You have to also acknowledge that the RDFL was extremely poorly run back in the two division days. It was a bush league but the big clubs were spending more cash than the league itself turned over.
These days right across the board it's different, with paid administrators and staff and things are run much more professionally.
From the mid-90s, the "Riddell District" which spanned from Kilmore to Melton, has grown substantially. Each town has increased its population quite significantly.
A two division comp could work with the support of the heartland clubs. However, there would quickly be a divide between the two in terms of strength and I would be concerned that some clubs would simply fold in division two.
Not wanting to take a stab at any club in particular, but if say Wallan is struggling to recruit talent in the current competition, how the bloody hell is it going to recruit in a second division comp?
In those metro comps where there are three divisions, you often see the mercenaries come out to play at the lower end because they know the clubs are desperate to get anyone decent and therefore they can command a higher price.
The other issue I can see, and it happened a bit with Gisborne in the old days, is that a club like Riddell will be in division one and they'll simply go knocking on the doors of the good players from RDFL second division clubs, with the promise of some cash and the chance to play at the top level.
Second division footy just isn't sexy and selling it to those bottom clubs will be tough.
Without being a frequent face at games for a couple of years, it's hard to form a definite opinion, but it seems the league is doing OK as it is. The eastern clubs need to improve as I think the league needs one of Kilmore, Broadford or Wallan to lift the standard.
A strong Kilmore side will have a flow-on effect to Broadford and Wallan and vice-versa.
At the moment, the most aggressive clubs are the clubs playing finals. You can sit back and whinge about the tactics of Romsey or Riddell or Sunbury, or you can see that those clubs have winning as the priority.
A few others should take this on board.
These days right across the board it's different, with paid administrators and staff and things are run much more professionally.
From the mid-90s, the "Riddell District" which spanned from Kilmore to Melton, has grown substantially. Each town has increased its population quite significantly.
A two division comp could work with the support of the heartland clubs. However, there would quickly be a divide between the two in terms of strength and I would be concerned that some clubs would simply fold in division two.
Not wanting to take a stab at any club in particular, but if say Wallan is struggling to recruit talent in the current competition, how the bloody hell is it going to recruit in a second division comp?
In those metro comps where there are three divisions, you often see the mercenaries come out to play at the lower end because they know the clubs are desperate to get anyone decent and therefore they can command a higher price.
The other issue I can see, and it happened a bit with Gisborne in the old days, is that a club like Riddell will be in division one and they'll simply go knocking on the doors of the good players from RDFL second division clubs, with the promise of some cash and the chance to play at the top level.
Second division footy just isn't sexy and selling it to those bottom clubs will be tough.
Without being a frequent face at games for a couple of years, it's hard to form a definite opinion, but it seems the league is doing OK as it is. The eastern clubs need to improve as I think the league needs one of Kilmore, Broadford or Wallan to lift the standard.
A strong Kilmore side will have a flow-on effect to Broadford and Wallan and vice-versa.
At the moment, the most aggressive clubs are the clubs playing finals. You can sit back and whinge about the tactics of Romsey or Riddell or Sunbury, or you can see that those clubs have winning as the priority.
A few others should take this on board.
