberra Koalas (ACT)
Carlton (VIC)
Collingwood (VIC)
Essendon (VIC)
Fremantle (WA)
Geelong (VIC)
Hawthorn (VIC)
Melbourne (VIC)
Northern Territory Crocodiles (NT)
Port Adelaide (SA)
Richmond (VIC)
Sydney Swans (NSW)
Tasmania Devils (TAS)
West Coast Eagles (WA)

NT would've taken the longest to come in, but that's 15-16 teams and full national representation.

I think 18 is too many and 16 or so probably okay


Over a considerable time more can be added when justified but they have added 6 in 35 years or so which is too much

I think thats one of the reasons Geelong has been able to hang around in the finals because the competition has got weaker. Even strong teams like Melbourne do not have a lot of real depth going into to the seconds
 

Shoei

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 26, 2011
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Perth
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My idea would surround a 20 team competition.
Objective: to improve the standard of the game and to have more games between clubs of the same standard. No one wants to watch Melbourne or Brisbane play North Melbourne or the Crows. They have the potential to be a smashing, however North Melbourne vs Adelaide in Tasmania Sunday 16th vs 18th would be relatively close as the standard between the 2 clubs is close. Same as Brisbane vs Melbourne tonight at the MCG.

2 divisions of 10.

Division 1 would be teams 1 to 10 on the premiership ladder at the end of this season

Division 2 would be 11 to 20. Tasmania and Darwin get a team as well.

Finals would still be top 8 as it is now with a Grand Final at the MCG.

Then you can add a promotion and relegation game for the 9th and 10th side in division 1 and 1st and 2nd in division 2. 9th Vs 12th and 10th plays 11th for promotion and relegation from division 1 down to division 2. Create more finals, more changes for clubs to actually win something. Instead of having 1 premier, supporters can stay invested the entire season.

Draft: 20th side gets pick 1 and you go down to the 13th side, you repeat that process so all division 2 clubs receive 2 picks in the first round before any division 1 club receive any picks. This hopefully helps any tanking as every club would or should have that ambition to get promoted to division 1.

Free agency, trading, player contract should not change at all.

Just an idea. I’m sure you lot will love it!

Some clubs will always be at the bottom, its a cycle. Go back 10 years ago and Melbourne/Brisbane were the teams no one wanted to watch the top teams play.

You do realize that promoted teams will be obliterated by Division 1 teams right?

In soccer at least promoted clubs have a huge pool of talent to draw from (as well as a huge chunk of money) to build a somewhat capable team from to try and survive.

Where is this coming from in the new AFL world?

There's not enough money/population to make two professional divisions possible over a country the size of Australia.
 

Coolangatta

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 27, 2007
6,894
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Western Australia
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Two conferences of nine teams playing 16 rounds could work.

A: West Coast, Fremantle, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne
B: Sydney, GWS, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Richmond, Hawthorn, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda

McIntrye Top Five in each conference, the winner of both playoff finals, play in the grand final (at the MCG every second year). And, say if Tasmania enters conference B, increasing the number of games in that one to 18 rounds, you could extend the number of rounds in conference A to 18.

But I'd prefer everyone play each other at least once, and if you reduce the number of rounds to 16, you might as well have all 18 teams play each other once in a 17-round season instead.
 
May 30, 2006
17,520
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Canberra
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North Melbourne
Two conferences of nine teams playing 16 rounds could work.

A: West Coast, Fremantle, Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne
B: Sydney, GWS, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Richmond, Hawthorn, Geelong, Melbourne, St Kilda

McIntrye Top Five in each conference, the winner of both playoff finals, play in the grand final (at the MCG every second year). And, say if Tasmania enters conference B, increasing the number of games in that one to 18 rounds, you could extend the number of rounds in conference A to 18.

But I'd prefer everyone play each other at least once, and if you reduce the number of rounds to 16, you might as well have all 18 teams play each other once in a 17-round season instead.
Permanent conferences are the worst possible option. Promotion/relegation is much better than those, but neither are necessary at present.

If (when) there are eventually 24 teams, then divisions may need to be looked at. Or, just play each other once over 23 games (25 rounds due to byes).
 

Coolangatta

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 27, 2007
6,894
5,879
Western Australia
AFL Club
Brisbane Lions
Permanent conferences are the worst possible option. Promotion/relegation is much better than those, but neither are necessary at present.

If (when) there are eventually 24 teams, then divisions may need to be looked at. Or, just play each other once over 23 games (25 rounds due to byes).
Yes, I'd prefer a 25-round season with every team playing 23 games if we eventually have 24 teams. Surely 24 teams will be enough, even long-term: Tassie, ACT, NT, and three out of WA/SA/QLD/NSW unless you have a NT/NQLD team and then you can have another team each out of WA, SA, and NSW. 25 teams are too many.
 
Jan 31, 2020
401
545
AFL Club
Adelaide
Some clubs will always be at the bottom, its a cycle. Go back 10 years ago and Melbourne/Brisbane were the teams no one wanted to watch the top teams play.

You do realize that promoted teams will be obliterated by Division 1 teams right?

In soccer at least promoted clubs have a huge pool of talent to draw from (as well as a huge chunk of money) to build a somewhat capable team from to try and survive.

Where is this coming from in the new AFL world?

There's not enough money/population to make two professional divisions possible over a country the size of Australia.

I honestly think you are over thinking this.

Each year, the top 8 changes. A few teams come out of the top 8 and a few teams come in.

Fremantle and St Kilda have come in thus year and westerns Bulldogs have dropped out. The Saints and Dockers have not been obliterated. It’s about that nature progression your side shows.

It’s about making every game on the calendar actually meaningful, instead of pointless where you know the outcome.
 
Jun 7, 2013
1,751
3,577
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Falcons
Where are these promoted teams coming from anyway? Does anything truly think West Perth or Southport have better lists than West Coast and North?

Ok maybe not North...
 

Shoei

Norm Smith Medallist
Sep 26, 2011
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Perth
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West Coast
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I honestly think you are over thinking this.

Each year, the top 8 changes. A few teams come out of the top 8 and a few teams come in.

Fremantle and St Kilda have come in thus year and westerns Bulldogs have dropped out. The Saints and Dockers have not been obliterated. It’s about that nature progression your side shows.

It’s about making every game on the calendar actually meaningful, instead of pointless where you know the outcome.

Ummm you're comparing professional AFL teams to other professional AFL teams.

The West Coast Eagles are one of the most well funded, well run, experienced teams in the AFL and they are currently being embarrassed in most games.

You think some promoted amateur/semi-professional Second Division teams aren't going to be flogged by 200+ points each week?
 
Jan 31, 2020
401
545
AFL Club
Adelaide
Ummm you're comparing professional AFL teams to other professional AFL teams.

The West Coast Eagles are one of the most well funded, well run, experienced teams in the AFL and they are currently being embarrassed in most games.

You think some promoted amateur/semi-professional Second Division teams aren't going to be flogged by 200+ points each week?

WTF?

The 19th team wot be Tasmania and 20th would be a NT license.

It would not like west Perth or Norwood. The 20 clubs would be the current AFL licenses.
 
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