From the Sunday Age
Reported by Brent Diamond
Source Click here
GOLD Coast Football Club's possible entry into the Victorian Football League would give great exposure to the competition's players, AFL Victoria chief executive Peter Schwab believes.
The club is expected to announce in May whether it will progress from the TAC Cup under-18 system to a state league, with the VFL and QAFL both regarded as its best options.
Schwab is adamant several top-line VFL players would be in line for a spot on the Gold Coast list if it were to join the competition next season.
Players such as David Stretton, Michael Barlow, Michael Rockefeller and Brett Goodes are all potential recruiting targets for GC17, following in the footsteps of VFL graduates from last season, Robin Nahas (Richmond), Hayden Skipworth (Essendon) and Liam Picken (Western Bulldogs).
"They've got to find the players from somewhere, so if the VFL players play well, I think that puts them in a good light," Schwab said.
GC17 operations manager Scott Munn said the team met with AFLQ on Friday to discuss the possible options for its team in 2010.
"They just presented a whole range of options, about half a dozen, which included playing in either the QAFL or the VFL, with another TAC Cup team as well, or just having the TAC Cup team," Munn said.
He said the management team — which included coach Guy McKenna — went away with documents and will make a decision over the next month.
Schwab said the VFL would welcome the Gold Coast in the competition, which would also eliminate the bye for at least a season after the departure of Tasmania at the end of last year.
"Particularly a team that's gearing up to play AFL football the following year after that. I think it would be majorly beneficial for the VFL," he said.
"People would get a good look at the young talent that they've picked up, so I think there would be enormous interest in it."
