Should the AFL let Essendon fold?

[Hawkk]

We've seen Scottish Football (with a little help from the taxation department) allow Rangers FC (a club that was richer, more famous, successful and powerful than Essendon) to liquidate and reform...

http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1035...ans-reach-a-new-low-as-the-club-is-liquidated
http://www.scotzine.com/2012/06/ran...to-history-the-titles-will-not-transfer-over/

When the inevitable court cases emerge and the compensation claims flow should Essendon be allowed to wind up, cover their dues with a new franchise emerging in their place?

The Bombers FC (est 2018)...sure they'll lose the flags (the last 4 were tainted anyway) but the shameful history and culture that has riddled the club for 145 years will die with it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and it shouldn't be up to the heavy lifters to keep the leggards in the competition

 

[Cmarsh]

Whatever they do, I will here forth be referring to Essendon simply as "guilty".

 

[The Dice Man]

Yes.

 

[Hawkk]

bombersfan4000 would you be willing to support a Bombers FC (est 2018) with the same vigor?

 

[A Cut Above]

No.

It should compel them to.

 

[ChappyUK]

Anyone who truly wants Essendon to fold is not a true fan of the game. IMO.

They tried to cheat and have now been severely punished. However the AFL will be poorer for not having Essendon in the league.

 

[Hawkk]

Fitzroy > Essendon

Didnt stop the AFL allowing one of the true great inner city pillars (along with Richmond, Collingwood and Carlton) from getting pushed out of the league

A Bombers FC (est 2018) will allow for the the 9 games a week on television...if not for the need for 18 licences in the league they probably would have been killed off today anyway

 

[Baldur]

Anyone who truly wants Essendon to fold is not a true fan of the game. IMO.

They tried to cheat and have now been severely punished. However the AFL will be poorer for not having Essendon in the league.

Cannot agree

A 16 team competition would be a much better competition. So Essendon and Geelong should fold. But will not.

 

[Mahlepi]

Anyone who truly wants Essendon to fold is not a true fan of the game. IMO.

They tried to cheat and have now been severely punished. However the AFL will be poorer for not having Essendon in the league.

they cheated the salary cap
they were drug cheats

people need to remember that hird had an amazing recovery trajectory from injury
but alas there was charters

 

[A Cut Above]

Anyone who truly wants Essendon to fold is not a true fan of the game. IMO.

They tried to cheat and have now been severely punished. However the AFL will be poorer for not having Essendon in the league.

I am a true fan of the game, a true fan of The AFL Sans Essendon*.

We all know there's too many Victorian clubs and some will eventually face the chop. Might as well start with one found guilty of systematic drug cheating.

 

[chefmeister]

OP certainly does watch a lot of soccer. But in saying that the AFL stands to lose too much money if Essendon go. This game is by money for money.
It's that simple.

 

[Squibbs]

Will struggle to win 10 games in a season for the rest of my lifetime, glorious

 

[ChappyUK]

I am a true fan of the game, a true fan of The AFL Sans Essendon*.

We all know there's too many Victorian clubs and some will eventually face the chop. Might as well start with one found guilty of systematic drug cheating.

Call me a traditionalist but I don't want to see any team fold. The idea of Melbourne clubs is outdated also Yes their home games are in Melbourne but their fan bases are not restricted to Melbourne. Hawthorn is a good example of this.

I think the league is big enough to cope with the 18 teams.

 

[Hawkk]

The Scottish game survived Rangers liquidating and reforming

The Australian game will thrive in the absence of the club that has disgraced the game on a global scale

Its the inevitably of it all

 

[premiershipvigil]

Call me a traditionalist but I don't want to see any team fold. The idea of Melbourne clubs is outdated also Yes their home games are in Melbourne but their fan bases are not restricted to Melbourne. Hawthorn is a good example of this.

I think the league is big enough to cope with the 18 teams.

Just delaying the inevitable, better to kick them out now before they cause any more damage to our great game

 

[Gray Day]

We've seen Scottish Football (with a little help from the taxation department) allow Rangers FC (a club that was richer, more famous, successful and powerful than Essendon) to liquidate and reform...

http://www.wsc.co.uk/wsc-daily/1035...ans-reach-a-new-low-as-the-club-is-liquidated
http://www.scotzine.com/2012/06/ran...to-history-the-titles-will-not-transfer-over/

When the inevitable court cases emerge and the compensation claims flow should Essendon be allowed to wind up, cover their dues with a new franchise emerging in their place?

The Bombers FC (est 2018)...sure they'll lose the flags (the last 4 were tainted anyway) but the shameful history and culture that has riddled the club for 145 years will die with it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures and it shouldn't be up to the heavy lifters to keep the leggards in the competition

Post some statistics and we might be convinced

 

[ChappyUK]

The Scottish game survived Rangers liquidating and reforming

The Australian game will thrive in the absence of the club that has disgraced the game on a global scale

Its the inevitably of it all

You seem to want every team to fold.

I think you dream of a league where the Hawks just play with themselves.

 

[Speakeasy]

I support the afl helping struggling clubs out, but if essendon does die it's more of a suicide

 

[Stan_Darsh72]

For the sake of the rights deals no.

Unless another club goes in essendons place cause if not the afl will be ****ed because media brought 9 games a week.

 

[NorthernLights]

Anyone who truly wants Essendon to fold is not a true fan of the game. IMO.

They tried to cheat and have now been severely punished. However the AFL will be poorer for not having Essendon in the league.

I disagree. I'm a supporter of my club first and the game second, and it would not make one iota of difference to me if essendon no longer existed. In fact I'd probably barely notice.

I'd generally hate to see clubs fold as North has come close on a couple of occasions, but it is a disgrace that a great club like Fitzroy is no longer in the league while this pitiful *club is. An injustice if there ever was one.

 

[A Cut Above]

Call me a traditionalist but I don't want to see any team fold. The idea of Melbourne clubs is outdated also Yes their home games are in Melbourne but their fan bases are not restricted to Melbourne. Hawthorn is a good example of this.

I think the league is big enough to cope with the 18 teams.

I'm also a traditionalist but a realist when it comes to the prospect of 10 Victorian clubs surviving in a truly national competition. 18 teams is too many in a country of this size, the talent is spread far too thin when spuds like Nick Kommer are getting a regular game. Nor can the AFL realistically add another WA team, or a Canberra/NT/Tassie team until at least one Victorian club relocates/merges/folds.

Yes the Victorian clubs have fans in every state because most have been around for about a hundred years that's true. Still the Melbourne market is overly saturated while other states are underdeveloped. Eventually the AFL will correct that, its just a question of time. It will be a sad day when the next Victorian clubs folds or relocates but if that club happens to be Essendon* it'll soften the blow nicely.

 

[DrEvil_]

Anyone who truly wants Essendon to fold is not a true fan of the game. IMO.

They tried to cheat and have now been severely punished. However the AFL will be poorer for not having Essendon in the league.

I want them suspended for a season instead of this top-up clowns.

 

[Back One Out]

I am a true fan of the game, a true fan of The AFL Sans Essendon*.

We all know there's too many Victorian clubs and some will eventually face the chop. Might as well start with one found guilty of systematic drug cheating.

I don't really endorse this post, but been I've laughing for the past two minutes at your new avatar

 

[premiershipvigil]

I'm also a traditionalist but a realist when it comes to the prospect of 10 Victorian clubs surviving in a truly national competition. 18 teams is too many in a country of this size, the talent is spread far too thin when spuds like Nick Kommer are getting a regular game. Nor can the AFL realistically add another WA team, or a Canberra/NT/Tassie team until at least one Victorian club relocates/merges/folds.

Yes the Victorian clubs have fans in every state because most have been around for about a hundred years that's true. Still the Melbourne market is overly saturated while other states are underdeveloped. Eventually the AFL will correct that, its just a question of time. It will be a sad day when the next Victorian clubs folds or relocates but if that club happens to be Essendon* it'll soften the blow nicely.

Surely Tanner should take a lead from Watson and hand back the licence. What Essendon has done is an international scandal. Bring in Port Melbourne and the game can get back to focusing on the game rather than a club full of drug cheats year after year.

 

[chefmeister]

You seem to want every team to fold.

I think you dream of a league where the Hawks just play with themselves.

Well we all have our favourites we want to see play with themselves so can't really begrudge him for that.