This is not totally relevant to the Docklands argument but they are issues which have been kind of raised here, so two questions I have,
1) North played at the MCG from mid-80's up to 1999. Why did they move to Docklands in 2000?
2) If North had taken the Gold Coast offer would the AFL still have pursued a team in GWS? You would assume this was a long term goal of the AFL so they still would have gone there but would they have been trying to push a Bulldogs or someone else up there, or would they have just let the idea die on the vine?
FWIW I don't see why at some point in the future some of the traditional suburban grounds couldn't be upgraded to boutique stadiums similar to Kardinia Park. Western Oval should be able to be upgraded as should Princes Park. Vic Park & Moorabbin obviously can't due to the residential areas surrounding the grounds but no reason Western Oval & PP couldn't. Would make more sense than the idea of building a brand new boutique stadium near Docklands over the rail lines.
What you've got to remember is the fluid nature of things around 1998-2000.
North were home at the MCG, but, playing games in Canberra, and then Sydney - - in many cases, hosting Port, or some such side. Back in Melbourne, through much of the '90s, North, and even the Doggies would host interstaters at Princes Park.
So, even for a North to go to Docklands, if Princes Park were still an option for hosting interstaters - then it might not be so bad. Those are the real killer games.
North didn't leap at Docklands - why would they? They had a nice thing going still through '98 of being the MCG Friday night specialists.
So, a few things conspired. The AFL got drawn into the Docklands project by the Govt (and agents of the govt including Graeme Samual who was a foot in both camps re the Docklands precinct and AFL). The AFL got in a fight over broadcast rights with Ian Collins at Princes Park. And other clubs pushed hard to get Friday night games and squeezed North out of both Fridays and the MCG......well, the AFL reserves the right effectively to schedule whom they want, where they want.
And we know the 'end game' for the AFL was to push a North Melbourne either into a merger or interstate.
The Gold Coast option - I thought we should've taken ..... after all, if you go on your own terms of retaining jumper, song, heritage......
But, I much, much prefer the GCFC process (growth via TAC to VFL to senior AFL) and option for the 'good of the game'.
re the GWS, had North taken up the option - - probably, same criteria, 18th team needed and a 2nd one in NSW. And the same external factors such as the A-League and Aust WC 2006 campaign would've still provided urgency.