Oceania AFL - The Future

Hello all, I wrote a short document detailing what the AFL could do to improve the structure of the competition.

Please give me your thoughts!

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Conference Structure

I believe that there should be two divisions of 8 teams each, named after the two founders of Australian Football, Thomas Wentworth Wills & H.C.A Harrison. There would be a Final Four in each division, with the winner of each division to play in a 'Superbowl' type Grand Final. Teams would play other teams within their own division twice (7 x 2 games = 14 games) and teams from the other division once (8 x 1 = 8 games) giving total of 22 games, preserving the current 22 round season. Home games would alternate between the other division yearly, for example, Brisbane would play Carlton in Brisbane, and the alternate year, Brisbane would play Carlton in Victoria. This would create an even draw, and Melbourne based teams would travel interstate on a more equal basis.

I believe that the Conference Structure should be aligned as follows:

Wills Harrison

Adelaide Crows Carlton Blues
Brisbane Lions Essendon Bombers
Collingwood Magpies Geelong Cats
Hawthorn Hawks North Melbourne Kangaroos
Fremantle Dockers Port Adelaide Power
Melbourne Demons St. Kilda Saints
Richmond Tigers Sydney Swans
Western Bulldogs West Coast Eagles

Obviously, the Conference split would have the South Australian, the Western Australian and northern states teams split up. Potential marketing opportunity could be created with Port Adelaide vs. Fremantle as two Port based teams - could create rivalry. Split up the big traditional four Victorian teams; Carlton, Collingwood, Essendon, Melbourne. Have Carlton and Collingwood in opposite divisions that would allow Carlton v Collingwood grand finals. Western Bulldogs and Essendon in separate divisions (split up the two Melbourne western suburbs teams). Geelong and Western Bulldogs in separate divisions - split of the two Victorian far western teams. Split up Melbourne's eastern teams: Hawthorn & St. Kilda.

Season Structure

· 1 week for the Pre-Season Draft.
· 5 Weeks Pre-Season competition (3 week round robin, 1 week semi-finals, 1 week grand final).
· 1 Week break.
· 11 regular season games.
· 1 week break for an All-Star game.
· 11 regular season games.
· 1 week break for awards, Brownlow Medal, Team of the Year, etc?
· 4 Weeks finals.
· 2 weeks overseas exhibition games (2 games 1 week, 2nd week final).
· 1 week for the National Draft.
· 16 weeks / 4 months break.

Bring back the Grand Final reply in Round 1.

All-Star divisional game to be played mid season. Fans would be given interaction with team selection - perhaps voting for players down the spine (Full Forward, Center Half Forward, Center, Center Half Back, Full Back). The Media select Forward Pockets, Half Forward Flanks, Wings, Half Backs, Back Pockets, and the AFL Coaches would select the Ruck, Ruck Rover, Rover and the bench.

The All-Star game would also feature the best young talent in the country with Under 18, Under 16, and Under 14 games. Underage players to come from local zones from each respective division (follow All-Star format of division v division). Players to get together on Friday, for preparation for Sunday game. Benefit of kids being thrown together from all over the county - this is what happens during the draft process, and is good preparation for senior football.

Round robin pre-season comp would be 4 teams of 4 (2 groups from each division, based on the previous seasons ladder). I.e., the group made up from the Wills division would consist of the teams finishing 1, 3, 5, 7 in one grouping, and the other would be 2, 4, 6, 8 ? same for the Harrison division.

At the end of each year, there would be 2 overseas exhibition matches (featuring 2 teams from each division - non finalists). Winners play each other for the World Cup. Suggested locations - NZ, Canada, USA, South Africa, UK.

Team Management & Marketing

The Salary Cap should be indexed year

 

Tribunal to have set penalties. For example, striking 3 weeks, tripping 1 week, etc...

I'll talk about this bit only as Aussie Rules doesn't interest me at all.

Here is Rugby League territory all I can say is keep the system you guys have already. A few years ago there was a grading system brought in up here and it's a dismal failure.

Basically, every match is reviewed by a committee (the aptly titled Match Review Committee) and they look for any tackles/incidents that have to be further investigated at the Judiciary.

The person watching the game decides what grade each incident receives. From 1 (for a mild indiscretion) through to grade 5 (intentional). So if a person is charged, that's it. They are on the back foot already because someone has already judged them and the incident before anyone can defend themselves.

It's a contentious issue. If you want to defend yourself you go to the judicary on the Tuesday night, but because incidents are reviewed on the Monday, you have no chance to have the charge downgraded. Those hearings are heard only if you're found guilty.

And then if you're a clean skin you get 50% of the sentence taken off and if you plead guilty, you get a discount of 50% as well.

The whole thing is stupid. Every case should be heard seperatly and on it's own merits.

 

Anyone else have thoughts on the above?

 

I guess I'm one for status quo in sports. As Wedge pointed out, some changes to Rugby League were pretty poor. For instance, the whole Superleague thing killed my interest in Rugby League. I've never got back in to it since. I'd hate to see something mess up AFL that way. I'm not saying the ideas posted are bad but in the past it's often seemed like changes that seemed like a good idea initially, cause more problems than they solve in the long run. Some of the changes to the WA league in the past few years didn't impress me much (I'm so glad they changed the name back to the old name).
Of all the suggestions, I like the smaller ones the best, like returning the grand final reply game in round 1. I really miss the state of origin. It's such a huge thing in rugby league, perhaps even bigger than their grand final. It was killed miserably in AFL from a number of reasons but I miss it. I wish they could resurect it somehow. of course, it's not quite the same as in rugby leage where there's only 2 states involved but I think it's a great diversion to add a bit more interest to the season.

 

I think an All-Star game would be a better option than State of Origin, as you would get ALL the best players in one game.

 

I'm sick of hearing AFL in Victorian terms.

You want an honest comp- allow other States a fair go and play by the same rules..

 

An allstars game might be a good idea. I think state of origin died when the AFL Began. Before then it was like the allstars from the VFL vs WAFL vs SANFL. As soon as AFL began there seemed to be a serious lack of cooperation from clubs so that most of the best players weren't willing to play for their state. The club game was a higher priority. In rugby league it's on of the highest honours to play a state game.