News Port Adelaide have applied to join the VFL by 2025

[Engimal v3]

They’ll separate them I would imagine - Port’s move is just signally a clear intent to leave the SANFL.

The league will run a clean AFL and AFL-R (19 clubs) with a state tier ‘VFA’ (or whatever you want to call it) that will be Victoria’s equivalent to the WAFL and SANFL containing the likes of Coburg, Williamstown, Box Hill etc

Existing alignments will be wrapped up and the expectation will be to run your own reserves side.

Don’t stress, they’ll give the poor clubs the money they need to make this work.

You'd need to promote a bunch of local clubs to fill the VFL after the AFL-aligned clubs leave. I hope not, but the simple solution would seem to tell the remaining VFL clubs that they need to go find a local league to play in.

 

[Walshawk]

They’ll separate them I would imagine - Port’s move is just signally a clear intent to leave the SANFL.

The league will run a clean AFL and AFL-R (19 clubs) with a state tier ‘VFA’ (or whatever you want to call it) that will be Victoria’s equivalent to the WAFL and SANFL containing the likes of Coburg, Williamstown, Box Hill etc

Existing alignments will be wrapped up and the expectation will be to run your own reserves side.

Don’t stress, they’ll give the poor clubs the money they need to make this work.

There is no Box Hill or Casey for a start. These are wholly run by their AFL partners. The VFL clubs were never supported the way the WAFL/SANFL clubs were (not for 130 years anyway). Without the media coverage that playing against AFL reserves teams provides, there will not be enough interest from fans, volunteers or sponsors for Coburg, Frankston, Preston or Sandy either. VFL clubs have no juniors and very, very few supporters (in the low hundreds). Most are less popular and less financial than the big suburban clubs like a Vermont. You can earn a lot more $$$ playing in league other than the VFL. Those that want to keep chasing an AFL career will play as top ups in the SFL reserves, but many players don’t want to be second class platers in a team that is not necessarily striving to win the premiership. So they will spread out amongst the suburbs and will earn more. So the standard to the AFL reserves teams in Melbourne might increase, as will suburban footy, but there would not be a third-tier VFL or VFA. Nobody would be interested. Not players, media or fans.

 

[JimmyBC]

The VF(A)L, SANFL & WAFL could start a breakaway national comp & broadcast it on channel 44

 

[Duckimus Prime]

Considering there are 2 different teams called the Tigers who wear Yellow and Black in the VFL, and there's already 2 different sides wearing black and white, I think they should just be able to enter as the Magpies and wear the Prison Bars, personally

We've pretty well dropped the Magpies nickname now, even in the SANFL. Would want to wear the PAFC jumper but the nickname is neither here nor there.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Why would WA teams want to fly 35 people across the country every second week. Makes zero sense.

Still nobody has expressed exactly what the issue is with Port reserves playing in the SANFL, and why they'll be so much better off in the VFL.

Also, people need to realise that it is likely that the VFL would fold if you took out the AFL aligned clubs. Only Port, Willi and Werribee would survive. It would diminish the player pool if that were to happen.

Correct. It's not in the least bit tenable for the biggest footy state, Victoria, not to have a senior state league for development purposes. And without the AFL clubs, it doesn't have one. That's why the VFA and AFL reserves merged.

Hence why if an "AFL Reserves" does eventuate, I'm not convinced Vic clubs would be part of it. I think they'd stay in the VFL.

Unless you wanted a 26-club VFL with all AFL club reserves, I guess they could do that if they really wanted.

 

[Walshawk]

Still nobody has expressed exactly what the issue is with Port reserves playing in the SANFL, and why they'll be so much better off in the VFL.



Correct. It's not in the least bit tenable for the biggest footy state, Victoria, not to have a senior state league for development purposes. And without the AFL clubs, it doesn't have one. That's why the VFA and AFL reserves merged.

Hence why if an "AFL Reserves" does eventuate, I'm not convinced Vic clubs would be part of it. I think they'd stay in the VFL.

Unless you wanted a 26-club VFL with all AFL club reserves, I guess they could do that if they really wanted.

Perhaps you remove Preston, Coburg and Frankston if you add WA/SA reserves.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Perhaps you remove Preston, Coburg and Frankston if you add WA/SA reserves.

Possibly. 66 less VFL spots each week for Vic players isn't ideal however.

 

[Altum Volantes]

There is no Box Hill or Casey for a start. These are wholly run by their AFL partners. The VFL clubs were never supported the way the WAFL/SANFL clubs were (not for 130 years anyway). Without the media coverage that playing against AFL reserves teams provides, there will not be enough interest from fans, volunteers or sponsors for Coburg, Frankston, Preston or Sandy either. VFL clubs have no juniors and very, very few supporters (in the low hundreds). Most are less popular than the big suburban clubs like a Vermont. You can earn a lot more $$$ playing in league other than the VFL. Those that want to keep chasing an AFL career will play as top ups in the SFL reserves, but many players don’t want to be second class platers in a team that is not necessarily striving to win the premiership. So they will spread out amongst the suburbs and will earn more. So the standard to the AFL reserves teams in Melbourne might increase, as will suburban footy, but there would not be a third-tier VFL or VFA. Nobody would be interested. Not players, media or fans.

Honestly, what happens to a small handful of clubs that nobody supports is not going to be a deal breaker - nor does their existence in the VFL as it currently is play a major role in the health of Victorian footy.

 

[ibd77]

I always thought I'd have to go to Bay 13 for the worst post on Big Footy, but nope, there it is.

Pffft, Bay 13 has standards mate. That is why there is a divvy van sub thread for junk like this.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Honestly, what happens to a small handful of clubs that nobody supports is not going to be a deal breaker - nor does their existence in the VFL as it currently is play a major role in the health of Victorian footy.

That's wrong. They do play an important role. It's not about who the clubs are as such, it's about the fact they make up what is the state league in Victoria. Removing some or all of Port, Willy, Werribee, Frankston, Coburg or Preston would have a major impact on footy in Vic. Every week, 138 non-AFL listed players play for them - almost all young, undrafted players. To suggest that Vic, by far the biggest footy state, simply goes without a state league is not realistic. It is an important development step.

 

[Engimal v3]

Honestly, what happens to a small handful of clubs that nobody supports is not going to be a deal breaker - nor does their existence in the VFL as it currently is play a major role in the health of Victorian footy.

I support the Coburg Lions

 

[JimmyBC]

That's wrong. They do play an important role. It's not about who the clubs are as such, it's about the fact they make up what is the state league in Victoria. Removing some or all of Port, Willy, Werribee, Frankston, Coburg or Preston would have a major impact on footy in Vic. Every week, 138 non-AFL listed players play for them - almost all young, undrafted players. To suggest that Vic, by far the biggest footy state, simply goes without a state league is not realistic. It is an important development step.

An AFL reserves comp is the real plan then you rework a Victorian state league (VFL) the tier below just as the SANFL & WAFL will be.

I think Port are making noise just to get the AFL moving on it myself.

 

[Purple Suit]

There is no viable option for a ‘reserves’ Eagles team to truly work without being at the will of the other WAFL clubs and the league itself. In short, they don’t want the Eagles in the league and will be happy when they are gone. Much like Port, the feeling is very mutual.

A national reserves comp is required because the state leagues want to be state leagues, not feeder/reserves comps for the AFL - which has been pretty firmly established for many years in WA and SA.

The additional travel isn’t ideal but there is no other way forward. It’s a professional sporting league, players can get their head around travel.

There is a viable option, it's aligning with a WAFL team. WC could have done this with Perth but the blokes in charge thought it would be better to go it alone and instead win 5 games in three seasons.

You could back up the decision but it would be admitting you were wrong, seems to be an issue for the ego's running WC.

 

[windyhill]

I support the Coburg Lions

Poor bastards.

 

[JimmyBC]

The Crows want out too now by the sound of it BLOODY TRAITORS TO SOUF OZ STRAYA!

 

[Altum Volantes]

There is a viable option, it's aligning with a WAFL team. WC could have done this with Perth but the blokes in charge thought it would be better to go it alone and instead win 5 games in three seasons.

You could back up the decision but it would be admitting you were wrong, seems to be an issue for the ego's running WC.

Yeah Perth don’t want to do that either.

Your club was very fortunate - you paired with your state league equivalent, a club that has no history of note and is basically thanking the good graces of Freo for keeping them competitive.

Once Freo leave the WAFL, and they will, Peel will go back to being what they were before they aligned - the club the other teams openly ploy to get rid of.

 

[Altum Volantes]

That's wrong. They do play an important role. It's not about who the clubs are as such, it's about the fact they make up what is the state league in Victoria. Removing some or all of Port, Willy, Werribee, Frankston, Coburg or Preston would have a major impact on footy in Vic. Every week, 138 non-AFL listed players play for them - almost all young, undrafted players. To suggest that Vic, by far the biggest footy state, simply goes without a state league is not realistic. It is an important development step.

I didn’t…I said they would form a state league.

The guy I was responding to doesn’t think that is viable due to a complete lack of interest in those clubs.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

An AFL reserves comp is the real plan then you rework a Victorian state league (VFL) the tier below just as the SANFL & WAFL will be.

I think Port are making noise just to get the AFL moving on it myself.

We had that in the past and it didn’t work. It’s very hard to have a state league that stands on its own two feet when there’s 10 AFL reserves teams in a seperate competition who are using anything up to 15 non-AFL listed players every week.

The VFL/AFL started the process of crushing the VFA over 40 years ago, to the point where there’s only a few clubs left - and some of them are tremendously weak. To think it can be reconstituted now as a standalone league is a huge leap.

I agree Port are making noise to try to make it happen, but whether the wishes of one club will lead to a major restructure of football in Victoria is another question. I would say it’s more likely that the AFL sits down with Port and the SANFL and tells them to play nice.

 

[terrybull]

The VF(A)L, SANFL & WAFL could start a breakaway national comp & broadcast it on channel 44

and tweek the rules so it’s not Australian Football but Australian Union .

Just like Rugby League and Rugby Union

And it did nearly happen in the VFL-VFA war….

 

[masai tu]

There is no viable option for a ‘reserves’ Eagles team to truly work without being at the will of the other WAFL clubs and the league itself. In short, they don’t want the Eagles in the league and will be happy when they are gone. Much like Port, the feeling is very mutual.

A national reserves comp is required because the state leagues want to be state leagues, not feeder/reserves comps for the AFL - which has been pretty firmly established for many years in WA and SA.

The additional travel isn’t ideal but there is no other way forward. It’s a professional sporting league, players can get their head around travel.

In relation to the WAFL, for many years it worked quite successfully as a feeder comp for the AFL sides, whilst having a very competitive competition.

The goalposts changed when the AFL teams thought they could do better by going alone. One team (after teething problems) came up with a relatively successful arrangement, the other team struggled ....... badly.

Travelling at a reserves level ?, that is a big burden as some weekly player “add on’s” may be required.

Have the AFL clubs really researched all the alternatives, or are they pigheaded and want their way or the highway ?.

 

[yodellinhank]

We had that in the past and it didn’t work. It’s very hard to have a state league that stands on its own two feet when there’s 10 AFL reserves teams in a seperate competition who are using anything up to 15 non-AFL listed players every week.

It worked for almost 100 years. And that was with smaller population and poorer transport.

The VFL/AFL started the process of crushing the VFA over 40 years ago, to the point where there’s only a few clubs left - and some of them are tremendously weak. To think it can be reconstituted now as a standalone league is a huge leap.

Yep. The AFL crushed the VFA. And has had a decent go at the SANFL and WAFL also. Doing their best to kill local footy, though that's through mismanagement more than anything.

I agree Port are making noise to try to make it happen, but whether the wishes of one club will lead to a major restructure of football in Victoria is another question. I would say it’s more likely that the AFL sits down with Port and the SANFL and tells them to play nice.

That's definitely a possibility.

 

[AussieNick1999]

I didn’t…I said they would form a state league.

The guy I was responding to doesn’t think that is viable due to a complete lack of interest in those clubs.

Frankston more or less represent the entire Mornington Peninsula. We still draw great crowds to our games, especially night games, and the club is actively trying to raise its profile in the community and get more locals to sign up for membership. Really if we can get local fans from the MPFNL to also follow the Dolphins, we should have a pretty strong supporter base.

 

[Altum Volantes]

Frankston more or less represent the entire Mornington Peninsula. We still draw great crowds to our games, especially night games, and the club is actively trying to raise its profile in the community and get more locals to sign up for membership. Really if we can get local fans from the MPFNL to also follow the Dolphins, we should have a pretty strong supporter base.

Sounds good - I would imagine the key to success of a Vic state league outside of the AFL would be embracing pockets of support in specific areas and perhaps even pushing further outside of Melbourne and into the regions.

 

[ohmygewd]

In relation to the WAFL, for many years it worked quite successfully as a feeder comp for the AFL sides, whilst having a very competitive competition.

The goalposts changed when the AFL teams thought they could do better by going alone. One team (after teething problems) came up with a relatively successful arrangement, the other team struggled ....... badly.

Travelling at a reserves level ?, that is a big burden as some weekly player “add on’s” may be required.

Have the AFL clubs really researched all the alternatives, or are they pigheaded and want their way or the highway ?.

All AFL clubs want is control of their players development plan and simple - the cost of running a reserves program with staff is around 500K pa.
One would argue that WA and SA AFL teams entering the current VFL is a precursor of what the cost woud be like flying around the place with Tassie involved...if fact if they AFL is smart, they could trial a draw that is a little more equitable before Tassie hits the AFL.

 

[kane249]

Freo - ticking along nicely with Peel.

Mark Duffield article from October might be of interest to you

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Behind a paywall but the relevant part

Fremantle’s alignment with Peel has been a happier one but Peel have made no secret of their wish to eventually be a stand alone club.
The Thunder have won two flags, lost the grand final this year and were finalists last year under the arrangement but have also endured off field battles. They lost $145,000 in 2022, the third worst financial outcome in a WAFL competition where financial sustainability is an issue for almost every club.
“We have to work through all of that because it has got to be a business decision for us,” the club’s CEO Paul Lekias said earlier this year. “We would love to be stand alone but there is a fair bit that needs to occur for that to actually happen.
“Being an aligned club does have an anomaly. In a sense we are trying to serve two masters. We are trying to do the right thing by Fremantle and trying to showcase our own local talent at the same time.
“The agreement started in 2013 and was due to end in 2018 and it is sort of rolling over at the moment on a notice period, so there is not a fixed agreement.”

So seems a marriage of convenience for Peel, but they would go it alone if they could