Bring back the AFL Reserves Competition

[Navy2005]

The AFL needs to reintroduce the AFL Reserves Competition in the interests of providing a competition that gives all AFL clubs surplus players the chance to on an even level.

Added benefits of this include:

Giving fans better value for money as they will get to watch two games for the admission price.

and

Give more players the chance to compete in State League competitions without spots being given to surplus AFL players.

and

Fans are able to support their State League club without also trying to support their AFL surplus players in State League competitions.

Surely the AFL has the resources to bring the Reserves Competition back. I for one would gladly welcome it.

 

[Adam H]

Has to be done it was a joke they got rid of it to begin with.

 

[Dazb86]

Seems like a matter of time before it happens TBH.

 

[Anderson Brown]

If it's brought back, the games will never be played as a curtain raiser. The grounds wouldn't be able to cope if you doubled the amount of games played there each week.

 

[coniglio_number1]

Out of curiosity would love to see everyones afl 22 and the reserves 22 with a list of leftover players if your club has larger lists. (cat b)

 

[The_Wookie]

while we're at send the TAC Cup teams back to the AFL sides so they can have under 18s too. They might even start to feel like real clubs instead of corporate entities.

 

[Suma Magic]

When did they have an afl reserves competion? I don't remember the eagles ever having a reserves team that flew around Australia. Are you talking about VFL?

 

[The_Wookie]

For the record

• VFL Reserves ran until 1991 (All victorian clubs and brisbane/sydney)
• VSFL ran from 1991 until 1999 (all victorian clubs and sydney)
• VFL began running from 2000, (VSFL merged with VFA)

SA and WA teams never had VFL reserves representation, prefering to either scatter players throughout their state comps, or use a host club system.

 

[jim boy]

Am against it, not financially viable for a competition wide setup. Clubs should have reserve sides if they feel it suits their best interests, which isn't a given, and those sides should play in a format that provides the best outcome for them on an individual basis. Vic clubs may well have their own reserves-like competition, but clubs like Fremantle or Gold Coast may be better off with a combination of scratch matches against local sides, the odd interstate trip and dispersing their players in other local comps.

 

[Dan Cooper]

If it's brought back, the games will never be played as a curtain raiser. The grounds wouldn't be able to cope if you doubled the amount of games played there each week.

Sad, but true. Well at least according to the AFL anyway.

One of the bigger mistakes the VFL/AFL have made was to get rid of the reserves competition. Along the way they have succeeded in decimating the VFA, and Darwin's law will see a reserves completion, much like the one the AFL trashed, reinstated at some point in the future.

 

[Suma Magic]

There has never been an AFL reserves competition.

That point aside, I like the idea in principle, but don't think it will happen. Not sure there is enough money in it for the West Coast 2s to fly every second week.

 

[le dominateur]

Ideally each club should have a senior team, reserves team, U18/19 and women's team. Cost of flying clubs interstate is a excuse when the AFL wastes millions of dollars on overpaid executives who struggle to pick a colour for the umps to wear that doesn't clash with one of the teams or even worse think their was no clash of colours/strip in the Port v Carlton game last round in 2013.

 

[MarkCatsFan]

The VFA was deliberately turned into the VFL/reserves comp by the AFL administration to take away any real competition.

It is in the AFL's interests to have a crappy VFL that isn't worth watching. I for one would love them to go back to having a reserves comp and an independent VFA but it's never going to happen because the AFL holds all the cards over Aussie rules in this country and they will never allow any other competition to measure up to the top tier and take away viewers.

Look at what they've now done to the SANFL and WAFL as well.

If they brought back the reserves then the lower tier state comps would be stand alone again and that would equal competition for viewers. They would never allow that to happen.

 

[brisbane13]

Am against it, not financially viable for a competition wide setup. Clubs should have reserve sides if they feel it suits their best interests, which isn't a given, and those sides should play in a format that provides the best outcome for them on an individual basis. Vic clubs may well have their own reserves-like competition, but clubs like Fremantle or Gold Coast may be better off with a combination of scratch matches against local sides, the odd interstate trip and dispersing their players in other local comps.

its not viable the the AFL have a national reserves comp, but for the Victorian clubs yes, as it only involves players driving around the state.
its awsome that many of the Victorian clubs are bringing back their own team to compete in the VFL comp, mainly because they are using the traditional come grounds, Essendon Windy hill, Richmond Punt Road & collingwood Victoria park, its as close as people will ever get to see their favorite AFL team play at their old suburban grounds ever again

 

[The_Reaper]

while we're at send the TAC Cup teams back to the AFL sides so they can have under 18s too. They might even start to feel like real clubs instead of corporate entities.

They should do this. I believe each club should get a zone and they are allowed to pick one player (with the same system as the father son from their zone each year).
This will encourage clubs to have more community involvement as well as help them build support.

 

[Superstar swan]

Hasn't it been discussed recently , but some of the poorer clubs were saying it is hard enough fund the senior team without having to fund a reserves for things such as flights, accommodation etc

 

[Jim Dixon]

Hasn't it been discussed recently , but some of the poorer clubs were saying it is hard enough fund the senior team without having to fund a reserves for things such as flights, accommodation etc

It's always a bit of a struggle for poorer clubs- Port Adelaide examined this issue last year and for us, having the Magpies in the SANFL is certainly cheaper then having our reserves side in the VFL which was being examined as a plan B. (You always need to have a plan B when dealing with the scum SANFL administrators.)

An AFL reserves competition would work for clubs on the East coast but not sure if it is a good thing for SA or WA teams.

I also think clubs should have zones too. The draft is all well and good but I think each club should have a zone they get first dibs at first. The AFL should be a club competition, not a battle between franchises. Zones help keep club identities, in my opinion.

 

[frankc]

Doesn't each team effectively have a reserves team now? I think Freo and West Coast do, while the Swans, Giants, Suns and Lion reserves play in the NEAFL. I think Adelaide have a standalone reserves team in the SANFL from 2014 and didn't Port Adelaide of the AFL and SANFL merge so that the SANFL Port would be the reserves for the AFL team?

Vic sides either have standalone reserve teams or old VFA teams they effectively control (i.e. Box Hill Hawks and Northern Blues).

Only difference is that teams don't play in the one competition.

 

[Captivating]

Agree, and expand the lists back to the 50+ players to support the two teams.

 

[The_Wookie]

Doesn't each team effectively have a reserves team now? I think Freo and West Coast do, while the Swans, Giants, Suns and Lion reserves play in the NEAFL. I think Adelaide have a standalone reserves team in the SANFL from 2014 and didn't Port Adelaide of the AFL and SANFL merge so that the SANFL Port would be the reserves for the AFL team?

Vic sides either have standalone reserve teams or old VFA teams they effectively control (i.e. Box Hill Hawks and Northern Blues).

Only difference is that teams don't play in the one competition.

For the first time in 2014, the WA and SA teams will effectively have their own reserves, like the Vics,NSW and QLD sides.

 

[Navy2005]

If it's brought back, the games will never be played as a curtain raiser. The grounds wouldn't be able to cope if you doubled the amount of games played there each week.

In Victoria that may be a problem but every other state should be able to cope with the curtain raiser games. Whilst in Victoria they could use the suburban grounds like Western Oval etc.

 

[coniglio_number1]

My rough attempt at what a potential gws reserves side for 2014 will look like

Best 22

Fb: Hampton gilham kennedy

Hb: hunt Davis shaw

Ct: Whitfield treloar scully

Hf: lamb Cameron coniglio

FF: smith Patton Tomlinson

Rr: Mumford ward shiel

Int: Giles whiley greene
Sub: Williams

Reserves

Fb: corr frost bugg

Hb: Haynes plowman buntine

Ct: WHE townsend kelly

Hf: Schulz jaksch Addison

FF: Wilson Boyd sumner

Rr: downie Palmer o'rourke

Int: McCarthy Barrett Phillips
Sub: golds

Lobb
Stewart
mohr (injury)

 

[Superstar swan]

My rough attempt at what a potential gws reserves side for 2014 will look like

Best 22

Fb: Hampton gilham kennedy

Hb: hunt Davis shaw

Ct: Whitfield treloar scully

Hf: lamb Cameron coniglio

FF: smith Patton Tomlinson

Rr: Mumford ward shiel

Int: Giles whiley greene
Sub: Williams

Reserves

Fb: corr frost bugg

Hb: Haynes plowman buntine

Ct: WHE townsend kelly

Hf: Schulz jaksch Addison

FF: Wilson Boyd sumner

Rr: downie Palmer o'rourke

Int: McCarthy Barrett Phillips
Sub: golds

Lobb
Stewart
mohr (injury)

Jeez hasn't rhys palmers career done a 180

 

[Stratton_Gun]

Would probably be for it but it would be a shame to dessert Box Hill after out long running and successful partnership

 

[winty]

Out of curiosity would love to see everyones afl 22 and the reserves 22 with a list of leftover players if your club has larger lists. (cat b)

I'll have a stab at Geelong's.

Best 22

B: Rivers Lonergan Guthrie
HB: Mackie Taylor Enright
C: Varcoe Duncan Christensen
HF: Motlop Vardy Caddy
F: Bartel Hawkins Menzel
Foll: McIntosh Johnson Selwood
Int: Kelly Simpson Stokes T.Hunt

Reserves

B: Bews Brown Thurlow
HB: Smedts Hamling Murdoch
C: Stringer Cowan Sheringham
HF: Burbury Walker Jansen
F: McCarthy Kersten Hartman
Foll: Blicavs Schroder Horlin-Smith
Int: Lang Luxford Kolodjashnij Toohey