Why does the AFL need to have more teams in the AFL? Is there room for them in the AFL? Should there be a Tasmanian team instead of a West Sydney team? and lastley is there enough young talent for everyone? These questions will be answered and many more asked. Leave your comments below as this is an issue that I am sure everyone has an opinion about.
Why does the AFL need to add more teams?
Simply for their ego. The AFL prides themselves on being the biggest and best sport organisation in the country and to see their rivals adding teams gets up their noses and like anyone on a pedestal they must continue to be the big dog.
Is there room for these two new teams?
NO and the proof is the AFL desperately tried to bribe Kangaroos to move north and the AFLs reaction when the Kangaroos imo rightly said no to move.
One good outcome of adding two new teams could be an even draw with every team playing each other once with half at home and half away and then next year they swap. So if Collingwood plays Fremantle at the MCG, next year they will play at Subiaco. This would mean instead of 22 rounds, you would have 17 rounds and the possibility of a proper State of Origin series.
West Sydney or Tasmania?
West Sydney has the population and money to support a new team however they do not have the fans to support a new team. However Tasmania while do not have the money (according to the AFL) they do have the number of football supporters who will follow the team. Tasmania has a ground which is up to AFL standard and would be cheaper than Homebush.
The main problem with West Sydney is the same problem Sydney still face and that is supporters. How many supporters will Sydney Swans loose if West Sydney come in? I would say at least 10 000 and that could be very dangerous for any team let alone a non football state team.
From a football point of view I think Tasmania is the team to include, they have the football background and fanaticism for a successful club BUT from a pure business sense (which is all the AFL cares about) you would have to say West Sydney.
Is there enough Football talent for two more teams?
Kick2Kick has raised the issue that 2009 is the year to tank as in the next few years these new teams will get all the best picks in the drafts. A few people are worried that there is not enough young talent especially in Queensland and New South Wales to help meet the need for an extra 80 odd players a year.
I think on face value you would be a little worried but I think there is enough talent out there when you think about:
- You will get more ‘rugby’ and other sportsman switching to AFL with the exposure in Queensland and Brisbane (Jack, Davis, Merret etc for example).
- International countries like Ireland, Fiji, Africa etc will help fit at least 20 spots in the near future. You need to remember that AFL clubs do not recruit ‘Footballers’ anymore but rather athletes. Good international examples are Kennely and Naitanui.
- Reaching out and with a better understanding of Aborginal culture will also enable more of them to play.
- NSW actually won a game in the under 18s carnival this year in the A grade.
I do think that maybe the current system of recruiting players needs to be better addressed with maybe an international rookie system were clubs can develop them like they do with the successful current rookie system.
Finishing up
So while I personally would rather no extra teams I do not think it will lesson the quality of the game and competition with extra teams. Now its your turn however to let us know what you think about this whole situation of the extra clubs coming into the AFL.
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July 17th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
I definitely think this is a big (expensive) publicity stunt gone wrong.
The AFL (Mr Andrew Demetriou) just want bragging rights over the other ‘football codes’ without really thinking it through.
In my recent trips to both Brisbane and Sydney, when I was there I noticed the lack of exposure and attention people gave the two AFL teams let alone the AFL.
As the teams have become more successful they have gotten more support. But I think it is more a case of the curiosity factor and ‘jumping on the bandwagon’ syndrome.
There just isnt enough support/resources for two teams in both states let alone one. People will not be quick to support new teams that will be cellar dwellers for the next few years. And the concessions they are to be given are fairly generous considering the past examples had to build from scratch.
This is just another case yet again of the AFL’s arrogance and ego affecting the modern game. And not for the better.
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July 17th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I think on the issue of player depth there is certainly merit in extra teams. Regularly sides are discounting players based on age, why? because there is an over-abundance of talent (prospects) waiting to replace them.
Every year there are players who are delisted that surprise me.
I’d like to see another two teams enter the competition but on a couple of provisos. Primarily, I think we need to see a freer movement of players. the draft is the ONLY way teams can improve themselves outside of their lists. that is too narrow and promotes too much emphasis on “the cycle”.
This results in players with sometimes 5 good seasons left in them being dumped as sides adhere to the premiership clock and prefer mass speculation on draftees. It’s too predictable.
The main voices of dissent against extra teams are, surprise surprise, Victorian sides who are only interested in their own backsides (fair enough) but see more competition as a further erosion of their cherished traditions that they cling to ever so irrationally.
Bring on more sides, but let’s loosen some of the restrictions up at the same time.
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:55 am
I do agree with JT that it was a publicity stunt gone very very wrong. I think maybe a club could survive on the Gold Coast but I really really doubt a club could survive in West Sydney. Does the AFL want another club they have to hand feed to survive? They already have Melbourne, Kangaroos and then Gold Coast and West Sydney?
>> Every year there are players who are delisted that surprise me.
>> Bring on more sides, but let’s loosen some of the restrictions up at the same time.
Sounds like a good idea Bruce. You got some examples of how the AFL could loosen the restrictions? Would a mid season draft be one? We looked at this before..
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July 18th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I reckon the problem is that the “price” to clubs to have a veteran player (really 25yrs +) is too high and so players over this age rarely change clubs (ok, maybe 28+).
I think we need some sort of free-agency that enables players with something to offer to be picked up outside of the draft system. The proviso I would have is for players who are wanted by their sides – eg a Chris Judd leaving West Coast – need to be compensated in some way.
So maybe you have an extended list, with a sub-list for veterans (ie players who have been delisted and not re-drafted) where teams have say 4 spots available and a separate cap where such players could be signed at any time during or after the season.
This might take some tweaking with the new clubs coming into the system but I reckon the new clubs should be given first dibs on such players, then all clubs get a chance.
In relation to the AFL supporting extra teams – they’ve been propping up some many Melb teams for how ever long, why not give the game a chance to grow in NSW and QLD with some extra games? Longer term, it will do the game good if more kids pick up following it. It is hardly going to cause Victorian fans to drop off.
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July 19th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
That sounds like a good idea. So ie players like Woewodein a few years ago could have get picked up to a club and played for them for a year or so. He did play some good footy in the WAFL after his stint at Collingwood.
Jermayns last blog post..The Love Guru
July 24th, 2008 at 9:54 am
http://davidarcher.blogspot.com/2008/05/big-frank-as-undervalued-stock.html
here’s a good example from MLB in America. It is very much a free-agency approach to their sport but through the strategies of the Oakland A’s they’ve consistently been able to compete through smart recruiting.
the effect of this is that because players can come and go more easily, there are greater opportunities with the “cycle” to compete as you rebuild.
July 24th, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Sounds a bit like what Sydney has done by trading for established players. However very rarely does it bring success. West Coast probably should have won in 2005 and even other teams that continue to top up (Adelaide and Fremantle) have all failed to get a Premiership.
I do think there is a case for a free agency but would not know how you would go about it. I think what should be relaxed more is the Pre-Season draft were maybe the opposite of the rookies is used where you can recruit an over 25 year old and not include him in the salary cap.
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