Bring back the AFL Reserves Competition

[Martyn_30_]

Club memberships generally include free entry to the reserve games anyway. And Collingwood and the Bulldogs (?) games are free as it is. Despite that no one goes. There is a massive myth out there that people want to go and watch these games. It is in that category of activities, like visiting your gran in her nursing home, that everyone says they intend to do but never actually get around to.

The Footscray crowds at the Whitten oval are good for the vfl

 

[Albert Ross]

The Footscray crowds at the Whitten oval are good for the vfl

Good for the VFL means 1,500 tops of whom about 200 are paying customers. Good for the VFL means nought. The OP was about viable stand-alone comp generating crowd interest.

For 20 years people have been saying X, Y or Z will see crowds at state-league / reserves football. For 20 years I have been going to these games with entire wings to myself wondering where are all the people who said they would definitely attend if X, Y or Z happened.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

Good for the VFL means 1,500 tops of whom about 200 are paying customers. Good for the VFL means nought. The OP was about viable stand-alone comp generating crowd interest.

For 20 years people have been saying X, Y or Z will see crowds at state-league / reserves football. For 20 years I have been going to these games with entire wings to myself wondering where are all the people who said they would definitely attend if X, Y or Z happened.

Yep, even the Richmond games at Punt Road Oval, with the major benefit of proximity to the MCG and ability to do curtain raisers before AFL games, only gets 2-3k (although capacity is an issue)

Reason country games can get 10k+ is lack of alternatives. In the city, you have the AFL to compete with, so it will always be a niche affair

 

[Martyn_30_]

Good for the VFL means 1,500 tops of whom about 200 are paying customers. Good for the VFL means nought. The OP was about viable stand-alone comp generating crowd interest.

For 20 years people have been saying X, Y or Z will see crowds at state-league / reserves football. For 20 years I have been going to these games with entire wings to myself wondering where are all the people who said they would definitely attend if X, Y or Z happened.

You said nobody goes, but more people attend afl reserves teams games than the other vfl clubs. Games against other afl teams ina reserve competition is much more appealing than a game against Frankston or North Ballarat. Either way whatever the crowds are there neds to be a national reserves comp, the cost of which for afl clubs will be minimal in terms of overall expenses.

 

[The King!]

I dont rate the neafl would be good to have it

 

[Sydney Bloods]

i'm a very strong supporter of this but the current situation with the league will destroy any chances of it happening.

you'd need better ground rationalising, the MCG and docklands wouldn't be able host that many games without ****ing the ground for one.

then there are several vic clubs who would fight tooth and nail as they don't believe it's a good setup.
several state comp clubs are now being more and more dependent on having an AFL team back them and would kick up a stink.

finally the WA/SA dilemma, i don't know enough about WA to make a comment but port alone would die before allowing it because the port Adelaide magpies would have to detach from the power completely or be re-branded.

 

[The_Reaper]

i'm a very strong supporter of this but the current situation with the league will destroy any chances of it happening.

you'd need better ground rationalising, the MCG and docklands wouldn't be able host that many games without ******* the ground for one.

then there are several vic clubs who would fight tooth and nail as they don't believe it's a good setup.
several state comp clubs are now being more and more dependent on having an AFL team back them and would kick up a stink.

finally the WA/SA dilemma, i don't know enough about WA to make a comment but port alone would die before allowing it because the port Adelaide magpies would have to detach from the power completely or be re-branded.

An East Coast one would be possible.

Could also provide a good system to bring in the NT Thunder and maybe the Tassie Devils

 

[Sydney Bloods]

An East Coast one would be possible.

Could also provide a good system to bring in the NT Thunder and maybe the Tassie Devils

Only if all east coast teams backed it. Would need the whole 14 teams in.

Plus thunder and the devils. Then there's the grounds issue, in Vic.

And despite what many are saying, you don't need to expand lists. We've been fielding a ressies team for years with no extra space on our list.

Yes injuries happen, so what? That's what the ressies are about.

 

[telsor]

Not sure what the Vic grounds issue is. The clubs find grounds to play in the VFL well enough and I'm sure the same grounds would be available (and if 1 or two aren't, replacements wouldn't be tough). Sure, they wouldn't play on the MCG/Etihad, but they don't now, so what's the difference.

WA/SA clubs probably wouldn't be allowed in (by their local leagues...Whatever the good/ill of these clubs in their comp, losing ~20 quality players per club would be a blow they'd rather not take).

So really we'd be looking at restructuring the VFL...Dumping the stand alone clubs, moving the affiliate clubs to standalones and bringing in 4 clubs from the northern states. It'd also drag down the level of the NEAFL by taking away to 4 clubs that (should be) the most talented.

Not sure there would be a sufficiently compelling reason for that.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Not sure what the Vic grounds issue is. The clubs find grounds to play in the VFL well enough and I'm sure the same grounds would be available (and if 1 or two aren't, replacements wouldn't be tough). Sure, they wouldn't play on the MCG/Etihad, but they don't now, so what's the difference.

WA/SA clubs probably wouldn't be allowed in (by their local leagues...Whatever the good/ill of these clubs in their comp, losing ~20 quality players per club would be a blow they'd rather not take).

So really we'd be looking at restructuring the VFL...Dumping the stand alone clubs, moving the affiliate clubs to standalones and bringing in 4 clubs from the northern states. It'd also drag down the level of the NEAFL by taking away to 4 clubs that (should be) the most talented.

Not sure there would be a sufficiently compelling reason for that.

well the fact that it allows more autonomy for the local league and lowers operating costs would be a big boon.

several gold coast based clubs dropped out of the NEAFL because they couldn't keep up with footy spending.

people don't realise the NEAFL is 0not like the SANFL, WAFL or the VFL it's more like the VFAA most clubs have little to know travel budget, club facilities are near non existent, teams lists change week to week based on players work commitments.

by a fair margin most of the league was built by clubs that play just for fun, they have cleaved the league in half already. the AFL is trying to make the NEAFL a professional two's but its killing several clubs on the way.

it should be allowed to grow naturally, it can't do that with 2 teams that have professional athletes competing.

 

[telsor]

well the fact that it allows more autonomy for the local league and lowers operating costs would be a big boon.

several gold coast based clubs dropped out of the NEAFL because they couldn't keep up with footy spending.

people don't realise the NEAFL is 0not like the SANFL, WAFL or the VFL it's more like the VFAA most clubs have little to know travel budget, club facilities are near non existent, teams lists change week to week based on players work commitments.

by a fair margin most of the league was built by clubs that play just for fun, they have cleaved the league in half already. the AFL is trying to make the NEAFL a professional two's but its killing several clubs on the way.

it should be allowed to grow naturally, it can't do that with 2 teams that have professional athletes competing.

Take the NSW/QLD clubs out (and shift some of the AFL money into supporting the new reserves comp) and the NEAFL would probably fold. Not sure how that's good for the game's development.

 

[Sydney Bloods]

Take the NSW/QLD clubs out (and shift some of the AFL money into supporting the new reserves comp) and the NEAFL would probably fold. Not sure how that's good for the game's development.

Sydney Australian football league has existed for over 100 years, the clubs that shifted out just rejoin. people talk like the AFL are holding up the state, the opposite is true. local clubs are finding it harder and harder to compete and are dropping out. meanwhile theirs not much ability to grow and develop local footy when clubs are crisscrossing between NSW, ACT, Qld, NT.

the NEAFL is fast becoming a disaster. plenty of people were sucked in by it, including me.

 

[Crawb]

NEAFL is flawed, but it allows the BL/GC/GWS/Syd reserve teams to play against each other regularly and serves other strategic purposes for the AFL.

 

[madmug]

NEAFL is flawed, but it allows the BL/GC/GWS/Syd reserve teams to play against each other regularly and serves other strategic purposes for the AFL.

Everything is viewed through the prism of what suits the AFL, not necessarily the game of Australian Rules Football, at community level anyway.

 

[The Speaker]

Everything is viewed through the prism of what suits the AFL, not necessarily the game of Australian Rules Football, at community level anyway.

And it's been that way since 1987.

 

[Norwood1878]

i'm a very strong supporter of this but the current situation with the league will destroy any chances of it happening.

you'd need better ground rationalising, the MCG and docklands wouldn't be able host that many games without ******* the ground for one.

then there are several vic clubs who would fight tooth and nail as they don't believe it's a good setup.
several state comp clubs are now being more and more dependent on having an AFL team back them and would kick up a stink.

finally the WA/SA dilemma, i don't know enough about WA to make a comment but port alone would die before allowing it because the port Adelaide magpies would have to detach from the power completely or be re-branded.

You do realize that the Crows and Power have reserves sides running around in the SANFL right? The Power side is called the Magpies and The Crows side is Adelaide and must play all it's games as the away side.

 

[Norwood1878]

[QUOTE="Port alone would die before allowing it because the port Adelaide magpies would have to detach from the power completely or be re-branded.[/QUOTE]

It's already happened...

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

I just want the Crows and Power the hell out of the SANFL, so it's got my vote.

 

[madmug]

And it's been that way since 1987.

Yes hence the decline in community based football. Certainly too the decline in Tasmanian football. This place is a net contributor to the AFL. We get the privilege of renting clubs to play here & export players to the mainland. Its a one way street.

 

[Ned_Flanders]

You do realize that the Crows and Power have reserves sides running around in the SANFL right? The Power side is called the Magpies and The Crows side is Adelaide and must play all it's games as the away side.

so thats why we lost!!! Port has practice at being the away side at home

 

[Norwood1878]

so thats why we lost!!! Port has practice at being the away side at home

Hahaha, if only. Nah, Port still play home games at Alberton, Adelaide play all games as the away side.

 

[Axel And Guru]

The great AFL created this mess.the original line was 12 VFA clubs with AFL reserve top up players farmed out to a Aligned VFA club. No mention of club changeing alignments,VFA clubs having to mess with their identitys with name and jumper/color changes. If the AFL didnt mess with VFA traditions and put in a bit of money and with the right promotion this comp would have been the best comp outside the AFL. But the VFA/VFL is not Sydney or GWS.

 

[The_Wookie]

The great AFL created this mess.the original line was 12 VFA clubs with AFL reserve top up players farmed out to a Aligned VFA club. No mention of club changeing alignments,VFA clubs having to mess with their identitys with name and jumper/color changes. If the AFL didnt mess with VFA traditions and put in a bit of money and with the right promotion this comp would have been the best comp outside the AFL. But the VFA/VFL is not Sydney or GWS.

Well now thats not really true either. The VFA was a completely separate organisation to the AFL with its own constitution and funding right up until 2011.

When the AFL reserves disbanded in 1999, there were still six AFL clubs with standalone reserves

• 2000. The stand alone AFL clubs are Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, Kangaroos, Richmond & St. Kilda. The stand alone VFL Clubs are Bendigo Diggers, Coburg-Fitzroy, Frankston, North Ballarat, Northern Bullants & Springvale. The alignments are Box Hill Hawks and Hawthorn, Port Melbourne and Sydney Swans, Sandringham and Melbourne, with the Western Bulldogs partially aligning with both Werribee and Williamstown
• 2001. Further restructure of the competition sees 16 teams competing. Tasmania is admitted into the competition, Collingwood aligns with Williamstown, Coburg align with Richmond and are now known as the Coburg Tigers , St. Kilda align with Springvale and the Western Bulldogs with Werribee. The Kangaroos link into the Ovens & Murray Region and played three games in Lavington. They are known as the Murray Kangaroos. The stand alone AFL Clubs are Carlton, Essendon, & Geelong, while the stand alone VFL Clubs are the Bendigo Diggers, Frankston, North Ballarat, Northern Bullants and Tasmania.
• 2003. There is further restructuring of the VFL and the competition reduces from 16 to 13 teams. Carlton aligns with the Northern Bullants and Essendon with the Bendigo Diggers who become Bendigo Bombers. The Sydney Swans withdraws its association with Port Melbourne who in turn aligns with the Kangaroos
• 2006. The Port Melbourne-Kangaroos alignment ends and the Kangaroos form a dual alignment with North Ballarat and Tasmania. Springvale is known as the Casey Scorpions and play its first game at Casey Fields, its new home.
• 2008. The Williamstown-Collingwood alignment comes to an end as Collingwood enters its own VFL team. The Western Bulldogs break its alignment with the Werribee Tigers who in turn partially align with North Melbourne. Williamstown and the Western Bulldogs align while Tasmania, having broken its alignment with North Melbourne, becomes a standalone team. Tasmania leave the competition at the end of the seasdon

If they intended not to fiddle around with the status of teams and what not, then they failed at it right from the start.

 

[Axel And Guru]

Well now thats not really true either. The VFA was a completely separate organisation to the AFL with its own constitution and funding right up until 2011.

When the AFL reserves disbanded in 1999, there were still six AFL clubs with standalone reserves

• 2000. The stand alone AFL clubs are Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Geelong, Kangaroos, Richmond & St. Kilda. The stand alone VFL Clubs are Bendigo Diggers, Coburg-Fitzroy, Frankston, North Ballarat, Northern Bullants & Springvale. The alignments are Box Hill Hawks and Hawthorn, Port Melbourne and Sydney Swans, Sandringham and Melbourne, with the Western Bulldogs partially aligning with both Werribee and Williamstown
• 2001. Further restructure of the competition sees 16 teams competing. Tasmania is admitted into the competition, Collingwood aligns with Williamstown, Coburg align with Richmond and are now known as the Coburg Tigers , St. Kilda align with Springvale and the Western Bulldogs with Werribee. The Kangaroos link into the Ovens & Murray Region and played three games in Lavington. They are known as the Murray Kangaroos. The stand alone AFL Clubs are Carlton, Essendon, & Geelong, while the stand alone VFL Clubs are the Bendigo Diggers, Frankston, North Ballarat, Northern Bullants and Tasmania.
• 2003. There is further restructuring of the VFL and the competition reduces from 16 to 13 teams. Carlton aligns with the Northern Bullants and Essendon with the Bendigo Diggers who become Bendigo Bombers. The Sydney Swans withdraws its association with Port Melbourne who in turn aligns with the Kangaroos
• 2006. The Port Melbourne-Kangaroos alignment ends and the Kangaroos form a dual alignment with North Ballarat and Tasmania. Springvale is known as the Casey Scorpions and play its first game at Casey Fields, its new home.
• 2008. The Williamstown-Collingwood alignment comes to an end as Collingwood enters its own VFL team. The Western Bulldogs break its alignment with the Werribee Tigers who in turn partially align with North Melbourne. Williamstown and the Western Bulldogs align while Tasmania, having broken its alignment with North Melbourne, becomes a standalone team. Tasmania leave the competition at the end of the seasdon

If they intended not to fiddle around with the status of teams and what not, then they failed at it right from the start.

Hi Wookie,to my knowledge the VFA has not traded since 1995. The comp has traded as VFL since 1996 so how do you figure it was its own comp up to 2011?

 

[The_Wookie]

Hi Wookie,to my knowledge the VFA has not traded since 1995. The comp has traded as VFL since 1996 so how do you figure it was its own comp up to 2011?

The VFA - rebranded as the VFL - but was its own entity right up until it became an AFL subsidary in 2011,