Opinion Why are the interstate teams so bad? How do we fix them?

[JEagle]

It's pretty even in the AFL era when you consider that there are more Vic teams. Well run organisations win flags. It's pretty simple.

My one bug bear is that the game is not truly national and won't be for a long time. This is for two reasons. The first one, will take alot of investment and time, and that is eroding the domination of league in NSW and QLD. The second one, which is linked is a 50 year deal to host the GF in one city. That is shallow thinking and ensures the game remains a regional spectacle. In 50 years aliens could land here and we will still be having the GF in Melb, rather than rotating across all states. The Stadiums aren't yhere yet, but in 10 or 15, they will be. Rotating the biggest game of the year builds grass roots footy, which is what ultimately builds the game.

 

[Coach_Required]

Melbourne based teams have to battle through H&A seasons where they give up home games and play plenty of blockbusters.

They go the hard way and are ready come finals and are happy to win everywhere.

SA/WA, in particular, teams are entitled and think they deserve all these extra advantages...they get gifted top finishes in H&A and then can't handle the heat when challenged come finals.

AFL needs to even up H&A and stop letting mediocre non-Melbourne teams land in top4 spots that they don't deserve.

This 100% same as Geelong, they make a big deal about playing home games but when it comes to the business end of the season get found out.

Got to laugh, for years we keep hearing how MCG games favour Vic teams and the past 2 years have proven it takes more than having home ground advantage so now we are hearing it's free agency's fault.

 

[matthew_s]

Interstate teams coast through the season on home ground advantage only to get found out when it matters.

Nothing to do with where the grand final is played, which I’m sure is what this thread will turn into. It’s an easy excuse.

so home ground advantage matters but the location of the grand final doesnt?

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

so home ground advantage matters but the location of the grand final doesnt?

Different argument.

 

[Blues Man]

I think there definitely needs to be an enquiry.. it most likely is the fixture and the increased travel but something needs to be done

IMO the fix is relatively easy. The administration of the game runs out of Victoria, the officiating/umpire panel for both AFL and State Leagues should be under the auspicis of the SANFL and the judicial/tribunal hearings and universal rule modifications for both AFL and State Leagues should be run out of Perth. This would significantly balance the overall competition from VFL centric to a more truly National focus. We can't continue to have different rules and regs, differences in tribunal and on feild decisions in what are the highest levels in the sport. It might be that some Vic clubs will need to play on in VFL not AFL. As for Port Adelaide and The Crows, they have no real structure in SA Football, currently relying entirely on the draft recuiting system. They should be allowed to play any of their SANFL top ups at AFL level.

Quite frankly the final last night between Port and WB was a complete shambles, if you were and outsider looking in for the first time. good luck to you if you could remotely follow any of the rules, there didn't look like there were any from where I was sitting. Players just throwing themselves in wrecklessly, although I will admit bravely, with the only intention to muck up the skill level of the game and breaking every conceivable rule in the process. Good win and best of luck in the GF to WB, but as a specticle of the highest level the game failed to produce.

 

[KeilorUnder9s]

I love the irony of this being brought up when the last 4 Vic sides to compete in the GF will have forgotten what their bedrooms at home look like in doing so.

Keep punching with that victim complex “other” states.

 

[TigerTime88]

Why'd you use that stat? Stop the year after a 6 year streak of non-vic sides winning the premiership? I guess 8 of 20 was too proportional to the number of vic vs. non vic sides in the comp?

This quote sums it up.

Interstate teams have had a huge advantage the last two years and done nothing so spare me the Vic bias rubbish.

 

[Blues Man]

It's pretty even in the AFL era when you consider that there are more Vic teams. Well run organisations win flags. It's pretty simple.

My one bug bear is that the game is not truly national and won't be for a long time. This is for two reasons. The first one, will take alot of investment and time, and that is eroding the domination of league in NSW and QLD. The second one, which is linked is a 50 year deal to host the GF in one city. That is shallow thinking and ensures the game remains a regional spectacle. In 50 years aliens could land here and we will still be having the GF in Melb, rather than rotating across all states. The Stadiums aren't yhere yet, but in 10 or 15, they will be. Rotating the biggest game of the year builds grass roots footy, which is what ultimately builds the game.

I think you mean.....it sucks the life out of grass-roots footy? The investment has benn in ....how to save Victorian League Football after the wasteful money spluges in the 1970's 80's on interstate stars that favoured the rich Melbourne clubs and unbalanced the VFL competition.

 

[doppleganger]

This 100% same as Geelong, they make a big deal about playing home games but when it comes to the business end of the season get found out.

Got to laugh, for years we keep hearing how MCG games favour Vic teams and the past 2 years have proven it takes more than having home ground advantage so now we are hearing it's free agency's fault.

Geelong are a non-Melbourne team.

Another who gets a gifted fixture during H&A that sees them continue to finish top4.

They aren't as poor as teams like Port or Brisbane.

 

[Shane Heard]

Because Victoria is better at footy.

 

[Ralll]

A reoccurring theme in a book I read was the Vics have always played/trained on softer grounds leading to more congested/contested gamestyles, where the interstate teams play/train on harder grounds leading to faster uncontested open play, which ultimately doesn't stack up against the tougher Vic teams when matched up against each other.

 

[PhatBoy]

Out of the last 15 years only two non Victorian teams have won the premiership

Why are the Melbourne based teams so much more dominant?

How do we help/fix the interstate teams?

I doubt very much the inability to produce in a preliminary final has a lot to do with geography

 

[Engimal v3]

Everyone knows WA/SA is inferior to Vic. We learnt this at school.

 

[Elmer_Hauser]

Melbourne have not won a flag since 1964 and The Dogs only one since 1954

Maybe interstate clubs should look at their own backyard for their own failings and mistakes, it's not Victoria's fault Port are perennial finals chokers for example..

The league is not perfect but it's far more equitable than the Premier League or most European Football Leagues.

 

[Bald]

Victorian’s are just better at sport.

 

[Tulip]

Did the Bullsogs not just travel to four/five states in a few weeks?

 

[wedgetail]

Victorian’s are just better at sport.

I agree. That's why equalisation measures are really important and need to be added over the summer to help the struggling clubs outside the Victorian centres of excellence.

 

[LoungeLizard]

I agree. That's why equalisation measures are really important and need to be added over the summer to help the struggling clubs outside the Victorian centres of excellence.

Merge all the interstate clubs with Victorian clubs and base the comp in Vic?

 

[wedgetail]

Merge all the interstate clubs with Victorian clubs and base the comp in Vic?

Yeah let's do this. Then when your competition collapses without it's national market we can start a fresh more balanced one. You are an ideas man lizard, now make it happen.

 

[kaiserchief13]

There are way more players who want to move to Victoria - that is the issue. Whether FA or by trade, how many players requesting to go to non Vic teams each year compared to Vic teams?

 

[LoungeLizard]

Yeah let's do this. Then when your competition collapses without it's national market we can start a fresh more balanced one. You are an ideas man lizard, now make it happen.

Do you live in a fish tank?

If you want a fresh start, don't keep leaving it up to the Vics to start it, get of your arses and try it yourselves.

 

[LoungeLizard]

There are way more players who want to move to Victoria - that is the issue. Whether FA or by trade, how many players requesting to go to non Vic teams each year compared to Vic teams?

If this is true, (couldn't be bothered checking) you may have the answer, footballers are happier in Vic, therefore play better footy.

 

[PenfoldsFan]

Anyone who see's no correlation between the inquiry into why Vic clubs were shit in the early 2000's and the following 15yrs is either brain dead or has an agenda.
Question is what were the findings and what were the changes implemented to change it so drastically.

Im sure i'll get flamed for this but heres what i think happened..
First of all it needed to be a quick fix, they werent going to accept another few years of the same.
Enter Geelong, a club that only just had a review of themselves, 12 months later they destroy Port in the GF and their fitness coach makes special mention of his good mate Dank.
How do you take an underperforming team and make them Premiers with a GF defeceit record score, doping.
Theres your instant success, problem solved in 12 months but it couldnt be ongoing, eventually the penny would drop so as ive said before, next step is long term.

Enter 2 new teams and free agency, the ability for 10 Vic clubs to have ready made mature aged recruits at their beconed call, history shows more have gone back to those Vic clubs than between non Vics or rhe other way around.
With 6 clubs outside Vic they couldnt do this with free agency alone as it would leave non Vics seriously depleted and blow outs in the season regular week to week.
Starting up 2 new clubs also compromised the draft whilst filling those extra 80 odd spots with elite talent to pilfer down the track.
It worked, history shows that, but they'll never admit it and with places like BF the only platform its discussed on and a massive outweigh of Vic fans vs non Vic fans it is suppressed or laughed off.

The ONLY way to change the status quo is through the almighty dollar as nothing can compete with that in an entertainment industry tied to memberships, TV rights and merchandise as these are the reasons clubs like Hawthorn, Richmond and now Bulldogs and Melbourne are the first to benefit as they'll draw more of each of those cash streams.

If non Vics want equalisation to level the playing field it must start with restricting the AFL's money streams, stop buying memberships and the AFL will have to spend more to keep the non Vics afloat, they'll be forced to do that as they need 9 games a week for their TV deals, stop going to games, again reduce the clubs revenue and the AFL will have no choice other than to step up for the same reason.

They need us in the comp but whilst we keep injecting money while they win flags it'll never change.

6 years it took for an inquiry into Vic football, 15yrs later and nothing for our struggles and will continue that way unless we do something to make them change their MO.

 

[LoungeLizard]

Anyone who see's no correlation between the inquiry into why Vic clubs were sh*t in the early 2000's and the following 15yrs is either brain dead or has an agenda.
Question is what were the findings and what were the changes implemented to change it so drastically.

Im sure i'll get flamed for this but heres what i think happened..
First of all it needed to be a quick fix, they werent going to accept another few years of the same.
Enter Geelong, a club that only just had a review of themselves, 12 months later they destroy Port in the GF and their fitness coach makes special mention of his good mate Dank.
How do you take an underperforming team and make them Premiers with a GF defeceit record score, doping.
Theres your instant success, problem solved in 12 months but it couldnt be ongoing, eventually the penny would drop so as ive said before, next step is long term.

Enter 2 new teams and free agency, the ability for 10 Vic clubs to have ready made mature aged recruits at their beconed call, history shows more have gone back to those Vic clubs than between non Vics or rhe other way around.
With 6 clubs outside Vic they couldnt do this with free agency alone as it would leave non Vics seriously depleted and blow outs in the season regular week to week.
Starting up 2 new clubs also compromised the draft whilst filling those extra 80 odd spots with elite talent to pilfer down the track.
It worked, history shows that, but they'll never admit it and with places like BF the only platform its discussed on and a massive outweigh of Vic fans vs non Vic fans it is suppressed or laughed off.

The ONLY way to change the status quo is through the almighty dollar as nothing can compete with that in an entertainment industry tied to memberships, TV rights and merchandise as these are the reasons clubs like Hawthorn, Richmond and now Bulldogs and Melbourne are the first to benefit as they'll draw more of each of those cash streams.

If non Vics want equalisation to level the playing field it must start with restricting the AFL's money streams, stop buying memberships and the AFL will have to spend more to keep the non Vics afloat, they'll be forced to do that as they need 9 games a week for their TV deals, stop going to games, again reduce the clubs revenue and the AFL will have no choice other than to step up for the same reason.

They need us in the comp but whilst we keep injecting money while they win flags it'll never change.

6 years it took for an inquiry into Vic football, 15yrs later and nothing for our struggles and will continue that way unless we do something to make them change their MO.

Wasn't it an ex Vic footballer calling for a review?

Where is that footballer from the interstate teams, do they even care?

I like the idea of stop buying memberships, stop going to games, but you may have left it too late, because they will just say cya later and hand your license to someone else.

But give it a try.

 

[Mat Mann]

Anyone who see's no correlation between the inquiry into why Vic clubs were sh*t in the early 2000's and the following 15yrs is either brain dead or has an agenda.
Question is what were the findings and what were the changes implemented to change it so drastically.

Im sure i'll get flamed for this but heres what i think happened..
First of all it needed to be a quick fix, they werent going to accept another few years of the same.
Enter Geelong, a club that only just had a review of themselves, 12 months later they destroy Port in the GF and their fitness coach makes special mention of his good mate Dank.
How do you take an underperforming team and make them Premiers with a GF defeceit record score, doping.
Theres your instant success, problem solved in 12 months but it couldnt be ongoing, eventually the penny would drop so as ive said before, next step is long term.

Enter 2 new teams and free agency, the ability for 10 Vic clubs to have ready made mature aged recruits at their beconed call, history shows more have gone back to those Vic clubs than between non Vics or rhe other way around.
With 6 clubs outside Vic they couldnt do this with free agency alone as it would leave non Vics seriously depleted and blow outs in the season regular week to week.
Starting up 2 new clubs also compromised the draft whilst filling those extra 80 odd spots with elite talent to pilfer down the track.
It worked, history shows that, but they'll never admit it and with places like BF the only platform its discussed on and a massive outweigh of Vic fans vs non Vic fans it is suppressed or laughed off.

The ONLY way to change the status quo is through the almighty dollar as nothing can compete with that in an entertainment industry tied to memberships, TV rights and merchandise as these are the reasons clubs like Hawthorn, Richmond and now Bulldogs and Melbourne are the first to benefit as they'll draw more of each of those cash streams.

If non Vics want equalisation to level the playing field it must start with restricting the AFL's money streams, stop buying memberships and the AFL will have to spend more to keep the non Vics afloat, they'll be forced to do that as they need 9 games a week for their TV deals, stop going to games, again reduce the clubs revenue and the AFL will have no choice other than to step up for the same reason.

They need us in the comp but whilst we keep injecting money while they win flags it'll never change.

6 years it took for an inquiry into Vic football, 15yrs later and nothing for our struggles and will continue that way unless we do something to make them change their MO.