No Confidence in the AFL

[Papernick]

I am losing faith in the AFL's vision of a truly national competition. The Vic centred bias seems to have strengthened in recent years, particular under Gillon's watch, not diminished.

The Academies in the Northern States were a great (though long overdue) initiative to increase the quality of coaching in the 10-18 year old age group right across those two states, with an increased contribution of elite talent being just one desired outcome. Greater participation at all levels (as the lift in quality filtered down to the sub-AFL tiers and beyond) was just as important, as was giving these clubs as way of connecting with young players and their families regardless of whether these young players went on to become AFL quality players.

Yet we saw the benefits watered down within a few short years, with the Giants' zone in southern NSW diluted and restrictions on how many players could be drafted. At the time the Giants' zone was cut, Gillon commented that he didn't understand why players who fell into the TAC Cup zone were ever eligible. I don't totally disagree with that, but the AFL then proceeded to give Victorian clubs priority access to indigenous and multi-cultural players who all fall into the TAC Cup and private Melbourne school zones. I don't think there has been much real impact of these concessions (yet) but just their introduction smacks of concessions to the Victorian clubs based on no actual contribution to the growth of the game and development of talent.

And over the last few years, two new stand-alone, potential "marquee" fixtures have been introduced into the calendar - ANZAC Eve and Good Friday. There was lots of discussion over many years about Good Friday football and, aside from the "religious considerations", one of the reasons for not having football on that day was that the C7 Children's Hospital Appeal was an integral part of the day in Victoria and they didn't want to detract from that. Fine, but there are four other major population centres in Australia with AFL teams for whom the C7 appeal is not relevant, so why not play football in another state on that day. But just as soon as they got over the religious considerations, they go and establish yet another stand alone game on that day featuring two Victorian teams.

I have no idea how the fixed ANZAC Eve fixture crept onto the calendar. But now it too seems set to stay and again, it's between two Victorian sides. What was wrong with giving Freo, say, the chance to feature in such a fixture. I think they were lobbying the AFL for many years for a second ANZAC day game, something the AFL resisted. So why not give them (or Port) the chance to host the ANZAC Eve fixture every year if any club is going to get a mortgage on certain fixtures?

The news of contract to extend the MCG's stranglehold on the GF really comes as no surprise. To me, it's not purely about where the GF is played (and clearly the size of the MCG provides lots of reasons to play the GF there). It's more that a back room deal has been brokered by the Melbourne clubs, establishment, government and AFL without any open discussion about whether it's in the best interests of the broader competition.

That�s a great intelligent and well considered post unlike some of the others in this thread.

I personally don�t have a great issue with the MCG keeping the Grand Final. It�s an iconic venue on the world stage and I like the tradition of having to win on the bbiggest stage of all.

And from a Victorian perspective it certainly makes good politics and the proposed injection of $500m into the football industry (albeit in Victoria) would be hard to knock back.

Having said that I agree 100% with the rest of your post.

Scheduling is a massive issue and I believe the interstate teams should get at least three away games, preferably four, at the MCG and increased access during the week for those games.

If there�s any further watering down of the academy system then we should just walk away from that system. It�s the only thing that gives us a fighting chance but you just know that when we draft Blakey this year that the squealing will start again and that eventually as soon as the system really statts working that it will be disbanded. And that will be the day I walk aaay from the code.

The only thing coming out of this is that seems to have galvanized all non Vic clubs and perhaps all 8 of us can now stand together on this issue.

[mcs]

All this while they continually hike ticket prices and consequently lock those less fortunate out of the game. Their chief reason for existence is to make the sport more accessible, not less.

Ticket prices are ridiculous at some grounds. We are having a weekend in Brisbane for the lions game and wanted a ticket on the top tier. The ga/telstra thanks tickets are all bottom level, and we bought the top tier cheapest tickets at around $55 each - there were even more expensive tickets beyond that. Pricing in melbourne for decent reserved seating is getting damn steep too. The $$$ while annoying for me and the better half arent a material concern - but god they must stop a lot of more casual fans going to the footy.

[Boddo]

I am losing faith in the AFL's vision of a truly national competition. The Vic centred bias seems to have strengthened in recent years, particular under Gillon's watch, not diminished.

The Academies in the Northern States were a great (though long overdue) initiative to increase the quality of coaching in the 10-18 year old age group right across those two states, with an increased contribution of elite talent being just one desired outcome. Greater participation at all levels (as the lift in quality filtered down to the sub-AFL tiers and beyond) was just as important, as was giving these clubs as way of connecting with young players and their families regardless of whether these young players went on to become AFL quality players.

Yet we saw the benefits watered down within a few short years, with the Giants' zone in southern NSW diluted and restrictions on how many players could be drafted. At the time the Giants' zone was cut, Gillon commented that he didn't understand why players who fell into the TAC Cup zone were ever eligible. I don't totally disagree with that, but the AFL then proceeded to give Victorian clubs priority access to indigenous and multi-cultural players who all fall into the TAC Cup and private Melbourne school zones. I don't think there has been much real impact of these concessions (yet) but just their introduction smacks of concessions to the Victorian clubs based on no actual contribution to the growth of the game and development of talent.

And over the last few years, two new stand-alone, potential "marquee" fixtures have been introduced into the calendar - ANZAC Eve and Good Friday. There was lots of discussion over many years about Good Friday football and, aside from the "religious considerations", one of the reasons for not having football on that day was that the C7 Children's Hospital Appeal was an integral part of the day in Victoria and they didn't want to detract from that. Fine, but there are four other major population centres in Australia with AFL teams for whom the C7 appeal is not relevant, so why not play football in another state on that day. But just as soon as they got over the religious considerations, they go and establish yet another stand alone game on that day featuring two Victorian teams.

I have no idea how the fixed ANZAC Eve fixture crept onto the calendar. But now it too seems set to stay and again, it's between two Victorian sides. What was wrong with giving Freo, say, the chance to feature in such a fixture. I think they were lobbying the AFL for many years for a second ANZAC day game, something the AFL resisted. So why not give them (or Port) the chance to host the ANZAC Eve fixture every year if any club is going to get a mortgage on certain fixtures?

The news of contract to extend the MCG's stranglehold on the GF really comes as no surprise. To me, it's not purely about where the GF is played (and clearly the size of the MCG provides lots of reasons to play the GF there). It's more that a back room deal has been brokered by the Melbourne clubs, establishment, government and AFL without any open discussion about whether it's in the best interests of the broader competition.

The utter contempt shown to non-Victorian supporters is shown in all its glory in that contract extension. It took me a while before I finally accepted that it�s only a national competition in name.


It�s like history repeating itself when it comes to a select few clubs manipulating outcomes like when the Hawthorn & Carlton Presidents manipulated the vfl zoning areas with the promise of alternating zones for everyone that never eventuated. Both clubs went from jokes to world beaters in a matter of time. But in the long run that type of manipulation nearly destroyed the VFL.

Look I�m not saying do what I did n walk away from it cause that�s up to everyone to decide what makes them happy and I truly hope you all enjoy the ride but I�m a lot lot happier and have a considerable amount of extra money with my Australian Rules intake now. I�ll watch Sydney on Friday as I have nothing on that night but I�m honestly more looking forward to our home game next Sunday.

Cheers

[Danzar]

That�s a great intelligent and well considered post unlike some of the others in this thread.

I personally don�t have a great issue with the MCG keeping the Grand Final. It�s an iconic venue on the world stage and I like the tradition of having to win on the bbiggest stage of all.

And from a Victorian perspective it certainly makes good politics and the proposed injection of $500m into the football industry (albeit in Victoria) would be hard to knock back.

Having said that I agree 100% with the rest of your post.

Scheduling is a massive issue and I believe the interstate teams should get at least three away games, preferably four, at the MCG and increased access during the week for those games.

If there�s any further watering down of the academy system then we should just walk away from that system. It�s the only thing that gives us a fighting chance but you just know that when we draft Blakey this year that the squealing will start again and that eventually as soon as the system really statts working that it will be disbanded. And that will be the day I walk aaay from the code.

The only thing coming out of this is that seems to have galvanized all non Vic clubs and perhaps all 8 of us can now stand together on this issue.

A good response, except for your opening line (in bold above). I'm not liking the way you keep having a dig at the quality of other people's posts or the traits of the posters themselves. You don't need to do this, you can disagree constructively or say nothing. '

Otherwise, you make a good contribution here, so please 'let's all be friends' as they say.

[Danzar]

The whole structure of the fixture is rooted too. Only one home twilight game (already played v Port) one home day game (Rd 18 v GCS), the rest are night games. I've met a number of people at home games over the years who travel a very long way with families to get to the footy, and will book a hotel if it's a late one. That works when there's only a handful of night matches, but is punishing when it's not, even more so with Thursday and Friday night games.

Is this part of those 'changes' we're seeing from broadcast rights, as suggested in the article?

[Ludwig]

I'm not a pro wrestling fan. I have the AFL instead, and I imagine that I think of it the same way as pro wrestling fans think of their sport. You know it's a fix, but it's still entertaining. You just pretend that it's real.

I would love the Swans to win another premiership, but just getting the GF is like a premiership for a Victorian team. I want to see the Swans play high quality entertaining football and get as high up the ladder as possible. I won't let myself get too emotionally invested in the premiership cup.

Noam Chomsky wrote a book called Necessary Illusions. It would have been a good title for a book about the AFL.

[Blood Fever]

Marx called Religion the opiate of the people. Another good title for a book on AFL, especially in Victorian bookshops!

[barry]

Do you have a reference you can point? Easy to make slanderous allegations with no backup

Slanderous?. Are you serious?.
It was in qld Sunday mail newspaper, in an article about all qld stadiums.

[mcs]

The whole structure of the fixture is rooted too. Only one home twilight game (already played v Port) one home day game (Rd 18 v GCS), the rest are night games. I've met a number of people at home games over the years who travel a very long way with families to get to the footy, and will book a hotel if it's a late one. That works when there's only a handful of night matches, but is punishing when it's not, even more so with Thursday and Friday night games.

Is this part of those 'changes' we're seeing from broadcast rights, as suggested in the article?

Yeh I agree. Part of it is definitely increased popularity for our club, but the balance just isn't there this season in our draw. We usually come up for 5 homes games a season (I have an 11 pass membership to keep premiership club, while my wife and our good friend have country five) from Canberra, but this year probably will only make 3 or 4 of them in the end (the two arvo games are weekends where other events are already on ). I am all for better outcomes for our club commercially, but the fixture needs a better balance.

And that's without even going into the argument around it being a 'fixture' and not a 'draw'...

[barry]

There was an interesting exchange on footy classified a week or so back between Judd ( on board of Carlton) and the panel. Two things caught my ear:

1) Carlton are advertising a role on seek.com.au. the other panelists couldn't believe it. There disbelief reeks of the old culture of jobs for the boys, rather than opening it up to outside football through seek.

2) Judd also responded to a management question with " have you played at the highest level" to hutchy or Caro as a way to shut them down. This again emphasises the closed insular mentality of AFL. Jobs for the boys. What qualifications does kicking a football have for management or sitting on boards Mr Judd?

[Ludwig]

Here's an article in the Age which also says the AFL is unfair and don't expect that to change: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...=rss_sport_afl

There's a bigger hurdle for some to jump over than others. That's just the way it is.

The good news is that there is likely to be a new venue for the 2058 Grand Final, but it will still be in Melbourne.
Attachment 2134

[crackedactor]

Face it all the non-Victorian clubs are there for one reason n one reason only, to make money for the Melbourne clubs.

Perfect example is this article

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/afl/ins...13-p4z9jq.html

The whole contract for the premier game of the year to determine the best side of the year was used to allow Victorian clubs to gain a few bucks.

Ahh well I�m happy I watched my local sides game yesterday n had a ripping time.

As for Sydney I still have a big soft spot for them n if they are on tv n I�m home I�ll watch but what I�ve seen of the AFL over the last 4 years has totally destroyed my love for that league.

The added bonus was that everything I cancelled due to losing interest in AFL has saved a lot of money.

Hope you all enjoy the season. Cheers

Agree 100 percent. My story is the same. Play grand final on your home ground and know if the game is close you will get at an extra 10-12. Free kicks. Yes it happens every time! Vic clubs always get the Anzac Day games, good Friday game, nearly all Friday night games. Great for revenue. I was a Swans member last yea r but decided not to continue because that would be saying I support the corrupt Gil mcg. I just hope one day the rest of Australia have a breakaway league and the vic clubs can go back to their VFL days again.


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