Looks like its all over. !

It certainly tells a tale of where the VFL sits recruiting wise when that is seen as a good recruiting crop. It is sad that so many good players dont want to play in this competition.

The problem is the AFL havent looked after the VFL enough to make and promote it as the next best thing to AFL footy.

If they had set the competition up correctly you wouldnt have local comps being able to even come close to having more cash to pay players then a "local" football side

Thats the problem local kids dont see the "VFL" as being anything much better then local football

But paul, what incentive is there for guys to want to play in the VFL?

Take this fella Irving, I've never seen him play but it sounds like he was a gun at local footy. At Sandy, unless he shines in the praccy games he'll most likely be playing VFL Reserves while some 18 year old trash from St Kilda's list gets games in the seniors unwarranted.

So he goes from playing Saturday arvos, being a cult figure, being well paid and being able to go out with his mates on a Saturday night, to being a small fish, playing Sunday morning all over Metro Melbourne.

The only reason he'd be at a VFL club is because an AFL club would have seen him last year at Seaford and suggested he try VFL if he wants to get drafted.

Dolphinarmy I can confirm that the stand alone teams in the VFL have been told by Football Victoria that the salary cap will only be lifted if clubs have a "very good reason". Work that out, I as a supporter have at least 10 very good reasons.

I agree Footyman, and I would also add that there has been a reduction in the number of delisted AFL players signing at VFL clubs over the past couple of years. As you say, it is really only those who are trying to make it to AFL level, and a few others who aspire to have a VFL career, are making up VFL lists these days.

As a result VFL lists are getting younger and younger, and the competition becomes more of a feeding ground and less of a genuine competition for a premiership.

if local kids aren't aware that most VFL clubs are aligned with an AFL club then I would question their knowledge of football. If they want to be a "big fish" In a local comp and get good bucks then go for it. If they want to play in the 2nd best competition in Australia then they will head for the VFL. It depends on the player and how much he wants to prove himself. If he wants to play in a comp like the EFL and test himself against some ex AFL players who are getting paid a fortune for doing not a lot. Fine. But if he wants to give himself a chance of being drafted then it's more likely to happen at Sandy,Port,Willy etc than say a Balwyn or Noble Park

Burraburger what do Football Victoria expect us to do????

If they want to have another under 18's TAC CUP comp they are going the right way about it. its getting harder to keep the player over 24 interested in playing VFL as the big bucks from Local attract them elsewhere for reason houseloan family issues like this.

Im not trying to stoke the fire VFA and Zebraman but the best thing about not being alinged is the fact that its more of a footy club all the boys get to know everyone the bond together well. Its sad to hear alingned clubs having there players leave because they didnt like some of the AFL players and so forth. The comp would be 10 times better if all the AFL clubs played there own reserves in another comp and the VFL could build back all the riverlys between each other and become the local number 1 comp to watch again

Half alignments are the only way to go under the current structure & conditions.
Best of both worlds, not to mention the huge saving in player payments.
Hard to argue that it doesn't work beautifully for the Roosters.

Dolphinarmy. I too would prefer all teams to be standalone and those rivalries continue. Unfortunately the way the comp is now that won't happen. I'm sure that every person who posts here would prefer a set up like the old VFA days. I reckon the competition is now of a much higher standard than the VFA and AFL reserves was. It's a much younger age comp now as someone else stated. Now is this better or worse than having a lot of ex AFL players at your club playing predominantly for the money? There are quite a few Melbourne players whose only senior premiership will have been with Sandy. Likewise for the north Melbourne players at Ballarat. It's a difficult one with 2 unaligned clubs. As long aa Sandy players run out in the yellow black and blue at Trevor Barker Beach Oval and sing the Sandy theme song then I'll support them. But if they do a Williamstown or Box Hill changing names, songs etc then to quote that great Aussie band Spectrum "I'll be gone"