Brisbane Bears were created in 1987. The Bears merged with Fitzroy in 1996. This was a great merger as it allowed the histories and traditions of both to be continued.

With two new teams coming into the comp. Gold Coast and GWS. What is the likelyhood we could see another two melbourne teams merge with Gold Coast and GWS?

I wonder if the AFL is open to the idea of a similar Bears and Fitzroy merger?

I'm tipping Gold Coast and North Melbourne will merge at some stage.

Leaving GWS open to merge with the next weakest Melbourne team.

The advantages of this is it reduces the number of teams in the comp and number of teams in melbourne.

discuss...

Brisbane Bears were created in 1987. The Bears merged with Fitzroy in 1996. This was a great merger as it allowed the histories and traditions of both to be continued.

With two new teams coming into the comp. Gold Coast and GWS. What is the likelyhood we could see another two melbourne teams merge with Gold Coast and GWS?

I wonder if the AFL is open to the idea of a similar Bears and Fitzroy merger?

I'm tipping Gold Coast and North Melbourne will merge at some stage.

Leaving GWS open to merge with the next weakest Melbourne team.

The advantages of this is it reduces the number of teams in the comp and number of teams in melbourne.

discuss...

Don't hold your breath DD.

Fitzroy did not go willingly they were forced at the bitter end they actually want to merge with North if my memory is correct.

North will not go while Brayshaw is there and again only at the bitter end.

I would have thought the debacle of the MFC/HFC merger circus might have cured the AFL's desire to do that.

From the experience of the Gold Coast set up the AFL would prefer relocations to mergers.

And anyway the AFL are keen to have 18 teams because it provides them with 9 instead of 8 games a week to package for the hotly contested TV rights.

I would have thought the debacle of the MFC/HFC merger circus might have cured the AFL's desire to do that.

From the experience of the Gold Coast set up the AFL would prefer relocations to mergers.

And anyway the AFL are keen to have 18 teams because it provides them with 9 instead of 8 games a week to package for the hotly contested TV rights.

Forgot that last little item RR.

You are right TV rules every thing these days.

Don't hold your breath DD.

Fitzroy did not go willingly they were forced at the bitter end they actually want to merge with North if my memory is correct.

North will not go while Brayshaw is there and again only at the bitter end.

Fitzroy were dead in the water and had been for 10 years prior to that. Merging with North would have put a basket case with a near basket case.

Brayshaw has done little to further North's cause and you would have to question his future of tenure at the Roos.

From the experience of the Gold Coast set up the AFL would prefer relocations to mergers.

The Gold Coast would absolutely jump on this. A merger doesn't have to be initiated out of desperation. It can be a worthwhile investment. I think the AFL would love the idea of the Gold Coast having a Melbourne fan base (like Brisbane and Sydney do), especially if they struggle for the first 10 years or so (which they might) to create a strong fanbase (something the Lions are still trying to do in a city that loves sport more than Sydney does), even after 3 flags.

I am still confident that the Roos will move North (pun not intended).

I hope not. Someone wrote sometime that for the game to be national, we need 7 teams in Sydney, 5 in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth... and a few other stragglers.

I reckon that's garbage. It's neat garbage, but it's garbage. Footy comes from Victoria. The other states joined OUR VFL... and the ten existing clubs CAN survive as they are. We're not weighing down the competition... we ARE the competition.

Don't let anyone tell you different. Fitzroy getting cooked, even years ago, still makes my skin crawl.

Footy comes from Victoria. The other states joined OUR VFL... and the ten existing clubs CAN survive as they are. We're not weighing down the competition... we ARE the competition.

agree with this 100%

It is not impossible. North and the Doggies have had some pretty solid teams over the past 10+ years, yet their supporter bases seem to be dwindling (we are not far behind them).

Given the the Gold coast is still being referred to as "GC17" by fans, it is fair to say they lack an identity.

If the Roos do not start turning a profit, I could see them moving to Tassie, or perhaps the Gold Coast.

Hopefully not, as it would be a sad day for North fans and the AFL.

I think i heard Andrew Demetriou say that 60% off all australian marketing/media money is spent in QLD and NSW.

There was two teams in these states. Now there is Three. Soon to be four. This is the main driver for going into these states. It's all about the $$$$

I think i heard Andrew Demetriou say that 60% off all australian marketing/media money is spent in QLD and NSW.

There was two teams in these states. Now there is Three. Soon to be four. This is the main driver for going into these states. It's all about the $$$$

Agree. Where football comes from is about the history not necessarily about its future.

There will always be a dominance of Victorian clubs but there will be more interstate clubs coming into the AFL and poorer Clubs like North will exist at the whim of their benefit to the overall TV rights arrangements.

Brisbane Bears were created in 1987. The Bears merged with Fitzroy in 1996. This was a great merger as it allowed the histories and traditions of both to be continued.

With two new teams coming into the comp. Gold Coast and GWS. What is the likelyhood we could see another two melbourne teams merge with Gold Coast and GWS?

I wonder if the AFL is open to the idea of a similar Bears and Fitzroy merger?

I'm tipping Gold Coast and North Melbourne will merge at some stage.

Leaving GWS open to merge with the next weakest Melbourne team.

The advantages of this is it reduces the number of teams in the comp and number of teams in melbourne.

discuss...

You don't know what you're talking about disco. Our family were Fitzroy and are now proudly Melbourne because of that so called merger. It was a corporate AFL takeover and most real Fitzroy people I know never followed the Brisbane bears.

My pride at the time wouldn't allow an individual ( w*nker ) like ross oakley to dictate to us which team we followed in the football. So we looked at the other clubs to follow because we love top level football and decided on Melbourne because this club carries the name of the city we actually lived in. Also the club needed help so i'm a Gold member now and very proud of it.

Fitzroy unlike South Melbourne, North Melbourne, Footscray and St Kilda had a great and proud history which is about as far frome Roma st and the city of Brisbane that you can possibly get.

But eight premierships ( two more than Geelong ) and nine Brownlow medals didn't protect Fitzroy from the corporates.

But the one point, one premiership club St Kilda WAS protected by one of it's ex players, none other than dear old ross oakley. No matter that St Kilda had also been bankrupt and never paid it's debts.

Makes you wonder why clubs put so much store in winning premierships and having success when the people that run the league value them somewhere near zero.

So please don't talk to people like us about successful mergers because you haven't been there. And hopefully we never will.

Edited April 1, 201114 yr by digby

Fitzroy were dead in the water and had been for 10 years prior to that. Merging with North would have put a basket case with a near basket case.

Brayshaw has done little to further North's cause and you would have to question his future of tenure at the Roos.

Think your a bit harsh on Brayshaw. He has done quite a bit for North if you look close, he has lifetd their membership, corporate dollars and off field exposure. He also has a big involvment in securing North's future by trying to get some of North's home games played in new markets (which means big $$).

Question his tenure?? He did just get returned by the members as president by quite a big margin.......

Edited April 2, 201114 yr by Skipper3

Think your a bit harsh on Brayshaw. He has done quite a bit for North if you look close, he has lifetd their membership, corporate dollars and off field exposure. He also has a big involvment in securing North's future by trying to get some of North's home games played in new markets (which means big $$).

Question his tenure?? He did just get returned by the members as president by quite a big margin.......

Where is there membership, their corporate dollar and the debt level from when he took over to where it is today? He may have tried hard but does not leave a sustained legacy.

He got returned due to no real options elsewhere. He is looking tired in the role waiting for a more energetic successor.

North have tried to secure games and crowds in Canberra, Darwin, Sydney, GWS over recent years and failed in numbers and in dollars. There is very little secure about Norths future atm.

I'm surprised that with all the growth in Melbourne in the last 9 years (the city's grown by 600,000 people) that clubs like North are still struggling.

I think the AFL's opposed to any mergers - they'd rather promote a completely new team.

I don't see why GC would go for it? They are being given the duty of operating Carrara stadium, which means that any revenue made from attendance will go right into their coffers (obviously after expenses are covered for match day). Even with crowds of only 10,000 this will bring them considerable funds. So financially there is no need to merge with North.

Also, after working so hard for three years promoting the club, branding themselves the suns...why would they then want to turn around and become the GC Kangaroos??? Won't happen.

A more likely scenario is North staying as North: North Queensland Kangaroos (based out of Cairns where there is a sizeable interest in footy).

But all of this surely couldn't happen within the next decade.

You don't know what you're talking about disco. Our family were Fitzroy and are now proudly Melbourne because of that so called merger. It was a corporate AFL takeover and most real Fitzroy people I know never followed the Brisbane bears.

My pride at the time wouldn't allow an individual ( w*nker ) like ross oakley to dictate to us which team we followed in the football. So we looked at the other clubs to follow because we love top level football and decided on Melbourne because this club carries the name of the city we actually lived in. Also the club needed help so i'm a Gold member now and very proud of it.

Fitzroy unlike South Melbourne, North Melbourne, Footscray and St Kilda had a great and proud history which is about as far frome Roma st and the city of Brisbane that you can possibly get.

But eight premierships ( two more than Geelong ) and nine Brownlow medals didn't protect Fitzroy from the corporates.

But the one point, one premiership club St Kilda WAS protected by one of it's ex players, none other than dear old ross oakley. No matter that St Kilda had also been bankrupt and never paid it's debts.

Makes you wonder why clubs put so much store in winning premierships and having success when the people that run the league value them somewhere near zero.

So please don't talk to people like us about successful mergers because you haven't been there. And hopefully we never will.

One of my mates dad's played for Fitzroy. Life member. he wasn't happy with the merger in the beginning. When the lions made the grand finals in early 2000's they gave out free grand final tickets to fitzroy life members. he happily took the free grand final tickets.all the sucess apparently brought the two clubs together for some supporters. like yourself... in the beginning he hated the idea but now he's accepted and moved on. everyone has a choice... i'm glad you joined the demons!

Brisbane Bears were created in 1987. The Bears merged with Fitzroy in 1996. This was a great merger as it allowed the histories and traditions of both to be continued.

With two new teams coming into the comp. Gold Coast and GWS. What is the likelyhood we could see another two melbourne teams merge with Gold Coast and GWS?

I wonder if the AFL is open to the idea of a similar Bears and Fitzroy merger?

I'm tipping Gold Coast and North Melbourne will merge at some stage.

Leaving GWS open to merge with the next weakest Melbourne team.

The advantages of this is it reduces the number of teams in the comp and number of teams in melbourne.

discuss...

I agree with you,,, In that, I also think Something will happen one day re North. but I don't think these days the AFL would go for a merger. Unless the club had officially gone under.

However I think expansion is On. Whether that be in Canberra, or a combo of a regional centre and Hobart.

Is NZ too far off?