Expansion The best way to make comp truly National.

[ChrisFooty]

Nexus Helen predicted that St.kilda in 2008 would finish bottom four and below Richmond and Carlton on the Saints board.

Nexus is a very good judge

St.kilda winning should keep Nexus away from the Saints board.

 

[BLUES82]

Nexus Helen predicted that St.kilda in 2008 would finish bottom four and below Richmond and Carlton on the Saints board.

Nexus is a very good judge

St.kilda winning should keep Nexus away from the Saints board.

If she had her way, the saints would never win another flag, purely because she'd wipe out all opposition clubs, thus having no opposition in a GF...dumb mole

 

[Bouvet_Island]

[/list]2 relocated Melbourne sides in Sydney would be an unmitigated disaster.

It would only reinforce perceptions that the game is still primarily a Victorian competition. 1 relocated side is ok as it adds to the local rivalry and gives another reason to support one side over the other.

Well - it is...

 

[walhawk]

Just when this sub-board was starting to improve, NH is back.

Not that a am in favour of relocation / mergers, but, St Kilda would be 3rd in line after Dees & Roos.

The Dees have history & the Roos have soul.

The Saints have neither, but we need crap clubs in the comp. More chance of my club winning a flag.

 

[Headless]

1. Force Melbourne and Footscray to merge to create Melbourne Bulldogs and base them at Whitten oval.
2. Force Hawthorn to relocate to Tasmania.
3. Force North to relocate to Western Sydney.
4. Promote Southport Sharks to the AFL.

16 team comp with teams in every state.....perfect.

North >>> St.Scum

 

[Professor Knowall]

...The two new teams + Tassie do open the way for relocations, but honestly the whole R word and 'merger' will only happen if a team is forced to the wall, like South and Fitzroy.

If it does happen, plebs like us have no say whatsoever, if its already a done deal. ... No team will be forced to relocate or merge by the AFL, only by their club's insolvency. ...

Spot on!

And when things get desperate, Melbourne clubs usually find a way of dodging the bullet - just look at Melbourne's fund rasing night the other night - raised $2.2 million!

So only when a club gets to the stage of being hopelessly in debt, without any hope whatsoever of recovery, will a relocation or merger ever happen.

 

[NeXus_Helen]

Spot on!

And when things get desperate, Melbourne clubs usually find a way of dodging the bullet - just look at Melbourne's fund rasing night the other night - raised $2.2 million!

So only when a club gets to the stage of being hopelessly in debt, without any hope whatsoever of recovery, will a relocation or merger ever happen.

That time for the Dees, Kangas and Bulldogs is drawing nearer and nearer.

 

[blewhismindout]

If worst came to the worst for some of Melbourne's struggling clubs, could they ever be pushed out to regional towns like Bendigo and Ballarat?

Both are close enough to attract people from Melbourne and Geelong, but big enough to grow their own community supporter base.

Geelong has a population of about 180,000, greater Bendigo has just ticked over 100,000 and Ballarat is just on 90,000.

Now I know the Dees are probably in the worst position of the three, but for the sake of convenience, if the Bulldogs relocated to Ballarat then they could remain the Western Bulldogs as Ballarat is west of Melbourne, and you could probably get away with calling a Bendigo based Kangaroos the Northern Kangaroos.

I know it's probably a decade away from even being considered. But I see it as a way that these clubs could retain more of their identity and still allow their Melbourne based supporters to get to the games.

 

[siamang]

That time for the Dees, Kangas and North is drawing nearer and nearer.

STFU. Never post again,ever.

 

[McCrann]

The soul of your club would be consumed by Melbourne.
You'll probably end up with a bulldog on top of the Melbourne jumper, and thats at that will remain of your club.

Exactly.

Like the abomination that is the Wests Tigers.

Balmain has been destroyed by this merger and contributes merely the "Tigers" to the merged entity, the club has been lost completely. There are no Balmain supporters around who now go for this joke of a club, they have been well and truly lost to the game of Rugby League forever.

 

[cos789]

That time for the Dees, Kangas and North is drawing nearer and nearer.

Are you for real ?
The problem of too many clubs in Melbourne is at it's lowest in decades .

The focus is only on Melbourne at the moment and they are starting their
debt removal strategy quite well .That's not to say that this issue wont
return to haunt Melbourne clubs but with the introduction of two new AFL
clubs the inflationary spiral will stall for a while

By the way , what two teams are North and the Kangas ?

 

[Professor Knowall]

If worst came to the worst for some of Melbourne's struggling clubs, could they ever be pushed out to regional towns like Bendigo and Ballarat?

Both are close enough to attract people from Melbourne and Geelong, but big enough to grow their own community supporter base.

Geelong has a population of about 180,000, greater Bendigo has just ticked over 100,000 and Ballarat is just on 90,000...

No, I doubt it this will happen. Greater Geelong has just reached 210,000 - bigger then Ballarat and Bendigo combined. Geelong FC is 149 years old and has strong support throughout Western Victoria.

Ballarat and Bendigo combined are smaller than Geelong, and with no history or tradition of having a VFL/AFL side - the local populations have generations of supporting the existing Melbourne (and Geelong) based sides, and both are (or in Bendigo' case soon will be with the freeway completion) within # 70-80 minute drive to Melbourne, as well as regular fast trains.

Tasmania is a far more attractive relocation option, should it come to that.

 

[blewhismindout]

No, I doubt it this will happen. Greater Geelong has just reached 210,000 - bigger then Ballarat and Bendigo combined. Geelong FC is 149 years old and has strong support throughout Western Victoria.

Ballarat and Bendigo combined are smaller than Geelong, and with no history or tradition of having a VFL/AFL side - the local populations have generations of supporting the existing Melbourne (and Geelong) based sides, and both are (or in Bendigo' case soon will be with the freeway completion) within # 70-80 minute drive to Melbourne, as well as regular fast trains.

Tasmania is a far more attractive relocation option, should it come to that.

The reason I think it could work is that there is a ready made supporter base for the Bulldogs and Kangaroos (or Melbourne) throughout Victoria, and although most locals already support existing clubs, I'm sure both towns would get behind the side as well.

Ballarat and Bendigo really aren't that far from Melbourne, living in Ballarat, I know of many people who live here and commute to the city every day.
I'm sure many people would make the drive from Melbourne or Geelong to see the games, plus I think it would bring back that community vibe that was lost when we got rid of the suburban grounds.

But I agree, it's a long, long way off. It was more of a long term suggestion... At present, Tasmania is a far better option, although much more of the club's identity would be lost.

 

[Black Falcon]

Perhaps the AFL could start increasing the capacity and facilities at Ballarat and Bendigo main ground in readiness for 20 years down the track. Its amazing that Geelong is the only regional team in Vic. 80-100 kms is ok to travel on fast modern trains to get to a game (same distance GC to Bris).

AFL (and govt) have successfully built up Manuka Oval to 15k and Aurora to 20k over last decade(s), so BHMO makes an interesting point.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Because unlike your rabble, we are debt free!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Did you end up paying your creditors those 78 cents in the dollar you still owe them then?

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

what about the territories? every part of the country should be represented if you want a truely national competition ... but then again this topic had nothing really to do with a national competition and everything to do with trying to shit on some teams you don't like.

Excellent point.

The Australian Antarctic Territory Saints playing out of Heard Island sounds good.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

No Vic clubs are going. They tried it once with Fitzroy and the AFL were made to look like scum.

Long term...10 Vic clubs, 10 Non-Vic clubs. Conference System.

Yep, and they have found the bribery aspect won't work either.

 

[Rob]

Perhaps the AFL could start increasing the capacity and facilities at Ballarat and Bendigo main ground in readiness for 20 years down the track.

Why? It's not like Melbourne isn't easily accessible for people there to go to a game.

 

[Docker Clint]

Gold Coast Saints.

Nick Reiwoldt will still be their first captain.

 

[BLUES82]

Gold Coast Saints.

Nick Reiwoldt will still be their first captain.

Will they hafto wait 69 years for their first flag?


"GOLD COST SAINTS - PREMIERS 2080"

 

[Beckers]

1. Force Melbourne and Footscray to merge to create Melbourne Bulldogs and base them at Whitten oval.
2. Force Hawthorn to relocate to Tasmania.
3. Force North to relocate to Western Sydney.
4. Promote Southport Sharks to the AFL.

16 team comp with teams in every state.....perfect.

Good effort, i actually like the Melbourn Bulldogs.......but while you are at it:

St.Kulcha to the Northern Territory. Really, would anyone notice if the Saints were gone?? They are pretty insignificant!
Ninthmond to the ACT



...and there you have it....a truely National competition!

 

[jackster83]

With the GC17 and the West Sydney teams primed to enter the competition in the next 5 years, we would then have an 18 team (10 Vic, 8 non Vic) competition assuming that a current club doesn't fold or merge.

Longer term, there is certainly a case for a Tasmanian team and possibly a third Western Australian team which would make the competition more national and bring the number of teams to 20. The NT doesn't have the population for an AFL team and AFL is not popular enough in Canberra so those 2 states will probably have to make do with a couple of games held there a season as is the case currently.

Some people have raised the point of clubs folding/merging/relocating. Now as much as I dislike them, the big 4 Victorian clubs are going to stick around for a while yet as they have a vast number of supporters. The current non Melbourne teams are pretty successful on and off the field as well. Melbourne, North Melbourne, Bulldogs and St Kilda in that order are probably the 4 most vulnerable clubs at present.

 

[Royal Flush]

. Melbourne, North Melbourne, Bulldogs and St Kilda in that order are probably the 4 most vulnerable clubs at present.

The Bulldogs have a larger debt then NMFC and recieve more funding from ASD, so it would be Melbourne, Bulldogs, NMFC, St.Kilda, Port Adelaide, Richmond, and the Hawks if and when their Tassie deal expires/falls through.

 

[Mickdog]

Its best to go the way we are going and start new teams in both Sydney and the Gold Coast. Eventually a few Melbourne teams will be forced to merge or die. Its whats best for the game. Natural selection

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

Its best to go the way we are going and start new teams in both Sydney and the Gold Coast. Eventually a few Melbourne teams will be forced to merge or die. Its whats best for the game. Natural selection

If natural selection applied, the Swans would have died years ago.