VFA Revival?

[Pickitt]

If an AFL reserves comp goes ahead is there a possibility of larger crowds after the VFA reverts to the old teams?
You'd also think they let in a team or two from other smaller leagues in Melbourne.

 

[Mr north man]

If you’re going to have an old style VFA Revivel for starters you need the VFL clubs that used to play VFA plus clubs from the Essendon Eastern Northern Mornington Peninsula Geelong and Ballarat comps.
For a structure maybe think outside the box and have a full on Night competition with Friday and Saturday night games only.

 

[MortlockWatcher]

I would suggest that some of the prime candidates from metro competitions to join may be happier in their smaller pond with a good chance of success year on year, while a couple of clubs might have greater ambitions and want to play in such a league.

The key factor is money. Where will it come from? Not the AFL - why would they bankroll a competition that would compete with the AFL reserves in terms of players, sponsorships and supporters. As we saw with the VFA, the AFL are not going to help or fund a rival competition. The AFL would want you to watch their 2s, which would more than likely be curtain raisers to AFL matches, instead of spending your money outside of their bubble.

The media coverage for a new competition would be minimal. There would be no coverage in the dailies as any coverage would go to the AFL and the reserves - you may be lucky to get the scores in the Monday Herald-Sun. The local rags would be the only ones to cover it but it would be far from comprehensive, maybe just a short report - a far cry from the footy coverage we saw in the Leader newspapers in the 1970s and 1980s for the VFA and local leagues.

Without the money, media coverage and financial support from the AFL, this new league could well end up with the status of being just another suburban comp rather quickly unless it could find a sugar daddy (or daddies) to pump significant amounts of money to make it sustainable.

I feel such a competition would never reach the standing of the VFA in this current football landscape - despite the fact that most of us here want it to came back and be what it once was.

 

[SeaSide]

If you’re going to have an old style VFA Revivel for starters you need the VFL clubs that used to play VFA plus clubs from the Essendon Eastern Northern Mornington Peninsula Geelong and Ballarat comps.
For a structure maybe think outside the box and have a full on Night competition with Friday and Saturday night games only.

AND the occasional Thursday night too.

 

[SeaSide]

I would suggest that some of the prime candidates from metro competitions to join may be happier in their smaller pond with a good chance of success year on year, while a couple of clubs might have greater ambitions and want to play in such a league.

The key factor is money. Where will it come from? Not the AFL - why would they bankroll a competition that would compete with the AFL reserves in terms of players, sponsorships and supporters. As we saw with the VFA, the AFL are not going to help or fund a rival competition. The AFL would want you to watch their 2s, which would more than likely be curtain raisers to AFL matches, instead of spending your money outside of their bubble.

The media coverage for a new competition would be minimal. There would be no coverage in the dailies as any coverage would go to the AFL and the reserves - you may be lucky to get the scores in the Monday Herald-Sun. The local rags would be the only ones to cover it but it would be far from comprehensive, maybe just a short report - a far cry from the footy coverage we saw in the Leader newspapers in the 1970s and 1980s for the VFA and local leagues.

Without the money, media coverage and financial support from the AFL, this new league could well end up with the status of being just another suburban comp rather quickly unless it could find a sugar daddy (or daddies) to pump significant amounts of money to make it sustainable.

I feel such a competition would never reach the standing of the VFA in this current football landscape - despite the fact that most of us here want it to came back and be what it once was.

I'd lile to think

 

[Pickitt]

I would suggest that some of the prime candidates from metro competitions to join may be happier in their smaller pond with a good chance of success year on year, while a couple of clubs might have greater ambitions and want to play in such a league.

The key factor is money. Where will it come from? Not the AFL - why would they bankroll a competition that would compete with the AFL reserves in terms of players, sponsorships and supporters. As we saw with the VFA, the AFL are not going to help or fund a rival competition. The AFL would want you to watch their 2s, which would more than likely be curtain raisers to AFL matches, instead of spending your money outside of their bubble.

The media coverage for a new competition would be minimal. There would be no coverage in the dailies as any coverage would go to the AFL and the reserves - you may be lucky to get the scores in the Monday Herald-Sun. The local rags would be the only ones to cover it but it would be far from comprehensive, maybe just a short report - a far cry from the footy coverage we saw in the Leader newspapers in the 1970s and 1980s for the VFA and local leagues.

Without the money, media coverage and financial support from the AFL, this new league could well end up with the status of being just another suburban comp rather quickly unless it could find a sugar daddy (or daddies) to pump significant amounts of money to make it sustainable.

I feel such a competition would never reach the standing of the VFA in this current football landscape - despite the fact that most of us here want it to came back and be what it once was.

In your opinion what happens to the current standalones IF the reserves comp gets up?

 

[MortlockWatcher]

They would end up in metro comps.

Coburg to the EDFL or NFNL (probably as a pairing with Preston).
Frankston to the MPNFL.
Port Melbourne to the SFNL or the WRFL.
Preston to the NFNL or the EDFL.
Werribee to the GFL or the WRFL.
Williamstown to WRFL or EDFL.

I would assume that the Box Hill Hawks would morph into Hawthorn's twos and likewise Sandy with St Kilda.

One factor is that some of the VFL-listed players at these clubs may decide to play with their suburban club instead. That could put a couple of current VFL clubs in precarious positions and these clubs will struggle to reach the status that they held in the football landscape in the pre-VFL era.

 

[ringo1]

They would end up in metro comps.

Coburg to the EDFL or NFNL (probably as a pairing with Preston).
Frankston to the MPNFL.
Port Melbourne to the SFNL or the WRFL.
Preston to the NFNL or the EDFL.
Werribee to the GFL or the WRFL.
Williamstown to WRFL or EDFL.

I would assume that the Box Hill Hawks would morph into Hawthorn's twos and likewise Sandy with St Kilda.

One factor is that some of the VFL-listed players at these clubs may decide to play with their suburban club instead. That could put a couple of current VFL clubs in precarious positions and these clubs will struggle to reach the status that they held in the football landscape in the pre-VFL era.

Also, AFL clubs must increase their lists from 45 to around 55 to service two teams.AFL clubs would have to get at least 5-10 current VFL players to fill the numbers gap and become 'top-up' players. They would be on the basic VFL contract.

 

[SeaSide]

They would end up in metro comps.

Coburg to the EDFL or NFNL (probably as a pairing with Preston).
Frankston to the MPNFL.
Port Melbourne to the SFNL or the WRFL.
Preston to the NFNL or the EDFL.
Werribee to the GFL or the WRFL.
Williamstown to WRFL or EDFL.

I would assume that the Box Hill Hawks would morph into Hawthorn's twos and likewise Sandy with St Kilda.

One factor is that some of the VFL-listed players at these clubs may decide to play with their suburban club instead. That could put a couple of current VFL clubs in precarious positions and these clubs will struggle to reach the status that they held in the football landscape in the pre-VFL era.

Perhaps Williamstown could approach the Willi CYs, currently in B Grade VAFA for a discussion?

 

[MortlockWatcher]

Here's one for you from June 9, 1980 ...

 

[AussieNick1999]

They would end up in metro comps.

Coburg to the EDFL or NFNL (probably as a pairing with Preston).
Frankston to the MPNFL.
Port Melbourne to the SFNL or the WRFL.
Preston to the NFNL or the EDFL.
Werribee to the GFL or the WRFL.
Williamstown to WRFL or EDFL.

I would assume that the Box Hill Hawks would morph into Hawthorn's twos and likewise Sandy with St Kilda.

One factor is that some of the VFL-listed players at these clubs may decide to play with their suburban club instead. That could put a couple of current VFL clubs in precarious positions and these clubs will struggle to reach the status that they held in the football landscape in the pre-VFL era.

I hate to sound like a broken record but this isn't a guaranteed path for these clubs. Why would any of these metro leagues want to accept clubs from a grade above them, especially the stronger clubs like Werribee and Williamstown? Even Frankston apparently wouldn't be accepted into the MPFNL because they're worried we'd dominate (and even if they did let us join, we wouldn't have a strong enough supporter base to survive.) I don't see how this scenario doesn't involve a few clubs struggling or folding outright.

 

[MortlockWatcher]

I was only suggesting possible leagues, but I also believe that there will be some casualties if the AFL reserves comes to fruition.

I reckon that there would be pushback from metro comps if clubs tried to join because of how it would affect their competition, especially EFNL clubs after the Berwick and Beaconsfield entry and the almost-completed competition restructure that has been taking place over a number of seasons, and the EDFL after the entry of St Albans and Deer Park required re-alignment over time as well. I would expect similar pushback with NFNL clubs, especially the contending Div. 2 clubs.

 

[Dogs till i die]

Perhaps Williamstown could approach the Willi CYs, currently in B Grade VAFA for a discussion?

No disrespect to the Ammos - very good standard at the top, good competition, but for Willy VFL it would be a huge cultural shock to go from a semi professional environment with half a dozen full time employees, regularly playing against fully professional, full time footballers to move to an amateur environment.

Very few of the VFL footballers would remain to play VAFA I reckon. The Willy of today would become unrecognisable and their 160 year history would become history.

I also don't think it would work if Willy became a "local" club, competing with the CYs for local players, given they're only 500 metres apart. That would weaken both of the Willy clubs. Another 40 odd players would have to be found and Willy is not a big place.

Really fear for the current stand alones if the AFL, with their Reserves comp, snub them. I think all of the stand alones would experience similar problems.

 

[SeaSide]

No disrespect to the Ammos - very good standard at the top, good competition, but for Willy VFL it would be a huge cultural shock to go from a semi professional environment with half a dozen full time employees, regularly playing against fully professional, full time footballers to move to an amateur environment.

Very few of the VFL footballers would remain to play VAFA I reckon. The Willy of today would become unrecognisable and their 160 year history would become history.

I also don't think it would work if Willy became a "local" club, competing with the CYs for local players, given they're only 500 metres apart. That would weaken both of the Willy clubs. Another 40 odd players would have to be found and Willy is not a big place.

Really fear for the current stand alones if the AFL, with their Reserves comp, snub them. I think all of the stand alones would experience similar problems.

I also don't think it would work if Willy became a "local" club, competing with the CYs for local players.
Willy is a local club. However, the only locals on the team have come from the CYs.
Should they amalgamate, they wouldn't be competing for players - the two clubs would be one club.

 

[eth-dog]

I'd be shocked if the VFA came back. Not commercially viable.