Have come across some interesting views about the VFL by Hawthorn President Ian Dicker, published in the Ballarat Courier last month. I think it shows complete and total ignorance of the VFL on his part.
Quite simply, Ian Dicker has suggested the VFL competition become an Under-23 competition, with only allowances made for AFL listed players over that age.
Here's some of the article's key points:
"Mr Dicker, who has been lobbying Football Victoria on the issue, spoke about the direction he believes the VFL should go at the BFL's season launch. He said Hawthorn's alignment with Box Hill had been an outstanding success. Mr Dicker said Hawthorn had worked to make Box Hill a development team for the Hawks. He said they were not interested in filling the VFL team with ex-AFL players - preferring to recruit more youngsters".
I think Dicker should just worry about his own backyard, we all know how Hawthorn and Box Hill are travelling this year!
Do you support Ian Dicker's views? I'm sure we can get some discussion going here, especially I invite our Box Hill friends to share their views with us.
I think something like an age restriction would be detrimental to the competition, and could spell the end of some historic clubs.
His comments were at the launch of the BFL season... wasn't on April 1 by any chance?
This is a really sticky one.
I know that Hawthorn and Box Hill are certainly heading down this path , without making any hard and fast rules. I've been a long time mourner of the old VFA and especially the loss of the 25-30yo guys who made it such a 'club' based comp as opposed to the current 'team' base.
The cold hard reality is , however, that as soon as the AFL got involved it was always going to head down the path of becoming a support comp for the elite level. Some clubs , such as mine , couldn't survive without an AFL club's involvement. Some others couldn't compete viably against aligned clubs. So it became a matter of the lesser of two evils from my point of view.
I still maintain the view that if EVERY AFL alignment agreed , the concept of a club based comp could still succeed. Indeed I think there may be some terrific benefits for an AFL club of having their young draftees , rookies and hopefuls coming through a system where they will be playing with and against mature footballers as well as learning the true value of the club culture where the odd bloke still plays for the love of the jumper etc etc.
That's all very well I suppose but it aint gonna happen is it. Afl clubs are more concerned with getting development squads under their own guidance and I can see their argument. They have total control over a group of young guys and can watch their development first hand , while still having access to other clubs squads as well.
I think it's terrific that kids aspire to play footy at the highest level , but when EVERY player on your list sees the comp as a mere stepping stone , and not a valued entity in itself , it's going to be harder and harder to engender any real club culture. The only real links are historical ones and the kids are going to get pretty sick of listening to old bastards like me raving about 'doing it for the jumper' etc. Eventually it all just evolves.
Personally I think the former scenario is of more benefit to the game itself but I'm still prepared to run with what's on offer as it means that MY club gets to survive another day. Just how long it's going to be worth surviving is another question.
Alan Jeans said 20 odd years ago that money and commercialism was going to ruin our great game. I always knew he was right , just hope I dont live long enough to see it die.
You can probably tell that I'm not totally convinced of my own arguements and I can be readily convinced of the value of the good old days over a pot or ten if anyone has the time !!!
I expect that Mr Dicker must have been misquoted, as the quoted comments are the ramblings of an imbicile, which Ian is not.
The first problem would be that you would have a 10 team competition.
The only remaining true VFL teams (Frankston, Nth Ballaratt, & Tasmania) would have to cease in the competition.
I say these are the only true teams as they do not have the roundabout of AFL blowins to confuse the team structure.
If Dicker does want an under 23 competition, then he should look elsewhere.
He might spend his time looking a little closer at the problems within Glenferrie than trying to deal with an alledgedly completely seperate competition.
Disappointing to read those comments.
Our best player this year has been an older bloke, Steve Bailey.
As Rico touched upon, having all kinds of blokes creates club culture. Just look at guys like Mick Georgiadis who is known by all due to being around for awhile. Don't get me wrong, I love watching the kids run around, but the VFL needs older veteran blokes to have people walk through the gates.