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From the Herald-Sun
[quote]Healthy VFL lifts Victorian clubs
27 June 2007 Herald-Sun
Jon Anderson
THE recent success of Victoria-based AFL clubs is expected to be mirrored by a minimum of changes next year to the existing VFL competition.
Top Kangaroo: Aaron Edwards makes a Herald Sun team of VFL graduates to AFL since 2000. Picture: Michael Klein
Despite talk of a breakaway reserves competition being set up by disgruntled AFL clubs, the reality is the VFL will go ahead next year with possibly no more than two new clubs.
Carlton is expected to break away from the Northern Bullants and Collingwood is a chance to cease its successful alignment with Williamstown.
Just six weeks ago, when interstate clubs dominated the AFL eight, Victorian football was considered so sick the AFL announced a review of the systems in place, of which the VFL is an integral part.
VFL chief executive officer Peter Schwab, who fully understands the VFL system from his five years as coach of Hawthorn, has no doubt the recent success of Victorian AFL clubs is owing, in some part, to a healthy VFL competition.
"I've never felt the VFL wasn't good enough, and that dates back to my days when Box Hill was the VFL affiliate club to Hawthorn," Schwab said.
"Most AFL clubs in Victoria would be satisfied their players are getting a good standard of football.
"There's no doubt it is cyclical. It has to be because eventually clubs will get enough good players to climb the ladder.
"Where there may be an advantage for the interstate clubs is financially they are able to do the one per centers, the elite conditioning, better equipment and psych testing."
Where the VFL and AFL clubs are on a collision course is the availability of TAC under-18 players.
AFL recruiters want to see those players against men in open competition, as was the case with Bryce Gibbs and Adam Cooney in the SANFL.
Schwab said there had to be a limit to the number of under-18 players made available for the good of the TAC competition.
"We don't want any 17-year-olds playing (in the VFL)," Schwab said.
"We would also like a limit of four games for each player and for him to at least be played for half of the game and in the position he plays best.
"For the integrity of the TAC Cup and national championships, there should be some rules on numbers."
Schwab said recent history suggested the VFL was allowing AFL clubs to develop their players to a level that allowed them to play good AFL football.
He pointed to the number who have recently come through the VFL system to be drafted or rookie-listed at AFL clubs, and questioned if the WAFL was a better development ground.
"The VFL recently beat the WAFL very easily. I would be interested to know whether the WA clubs having their players spread across eight or nine clubs is really beneficial, as opposed to having at least most of your team playing together," Schwab said.
"I think you have to give some credit to the competition and the standard of football.
"Geelong and Hawthorn are
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