Bring back the AFL Reserves Competition

[The_Wookie]

Time to relieve itself of that burden - which it is not doing so well at.
I am all for supporting local and state footy. What has not worked is the hybrid model where players drop from one team and league into another. It stuffs the lower league competition and does not really work for the AFL clubs either. A real reserve competition even with flaws will at least leave the non-AFL clubs to have their own competition without interference from "above".

Why would the AFL relieve itself of something its going to have to fund anyway?

 

[Perry Pie]

Why would the AFL relieve itself of something its going to have to fund anyway?

The point is that the AFL will not have to fund these second tier competitions for them to try to provide competition of a high enough standard for the AFL players that have dropped down into those competitions. The current situation does not work well for the State leagues and their players or for the AFL players and teams - it is all a bit half baked for all parties at the moment.
Providing development support in non traditional States (and traditional States too) will still be needed, but that can be targeted towards the local leagues in accordance with what they need to help them grow and promote the sport - it does not need reserve AFL clubs in that mix playing to different standards and for different objectives. At least if the reserve teams are playing each other they are all playing on the same basis - to support the AFL team. They dont have to pretend that they are in some sort of alternative competition.
I just think the time has come to bite the bullet and run reserve sides AFL wide.

 

[telsor]

Except the AFL cant. It is the complete owner and administrator of 5 of 7 state competitions.

and effectively pays for a large chunk of the other 2 through the 'local' clubs.

 

[The_Wookie]

and effectively pays for a large chunk of the other 2 through the 'local' clubs.

Under the current Adelaide Oval deal, the AFL is paying the SANFL 3 million a year for the next 15 years - on top of its Adelaide Oval income.

 

[telsor]

Under the current Adelaide Oval deal, the AFL is paying the SANFL 3 million a year for the next 15 years - on top of its Adelaide Oval income.

OK, not always indirectly...

 

[Jim Dixon]

Under the current Adelaide Oval deal, the AFL is paying the SANFL 3 million a year for the next 15 years - on top of its Adelaide Oval income.

Well, someone has to pay John Olsen's salary.

 

[telsor]

Well, someone has to pay John Olsen's salary.

I thought that was Port's job.

 

[Navy2005]

The point is that the AFL will not have to fund these second tier competitions for them to try to provide competition of a high enough standard for the AFL players that have dropped down into those competitions. The current situation does not work well for the State leagues and their players or for the AFL players and teams - it is all a bit half baked for all parties at the moment.
Providing development support in non traditional States (and traditional States too) will still be needed, but that can be targeted towards the local leagues in accordance with what they need to help them grow and promote the sport - it does not need reserve AFL clubs in that mix playing to different standards and for different objectives. At least if the reserve teams are playing each other they are all playing on the same basis - to support the AFL team. They dont have to pretend that they are in some sort of alternative competition.
I just think the time has come to bite the bullet and run reserve sides AFL wide.

Bravo, Well said!

 

[Navy2005]

Club that are dropping out of the competition at a rapid rate from the ACT Belconnen, Queanbeyan are not continuing in the NEAFL next season and from NSW Sydney Hills Eagles are pulling out of the competition.

This is on top of four clubs returning to the QAFL that were originally involved in the NEAFL like Morningside, Mt Gravatt, Labrador, Broadbeach.

And many players are going back to lower league as they can't commit to the travel involved in the competition. The NEAFL is in a very bad state atm and the competition is proving utterly unviable.

Can now also add Ainslie to that growing list showing just how unviable the NEAFL competition is. Now a competition that is suppose to represent QLD, NSW, ACT and the NT is down to one club to represent the ACT Eastlake one non AFL team to represent NSW Sydney Uni, one NT team in Thunder it just continues to highlight this competition is doing nothing to highlight or promote local talent and is solely there for the AFL reserve teams to compete against each other. Time realise lets get back to State leagues being State leagues and AFL reserves being a stand alone competition.

 

[Rob]

I have to say I never quite worked out the point of the NEAFL. Initially they were effectively 2 separate leagues but they played each other now and then. Why not just keep them separate and save on travel costs? It wouldn't lessen the standard of either comp.

 

[The_Wookie]

I have to say I never quite worked out the point of the NEAFL. Initially they were effectively 2 separate leagues but they played each other now and then. Why not just keep them separate and save on travel costs? It wouldn't lessen the standard of either comp.

Originally designed to give some meaningful regular competition to the AFL reserves sides in NSW and QLD, as well as some added exposure to decent competition for the NT Thunder. However just like every state competition they oversee, somehow the AFL made it more complicated than it needed to be, and decimated state comps in the process - See Tasmania, QAFL, and the VFA/VFL.

 

[Rob]

Originally designed to give some meaningful regular competition to the AFL reserves sides in NSW and QLD, as well as some added exposure to decent competition for the NT Thunder. However just like every state competition they oversee, somehow the AFL made it more complicated than it needed to be, and decimated state comps in the process - See Tasmania, QAFL, and the VFA/VFL.

But the way it was set up didn't actually improve the standard of the comp. It was just the AFLQ in one corner and the Canberra league in the other, with no improvement in the overall standard. They may as well have just left them apart.

It's only when clubs started to drop out that the number of teams reduced, but I doubt it improved the quality of the comp unless the best players from the clubs that left transferred to NEAFL clubs (which I doubt happened given there wasn't any money in it).

 

[Navy2005]

I have to say I never quite worked out the point of the NEAFL. Initially they were effectively 2 separate leagues but they played each other now and then. Why not just keep them separate and save on travel costs? It wouldn't lessen the standard of either comp.

Now from one of those two merged leagues ACTAFL one team remains Eastlake who finished bottom of the competition this year. Can't understand how this highlights or promotes local talent.

 

[Navy2005]

With almost every AFL club having stand alone reserves sides surely. A national reserves competition must becoming closer to a reality.

 

[Colonial]

With almost every AFL club having stand alone reserves sides surely. A national reserves competition must becoming closer to a reality.

Would love it and be best for the competition as a whole. But the traditional stronghold state leagues would have a cardiac arrest.

 

[TigerToughSkin]

Yes. As well an U19s Competition as well as a return to the old VFA as well

 

[walhawk]

With almost every AFL club having stand alone reserves sides surely. A national reserves competition must becoming closer to a reality.

Why so?

 

[telsor]

Would love it and be best for the competition as a whole. But the traditional stronghold state leagues would have a cardiac arrest.

WA & SA maybe, in Vic we'd welcome it.

The biggest concern for the AFL though is that it'd pretty much kill the NEAFL, both by taking 4 clubs out and removing a main part of it's reason for existence. Without that, there would be a couple of 3rd tier local/regional comps in NSW/QLD leaving a massive gap between the AFL and local levels.

 

[Colonial]

WA & SA maybe, in Vic we'd welcome it.

The biggest concern for the AFL though is that it'd pretty much kill the NEAFL, both by taking 4 clubs out and removing a main part of it's reason for existence. Without that, there would be a couple of 3rd tier local/regional comps in NSW/QLD leaving a massive gap between the AFL and local levels.

I doubt vic would welcome it. They wouls go from the 2nd best como to 3rd. Thats a hell of a drop since they will lose all those AFL calibre reserves.

Nsw and qld there is such a huges gap between the AFL and NeAFL that its ridiculous.
To large a leap

 

[telsor]

I doubt vic would welcome it. They wouls go from the 2nd best como to 3rd. Thats a hell of a drop since they will lose all those AFL calibre reserves.

The current Vic reserves/state league is awful. We have a comp which is supposed to be the 'state league' where half the teams don't care if they win or lose, because it's all about development for them, a couple with no AFL affiliation that are trying to act as if it's serious and several more that are somewhere between the two. It's a joke.

Nsw and qld there is such a huges gap between the AFL and NeAFL that its ridiculous.
To large a leap

Think how much worse it would be without ~100 of the better players and a big slice of it's funding.

 

[Navy2005]

The current Vic reserves/state league is awful. We have a comp which is supposed to be the 'state league' where half the teams don't care if they win or lose, because it's all about development for them, a couple with no AFL affiliation that are trying to act as if it's serious and several more that are somewhere between the two. It's a joke.



Think how much worse it would be without ~100 of the better players and a big slice of it's funding.

Well said all of the State league competitions would be better off if a national reserves competition was established. It would allow all State league clubs to compete on a level playing field where the goal of all those clubs would be to win their respective competitions without having teams or players in their competitions with different agenda's such as player development for the AFL or being more concerned about selection in their AFL team. It would also mean that more local talent who were not on current AFL lists are given the opportunity a the highest standard possible (State league). AFL clubs would also benefit as they can develop their players in a high standard competition in anyway they like without depriving others players State league opportunities. Another benefit is that fans can support clubs without having divided loyalties so a Carlton fan for instance that lives and has always supported Frankston in the VFL can then support the AFL team the AFLReserves team and their local side without any confusion as to who they should support in a State League competition. The AFL should seriously be contemplating establishing a national reserves competition for the good of the game.

 

[Colonial]

The current Vic reserves/state league is awful. We have a comp which is supposed to be the 'state league' where half the teams don't care if they win or lose, because it's all about development for them, a couple with no AFL affiliation that are trying to act as if it's serious and several more that are somewhere between the two. It's a joke.



Think how much worse it would be without ~100 of the better players and a big slice of it's funding.

Its still better and closer of lvl than any other comp out there.

A national reserves is whats is best for development of players nationwide.

 

[Rob]

WA & SA maybe, in Vic we'd welcome it.

The biggest concern for the AFL though is that it'd pretty much kill the NEAFL, both by taking 4 clubs out and removing a main part of it's reason for existence. Without that, there would be a couple of 3rd tier local/regional comps in NSW/QLD leaving a massive gap between the AFL and local levels.

If there are no AFL reserves teams playing in it, who cares? And I doubt that it's that massive a gap between NEAFL and AFLQ - anyone that follow it on this page? I'd be interested to know whether the best AFLQ players end up at NEAFL clubs, eg. the best Broadbeach and Labrador players playing for Southport.

 

[telsor]

If there are no AFL reserves teams playing in it, who cares? And I doubt that it's that massive a gap between NEAFL and AFLQ - anyone that follow it on this page? I'd be interested to know whether the best AFLQ players end up at NEAFL clubs, eg. the best Broadbeach and Labrador players playing for Southport.

If you're going to develop and grow the game, it helps to have all the bases covered in terms of where people can play.

Having second tier QLD/NSW players leave the state to play a better standard/more money doesn't help as much.

 

[Colonial]

If you're going to develop and grow the game, it helps to have all the bases covered in terms of where people can play.

Having second tier QLD/NSW players leave the state to play a better standard/more money doesn't help as much.

You really make the AFL look like weekens warriors when it comes to spin.