National Seconds Competition

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With Port Adelaide making the move to exit the SANFL, the prospects for a full second tier comp with each AFL side fielding a reserves team seems even more likely.


Each team now has a single side where it's seconds play and all except for the WA/SA teams play in the same comp (ostensibly the VFL).

It's time to separate these into a full fledged reserves competition.

This can work well with the integration of Tasmania who can play a seasonal or two in the seconds.


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With Port Adelaide making the move to exit the SANFL, the prospects for a full second tier comp with each AFL side fielding a reserves team seems even more likely.


Each team now has a single side where it's seconds play and all except for the WA/SA teams play in the same comp (ostensibly the VFL).

It's time to separate these into a full fledged reserves competition.

This can work well with the integration of Tasmania who can play a seasonal or two in the seconds.


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Yes, very easy. Just have a full reserves that follow the seniors around with same fixture and play before seniors game like the old days and the fans get to see two games for the ticket if they wish to see two.
 

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If introduced, at the very least the competition should have a schedule which aligns with the senior team. It's ridiculous right now that a team's reserves side often doesn't play the same week as the senior side - starting the season later, finishing earlier, differently timed byes etc.
 
Best thing back in the 80's and 90's was going to a game watching the U19's then the reserves and seniors, its time we have a national reserves playing as the opener for the seniors again, although I can see how it will have a negative impact on the state competitions it is the way forward, we need some sort of national feeder comp.
 
Best thing back in the 80's and 90's was going to a game watching the U19's then the reserves and seniors, its time we have a national reserves playing as the opener for the seniors again, although I can see how it will have a negative impact on the state competitions it is the way forward, we need some sort of national feeder comp.
At this point I think the state leagues would benefit from having their own competitions.

The VFL barely has any standalone teams. Would be nice for the semi-pros to have a comp with teams who you can follow.

Gives you more license to follow a local team as well as your AFL

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At this point I think the state leagues would benefit from having their own competitions.

The VFL barely has any standalone teams. Would be nice for the semi-pros to have a comp with teams who you can follow.

Gives you more license to follow a local team as well as your AFL

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Think it would definitely help the state leagues, especially VFL.
 
Are the AFL willing to fund private charters to and from WA for the Reserves as well ? Would we align all the games to follow the same fixtures ? What happens for the bye weeks / gather round etc. Could you have all the reserve teams in Adelaide as well ?
 
Are the AFL willing to fund private charters to and from WA for the Reserves as well ? Would we align all the games to follow the same fixtures ? What happens for the bye weeks / gather round etc. Could you have all the reserve teams in Adelaide as well ?
Charter planes aren't usually exactly 23 + staff seats.

Seems likely that the teams could travel together with little issue as there are certainly planes with a 50-80 person capacity.

Teams already make travel arrangements, including VFL teams interstate out of alignment with AFL teams

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Are the AFL willing to fund private charters to and from WA for the Reserves as well ? Would we align all the games to follow the same fixtures ? What happens for the bye weeks / gather round etc. Could you have all the reserve teams in Adelaide as well ?
You’d think they would be able to organise it.
 
Give me a break, I watch SANFL (and Casey games) most weeks and the overall standard of the SANFL is better than the VFL.

Port Adelaide just want another reason to whinge and also disrespect their own heritage. And if they think the AFL reserves comp would attract a greater crowd than the SANFL they are kidding.
 
AFL reserves comp is badly needed. Let the WAFL/SANFL/VFL become standalone and a genuine state league again (like the old VFL v VFA was).

Then we need to make sure they get fixtured properly so that people can come and watch at least the second half before the game.

Take a 2.10pm AFL game as an example

AFLR (reserves) Game: Fixed 30min Quarters
Q1: 11.05am to 11.35am
QT: 11.35am to 11.40am
Q2: 11.40pm to 12.10pm
HT: 12.10pm to 12.30pm (AFL Warmup 1)
Q3: 12.30pm to 1.00pm
3QT: 1.00pm to 1.20pm (AFL Warmup 2)
Q4: 1.20pm to 1.50pm
Then give 5min to clear the field before the AFL umpires come onto the field.

AFL Game: Normal 20min Qs + Time On
Umpires on Field: 1.55pm
Teams on Field: 1.57pm
AFL Game Start: 2.10pm
 

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If introduced, at the very least the competition should have a schedule which aligns with the senior team. It's ridiculous right now that a team's reserves side often doesn't play the same week as the senior side - starting the season later, finishing earlier, differently timed byes etc.

Same fixture for the all the clubs to follow creating a full days entertainment for the fans just like the old days :

2:00pm - AFL Seniors

12:00noon - AFL Reserves

10:00am - AFLW
 
Same fixture for the all the clubs to follow creating a full days entertainment for the fans just like the old days :

2:00pm - AFL Seniors

12:00noon - AFL Reserves

10:00am - AFLW
I'd swap the reserves and AFLW
 
I think it's the perfect opportunity to do it.
Play the reserves before every AFL game before the the seniors.
Give players a supplementary roster of 12-15 non AFL listed players, they're not AFL/club employees, they are state league players registered to the club. They can be deregistered if they have season ending injuries, otherwise that roster is also set for the season. In addition to the AFL lists of 44, that would field 2 teams.
 
From an AFL standpoint it makes too much sense.

Would a Victorian state league with the standalones (Port, Williamstown, Werribee, Frankston, Coburg, Preston) and a handful of de-affiliated clubs like Sandringham, Box Hill and Casey be able to survive on its own?
 
Same fixture for the all the clubs to follow creating a full days entertainment for the fans just like the old days :

2:00pm - AFL Seniors

12:00noon - AFL Reserves

10:00am - AFLW
AFLW should play standalone in their own primetime.

Reserves should play before because they are there to support the seniors win a flag by keeping players fit and getting them back into form. AFLW is a completely separate competition.

See above my suggestion for timing, the important thing is giving both the AFLR teams the latest possible finish time before the AFL, as well as the AFL teams enough time to warmup before the game.
 
From an AFL standpoint it makes too much sense.

Would a Victorian state league with the standalones (Port, Williamstown, Werribee, Frankston, Coburg, Preston) and a handful of de-affiliated clubs like Sandringham, Box Hill and Casey be able to survive on its own?
Personally I'd introduce some regional teams.

Bendigo, Gippsland, Ballarat, Geelong (name change probably) all footy rich areas

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I think it's the perfect opportunity to do it.
Play the reserves before every AFL game before the the seniors.
Give players a supplementary roster of 12-15 non AFL listed players, they're not AFL/club employees, they are state league players registered to the club. They can be deregistered if they have season ending injuries, otherwise that roster is also set for the season. In addition to the AFL lists of 44, that would field 2 teams.
In terms of lists, I would reduce AFL lists to 30-32 and give them a 20 player Reserve List. Those players can be promoted to seniors for Long Term Injuries.



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