AFL Realignment

[Gregmond]

Surely the day is going to come, and probably soon, when Victorian football fans (including myself) will realise that the league as it is currently set up, simply DOES NOT WORK. It's been how many years since a Victorian team won a flag? This year, only four of the ten Victorian sides have even made the finals (playoffs).

As I see it, there are three options ...

1. Split the league into two divisions of eight teams for scheduling. Teams play the others in their division twice, and those outside their division once. The top eight does not change, with divisions only used for schedules.

2. Split the league into two conferences. Same scheduling as option one, but with each league running its own top four. In the prelimary finals week (what would be semi finals in any other league in the world) teams cross over so that A1vB2 and B1vA2 to ensure the two best teams meet in the grand final (regardless of which conference they play in).

3. Rationalise and re-distribute the existing teams. Either 14 teams and a 26 week season, or 12 teams and a 22 week season would ensure that each club could play each other twice. Obviously this would mean that several Melbourne based teams would need to merge/fold ... but I believe would be in the best interests of the AFL in the long term.

My preference is option 3, as it is the only one that reduces the number of teams, thus increasing the resources available to each team, and increasing the talent pool available to each team.

My AFL (give it ten years):

West Coast Eagles

Fremantle Dockers

Adelaide Crows

Port Adelaide Power

Glenelg Ravens (NEW ... Sorry, I couldn't think of a better name)

Sydney Swans

Western Kangaroos (MERGED & RELOCATED)

Brisbane Lions

Gold Coast Kangaroos (RELOCATED)

St. Kilda Hawks (MERGED ... Playing three home games a season in Tasmania)

Melbourne Tigers (MERGED) ... FYI: I barrack for Richmond

Geelong Blues (MERGED ... Eight home games in Geelong, three in Carlton/Melbourne)

Collingwood Magpies (Let's face it, we're not getting rid of them)

Essendon Bombers (Let's face it, we're not getting rid of them)

Love to hear your ideas and thoughts.

Cheers,

Greg

[Discrim]

heh, so you somehow split the Kangas into separate clubs and one merges wtih the Doggies...um, yeah.

Giving these some thought, the first option you put out there would likely garner the most acceptance, and option #3 would piss off half of Melbourne, at best (at worst...eh, I think you can figure that out). I figure a club should look to move before it looks to merge, but only if they've reached a point where it can't survive in its present city.

Yeah, I'd be most receptive to option 1, it makes the most sense if you can work out how to divide all the Melbourne teams.

[Gregmond]

Okay, so here goes with a re-design that a buddy and I put together. Much more acceptable to all football fans, and TV networks (I think).

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Tuck Division:

West Coast

Port Adelaide

Sydney

Gold Coast (Kangaroos)

Collingwood

Carlton

Melbourne

Bulldogs

Bradley Division:

Adelaide

Fremantle

Brisbane

Southern Hawks (50/50 Split Melbourne/Tasmania)

Essendon

Richmond

St.Kilda

Geelong

Obviously, to fit within the confines of the 22 round draw, each team plays those within their conference twice, and those in the other conference once (on a rotating home-and-away basis over alternating years).

Yes, some of the traditional (and local) rivalries have been split, but this would still allow for annual BLOCKBUSTER / DERBY / SHOWDOWN games that the AFL could market the hell out of (WCE v Freo, Adel v Port, Ess v Coll, Melb v Geel, Bris v GCK). The consistent fixture may even develop new ?traditional? rivalries.

All teams would have a relatively even burden in terms of travel, and the fixture would have a reasonable degree of consistency from year to year.

Into finals, each division would run an old-fashioned final four (1v2, 3v4) with a cross-over game at the preliminary final stage that would ensure the best two teams in the country play off in the Grand Final (regardless of which division they?re based in) at the MCG.

Assuming all higher ranked teams have home ground advantage and win in finals (T = Tuck Division, B = Bradley Division):

Week One (Elimination & Qualifying Finals): T1 v T2, T3 v T4, B1 v B2, B3 v B4

Week Two (Semi Finals): T2 v T3, B2 v B3 (T1 & B1 have a rest week, T4 & B4 eliminated)

Week Three (Preliminary (Cross-Over) Finals): T1 v B2, B1 v T2 (T3 & B3 elimiated)

Week Four (Grand Final): Week 3 Winners

Cheers!

Greg & Richard

[Discrim]

heh, the Southern Hawks couldn't really do a 50/50 split, unless you were thinking of having half of one game played in Melbourne and then hauling everybody, players and fans, over to Tas for the second half. There'd be teh small problem of deciding where that 11th home game goes (neutral site, maybe?)

overall, though, this looks like a very workable arrangement yall put together.

[Alphabet Man]

I think we are closer than ever to reloacting a couple of teams unfortunately

Maybe Hawthorn-Tasmania rather than Southern.....i think some guy wanted to change us from St Kilda to Southern Saints, everyone said no

[Gregmond]

heh, the Southern Hawks couldn't really do a 50/50 split, unless you were thinking of having half of one game played in Melbourne and then hauling everybody, players and fans, over to Tas for the second half.  There'd be teh small problem of deciding where that 11th home game goes (neutral site, maybe?)

overall, though, this looks like a very workable arrangement yall put together.

Um, thanks ... but I understand 11 doesn't split in half exactly, but it's not important (5/6 Melbourne/Tassie alternating annually). Thanks for the props ... we think it is a winner.

On review, mergers aren't going to happen (without new teams being added) given that all of the TV deals involve eight games per week. If teams merge / fold and new ones are born, it all fits within the model of two divisions.

Cheers,

Greg