Looks like the AFL is open to introducing a national reserves competition in 2025 with SA & WA teams included. Presumably a Tasmanian team would enter not long after as well. Not clear what this would mean for the VFL, SANFL & WAFL going forward. Thoughts?
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Expansion National reserves competition in 2025. Are you in favour?
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AFL now effectively killing footy country wide.
Hopefully the good seasoned footballers playing WAFL and SANFL stick with their comps and let the reserves AFL be what it actually is which is a colts comp which no club gives a crap about winning.
Hopefully the good seasoned footballers playing WAFL and SANFL stick with their comps and let the reserves AFL be what it actually is which is a colts comp which no club gives a crap about winning.
MelbourneGWS
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Won’t the new AFL Reserves completion, mean that good VFL, SANFL and the WAFL players will now seek to join it to maximise the chances of playing AFL?
Why would any seasoned player who is 25 and over want to join a league that has snubbed them for years just help younger players develop and play in a side that winning is of No importance?
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Yes please. F the SANFL. couldnt care if the SANFL folds after watching rules they’ve put around Adelaide and PA as well as the blatant cheating to ensure they can’t win a flag at that level. The SANFL has brought its demise on itself.
This is a natural move. The state leagues put too many restrictions on the AFL reserves sides. And with the exception of Fremantle making Peel a respectable side on the field, is having the AFL clubs doing much good for the state leagues anyway?
Maybe it'd be good if a standalone VFL without reserves teams merged with the Talent League and came to resemble the seniors-reserves-colts structure in the SANFL and WAFL. The best among the U18s play against men, the rest play against each other. It would require the regional leagues to put together a single representative side though, and I'm unsure if they want to do that.
Maybe it'd be good if a standalone VFL without reserves teams merged with the Talent League and came to resemble the seniors-reserves-colts structure in the SANFL and WAFL. The best among the U18s play against men, the rest play against each other. It would require the regional leagues to put together a single representative side though, and I'm unsure if they want to do that.
The WAFL has made it very hard for west coast and freo too, dump the state leagues imo.
Im all for a national reserves side. I know a lot of the better players in the state leagues wont bother joining if they dont think theyll get picked up by an AFL side, with the travel anbd everything, so it would have to pay more.
I dont think expanding the VFL like they did for the AFL is the right way either. Make it just 18 teams, 1 for each AFL team in a new league.
Could be a decent pipeline to allow the academy kids to get some exposure with the club they are aligned with too.
Caligo
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I don't understand the financial ramifications, but it is something I do want to see at some point in the future when the money side isn't prohibitive.
There are amazing players who fell through the cracks one way or another who could really benefit from a national reserves league.
There are amazing players who fell through the cracks one way or another who could really benefit from a national reserves league.
The WAFL has bent over backwards for the Eagles. Stop making crap up,
They have had players spread across all clubs abd won 3 national flags in that period.
Then they have had 3 alignments that didn’t work. Common denominator was the WCE. Host club didn’t work either for them. Then now a stand alone club hasn’t worked either.
Common denominator through it all has been the WCE.
They have blamed the WAFL at every point but never once looked within and realised they are themselves the issue.
A national reserves comp will not offer seasoned players an AFL spot, they will use them to fill spots to help develop their colts players.
Caligo
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I think you would get a mix of potential. Some clubs would obviously do it better than others.
The AFL will simply demolish every other footy league to try and sell a seconds comp that the clubs don’t give a crap about winning.
The VFL would fold within 12 months without the AFL aligned clubs. I love the Box Hill Hawks. It is more like a real club rather than Hawthorn’s reserves. I am against.
Maybe? But I gave heard that players at amateur level are being paid much more than VFL players.
So it really has become a joke
This.
I completely understand the reasoning for interstate clubs wanting this, but I can’t see Vic clubs allowing this to go through.
Box Hill, just to use it as an example, is one of the best pathways in the VFL.
Great club, great leaders - and a successful pathway for young talent.
This idea is a disaster for the VFL.
‘Amateur’ players in Vic don’t get paid but the big suburban and country clubs have always paid their top players more than VFL. They get bigger crowds too.
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The 1st question which comes to mind is how are they going to pay for it?
It's going to be very expensive flying teams around the country and might be cost prohibitive.
It's going to be very expensive flying teams around the country and might be cost prohibitive.
I'd actually like to see it a bit like the US development leagues.
They usually have them in smaller markets that are still linked to the main team. For instance, the Austin Spurs in the G League are linked with San Antonio.
So you could have the Canberra Giants, Albury Kangaroos, Ballarat Bulldogs, Cairns Suns, Newcastle Swans etc.
Would probably get bigger crowds than if they were just played in the big cities.
They usually have them in smaller markets that are still linked to the main team. For instance, the Austin Spurs in the G League are linked with San Antonio.
So you could have the Canberra Giants, Albury Kangaroos, Ballarat Bulldogs, Cairns Suns, Newcastle Swans etc.
Would probably get bigger crowds than if they were just played in the big cities.
Grand Uncle Horace
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I am in favour provided the existing stand alone Clubs remain.
Given the Borough is already there, Port Adelaide may need an alt name.
Given the Borough is already there, Port Adelaide may need an alt name.
Percel
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I like this, would love a Canberra side to jump on
Grand Uncle Horace
Shake down the thunder
“Swans glide the Murray”: Games at the footy mad river communities would get some support
I saw Kochies comments about the rules placed on them. What are they exactly?
Toump Ass
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For the chance to play in a meaningful competition? To build a career in Big Boy League, potentially earning lots and lots of money?
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If the AFL increases list sizes they won’t have any problem attracting talent.
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There is a strange irony of Port wanting the leave the only place where they’re the magpies.
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