Crowds, what's needed to get them back to the VFL(VFA)

[MegaA]

Can I just say that for you to post this to reply to a thread after it’s been dormant for nearly 15 years is absolutely magnificent.

And first met that Bobby Borough bloke only about 7 years after he posted his comment - a true Port Melbourne fan that has left his mark on the club. With that said see you in another 15 years ! Have a good day, week, month year and decade - I'll be back in 2037 (God willing) - a few years before retirement !

 

[Mr north man]

1st thing to do for the VFL or NEAFL comp name or whatever it goes by these days is put out a fu:king draw it’s the 3rd week of January and nothing it’s a disgrace .
The so called lower level competition run by the AFL is a disgrace no draw no idea treating supporters like garbage.
The only winners out of football in the last 2 years are the cry baby WAGS and there snot nosed kids while the rest of us suffer as the WAGS get to live the high life.
I can see if this latest strain of Covid hangs around and if this new strain that is in the Middle East hits Australia then it will another 12 months of pain for all supporters but as long as the WAGS and there kids are alright then we may get some sort of season underway after all they run the AFL thru Patrick field .

 

[SeaSide]

1st thing to do for the VFL or NEAFL comp name or whatever it goes by these days is put out a fu:king draw it’s the 3rd week of January and nothing it’s a disgrace .
The so called lower level competition run by the AFL is a disgrace no draw no idea treating supporters like garbage.
The only winners out of football in the last 2 years are the cry baby WAGS and there snot nosed kids while the rest of us suffer as the WAGS get to live the high life.
I can see if this latest strain of Covid hangs around and if this new strain that is in the Middle East hits Australia then it will another 12 months of pain for all supporters but as long as the WAGS and there kids are alright then we may get some sort of season underway after all they run the AFL thru Patrick field .

The Eastern Football League is arguably the strongest and well-run professional league in metropolitan Melbourne.

Should the combined former VFA clubs, now 2nd rate citizens in the VFL approach the EFL, and if accepted to join, could encourage other powerful district clubs to seek admittance.

This could be the beginning of a pseudo VFA, perhaps the ‘VSFA’.

Just thinking.

 

[Mr north man]

The Eastern Football League is arguably the strongest and well-run professional league in metropolitan Melbourne.

Should the combined former VFA clubs, now 2nd rate citizens in the VFL approach the EFL, and if accepted to join, could encourage other powerful district clubs to seek admittance.

This could be the beginning of a pseudo VFA, perhaps the ‘VSFA’.

Just thinking.

Worth considering

 

[Mr north man]

Worth considering

As a No SFNL clubs are involved as I watched St.kilda city vs St Paul’s and both sides would lucky to get within 6 goals of North Ringwood.

 

[eth-dog]

As a No SFNL clubs are involved as I watched St.kilda city vs St Paul’s and both sides would lucky to get within 6 goals of North Ringwood.

6? Try 15. Top level SFNL is the equivalent of Prem C VAFA. EFNL and NFNL are the best paid leagues.

 

[Rickee]

My idea is to split the VFL into two divisions: an division featuring all Victorian, NSW and Qld based AFL clubs reserves and a division with all existing stand alone VFL clubs. You would have to convince Hawthorn, Melbourne and St Kilda to break away from Box Hill, Casey and Sandringham and extend an olive branch to North Ballarat or another country team to even up the numbers. AFL players not selected in the reserves can be allocated to VFL clubs on a rotational basis.

The divisions can each play thier own set of finals, leading up to a Grand Final between the divisional champions.

Would take desire by AFL Victoria and more money than they are currently investing, but I think it could work

 

[MegaA]

My idea is to split the VFL into two divisions: an division featuring all Victorian, NSW and Qld based AFL clubs reserves and a division with all existing stand alone VFL clubs. You would have to convince Hawthorn, Melbourne and St Kilda to break away from Box Hill, Casey and Sandringham and extend an olive branch to North Ballarat or another country team to even up the numbers. AFL players not selected in the reserves can be allocated to VFL clubs on a rotational basis.

The divisions can each play thier own set of finals, leading up to a Grand Final between the divisional champions.

Would take desire by AFL Victoria and more money than they are currently investing, but I think it could work

What about adding another side let's say Tassie and spliting it into 2 competitions of 11 sides each. Play each side twice and a final 5.

Competitions to be split performance based and promotion relegation between the competitions otherwise you risk some very one sided encounters - nobody wants to see Preston get embarrassed again like the way they did last game of this season.

 

[AussieNick1999]

What about adding another side let's say Tassie and spliting it into 2 competitions of 11 sides each. Play each side twice and a final 5.

Competitions to be split performance based and promotion relegation between the competitions otherwise you risk some very one sided encounters - nobody wants to see Preston get embarrassed again like the way they did last game of this season.

I really like this idea personally. Firstly for giving Tassie a team and secondly I think having two divisions could be good for some of the weaker clubs. None of the standalone Victorian clubs made finals last year and most of them finished pretty close to the bottom (Werribee were highest at 10th, I think.) Having four more AFL reserves teams as well as Southport just makes it even harder for the standalone clubs to get ahead. Obviously it's not impossible for a standalone club to succeed (standalone teams have won premierships since the VFL and AFL became affiliated and Williamstown made the grand final as recently as 2019) but those cases seem to be the exception rather than the rule. I think going back to a two-dvision format is worth considering. It's not like it could make things even harder for the standalone clubs.

 

[SeaSide]

I really like this idea personally. Firstly for giving Tassie a team and secondly I think having two divisions could be good for some of the weaker clubs. None of the standalone Victorian clubs made finals last year and most of them finished pretty close to the bottom (Werribee were highest at 10th, I think.) Having four more AFL reserves teams as well as Southport just makes it even harder for the standalone clubs to get ahead. Obviously it's not impossible for a standalone club to succeed (standalone teams have won premierships since the VFL and AFL became affiliated and Williamstown made the grand final as recently as 2019) but those cases seem to be the exception rather than the rule. I think going back to a two-dvision format is worth considering. It's not like it could make things even harder for the standalone clubs.

With the last placed teams being relegated to their local suburban competition; the grand finalists being promoted to the VFL.
Left field! Won't happen.

 

[MegaA]

I really like this idea personally. Firstly for giving Tassie a team and secondly I think having two divisions could be good for some of the weaker clubs. None of the standalone Victorian clubs made finals last year and most of them finished pretty close to the bottom (Werribee were highest at 10th, I think.) Having four more AFL reserves teams as well as Southport just makes it even harder for the standalone clubs to get ahead. Obviously it's not impossible for a standalone club to succeed (standalone teams have won premierships since the VFL and AFL became affiliated and Williamstown made the grand final as recently as 2019) but those cases seem to be the exception rather than the rule. I think going back to a two-dvision format is worth considering. It's not like it could make things even harder for the standalone clubs.

Thanks Nick. The reason that the stand alones were so inferior in the past season was the restrictive rule of playing 6 players under the age of 22. Now that rule has gone I think that you will see a much stronger Port Melbourne, Williamstown and Werribee. I'm confident Port will be playing finals again with a very busy off season. Additional to that reason, another important factor is that the salary cap has been increased, theirs still room to further increase the cap but its a start.

I think the stand alone clubs do just fine when competing against the AFL reserves. Port Melbourne has played in 4 grand finals since the introduction of the new comp, winning 2, Williamstown 3 grand finals albeit one as a composite with Footscray and Southport one from one season.

It's hard work for the part timers to compete but it has been shown that the David's of standalone can and often do beat the Goliath's.

 

[MegaA]

With the last placed teams being relegated to their local suburban competition; the grand finalists being promoted to the VFL.
Left field! Won't happen.

It is a very good idea, weakest vfl div 2 out and strongest suburban club in after a play off of winners and only if they have the facilities to match but alas just like my two division proposal your correct - it'll never happen.