Rate the Standard of State Leagues

[Kram]

The unevenness of the WAFL is a real concern. Reading tips in the paper it is very unusual to find more than 1 tip that is different!

 

[e10pizza]

It has been a more even start to the year for the WAFL but I reckon that the next few weeks will show how uneven the comp really is which is a shame. It seems to me that the returning AFL retirees go to the stronger clubs making the comp even more unbalanced.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

You said you were all ears to a difernet means of identifying the standard. I'm saying the more they are paid, the better the standard....simple

No, I said I was all ears to suggestions for a different 0 point.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

To sum up the NTAFL is entertaining but skills can let down good play. Great to watch when it's not raining. 70 rates it as my favorite to watch.
The VFL is good to watch to see how the AFL listed players are going good skills on display also. 68 rates it as my second favorite to watch.
The SANFL is a good skillful league with some big bodies. 65 rates itas my 3rd favorite league to watch.
Unfortuately for me the WAFL depends on who's playing and I will then watch. Not of the league it used to be which is a shame. Rates 55 for me.

Aside from how entertaining it is to watch, how do you rate the playing standard? Are you suggesting the average NTAFL side would beat the average WAFL side?

 

[e10pizza]

I don't think the average NTAFL would beat an average WAFL side but for entertainment value, flair and a good running game I would watch a NTFL game anyday. Peel Thunder a couple years ago flooded all of their players into the oposition's forward 50 to me that is not attractive footy. Run and gun even with turnovers is much more pleasing to watch.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

On what I've seen
SANFL
VFL
WAFL
(big gap)
NTerrFL
(huge gulf)
After that its all guesswork, but probably
ACTAFL
AFLQ
(yawning chasm)
whatever the Sydney league is called now
There is no TFL, the NTFL and SFL probably rank (in that order) between Queensland and Sydney.

 

[The Joker]

I'd say the WAFL, SANFL and VFL are around the same mark. VFL may be slighlty better due to the greater number of AFL players.

WAFL is SHYTE, One Top team (Would Challenge some AFL teams) and two good teams, the rest are very very ordinary. The WAFL is nowhere near as good as the VFL or SNAFL. They might beat them next week in the state game but all that proves is that they can pick 22 good players out of 500.

 

[raboyle]

The SANFL & VFL are not too different to each other.

Proof? Look no further than the 2005 inter-league clash at Port Melbourne. The only reason VFL would rate higher is because of the AFL alignments though. But in '05 the VFL squad was pretty much pure VFL talent, same as the SANFL team, which made it an even better spectacle IMHO because we were witnessing one league against another as it should be in this day and age, not polluted by the AFL regulars.

The SANFL has the player pulling power for those wanting to play at the highest level they can if the AFL has passed them by, however its reputation as second best competition in the land was hard earned after the Crows went into the AFL. Like WA's Barry Cable once said, it would take a few years for the SANFL to stabilise after the Adelaide Crows went into the big league and he was right.

As well as that? People still turn up in droves to SANFL games, with some clubs commanding big followings. Central District, Port Magpies, North Adelaide all get good crowds... in fact we're hoping for a nice healthy attendance at the Hamra Homes (Elizabeth) Oval this weekend when Centrals and Port face off under its relatively new lighting system. Realistically they're out for 7000, but they're aiming at the big 10.

So SANFL > VFL... but not by a lot, the line between them is very, very thin.

 

[Father Jack]

In the good old days the TFL would knock off the WAFL and SANFL in inter comp games. Obviously it wouldnt now coz it doesnt exist.

 

[Kingpin]

In the good old days the TFL would knock off the WAFL and SANFL in inter comp games. Obviously it wouldnt now coz it doesnt exist.

Amazing really that it was only ten or so years ago that the TFL did beat both the SANFL and WAFL (Westar Rules back then) - admittedly both at North Hobart but still a great achievement nonetheless.

Just goes to show how big the demise has been with Tasmanian football since the late 90's.
The abolishment of the TFL, at the request of the AFL, was the most disgraceful administrative 'blunder' in over 140 years of football played in this state.
It also serves as proof to other major Leagues as to what the consequences are for the code in each zone when the sport is hijacked by ego-driven people purely for their own business and political interests, to feather their own nests and who ignorantly forget about who pays a fair chunk of the bills - the rank and file fan.
Peter Hodgman, Michael Kent and Scott Wade are three of the worst examples.
The number of people attending football matches on a weekend, in the South of the state especially, would now be the lowest it has ever been.
Quite sad really that a place once regarded as a 'jewel in the crown of Australian football' has seen the sport slide so miserably through simply awful administration at local level and complete ignorance by the AFL that the closest thing for many to seeing decent football in Hobart these days is on TV.
The Devils play a number of matches at Bellerive and in years past attracted decent turnouts simply because there wasn't anything else worth watching, but they also polarised the average football fan, often seen by a great many as a haven for arrogant bandwagoners rather than 'real' fans - 'Plastic club - Plastic fans!' was the usual taunt used towards them.
Now, since the alignment with North Melbourne, the Devils have been a rubbish side, the bandwagoners have all dropped off there as well.
What a degrading spectacle it all is now

 

[Warwick]

You are kiding me if you think the Canberra league is close to the AFLQ. I bet half of the people who scaled the leagues, haven't even seen one minute in either of those comps.

 

[BK Eaglesfan]

Sadly of the big 3 I think the WAFL would be running 3rd at present. Even fringe players from the two AFL sides are going back and dominating WAFL football, and the non AFL listed players who are on the same level are guys like Bandy and Anthony Jones who are ex AFL anyway.

I must confess to not having seen a live SANFL game, but when I have seen games on TV it looks a little more 'ferocious' than WAFL footy.

Have been to several VFL games since I moved here, I'd hazard a guess they are slightly better than the SANFL, if only becasue of the greater number of AFL listed players running around. In the SANFL you've got maybe an average of 3 - 5 per team on any given week? The average VFL team (except the non aligned ones) would have anything up to 12 AFL listed players playing week in, week out.

 

[Sherrinator]

You are kiding me if you think the Canberra league is close to the AFLQ. I bet half of the people who scaled the leagues, haven't even seen one minute in either of those comps.

Exactly. I think that the leagues should be rated through the amount of players that continue into the AFL.

Therefore:
VFL
SANFL
WAFL
AFLQ
NTFL
CANBERRA
SYDNEY

 

[Father Jack]

Amazing really that it was only ten or so years ago that the TFL did beat both the SANFL and WAFL (Westar Rules back then) - admittedly both at North Hobart but still a great achievement nonetheless.

Just goes to show how big the demise has been with Tasmanian football since the late 90's.
The abolishment of the TFL, at the request of the AFL, was the most disgraceful administrative 'blunder' in over 140 years of football played in this state.
It also serves as proof to other major Leagues as to what the consequences are for the code in each zone when the sport is hijacked by ego-driven people purely for their own business and political interests, to feather their own nests and who ignorantly forget about who pays a fair chunk of the bills - the rank and file fan.
Peter Hodgman, Michael Kent and Scott Wade are three of the worst examples.
The number of people attending football matches on a weekend, in the South of the state especially, would now be the lowest it has ever been.
Quite sad really that a place once regarded as a 'jewel in the crown of Australian football' has seen the sport slide so miserably through simply awful administration at local level and complete ignorance by the AFL that the closest thing for many to seeing decent football in Hobart these days is on TV.
The Devils play a number of matches at Bellerive and in years past attracted decent turnouts simply because there wasn't anything else worth watching, but they also polarised the average football fan, often seen by a great many as a haven for arrogant bandwagoners rather than 'real' fans - 'Plastic club - Plastic fans!' was the usual taunt used towards them.
Now, since the alignment with North Melbourne, the Devils have been a rubbish side, the bandwagoners have all dropped off there as well.
What a degrading spectacle it all is now

Yes, what a terrible idea it was to make Tasmania the Kangas reserve side. It was embarrassing enough that a team named after the state was playing in the VFL to begin with. I would personally have preferred to see North Launceston or Clarence in there. Mind you, I would still have wanted to see Clarence get belted, but you know what I mean.

 

[Big Scottknowsall]

No, I said I was all ears to suggestions for a different 0 point.

Ok, well the least salary cap is 0 - and then work the ratio up to 100 for AFL....we're never goinbg to agree here are we?

 

[Mancey]

Exactly. I think that the leagues should be rated through the amount of players that continue into the AFL.

Therefore:
VFL
SANFL
WAFL
AFLQ
NTFL
CANBERRA
SYDNEY

Thats a good a measure as anything i guess. Going by the last SANFL v WAFL match in adelaide last year, i think there was only about 15 points in it. Taking home ground advantage into consideration, the 2 comps are pretty level at the moment.

Using salary's of different leagues doesnt work for me. Hell, many blokes in WA country leagues get paid more than WAFL players

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Ok, well the least salary cap is 0 - and then work the ratio up to 100 for AFL....we're never goinbg to agree here are we?

Well, at least that suggestion makes some sense in the context of the thread question.

 

[lookkg386]

If the best team from each comp played eachother this is how I see it (please excuse me if don't use what you believe is the best team in each state!!)

Sandringham would beat Central Districts by 7 goals
Central would beat Subiaco/ Claremont by 4 goals
Subiaco/Claremont would smash any other team in NT/QLD/ACT/TAS by 10+goals.

 

[The Royal Sampler]

Any changes in people's thoughts after the VFL defeated the WAFL by > 100 points on Saturday?

 

[Kingpin]

Must admit, I've never been all that impressed by the skill level of the WAFL when I've seen it on ABC2, I won't go out of my way to watch it.
Reminds me a lot of watching the mid-90's Statewide League teams that were not quite finals contenders, but better than the genuinely crappy sides of that era.
Much prefer to watch the SANFL where there seems to be a genuinely pumped crowd - actually A crowd - and the players seem to get stuck in and the atmosphere is many, many times better.
Would be interesting to watch the SANFL up against the VFL, I would expect a much better contest.

Shows how bad Tasmania's 'major' leagues - and I use that term loosely - are these days.
Neither the SFL or the NTFL would get within 225-250 points of that VFL side.

 

[rangermcdee]

If the best team from each comp played eachother this is how I see it (please excuse me if don't use what you believe is the best team in each state!!)

Sandringham would beat Central Districts by 7 goals
Central would beat Subiaco/ Claremont by 4 goals
Subiaco/Claremont would smash any other team in NT/QLD/ACT/TAS by 10+goals.

I might be biased cause I am a centrals supporter..... but the doggies would give sandie a good run for thier money (may even win.... shock horror!). It was not all that long ago that people were considering Centrals the best team outside the afl..... but like I said, I'm biased .

 

[dockshark]

If the best team from each comp played eachother this is how I see it (please excuse me if don't use what you believe is the best team in each state!!)

Sandringham would beat Central Districts by 7 goals
Central would beat Subiaco/ Claremont by 4 goals
Subiaco/Claremont would smash any other team in NT/QLD/ACT/TAS by 10+goals.

Interesting that you think this, have you watched any centrals games recently, they are awsome and i think potentially the best state league side that i have ever watched. if you think that sandringham are 7 goals better than centrals then i think you need to take off you're melbournite pro victorian hat and try to be objective. Centrals vs Sandringham would be an awsome game and something that SANFL/VFL should organise for post season..i know i would go.

 

[dockshark]

Having lived in all three states and watched a fair bit of all 3 leagues live........I am conviced that SANFL is the best quality and best to watch, followed closely by VFL with WAFL off the pace (as much as it pains me to say this being from WA.but i speak the truth). So........

AFL-100
SANFL-75
VFL-70
WAFL-60

 

[MaccasNeighbour]

I would be interested to know the average of SANFL players versus VFL, I'm guessing it would be older in the SANFL.

The competition seems to attract a number of of ex-AFL players from interstate as it pays reasonably well. With only 9 teams the talent isn't spread out too thin.