AFL 2021
-
I listened to a bit of SEN Victoria this morning. They chatted with the Tasmanian premiere about the business case for a 19th team based in Tassie. I haven't caught up with this beyond some idle Fern chat so didn't know things were this advanced. Presumably this has been put to the AFL? And it's not a relocation situation if it's a 19th team.
He was saying they'd be Hobart-based but play their blockbuster games in Launceston due to the greater capacity and the rest at Blundstone, but they'd also look to invest in both stadiums to increase capacities. Fascinating. But I can't imagine the state's largest metro base being happy with that arrangement. Secondly, how would the players feel about having to make a two hour drive to half their home games on top of away games? Effectively 3/4 of their games would involve travel. Yes I know the WA sides have long flights to endure but at least home games and a derby or two are comparatively restful. The Victorian teams would only be 30 mins or so in the air to get there while the Tassie team has a two hour roadie.
Sounds like the prem has been making contact with club executives to gauge and engender support, explain the financial benefits of including a Tasmanian side.
I love this kinda shit.
-
@booboo do you mean artificial purely in terms of them being an expansion team? Or because they're an expansion team without a club history ala Adelaide and West Coast also?
Without any sort of history in the sport. They're trying to invent a fan base with no history just to try and tap into a non committed population.
West Coast and Adelaide basically had an immediate million strong fan base. A team in Tassie would be similar.
It reminds me of say the Warriors, where there was a real and long history of support for the sport vs. Adelaide Rams and Western Reds.
-
@booboo that's somewhat fair. However Tasmania's population is only 500k. Greater Sydney's is 5m and NSW a little over 8m, with a large amount of AFL fans among them. The Swans' average attendance in the last non-Covid affected season - 2019 - was 31k, and GWS 25K. Before you say they're all opposition fans, the Swans 2021 membership was over 50k, which is more than North and the Bulldogs and almost as many as the Dees. The Giants already have 30k. It makes absolute sense to have a second team in Sydney as the support base is 100% there.
I'd say the Giants are more organic than artificial.
-
@shark agree. I never thought GWS was a problem or bad idea given the economics made sense and more importantly the football history was there in western Sydney and more broadly NSW.
The Suns was always the more risky and ‘artificial’ one for me. It made for a great announcement “team on the Gold Coast, come up for some sun in winter and catch a live AFL match” - but there was really no connection there. Most kids on the coast play league first, play league second or third might play rugby. Basketball is huge on the coast too (bring back the Rollers or the Blaze).
In terms of population growth they decision may have made some sense, and there’s no shortage of people willing to throw cash around up there (whether they have it is another thing…), they would get a great stadium etc, but the fan base was going to have to been plucked from barely nothing.
-
@act-crusader Goldie has plenty of retired / relocated Mexicans.
-
-
Gee whizz, Essendon embarrassed themselves today. I think I read it was their lowest ever score. A measly four goals and none in the second half. Wow.
looool, 6,000 days plus since they won a final.
Now, having seen every team play, it would take an enormous change in form for it not to be a Port v Dees GF, and that will be a cracking match.
I think the Lions are odds-on to go out in straight sets, we're running out of forwards, and the Dogs, while not the prospect they were in the forst 3rd of the season, are still really good. Even if we win this week, Port will thump us in the Prelim.
Geelong can count themselves very lucky that Greene has managed to wipe himself out for being a fucking dumbass. Usually i feel sorry for him because it's clear he is judged differently to the rest of the comp, but this one....
-
think i'll get behind the Dee's, have a couple of mates who are Dees fans
-
@mariner4life Yep, you'd be mad to bet against Dees vs Port, but you never know.
It's bloody hard to pick the winners of this weekends' games. The Lions are a bit bereft of forwards now as you say, but they benefit from playing at home. I'd have picked the Giants at full strength but missing that knob Greene, whilst the Cats have had an extra day to recover makes it hard to call.
-
guilty, just awaiting the length but recommended no less than 6 weeks
-
@kiwiwomble said in AFL 2021:
guilty, just awaiting the length but recommended no less than 6 weeks
and fair enough too
-
got 3 weeks...
-
@mariner4life Yep, you'd be mad to bet against Dees vs Port, but you never know.
It's bloody hard to pick the winners of this weekends' games. The Lions are a bit bereft of forwards now as you say, but they benefit from playing at home. I'd have picked the Giants at full strength but missing that knob Greene, whilst the Cats have had an extra day to recover makes it hard to call.
I think the Dees and Port look in great form, but Prelim finals have a funny pressure to them that have made many a quality team turn ordinary.
-
@act-crusader yeah I'm not planning my Saturday the 18th just yet, trust me
-
-
@booboo i did see they might be appealing for more but not sure if thats offical
-
@kiwiwomble said in AFL 2021:
@booboo i did see they might be appealing for more but not sure if thats offical
They are appealing but it won’t be heard until the end of the season. The AFL sought a 6 week suspension and if you look at the decision everything points to a 6 week suspension, but they only gave 3. The suspension is baffling in my view, but given the Giants went in with a not guilty plea and played it that way during the hearing, I’d say they (the Giants) played it beautifully from a legal perspective.
-
This is a very good game. Two very similar sides.
-
Far out, Brissy had their chances.
What a game.
