Expansion National reserves competition in 2025. Are you in favour?

[DazalenkoUBewty]

A proper national reserves comp which includes all AFL sides would be awesome. I'd absolutely love it! Get in there, Pear!!!

 

[Walshawk]

I wonder how many people saw Box Hill v GWS yesterday to get a good look at how “national reserves” looks.

GWS don’t have sufficient VFL squad players who can travel interstate, or who they want to pay to have interstate. So they come to Melbourne and just draft in a few random local players to fill a team.

The result is predictable, these guys aren’t really up to it and even if they were, they’re coming in for one-off games and know nothing of their teammates, coaches or plans. They’re literally just placefillers for empty uniforms.

Box Hill slaughter them, of course. They kicked a few consolation goals in the second half but it was 70-19 at half time and the game was well over.

Neither team gets a good hitout in such a blowout.

The people who push for AFL reserves “just cos it makes sense” generally have no idea of the actual practicalities of it. If you want to do it properly, to allow for injuries you need up to 60 players who are committed or “full time” enough (read: paid properly) to be proper squad members who travel with the teams.

It’s an enormous expense that the game can’t afford for little return.

The best model is strong state leagues. It always has been and it always will be. That’s where the money needs to go. Travelling reserves is just dumb.

Great post. The QAFL was good enough for the Lions during their glory years. They could easily add BL, GC & Southport to the top five QAFL clubs and have a strong enough comp.

Sydney is a different story unfortunately - simply not enough players. Perhaps if Canberra come in a team 20 they could get an eight team comp going.

 

[mightymouse75]

Why would an amatuer want to fly 6,000km every second weekend to prop up a list of overpaid footballers.
Also a lot of money to be throwing around on flights and accommodation.

 

[FreoGirl]

Why would an amatuer want to fly 6,000km every second weekend to prop up a list of overpaid footballers.
Also a lot of money to be throwing around on flights and accommodation.

exactly - Peel is already run by 'mums and dads'

 

[crows dude]

Why would an amatuer want to fly 6,000km every second weekend to prop up a list of overpaid footballers.
Also a lot of money to be throwing around on flights and accommodation.

Lists would have to increase

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Lists would have to increase

They would and I’m not sure people really have their heads around how much.

If you’re fielding 46 players per week then to cover you for a year you’re absolutely going to need 60 players.

People will say “just have 50 and top up when you need to”… you’re just back to the same problem. If you’re not employing and paying these players properly, how can you call on them to be full time just when it suits you?

The expense of national reserves will be massive, for very little payoff.

 

[The Tilt]

They would and I’m not sure people really have their heads around how much.

If you’re fielding 46 players per week then to cover you for a year you’re absolutely going to need 60 players.

People will say “just have 50 and top up when you need to”… you’re just back to the same problem. If you’re not employing and paying these players properly, how can you call on them to be full time just when it suits you?

The expense of national reserves will be massive, for very little payoff.

You've lost me here.

Why would a national reserves competition require any increase in the number of AFL-listed players per club? Clubs already field 46 players per week. This is made up of 40 (or whatever) AFL-listed players, and then set of (I assume) around 15 reserves listed players. This is simply what's required to field a reserves team each week: the competition that team plays in makes no difference to the equation.

And no, the reserves listed players won't be full-time/fully professional. Nor are they in the current setup, so...

 

[mightymouse75]

You've lost me here.

Why would a national reserves competition require any increase in the number of AFL-listed players per club? Clubs already field 46 players per week. This is made up of 40 (or whatever) AFL-listed players, and then set of (I assume) around 15 reserves listed players. This is simply what's required to field a reserves team each week: the competition that team plays in makes no difference to the equation.

And no, the reserves listed players won't be full-time/fully professional. Nor are they in the current setup, so...

How

You've lost me here.

Why would a national reserves competition require any increase in the number of AFL-listed players per club? Clubs already field 46 players per week. This is made up of 40 (or whatever) AFL-listed players, and then set of (I assume) around 15 reserves listed players. This is simply what's required to field a reserves team each week: the competition that team plays in makes no difference to the equation.

And no, the reserves listed players won't be full-time/fully professional. Nor are they in the current setup, so...

I'm taking about the Western Australian clubs.
6000 km long haul flight travel every second weekend for an amature is a big commitment to make.
It doesn't make sense.
Just a waste of resources and dare I say it. Carbon.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

There’s obviously an imbalance of quality second tier players with not enough in NSW and Queensland, so how do we get them up there from the southern states to even out that imbalance. Make the on-field quality of the VFL, WAFL, SANFL, QAFL and AFL Sydney as close as possible.

Money. If state league players were offered enough to make it worth their while, they'd move.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I'm taking about the Western Australian clubs.
6000 km long haul flight travel every second weekend for an amature is a big commitment to make.
It doesn't make sense.

Give them enough money to make it worth their while and they'll go to Timbuktu every second weekend.

Just a waste of resources and dare I say it. Carbon.

If only we had some way of converting that waste of carbon into a cost, so the AFL would have to decide how much it was really worth to them. Oh wait, we did try that once. Pity it didn't last.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

You've lost me here.

Why would a national reserves competition require any increase in the number of AFL-listed players per club? Clubs already field 46 players per week. This is made up of 40 (or whatever) AFL-listed players, and then set of (I assume) around 15 reserves listed players. This is simply what's required to field a reserves team each week: the competition that team plays in makes no difference to the equation.

And no, the reserves listed players won't be full-time/fully professional. Nor are they in the current setup, so...

That’s fine in a state league setup.

It doesn’t work nationally.

I used the example of GWS on Sunday (and pretty much any time they come to Melbourne). Sydney do it too.

They don’t have enough travelling reserves-listed players so they just top up with local footballers from around Melbourne. These guys aren’t up to it and aren’t on the same page, obviously. It becomes a farce as it did on Sunday, Box Hill slaughtered them, it was 70-19 at half time.

The compromise is ridiculous and neither side gets a good hitout.

If they’re so set on this stupid national reserves idea then they need to do it properly, and that includes having sufficient reserves players in your squad that you pay and employ sufficiently to travel with the team.

It’s going to be a huge expense… add the cost of travel and it just becomes ridiculous - for very little gain.

The game will be much better overall if that money is spent on the Qld and NSW state leagues and pathways to improve them over time so that we have quality state leagues in each state for the AFL reserves. At least there’ll be something built to offer a return to the game, rather than just giving the money to reserves players, airlines and hotels.

As for the WA and SA clubs, they just need to be locked in a room with the WAFL and SANFL and not let out til they’ve sorted their shit out and learned to live within their local football environments.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Another farcical example

 

[kane249]

Eagles won't be joining the AFL reserves side in the near future by the looks.

Condition was Eagles would have to foot the travel bill for their opposition club.

So basically same rule the VFL imposed in 1987 when the Eagles joined the league


Wonder if the same condition will be imposed on the SA teams and if it will affect their decision to leave the SANFL

 

[Philhawk]

Can someone tell me what prevents the Eagles from teaming up with a team (say East Perth), providing a small amount of financial backing and forming a partnership that benefits both entities?

 

[Walshawk]

Another farcical example

Geez that is poor management.

 

[Walshawk]

That’s fine in a state league setup.

It doesn’t work nationally.

I used the example of GWS on Sunday (and pretty much any time they come to Melbourne). Sydney do it too.

They don’t have enough travelling reserves-listed players so they just top up with local footballers from around Melbourne. These guys aren’t up to it and aren’t on the same page, obviously. It becomes a farce as it did on Sunday, Box Hill slaughtered them, it was 70-19 at half time.

The compromise is ridiculous and neither side gets a good hitout.

If they’re so set on this stupid national reserves idea then they need to do it properly, and that includes having sufficient reserves players in your squad that you pay and employ sufficiently to travel with the team.

It’s going to be a huge expense… add the cost of travel and it just becomes ridiculous - for very little gain.

The game will be much better overall if that money is spent on the Qld and NSW state leagues and pathways to improve them over time so that we have quality state leagues in each state for the AFL reserves. At least there’ll be something built to offer a return to the game, rather than just giving the money to reserves players, airlines and hotels.

As for the WA and SA clubs, they just need to be locked in a room with the WAFL and SANFL and not let out til they’ve sorted their shit out and learned to live within their local football environments.

Agree.

There is enough talent in Queensland for Lions, GC & Southport to return to a strong 10 team QAFL.

No so in Sydney, but they should work towards that. For now, an 18 team VFL with just Swans, GWS & Tas plus the Vic clubs would be better than what we have now.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Eagles won't be joining the AFL reserves side in the near future by the looks.

Condition was Eagles would have to foot the travel bill for their opposition club.

So basically same rule the VFL imposed in 1987 when the Eagles joined the league


Wonder if the same condition will be imposed on the SA teams and if it will affect their decision to leave the SANFL

First domino falls in this stupid idea.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Can someone tell me what prevents the Eagles from teaming up with a team (say East Perth), providing a small amount of financial backing and forming a partnership that benefits both entities?

Done it 3 times up to now, each and every occasion the Eagles won’t work with the WAFL club and try and dictate to the WAFL club. Each and every instance WAFL club goes stuff you and walk away.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

First domino falls in this stupid idea.

It does but how disgusting to ask the Eagles to pay for visiting clubs trips west. What an absolute insult.

 

[eth-dog]

It does but how disgusting to ask the Eagles to pay for visiting clubs trips west. What an absolute insult.

The VFL don't want them there. I'm guessing that's why they did it.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Agree.

There is enough talent in Queensland for Lions, GC & Southport to return to a strong 10 team QAFL.

Is there? What makes you say that?

Doubt the QAFL would reduce to 10 including the three VFL clubs anyway. At most they'd tell the Sunshine Coast clubs and Mt Gravatt to scram, and go to 12 teams, 6 from Brisbane and 6 from the Gold Coast.

 

[ibd77]

Wonder if the same condition will be imposed on the SA teams and if it will affect their decision to leave the SANFL

I don't know about the Crows but Port cannot stay in the SANFL any longer.

Port and SANFL are mutually divided on this matter. SANFL wants Port out because they no longer contribute any benefit to the league. Port wants out of SANFL because of the restrictions imposed on their playing list that doesn't enable us to recruit ex-AFL players as top up players.

Add to that, their is still strong animosity between the two organisations since the 1990 failed AFL bid, then 1997 forced split of PAFC & PAMFC, double payment or 2x $4M AFL licence to the SANFL. All of which could have been avoided.

 

[stallon]

Eagles won't be joining the AFL reserves side in the near future by the looks.

Condition was Eagles would have to foot the travel bill for their opposition club.

So basically same rule the VFL imposed in 1987 when the Eagles joined the league


Wonder if the same condition will be imposed on the SA teams and if it will affect their decision to leave the SANFL

Note how it claims that west coast wont be joining the VFL, Not specifically a national reserves comp.
I wouldnt be interested either if thats what was on offer. We have enough bs remaining in the AFL from the old VFL

 

[eth-dog]

Note how it claims that west coast wont be joining the VFL, Not specifically a national reserves comp.
I wouldnt be interested either if thats what was on offer. We have enough bs remaining in the AFL from the old VFL

That was the demand from clubs like Coburg, Preston, Werribee etc. as they can't afford the travel. Most of the VFL clubs want to return to a Victorian only comp.

 

[stallon]

That was the demand from clubs like Coburg, Preston, Werribee etc. as they can't afford the travel. Most of the VFL clubs want to return to a Victorian only comp.

Yeah and thats fair, if a national seconds comp was to exist itd have to be new, with the AFL and AFL clubs more involved. Basically mirror the AFL