20th AFL License - An Indigenous Team

[Mibie]

Ha ha. What a stupid thread

 

[errant bounce]

Unreal suggestion, let's do it!

Few on here are gonna love watching a team of indigenous players get absolutely murdered by 200 points every week.

That'd still be far more likeable than most Giants, Crows, and Fremantle games.

 

[Rickee]

I don't think an NT team is viable, given that the Thunder had to be wound up not that long ago.

Maybe they could share with FNQ, but it's still a bridge too far

 

[Canberra Pear]

Regardless, its not going to happen but I do think people are dismissing the concept of a Northern Team far too quickly. If we can have a team in Tassie, with a population of 578,000, then we could have a team with Northern Territory/Queensland/WA. The other alternatives are not much more appealing - Canberra (tiny), 3rd WA/SA Team (market already saturated & committed) or a crazy stretch in NZ (no chance).

The 20th team will happen. It's just a matter of where the pin will land on the map.

What do you consider to be tiny?

Greater Canberra has a similar population to Tasmania, but concentrated in one area, and more people than Darwin, Cairns and Townsville combined.

 

[Sherrinator]

Can’t believe how racist this idea is

 

[CrowToon]

It wouldn't be a good idea for anyone.

 

[juss]

Is the reintroduction of the Indigenous All-Stars game a step towards establishing a Northern Territory/'Top End' team, or could a team of Indigenous players actually be considered? I might be a cynic, but I feel the 20th team is inevitable and NT is the most likely pin on the map the AFL would like to place.

We've discussed a third WA team but, are the powers that be thinking more laterally than we believed by setting up a team of Indigenous/Islander players instead. I would have considered such a concept too discriminatory but, if they can play games with teams based on race for a round or tournament, maybe playing them for a season or as a long term team is the stretch we thought it could be?

Are you actually suggesting a team based on selecting players of a certain race or cultural background?

A geographic based team in the NT is one considered, although unlikely option, but a team based on "Indigenous/Islander" players as it's premise is littered with minefields of potential racism and discrimination.

 

[parano1a]

It is interesting that they can play an Indigenous game using Indigenous players during the season and also have a whole round/s devoted to indigenous players but having a team is just a step too far....'absurd', it would seem.

A one-off exhibition game is different to a professional sporting club that competes year round. Sporting clubs based around a singular race or ethnicity died in the 1990s with the NSL, and for good reason.

 

[Bjo187]

Can people believe that the absolute morons in the media are still suggesting n.t as team 20? It's the most absurd suggestion ever, there is only 140k people in Darwin and Alice springs is a full days drive away lol.

 

[darcytiger]

21st team to be white only. Clarko to coach

 

[South of the Yarra]

21st team to be white only. Clarko to coach

I know, there has never been an all white team before.

 

[Football Tragic]

Are you actually suggesting a team based on selecting players of a certain race or cultural background?

A geographic based team in the NT is one considered, although unlikely option, but a team based on "Indigenous/Islander" players as it's premise is littered with minefields of potential racism and discrimination.

I'm actually not, despite the thread title. I find it racist that there is even a single 'exhibition game' devoted to Indigenous players let alone a team, but it seems to be celebrated in this incarnation, yet the idea of an actual team has been labelled racist, absurd and stupid on here. Interesting that no one is saying the same for the exhibition game?

There will be a 20th Team and I know the AFL loves placing strategic pins all over the Australia Map. Canberra probably makes the most sense moving forward with a third WA or SA next, but a 'Northern Team' would definitely be discussed in AFL Headquarters given their push for teams to play home and away games there atm.

Sometimes it's nice to flush out opinions

 

[Dazb86]

Cooked idea

 

[Enviable Tradition]

A more relevant question might be...

If a NT team did come in, should their academy include all the regional indigenous kids Australia wide?

 

[The Terrible Thinker]

Might be OK for a state of origin concept if we go back to playing a carnival system but not in a club based competition.

 

[Canberra Pear]

A more relevant question might be...

If a NT team did come in, should their academy include all the regional indigenous kids Australia wide?

That seems unfair to the kids. If they're in a region in a different state, they're still closer to other teams. Sending them to the NT really separates them from their families.

 

[Fastback]

Will they still have welcome to country pre game?

 

[loki04]

I know, there has never been an all white team before.

Why would you want it?
Imagine missing out on Magic Davis, B.Hill, L.Franklin, A.Goodes, Dean Rioli, The Burgoyne's etc etc running around for your team.

 

[South of the Yarra]

Will they still have welcome to country pre game?

Stupid question. Of course they would.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

Can people believe that the absolute morons in the media are still suggesting n.t as team 20? It's the most absurd suggestion ever, there is only 140k people in Darwin and Alice springs is a full days drive away lol.

Even with a 130 km/h speed limit on the Stuart Hwy in parts, it's 1,500km by road from the Alice to Darwin

 

[pazza]

An NT team could be viable. And a higher number of Indigenous players than most clubs combined.

Sponsorship seems easy enough, thanks to the mining industry (Rio Tinto the obvious) and tourism operators (Journey Beyond/Outback Spirit) and the TIO.

Have heard that there will be a redevelopment of Marrara Oval which also helps.

Still behind Canberra at this stage but not so far away.

 

[tombomb]

Can we just get a shovel in the ground in Hobart before we start talking about a 20th team.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Can we just get a shovel in the ground in Hobart before we start talking about a 20th team.

If Tasmania were entering as an even team, you'd have a point. But they're entering as an odd team, so a 20th team will follow not too shortly after.

If a 20th team is entering in seven or eight years, you'd want that decision known in the next few years. You've got to get things in motion like training grounds and academies. In the case of Canberra and the NT, you've also got to give a heads up to teams playing games there so they can plan their futures.

Plus, it's fun to speculate.

 

[JPetro83]

wow......

 

[Sphynx]

Generally in these things the courts leave it up to the sports league to decide.

Give me an example?

I can't think of an example where the AFL is allowed to govern openly and clearly outside of the law on something like this.

For the same reason restraint of trade is always reaised regarding trade week and workcover laws were raised during the Essendon drug saga.

They are like any other workplace in some respects.