18 teams in the Comp

[The Emblem 1]

The AFL draw is rigged, the AFL may deny it until they are blue in the face, but we all know it to be true.

My suggestion is that we rig it some more, and in doing so can increase the viability of existing Victorian based clubs, overall AFL revenue, create more "blockbusters" both here and interstate, and create a fairer playing field in regards to the balance between home ground advantages and travel.

In the fully expanded AFL competition there will be 10 Victorian Teams and 8 Interstate teams, 2 in each in QLD, NSW, WA & SA.

What I propose is the following:

* The season fixture should start and finish with local derby's in QLD, NSW, WA & SA. This would both maximise member interest at the start of the season and guarantee no travel for any side the week prior to the finals.

* By default each Victorian club is guaranteed to be playing in Victoria in round 1 - the best time to sign up members.

* Each Victorian team will only play each Interstate team once in any one season, alternating the home & away fixture against an Interstate team season by season

* With 4 home games against Interstate clubs, and 4 games interstate the interstate travel situation is equitable for all Victorian clubs

* The amount of travel for Interstate teams would not be affected by this arrangement.

* In Victoria there would be five clubs that get played twice in any one season. The draw might pit the 5 best performed Victorian teams to play each other twice in the following season...this should reward them with higher crowd attendances, whilst giving the lower clubs a slightly easier draw which will help them climb up the ladder.

* Interstate there will only be two clubs that will not be played against twice, again a similar ranking system could be used.

Food for thought, more footy for all

[titan_uranus 22,659]

* The season fixture should start and finish with local derby's in QLD, NSW, WA & SA. This would both maximise member interest at the start of the season and guarantee no travel for any side the week prior to the finals.

* By default each Victorian club is guaranteed to be playing in Victoria in round 1 - the best time to sign up members.

I like these two points, they seem fair to me. Would probably mean the end of 'rivalry round', unless it was round 1. Not that anyone actually cares.

[CarnTheDees 52]

I like it

Quite possibly the AFL could go for all of the above points except the bottom two.

However, try to tell Collingwood, Essendon, Carlton and Richmond that they won't be playing each other twice in a season. Ain't gonna happen.

It seems the fairest way to go, the only issue comes about if, like the past couple of years, either all the interstate teams or all the Vic teams are dominant, but that is fairly unlikely to happen i would think.