https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl-club-chiefs-back-push-for-new-14-te…
AFL club chiefs back push for new 14-team reserves competition
Momentum is building towards the creation of a new 14-team AFL eastern seaboard reserves competition that would potentially replace the VFL and NEAFL, according to club chiefs.
A new league tying the four clubs in Queensland and New South Wales with the 10 Victorian clubs that would serve as a reserves development competition was shaping as a viable alternative to the problems of the existing second-tier format, according to Swans chief executive Tom Harley.
This 14-team eastern seaboard option would have the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast Suns play one another more often than the other teams, and likewise GWS and the Swans would play each other more regularly than they would play other teams, in order to maximise cost-savings.
The effect of this unequal fixturing would mean the competition would be structured as a development league and not focused on producing a premiership-winning reserves team.
With a return to play established, the focus has switched to urgent decisions needed on the size of the salary cap, the size and structure of playing lists, draft picks as well as the soft cap on football spending and the second tier competition.
“There is a whole cascading list of pieces of work that are interconnected and need to be done pretty quickly,” Harley said.
“You need to establish the list size before knowing the salary cap and the second tier competition the soft cap, each decision is interconnected and has a cascading effect.
“We are in June and the end of the football year is October so these are critical issues that need to be considered pretty quickly as we begin trying to draft budge
“The idea of an eastern seaboard AFL reserves competition is gaining momentum.
“The concept is to develop a culture of winning and competing. If it’s a 14-team competition and we play GWS more often and Gold Coast and Brisbane play each other more often it distorts the fixturing and the integrity of the fixture. The key issues to address are how to develop players and will it be affordable?
“You would have to change the focus of the league to being about development of players and feeding the AFL competition.”
Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans agreed saying critical work needed to be done before a definitive decision could be made on the second tier.
“You need to establish the list size before knowing the salary cap and the second tier competition the soft cap, each decision is interconnected and has a cascading effect.
“We are in June and the end of the football year is October so these are critical issues that need to be considered pretty quickly as we begin trying to draft budgets
“The idea of an eastern seaboard AFL reserves competition is gaining momentum.
“The concept is to develop a culture of winning and competing. If it’s a 14-team competition and we play GWS more often and Gold Coast and Brisbane play each other more often it distorts the fixturing and the integrity of the fixture. The key issues to address are how to develop players and will it be affordable?
“You would have to change the focus of the league to being about development of players and feeding the AFL competition.”
Gold Coast CEO Mark Evans agreed saying critical work needed to be done before a definitive decision could be made on the second tier.
“Certainly it’s possible the four teams could join an eastern seaboard reserves competition,” Evans said.
“We need to make sure the lists of the (four northern states) clubs have the same opportunity to be strong as the Victorian lists do.
“What do we want from a league? Is it for state league clubs to chase a premiership with older players through the system? Or a development league that caters for future draft prospects who miss out because of smaller lists and fewer players taken at the drafts, and gives reserves players at AFL clubs a chance at senior footy?
“If it was billed as a development league then it would make more sense for us (in Queensland and NSW) to play each other more regularly.”
Brisbane CEO Greg Swann also raised the idea of a 14-team Eastern Seaboard reserves competition as a viable proposition in a Fox Footy interview on Saturday.
I cannot possibly see Williamstown, Frankston, Werribee, Coburg and Port all fold without a whimper. Add Sandringham, Casey and Box Hill. Can you see all eight clubs out of existence in 2021 ? Don't think that will happen. There has been regular meetings with five of the VFA clubs and it is not just about 2020 season.
Brisbane has been driving an AFL reserves team. Not viable to have a 14 team AFL only reserves comp.
AFLX never again (biggest waste of money ever seen), AFLW will be cost cutting, AFL lists much lower, AFL staff shred to bare bones. Do you think the AFL will pump heaps of money for a reserves comp to keep Brisbane Lions happy ?
I heard that Sandringham players will play for nothing if season eventuates.
I agree with VFA. Financing a Reserves comp will be a big issue for the AFL. I doubt they have the money to do this at this time. I would prefer this proposal to the alternative thats been floated recently. I wouldnt support a VFL team, say Frankston merged with Dandy Stingrays under affiliation to an AFL club - this would be a bigger version of the mess we have now. I would prefer Frankston go to the MPNFL and keep their identity.
I would never ever watch and will have a zero interest in an AFL reserves comp with no VFA clubs.
I would rather watch croquet, marbles, stalemate in a game of chess, synchronised swimming or ballroom dancing.
In reply to I agree with VFA. Financing a by Bearsman
In 2016 when Frankston were out of the VFL they did briefly explore if things went bad about going into MPNFL but was quickly rejected as the current MPNFL clubs Said Frankston would be far too strong.
Let's hope we will get at least a 10 week season plus finals for 2020 with 8 teams.
At the moment we have no start dates for any footy comp in Victoria as yet. You would think there should be something worked out soon as it is now June. The majority of clubs and leagues would play for nothing if it means just going out there and playing some footy. Let's hope there is some news of start dates for July soon to give all clubs and leagues plenty of time to start planning for getting back to playing footy.
Things look grim for
Robbo things look grim for Frankston if thats the case.
I wouldn't mind seeing Frankston apply to the Southern FL if the MPNFL don't want them......,although I still think the 8 remaining clubs can add 4 and rebuild the VFA. Pipedream maybe? I'd still love to see it.....bring in Vermont, Deer Park, Bendigo & (North?) Ballarat. Would be a cracker comp I reckon.
Would be a great comp if that eventuated. Never say never.
The last time Box Hill played Vermont in an official gamer for premiership points would have been in 1950 ?
In reply to Would be a great comp if that by vfa
Box Hill entered the VFA with Moorabbin in 1951 so you right vfa