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VFL links set to continue

By administrator August 04, 2007
From The Age

Reported by Chris Walker
Full article Click here

MOST Victorian-based AFL clubs are expected to retain their affiliation with the VFL, AFL Victoria chief executive Peter Schwab said yesterday.

After meetings with key stakeholders, including Victorian-based AFL clubs, VFL clubs, the AFL Commission and AFL Victoria, the AFL second-tier review committee provided recommendations on the direction of the VFL that were agreed to in principle by the AFL.

The AFL Commission's support of the review committee's findings will be finalised next month, with its recommendations forming the basis for continued investigation and discussion expected to be complete by mid-2008.

The primary recommendation was that alignment between AFL and VFL clubs would continue to play a big role in elite Victorian football.

Cats set for Coburg visitors

By Robbo August 04, 2007
From The Age
Reported by Chris Walker

WITH four rounds to play in the VFL home-and-away season, round 17 could prove pivotal to the make-up of the top eight come finals time.

The Coburg Tigers travel down the Princes Freeway today to play the rampant Geelong Cats at Skilled Stadium in the morning AFL curtain-raiser.

The Cats boast the most potent forward line in the competition, kicking an average of 116 points a game. They also have the most miserly defence with an average of only 79 points kicked against them each week.

The Tigers, who have not lost a game since round 11, will rely on their athleticism to out-run the Cats. They will be missing suspended midfielder Jarrad Oakley-Nicholls, who has enjoyed a wonderful month of football, but will regain Andrew Krakouer, who was omitted from the Richmond side.

Tigers coach Andy Collins is a supporter of the AFL curtain-raiser concept, believing it provides the crowds with added value.

"It's great for the fans to be able to see their club's players run around in the VFL. I would travel down to Skilled Stadium every week if it meant we could play a curtain-raiser."

Coburg Tigers flag intentions

By Robbo August 04, 2007
From Herald Sun
Reported by Geoff Poulter

SECOND-placed Coburg Tigers are keen to test themselves against the two main flag contenders in the final four rounds.

They clash with Geelong (third) this morning at Skilled Stadium and then face an away game against ladder-leader Sandringham in Round 20 on August 25.

"They are clearly the class sides of the competition this year," Coburg coach Andrew Collins said this week.

"It is an exciting challenge to play at Geelong this week and then we've got Sandringham in a couple of weeks."

Collins is also chuffed about playing the curtain-raiser to the Geelong-Richmond game.

"I would encourage the VFL to do that bit more," he said.

"There are some special games played as curtain-raisers to an AFL game when it could easily have been VFL games.

"We have that opportunity with the alignments.

"It would be great to have the Coburg Tigers playing on the MCG before the Richmond Tigers (Coburg's affiliate)."

Bendigo Bombers future safe after AFL says… VFL alignments to stay

By Robbo August 04, 2007
From Bendigo Advertiser

THE Metricon Bendigo Bombers' future appears safe with the AFL Commission yesterday approving in principle to a review that supports the continued alignment between AFL and VFL clubs.

The AFL second-tier review committee has presented five recommendations on the status and direction of the VFL.

Among the recommendations, approved by the AFL Commission and supported by AFL Victoria – the governing body of the VFL – are "alignments between AFL and

VFL clubs will continue to be a key component of elite football in the state".

There had been some exploration earlier this year of a national reserves competition that would replace the various-state based competitions, including the VFL, which would have put grave doubt over the future of the Bendigo Bombers.

However, a national reserves competition has now been ruled out, and the review committee recommendations support Bendigo's alignment with Essendon.

"We were never worried because we thought it was heading this way from all the feedback we've been getting along the way," Bendigo

Bombers' acting general manager Peter Lodewijks said yesterday.

State of play

By Robbo August 04, 2007
From The Mercury
Reported by Brett Stubbs

THE AFL will underwrite a revived Tasmanian statewide league and may increase funding for the Devils to keep them in the VFL, says AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou.

He met AFL Tasmania chairman Dominic Baker and general manager Scott Wade yesterday and left them with massive grins.

Neither party would reveal the funds required but it was believed the AFL's grant to Tasmania would increase from $1.38 million to $2.2 million to cover both the new statewide league and the Devils -- a 59 per cent increase.

Demetriou said he was a supporter of a properly run statewide league, with the proposed model being underpinned by the three regional competitions and only including seniors.

"If that was something that made sense, we wouldn't hesitate in underwriting something like that to help it get off the ground," he said.

"We are a strong believer in football in Tasmania. It has got a rich history in our game, it has provided great talent to the VFL/AFL and anything we can do to further that we will look at."

But it was believed the proposed statewide competition would not be brought in until 2009.

AFL Tasmania's decision for the Devils to join the SANFL next season because of financial reasons was almost assured but Demetriou said he was not of the same opinion.

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