VFL competition is a mess

[Miguel Sanchez]

Does anyone know why the Roosters are playing the Bulldogs at Simonds Stadium on the 28th of June? Not as convenient as the Swan Hill game next week but nearly just as weird...

Is it a Bulldogs home game? Apparently Footscray are trying to make Simonds a "home away from home"

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

Is it a Bulldogs home game? Apparently Footscray are trying to make Simonds a "home away from home"

That's what they were saying on the coverage.
We play a couple of games down there, one at Highgate in Craigieburn and one in Werribee I think, just because the Whitten Oval isn't ready to host 11 games a year or something like that. I'm not sure of the exact reasoning.
If it's a neutral ground it's probably a fairly safe bet it's a Footscray 'home' game.

 

[ClarkeM]

Is it a Bulldogs home game? Apparently Footscray are trying to make Simonds a "home away from home"

Yeah Bulldogs home game. I think I had heard something like that for the AFL, just didn't hear anything about the VFL.

 

[TheHoneyBadger]

Yeah Bulldogs home game. I think I had heard something like that for the AFL, just didn't hear anything about the VFL.

Clubs using their VFL teams to push their future agendas - Richmond with the inverted clash guernsey, Footscray (!) with games at Kardinia Park

 

[sverik25]

Ideally you would have the VFL (Victorian AFL clubs' reserves) with 10 teams and then the VFA, all of the stand alone teams plus I would love to see Fitzroy and South Melbourne - I know it's probably a pipe dream, but it's fun to consider.

I would have suggested a Preston/Coburg merger given their financial states but then I learned that that would be equivalent of a Carlton/Collingwood merger. Not sure what would have to happen there.

 

[David Schwarz]

Ideally you would have the VFL (Victorian AFL clubs' reserves) with 10 teams and then the VFA, all of the stand alone teams plus I would love to see Fitzroy and South Melbourne - I know it's probably a pipe dream, but it's fun to consider.

I would have suggested a Preston/Coburg merger given their financial states but then I learned that that would be equivalent of a Carlton/Collingwood
merger. Not sure what would have to happen there.

Preston was rorted then sold by Steven Papal, probably the biggest crook to have ever conned his way into the local leagues (ripped the Banyule City Council off of $10 K for refurbishment of Yulong Park that never happened, a week later Bundoora's clubrooms were "robbed", then a week after that he was off somewhere else...). Before then the club was trading well, right up until this scumbag took over. A Carlton boy selling off Preston to Carlton, go figure...

Haha, Coburg and Preston... That would have been fairly interesting , not a particularly huge rivalry in our eyes (the three filthbags Dandy, Sandy and Port had that dubious honour) but I'd imagine there would be a few old, retired warriors that wouldn't wanna stray further down Bell St any more than they should.

Just on that I can't think of a single one of my old Bullants mates that goes to this Northern Blues disaster, especially considering Preston for a long time was effectively a Collingwood sister club owing to the old zonal system. We've all accepted the club we knew it died a long time ago, luckily the Preston Juniors is still going, that's pretty much the antique that sits on your nan's dinner table that no one dares move or ask to move to make way for the spuds and the peas.

Wouldn't be surprised if there was a pre-planned push to force VFA clubs to either fold, merge or step down to the VAFA as the Two Blues did, to be honest.

I still don't understand why they scrapped the VFL/AFL reserves to be honest. Especially in hindsight now that realistically each Vic side will have their own stand alone reserve squad in the next few years (I believe St. Kilda is next year and Carlton is thinking of dropping the Northern moniker and playing out of Princes Park again, if the pub talk around town amounts to anything. But I'm pretty sure a Bluebagger could clarify that here), it just seems to be a ridiculously short sighted decision that has done naught but to destroy a handful of historical, successful and viable clubs.

Good thread by the way, great to see people still caring for the old VFA clubs.

EDIT: On us playing out of Kardinia Park sometimes, I believe that's got something to do with the grass roots participation scheme we've had going since about 2007 or 08 to basically claim anything and everything that's west of Spencer Street. I'd be surprised if it had anything to do with the quality of the pitch at Western Oval, we were voted as having the best turf not too long ago.

 

[Yoda_]

Is it a Bulldogs home game? Apparently Footscray are trying to make Simonds a "home away from home"

Try being an Essendon supporter and going right past ovals like the Western on the way to f****** Highgate "wind tunnel at the best of times" reserve?!

#fml

 

[chargers 09]

This is not true, many of the old Fitzroy fans I know have there own local either VAFA or suburban club which they are aligned to, and see the Fitzroy Reds thing as a bunch of new age hipsters from the Fitzroy area who take there own beers along so they can experience the local football and nothing to do with ex VFL/AFL Fitzroy Lions. I am sure you mean well with your pursuit in the VAFA but you are severely under achieving if your only aim is to be in A grade ammos, when you should be aiming to rejoin the highest standard possible and to give the club relevance again.

1 million dollars, sounds a lot but I know many local level clubs in my comp EDFL that spend almost that much on player payments and is done without having the 'fitzroy' name behind them. I am sure with some lobbying the AFL and Brisbane Lions would get on board and help with a good part of the funding, and would be able to attract some serious sponsors. There is nothing wrong with Brunswick Street Oval as it is, Whitten oval is open to public and they are playing VFL games there now and if it were to host VFL football it all of a sudden becomes easier to get state funding to improve facilities.

A Grade in the VAFA would be the strongest local footy league in Melbourne.

 

[Axel And Guru]

Never will it

Solution.

1. Bring back the VFL with 10 AFL aligned clubs
2. Bring back the VFA

happen. This was all designed to kill the VFA and its clubs. Its worked,VFA clubs have folded,lost their identities, they are all broke no dought. The VFL is on life support waiting for the plug to be pulled. It will revert back to AFL reserves aventually and the old VFA clubs will either die or be spread throughout the minor metro comps. For all the socalled good the AFL have done for footy,how sad will that day be.

 

[IanW]

Just do the AFL reserves competition, and let the VFA be the VFA, the SANFL be the SANFL and the WAFL be the WAFL.

 

[grassrootsfooty]

Just do the AFL reserves competition, and let the VFA be the VFA, the SANFL be the SANFL and the WAFL be the WAFL.

Too simple, it makes too much sense, that would never work!!!!!!!

 

[sverik25]

Too simple, it makes too much sense, that would never work!!!!!!!

I think logistically it's too difficult though, as nice as it would be for state-level competition.

 

[grassrootsfooty]

I think logistically it's too difficult though, as nice as it would be for state-level competition.

MMMMM

NEAFL the poorest league in the land, have NT,QLD,ACT and NSW travelling to their respoective states to compete, but the AFL cant. That also makes no sense!!!!!!!

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Yep would be simple and with the billion dollar TV rights I am sure the AFL can afford it, AFL could expand there lists to include 10-15 rookies, then have the VFA but I reckon they should scrap the VFL/VFA reserves comp as it would suck too many players out of local clubs and doesn't really serve a purpose.

 

[Axel And Guru]

The

Wasn't the VFA in a fair bit of financial strife before the AFL did away with its reserves comp though?

VFL/AFL slowly squeezed the life out of it till there was nothin left to squeeze. Then walked in and took it over.

 

[grassrootsfooty]

Yep would be simple and with the billion dollar TV rights I am sure the AFL can afford it, AFL could expand there lists to include 10-15 rookies, then have the VFA but I reckon they should scrap the VFL/VFA reserves comp as it would suck too many players out of local clubs and doesn't really serve a purpose.

Port are in the GF this week in the SANFL with 19 AFL listed players available and only two top ups required, the majority of the year the would have needed around 8 top ups on average.

 

[radiojake]

Port are in the GF this week in the SANFL with 19 AFL listed players available and only two top ups required, the majority of the year the would have needed around 8 top ups on average.

It's alright - Norwood will smash 'em anyway

but I do feel a little bit sorry for South Adelaide

 

[Stratford]

Never will it
happen. This was all designed to kill the VFA and its clubs. Its worked,VFA clubs have folded,lost their identities, they are all broke no dought. The VFL is on life support waiting for the plug to be pulled. It will revert back to AFL reserves aventually and the old VFA clubs will either die or be spread throughout the minor metro comps. For all the socalled good the AFL have done for footy,how sad will that day be.

The AFL clubs will never pay the costs of a real reserves comp. I have a plan that's good for Aussie Rules but bad for the AFL (they're not the same thing). Victoria deserves its own State comp. That is, the VFL with NO aligned teams.
The AFL players coming back from injury, temporarily out of form, etc. would go to their home comp (VFL, SANFL, WAFL, NEAFL) where they would be randomly assigned to a club for the year. Less control by the AFL club, but if they want control they can pay for a reserves comp.
While I'm here, I've web-searched and can't find anything. How do the premier European soccer leagues or the US NFL handle the reserves grade?

 

[IanW]

The AFL clubs will never pay the costs of a real reserves comp. I have a plan that's good for Aussie Rules but bad for the AFL (they're not the same thing). Victoria deserves its own State comp. That is, the VFL with NO aligned teams.
The AFL players coming back from injury, temporarily out of form, etc. would go to their home comp (VFL, SANFL, WAFL, NEAFL) where they would be randomly assigned to a club for the year. Less control by the AFL club, but if they want control they can pay for a reserves comp.
While I'm here, I've web-searched and can't find anything. How do the premier European soccer leagues or the US NFL handle the reserves grade?

The NFL doesnt have a reserves grade, at all - "scout team" members just practice. Yes, this is dumb.

NBA just set up a D-League, and the smarter teams have already set up an 'affiliate' team in it (dumber ones share an affiliate between themselves).

European soccer depends on the league - reserves players are often to usually sent "on loan" to lesser clubs, and certain teams play their B teams in lower divisions

http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/barca-b/detail/card/history-of-fc-barcelona-reserve-teams

Regarding the costs of a real reserves comp, once you're putting the players on a list as full-time professionals, there arent any important ones. Lets assume a reserves team that flies interstate 12 times a year. In bulk, flight+accomodation is $400, so thats call it five grand in travel costs. This compares to the $60k you are paying the player to be full time.

Similarly, you dont need a good ground to play reserves on, and theres plenty of them around and they're cheap to rent.

 

[grassrootsfooty]

The AFL clubs will never pay the costs of a real reserves comp. I have a plan that's good for Aussie Rules but bad for the AFL (they're not the same thing). Victoria deserves its own State comp. That is, the VFL with NO aligned teams.
The AFL players coming back from injury, temporarily out of form, etc. would go to their home comp (VFL, SANFL, WAFL, NEAFL) where they would be randomly assigned to a club for the year. Less control by the AFL club, but if they want control they can pay for a reserves comp.
While I'm here, I've web-searched and can't find anything. How do the premier European soccer leagues or the US NFL handle the reserves grade?

I actually spoke with the SANFL directly about why the NEAFL could afford to run teams in QLD,NT,ACT and NSW yet the AFL are saying its cost restrictive to run an AFL reserves comp. They advised me the funding to the leagues like the SANFL and WAFL and I presume the VFL is around $1.2 Million but the NEAFL receives $4-$5 million. Surely the NEAFL should run a state based leagues and say given 2-3 million, with this surplus 2-3 Million it could easily fund the reserves comp leaving state leagues to run under their own steam.

 

[chazwazza]

Left field. Are seperate finals worth considering in the VFL? At the end of the minor round the AFL reserves and the stand alone clubs separate and play different finals series'. I know it sounds a bit stupid but there's enough of each in the VFL to make it possible.
The AFL franchises could bastardise it all they want and the stand alone clubs can play finals knowing some knob in power won't screw them over with a dodgey rule. Willing to get howled down but it's a thought.

 

[walhawk]

ABC will no longer telecast meaning it is 7 Mate or nothing.
If it is 7 Mate say goodbye to any non Essendon, Collingwood, Richmond, Blues, Hawks matches being telecast.
Also - the 'VFA' would fold if you took out the aligned/AFL reserves clubs. Only Port and Willi could survive.

 

[Testekill]

ABC will no longer telecast meaning it is 7 Mate or nothing.
If it is 7 Mate say goodbye to any non Essendon, Collingwood, Richmond, Blues, Hawks matches being telecast.

Who knows, maybe Channel 7 will show two games a weekend. Still it's pretty shitty because it's gonna be non-stop ads just like the AFL.

 

[walhawk]

Who knows, maybe Channel 7 will show two games a weekend. Still it's pretty shitty because it's gonna be non-stop ads just like the AFL.

They won't go up against the AFL on their main channel.
Will be 12.30pm either Sat or Sun, or 3pm on the half a dozen Saturday's there is no C7 AFL match.

 

[Chicken Parma]

Will be 12.30pm either Sat or Sun, or 3pm on the half a dozen Saturday's there is no C7 AFL match.

If 7mate's offer consisted of only half a dozen H&A games, AFL Victoria would probably tell them to shove it.

Personally, I thought Nine would be all over this, given how AFL-obsessed they are.