From SportsNewsFirst... (thanks to Paul Amy for the tip-off about the article)
http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2012/08/14/new-league-push-f…
RADICAL moves are afoot from Victorian-based AFL power clubs to form their own breakaway reserves competition.
If the bid is successful and wins endorsement from enough Melbourne-based AFL clubs, the new competition could be up and running in time for next season.
The sweeping change to Victoria’s second-tier football landscape is expected to be a front-end agenda item at a full meeting of AFL club chief executives in Melbourne next week ahead of the league’s Round 22.
The breakaway clubs will form a stand-alone, breakaway competition with no affiliation to the existing and declining VFL.
Early details are sketchy but it appears traditional long standing power club Essendon are the prime movers in the radical plan.
Other traditional heavyweight clubs Collingwood, Carlton, Hawthorn, Geelong, Richmond and St Kilda are all believed to be supporting the plan.
Where clubs will get additional players to fill reserves teams from their official AFL lists of 48 players is a major hurdle yet to be ratified by influential organisers of the secession competition.
Prospects of a new reserves league are mounting on the back of growing problems with AFL-listed players playing in the VFL with affiliate teams.
AFL clubs want far greater control of their players at the second tier level in their overall development, welfare and comeback from injury plans.
In recent weeks Hawthorn superstar Luke Hodge played in the VFL at Box Hill and Carlton big man Robbie Warnock returned from injury recovery through the Blues' lower grade.
AFL clubs are understood to be confronting increasingly difficult demands with their affiliate bodies as well as immense frustrations at fixtures and unbalanced playing rosters.
It is understood that AFL clubs from outside Victoria will also be invited to join the breakaway second tier league.
West Coast Eagles and Fremantle are in a battle with their local WAFL competition major stakeholders to have their own reserves teams in the WA league from next season.
Eagles and Dockers management have been steadfastly blocked in their reserves team plan by heavy opposition from all nine WAFL clubs.
Exorbitant costs for weekly interstate travel and accommodation for the two WA-based AFL clubs is understood to be a significant drawback in early considerations to join a second-tier Victorian-based reserves competition.
Costs of West Coast and Fremantle teams travelling interstate each week of a have been estimated in excess of $2million annually, on top of their already extensive football department spending.
The strong South Australian state level authorities have also point-blank refused to consider Adelaide Crows and Port Power reserves teams in their powerful competition.
Eastern seaboard AFL clubs in Queensland and New South Wales only within the past two seasons have joined the new North Eastern AFL and are unlikely to join a Victorian-based second level competition for their reserves teams.
Get stuffed AFL.. How much funding that should be going to the VFL and Football in Victoria will be pulled out to fund this. Hope it falls in a heap.
How can Carlton be dissatisfied with the Northern Blues? What would change? Then what will happen with the Northern Blues anyway? As seeing as they use Visy as well these days!
Preston* and Box Hill will be in all sorts of trouble.
No mention of the Bulldogs either... hmm.
I dont really care what the AFL clubs do.
The current VFL (sic) is a sick joke for ALL concerned and if the breakaway happens it might be a blessing in disguise for the former VFA clubs.
It might mean some clubs go to the wall for allowing their AFL affilliate club to take them over but thats the cost of lazyness.
The rest would have to live within their means and maybe invite teams that dominate other local comps to join them in a new comp divorced from the AFLs dominence in Victoria.
A new comp would be of interest to Foxtal I would suspect as they are always looking for new ways to fill their many sports channels.
word on the street is that the Willy v northern blues development league match nearly didn't happen on Saturday due to the bulldogs wanting to terminate the alignment immediately.allegedly the president down barkly st way not a happy camper with the upstart vfl team wanting to control their own destiny. wiser heads prevailed (dogs coach & Willy hierarchy) and the agreement will last until the end of September. then it is every team for themselves.
AFL SCUM
AFL breakaway comp won't happen in 2013. Footscray are broke and would be lucky to pay for a packet of twisties. Melbourne can't play at the MCG, Hawthorn at Glenferrie Oval are about as much chance as of Fitzroy playing University in the AFL in 2014 season. Dragging players for top ups or a larger list of players also won't happen as it costs $$$. Wouldn't not surprise me that a pigheaded Essendon is looking at a breakaway comp.
In 2014 I am not sure what the afl will resemble. Maybe the afl reserves will reappear. If it does I will have no interest whatsoever in an afl reserves comp and will not attend any game. Would love to see the old VFA clubs band together and drag some strong suburban and bush clubs and restart the VFA.
Great that the WAFL and SANFL have refused the AFL teams (eagles, dockers, crows and power) their own reserves sides. SO THEY SHOULD. Wish the old VFA had some balls. The AFL and Demetriou are control freaks and will like to run everything. Good to see the Cricketers say no to the MCG for Demetriou Cronies in early/mid March. Demetriou you clown the MCG stands for Melbourne CRICKET GROUND. It was cricketers that started Australian Rules back in the 1850s.
My prediction the current VFL comp will stay as is in 2013 but I am not so sure what will in the 2014 season.
In reply to word on the street is that by gullible
They might have to schedule a Williamstown v Footscray clash for Round one in 2013. TV Ringside !!!
In reply to AFL breakaway comp won't by vfa
The biggest problem to re forming the VFA is most of the passionate supporters and helpers like me in the past are either too old or have given up the current bastardised VFL as a bad joke.
Just look at the pathetic crowds most clubs get now even - the AFL fans dont bother to go in big numbers unless one of their big name players like Nathan Buckley is playing and the game gets a bit of extra publicity from the MSM.
Another thing that happens is that when people stop atternding a particular sport or event they suddenly find there are other pursuits they can follow and its twice as hard to entice them back.
Just look at the Storm RL club in Melbourne they not long ago were averaging 12 - 14,000 per home game that has now dropped to 10,000 even though they are still a top team in the NRL.
They will find in coming years it will be very hard to woo their former supporters back that have dropped off over the past couple of seasons.
The NBA is a case in point they for a period had very good crowds and TV ratings and now even with the new set up and being an Olympic sport are failing to get those sort of crowd levels and interest back.
Be interesting to compare the above article to what was being discussed in 1897, the last time the precious 'elite' spat the dummy.
I've tolerated the alignment with the Bulldogs (and on the whole it hasnt been a bad alignment) but at the end of the day the clubs are bitter rivals dating back to the early 1920's when they played in several grand finals.
Suspect the traditional VFA clubs may need to approach the VAFA, which begs the question - if the AFL clubs do form a breakaway league, who in fact will be running the VFL and looking after the interests of the remaining VFL clubs ? If for example Port and Willy are to continue their 126 year rivallry dating back to 1886, lets hope the traditional clubs are pulling together this once to work out a future.
In reply to word on the street is that by gullible
Dosent surprise me multi millioniare Smorgan stamping his foot down as he is used to getting his way so its great to see WIlly stand up to him.
The sooner the Williamstown FC is shot of this rabble the better!
I cant see any future for Footscray FC, just look at how their supporters are leaving in droves this season and they just dont have the cattle and the money to climb off the bottom quickly
They will have to be propped up by the AFL till this current TV deal runs out then they will either go to the wall or be relocated.
They also have the lowest of all the Vic clubs memberships and that wont get any better next season.