They're damaging the AFL Footy brand at grassroots level. Many people have left especially the long term supporters, the elders, the bearers of the game, & the holders of the traditions & values.

The game is being hijacked from the people.

We have too many ex footballers commentating, & they tends to represent the 'Tones' of footballers ans maybe sometimes don't get the desires of the Public. They differ occasionally.

The players now want to run the game from the AFL. They've been around for 10 minutes. They should wait til they've been out of the game 10 Years for a broader perspective.

The ones being forgotten are the watching public being trodden on all over the place.

# The AFL closing stands as 'reserved', when they're empty...

old dee, on 30 June 2012 - 11:50 PM, said:

Spencer, Martin amd Bennell ( cannot believe I am saying this) from last weeks side are in Brisbane

Did we expect a lot more.

Two of the three played very good games and the third was ok.

Take them out and they are going to struggle.

Big surprise!

This is hell for Casey supporters, & is a strong reason for standalone AFL reserves sides.

This Issue is a big concern for footy, & I know many VFL 'dyed in their wool supporters' who have given up on the VFL with all the disturbances. Changing affiliations, pulling players out for surgery as the finals are on, etc, etc.

These goings on are causing people who have followed the game for decades of they're lives, to give it away.

Wakeup AFL & help the VFL competition, instead of milking it.

And start the VFL 3 weeks early, & finish the VFL Grand Final the week before the AFL PreLiminaries.

This ought to helpout with the practice matches & also the post season surgery's.

Edited July 1, 201213 yr by dee-luded

The VFL is going under...the sooner we get our own team that plays at Casey the better

$20 rise on all memberships would fund it easy.

I love the Dees and will till the day I die. Whilst I live in WA I never get to see VFL except for replays but must say things in grassroots footy in WA are on the up. Things are different here as we only have two AFL teams and getting to Subiaco Oval is almost impossible and costs a lot more than going to the "G".

For this reason people are flocking back to the WAFL attendances are up this year and the league is a good standard and on their day anyone can beat anyone. I attend a game every week and my kids love it, I speak with others at the footy who also say the same, the kids love being able to run around on the grass banks chase the balls behind the goals and have a kick on the ground at quarter, half and three quarter time. Not to mention for as long as they like after the game while dad has a beer and a chat.

Families are realising kids hate having to sit in a seat at Subi for 2 and a half hours without being able to move, Meth Coast supporters are the most uneducated and one eyed front running supporters going around and it's hard work taking your kids to watch them, especially when they are wearing opposition colours. Dockers supporters are a bit better they were brought up on the East v South Freo derbies and have some football smarts.

Both WA based AFL clubs have tried to flex their muscles this year demanding to put their own stand alone reserves into the WAFL, it would be the death nell for WAFL. The WAFL in the last 3 to 4 years has got itself back on it's feet but the AFL clubs have tried to bully and create wedges between them.

All 9 WAFL clubs have stood up to the big boys and even as late as this week have told the AFL clubs they can keep their players next year. Meth Coast and Freo are wanting to keep their players out of WAFL for the first 6 weeks of the season. IMO the AFL needs to have a reserves competition, they have the money to pay for it and those of us old enough to remember how good it used to to see reserves doing well knowing they would step up in the next couple of years to strengthen the league side

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/14091049/keep-your-afl-leftovers/

Whilst doing this the fat controller needs to realise its the fans and grassroot people who make this game and they need to pour plenty of funds into country, local, VFL, SANFL & WAFL. Another idea I would like to see come in to stregthen grassroots footy is the increasing of the draft age to 20 years or 50 to 75 games at VFL/WAFL/SANFL. To many unproven kids are getting drafted on what they may be and we also hear the argument of footballers getting injured career ending and having nothing to fall back on.

Get them to play 3/4 years at local level whilst completing apprenticeships, finishing uni and/or other courses to give them something to fall back on. We may also see boys coming into AFL with an appreciation of how hard life is for the ordinary worker and when they are given the chance at AFL level they realise it'something they don't wish to give up easy! Also sees boys coming in ready and allows for late developers who weren't stars at schoolboy level.

I want the VFL & AFL to survive...at present the VFL is diluting more each year...Look at Nought Melb, they spread players through 2 teams!

Stand alone AFL.

The VFL is going under...the sooner we get our own team that plays at Casey the better

$20 rise on all memberships would fund it easy.

That or the AFL dictates the % of take, going towards the VFL expenditures.

Too much is going into players pockets @ the top end, & not enough into running the game in a sustainable way.

The Top is craving so much, it's hurting the lower rungs of our game. VFL & country leagues.

That or the AFL dictates the % of take, going towards the VFL expenditures.

Too much is going into players pockets @ the top end, & not enough into running the game in a sustainable way.

The Top is craving so much, it's hurting the lower rungs of our game. VFL & country leagues.

It's called capitalism.

It's called capitalism.

Yes but it doesn't work,,, without restrictions to protect the greater good, the greediest & most desperate will just do anything for they're own ends.

Look around, they're are rules everywhere.

Anyone else notice in the story today about Casey/Lovett he said something about their being big changes including what the VFL is called from 2014?

Not sure how to get the story link, was in one of the footy news apps.

Worked it out...

http://www.footballnation.com.au/latest-news/casey-choose-winning-ahead-of-development/

Yes but it doesn't work,,, without restrictions to protect the greater good, the greediest & most desperate will just do anything for they're own ends.

Look around, they're are rules everywhere.

I didn't say it worked, but it is a human trait....we grow whatever we do...those that do not survive, don't.

18 teams & a VFL Competition will not survive.

I didn't say it worked, but it is a human trait....we grow whatever we do...those that do not survive, don't.

18 teams & a VFL Competition will not survive.

Human trait. Your right.

They have to do something WYL.

You cant breed success by just focusing on winning all the time.it will never work .Lovett is a madman.

I didn't say it worked, but it is a human trait....we grow whatever we do...those that do not survive, don't.

18 teams & a VFL Competition will not survive.

Why?