AFL 2025

mohikamo

Yes
People seem to like when leagues add more teams.
But they forget the negative side; with more teams you are going to get more loser teams too.

With Tassie in in 28; I think the interstate balance will be just about right.
The issue will be too many clubs in Victoria, but try and tell them that! Haha

In 28 there will be nine interstate teams, 9 in Melbourne, plus Geelong
This is close to a seismic change in Australian football. If all the interstate teams stick together, control of the league could possibly move out of Victoria for the first time.

At one time the VFL (now AFL) didn’t even control all football in Victoria. Now it controls all Australian football worldwide.
The VFL expanded interstate because all the Melbourne VFL clubs were in trouble and the new license fees (Eagles first) bailed them out.
When you consider the amount of money they’re spending to expand (interstate) now, the thought of the old license fee system is almost laughable.

Eventually only one Melbourne club (Fitzroy) actually disappeared.
It’d be good for the league as a whole if another Melbourne club were to go, soon.

mariner4life

I agree.

Fold Carlton now.

mohikamo

@mariner4life

Haha

I enjoy Carlton at the mo

just looked at the table

if it wasn't for the sorry ass Eagles, seven Melbourne clubs would be holding up the ladder!

booboo

Not sure which Vic club should leave, but as an outsider I just feel like GWS and Gold Coast are manufactured and feel artificial.

Others may be able to point out the error of my ways, but I don't feel the ... tribalism (?) ... of those clubs. Just don't get the feels when they're playing.

Happy to be wrong.

antipodean

The club to be disbanded is obviously Collingwood.

mohikamo

@booboo

almost 100% manufactured
but this is where the commercial imperiatives take over, whether we like that or not
the VFL started that ball rolling themselves when they expanded out of Victoria

the West Coast Eagles and Adelaide Crows joining the VFL virtually destroyed the WAFL and SANFL, leagues and clubs with lots of tribalism

several of the Melbourne clubs have done well to survive in the big league

mohikamo

@antipodean

wasn't guna say it, but now that you've brought up
i'd be ecstatic if Collingwood suddenly disappeared of the face of the earth haha
unfortunately, never guna happen

mariner4life

Gold Coast and i assume GWS are more important to the AFL than nearly any other club for reasons far beyond the field.

I've mentioned before, but the Suns do all the heavy lifting in terms of development and academies through regional Qld. There are an enormous amount of kids getting high grade coaching in regional Qld areas that would probably otherwise just default to rugby league. They open up pathways to higher levels that just did not exist not that long ago.

mariner4life

seriously how good is Septmeber going to be? Fans of any of the teams that make the 8 will front up to the game knowing they are a good chance to win, and win well. There is no one locked in best side, everyone is pretty even, every team is capable of both sublime and ridiculous footy, often in the same game.

After that GWS 2nd half last week, who expected them to get torched by the Dogs this week? Ridiculous comp.

African Monkey

Right, just moves to Perth fellow ferners. I'm on the Freo bandwagon. What are our chances of winning it lol?

I also know bugger all about the game but am making an effort to follow haha.

booboo

@African-Monkey said in AFL 2025:

Right, just moves to Perth fellow ferners. I'm on the Freo bandwagon. What are our chances of winning it lol?

I also know bugger all about the game but am making an effort to follow haha.

If it's anything like Adelaide you won't need to make an effort. It's all you'll see and hear. At least you have the Farce.

African Monkey

@booboo said in AFL 2025:

@African-Monkey said in AFL 2025:

Right, just moves to Perth fellow ferners. I'm on the Freo bandwagon. What are our chances of winning it lol?

I also know bugger all about the game but am making an effort to follow haha.

If it's anything like Adelaide you won't need to make an effort. It's all you'll see and hear. At least you have the Farce.

Seen a bit around the place but not like Melbourne where it's rammed down your throat (so far anyway). Never been to Adelaide so can't comment (yet).

Yup the Farce are located 10 mins walk away from where I am, so I will be attending their matches every week.

The Silver Fern

AFL 2025