VFL; the next 10 years!

I would say that the VFL should be try to pave it's own way and try and stay away from the AFL, promote it in the local rag as the VFL and not the 2nds, that's how the SANFL does it. I think that the VFL should take the step to move into Canberra as it does not have a strongly followed local comp (just friends and relations stuff). The profile of the game has lifted somewhat dramatically even today everybody was talking about the possibility of a VFL team in Canberra (Ilive in canberra). I believe though it shouldn't be spread out into other areas in country Victoria who have strong local comps, which brings me to Tasmania. Tassie gets the support and the backing but it has decimated local footy down there, they had a good comp that just needed a re-fresher and they went along with the devils and killed off 100 years of history with it. Therefore I think that the devils should not play in the VFL and no clubs should be formed in places that have strong local comps, i.e Ovens/Murray. The teams should be (allignment in brackets): Bendigo Diggers (Essendon) Box Hill Hawks (Hawthorn) Canberra ???? (Kangaroos) Coburg Lions (Richmond) Frankston Dolphins Geelong Cats (Geelong) North Ballarat Roosters Northern Bullants (Carlton) Port Melbourne Sandringham Sprinvale Scorpions (Saints) Werribee Tigers (Bulldogs) will add another team to be alligned with the demons. Williamstown Seagulls (Collingwood)

Well this issue has been gone over a few times on this site, quite a few people give some really good suggestion/thoughts For me, the major issues are probably related, media coverage & crowds. No easy task I know, crowds have been decimated by both the AFL competition and its dominance in Victoria, but also by the general change in lifestyle of Australians... You only have to walk through shopping centres on a Sunday, and you can see that shopping is an all-day event for people, they dont necessarily make time for getting along to the footy. I can't see it changing, and I think we may need to look at playing some games at times when the shops arent open, and there is no AFL on. The only option I can think of, are Monday nights which was trialled a few years ago, and as someone else here suggested, might need to be tried out again. First time around it was played at Waverly, in front of no-one for Pay TV. I'd go if Port were playing of course (we played Richmond and Carlton that year), but when we weren't playing, I'd head to a pub to watch it, and others that were there for a drink took a keen interest in it. I can't see it drawing a crowd during the depths of winter, so perhaps a Monday night pre-season comp might get a few people along. Hopefully if you do get some ppl in the warm weather going to the VFL on a Monday night, you might get them coming back on a weekend to follow the clubs fortunes.. As for the media.. what can you say? It's an ongoing problem, they refuse to give the comp major coverage, and point out that the crowds represent a lack of interest. One of those vicious circles. Paid space in the papers is the only way I can see, real VFL previews (not reviews) getting into papers and radio.

The Scorpions should play 1 or 2games a season @Waverley park...don't let lfans around that region go missing because if It was for & me living near waverley Springvale Scorpions would have already been finished....play 1 or 2games there against someone like Box-hill....you just never know & with 4000 (Appx)residents In time to come... Never let supporters go...or you will die wondering too!!!

VFA 2015 Season Name changed from the VFL back to the VFA All AFL Melbourne based clubs to split their list between 2 VFA clubs. Exception for Collingwood (stand alone and based at a revamped Olympic Park), Richmond (stand alone and based at a revamped an updated Punt Road), Kangaraoos (based at Canberra with some home games to be played at Coburg), Geelong (stand alone to share home games at Kardinia Park, Drysdale, Torquay, Geelong West, Grovedale and Reid Oval Warrnambool). Tasmania stand alone with home games at Bellerive, Devenport, North Hobart, Launceston and Ulverstone Frankston stand alone with one home game at either Rosebud or Dromana North Ballarat stand alone with one game at Maryborough Port Melbourne stand alone with home games at Teac Oval Williamstown stand alone with home games at Point Gellibrand with one home game at Yarraville Oval The following AFL clubs to split list between 2 VFA clubs Essendon alligned with both Bendigo and Albury. Bendigo Diggers (reverted back to original name) home games at Queen Elizabeth Oval. Albury Bombers to play home games at Lavington with one home game at a revamped Wangaratta Showgrounds. Western Bulldogs/Footscray alligned with both Werribee and Coburg. Werribee Tigers to play home at Chirnside Park. Coburg Lions (reverted back to original name) to play home games at Coburg City Oval with 2 games per year at Sunbury. Melbourne to be aligned to both Sandringham and Prahran (back in the VFA after leaving the VFA back in 1994). Sandringham to play home games at Trevor Barker Oval. Prahran to play home games at Toorak Park. Hawthorn to be aligned to Box Hill and Vermont. Box Hill Mustangs (back to original name) to play home games at Box Hill City Oval with one game played at Waverley Park and one game at a revamped Camberwell Sports Ground. Vermont Eagles to play home games at Vermont with one game at Waverley Park and one game at Healesville. St Kilda to be aligned to both Casey Scorpions/Springvale and Noble Park. Springvale to play home games at Casey Fields. Noble Park Bulls to play home games at Noble Park with 2 games at Traralgon and 2 games at Berwick. Carlton to be aligned to both Preston Bullants (reverted from Northern Bullants to original name) and Northcote Dragons (reformed after folding in 1987). Northcote Park Cougers will be a feeder club to Northcote and still to compete in the DVFL. Preston Bullants to play home games at Cramer Street with one home game at a revamped Whittlesea Showgrounds. Northcote Dragons to play home games at Westgarth Street Oval/Bill Lawry Oval. Fitzroy Lions back at a revamped Brunswick Street Oval with financial backing from the Brisbane Lions and the Fitzroy FC Historical Society. Twenty two teams in comp with each team to play each other once. Final eight system like it is currently. Finals to be played at Toorak Park, Junction Oval after a facelift, Teac Oval. For the first week finals to be played at the team who finishes higher on the ladder home ground. Second week will be played at Toorak Park and Teac Oval as well as the third week. Tassie, Bendigo, Albury, Canberra, North Ballarat and Geelong would get home finals if they finish higher than opponent in the first three weeks. Grand Final to be played at the Junction Oval. Sounds like a pipe dream but it would be better than the current system in place. It promotes footy around the state and then AFL clubs would not control the VFA clubs like they do currently. Bring on 2015 !!!