Jump to content

Discussion on recent allegations about the use of illicit drugs in football is forbidden
  • IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

    Posting unsubstantiated rumours on this website is strictly forbidden.

    Demonland has made the difficult decision to not permit this platform to be used to discuss & debate the off-field issues relating to the Melbourne Football Club including matters currently being litigated between the Club & former Board members, board elections, the issue of illicit drugs in footy, the culture at the club & the personal issues & allegations against some of our players & officials ...

    We do not take these issues & this decision lightly & of course we believe that these serious matters affecting the club we love & are so passionate about are worthy of discussion & debate & I wish we could provide a place where these matters can be discussed in a civil & respectful manner.

    However these discussions unfortunately invariably devolve into areas that may be defamatory, libelous, spread unsubstantiated rumours & can effect the mental health of those involved. Even discussion & debate of known facts or media reports can lead to finger pointing, blame & personal attacks.

    The repercussion is that these discussions can open this website, it’s owners & it’s users to legal action & may result in this website being forced to shutdown.

    Our moderating team are all volunteers & cannot moderate the forum 24/7 & as a consequence problematic content that contravenes our rules & standards may go unnoticed for some time before it can be removed.

    We reserve the right to delete posts that offend against our above policy & indeed, to ban posters who are repeat offenders or who breach our code of conduct.

    WE HAVE BUILT A FANTASTIC ONLINE COMMUNITY AT DEMONLAND OVER THE PAST 23 YEARS & WE WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE TO BE ABLE TO DISCUSS THE CLUB WE LOVE & ARE SO PASSIONATE ABOUT.

    Thank you for your continued support & understanding. Go Dees.


AFLW: The New 2022 Season



Recommended Posts

big-new-pay-deal-for-aflw-players

Great to see the pay increases for the players.

 

What doesn't make sense is a 10 game season when there are 18 teams.  How can the draw not be super compromised!  Nearly half the comp doesn't play each other!!

Guaranteed this year's top 6 won't play any of the 4 new teams or last year's bottom 4.  For them it will be like a finals series within a regular season.  And what a massive free kick into the upper part of the finals for any of last year's top 6 to play a new team or last year's bottom teams.

At least they have increased the finals to the top 8 which hopefully means the better teams will make the finals regardless of who they play.  But there is also a chance some will be eliminated before the finals because of a compromised draw.  

imv a 10 game season has made it a lesser comp than it should be.  A lot of games will be hard to watch.

What are the odds that Carlton and Essendon get very favourable draws...

Note to AFL:   Can we please have some Home games vs Freo, Lions and Crows where we get the ground and crowd advantage.  To not have that makes it very difficult for us to have Home finals let alone a Home GF.   They have had that advantage over us long enough!

Edited by Lucifers Hero
  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Too many teams leads to low quality fare. Expansion is too fast.

perhaps the time is right for 2 divisions. Promotion and relegation applies. You’ll have more competition matches. Try something different AFLW

  • Like 1
  • Thinking 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, BDA said:

Too many teams leads to low quality fare. Expansion is too fast.

perhaps the time is right for 2 divisions. Promotion and relegation applies. You’ll have more competition matches. Try something different AFLW

I thought that two about two divisions but doubt the AFLW will buy it for equality reasons- the newer teams won't get out of second division.

The other thought was Conferences but they failed badly because teams in Conf B made finals with less wins than teams in Conf A.   9/9 giving one cross-conference game each.

I would probably prefer conferences if they had a balanced fixture.  18 teams for 10 games is just awful and as you say it will really water down the quality.  As it is about 6-8 teams weren't competitive this year.  That jumps to 10-12 teams next year.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless the AFL have some brilliant, rapid plan to create more equitable seasons year on year, this 10-game nonsense is half-baked. By definition. 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Webber said:

Unless the AFL have some brilliant, rapid plan to create more equitable seasons year on year, this 10-game nonsense is half-baked. By definition. 

It can't run in parallel with the mens game as it will get no coverage and at those pay rates the AFL can not afford a full season.

Public interest in AFLW is falling and will continue to do so as the quality of the product is still extremely poor.  It won't improve for a long period as it isn't an elite program with 18 sides.  It should be 8 sides which is a better reflection on the percentage of girls that play the game compared to boys, still high but you need 8 sides for a decent comp.  If you had 8 sides 14 game season with finals, more money for the players and it will be a good standard of football.

The AFL however knows that the male product at grassroots is in massive decline, other sports are smashing AFL for male participation add in online gaming, covid, the only way AFL can grow is through increase female participation.

Edited by drdrake
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The AFL is going for the option that opens up the most pathways for as many players as possible, with the flow-on effect from the community-level up = more fans, more money. That's the idea anyway. If they wanted to prioritise quality at the top tier there are about a million things they'd have done differently starting seven years ago, so that ship has long sailed.

They can't plead ignorance about about players wanting more games if there were more teams though. The exact same thing was the main sticking point in the last CBA, that caused that process to stall. The group of players who stood up in 2019 managed to force a 10 game H&A season plus finals series for the 2022 season just gone (the AFL were wanting 8, for a 14-team comp). Those players in 2019 were looking ahead as well, managing to get an agreement that 13 H&A games wouldn't be off the table for the current round of negotiations (this was before the final expansion was announced). Obviously that hasn't come to much, but at least it wasn't a foregone conclusion!

The AFL put the negotiations under massive pressure by (unilaterally) bringing the next season forward, which at least seems to have worked in the players' favour re: pay. Without that pay increase, there would have been big player numbers lost after the tumult of this season. That would have put the AFL in a difficult position due to expansion. Additionally, the AFL has long held that working towards professionalisation/full-time hours in-season etc. was off the table until all clubs were in the comp. That's now, so that's another reason for the pay changes being pushed through. So, in prioritising expansion while simultaneously experimenting with the season timing, they've been forced into higher pay, but at the expense of a reasonable season length. Something had to give.

May the fixturing gods be in our favour. On the bright side, to be the best you've got to beat the best...

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Dees_In_October said:

The AFL is going for the option that opens up the most pathways for as many players as possible, with the flow-on effect from the community-level up = more fans, more money. That's the idea anyway. If they wanted to prioritise quality at the top tier there are about a million things they'd have done differently starting seven years ago, so that ship has long sailed.

They can't plead ignorance about about players wanting more games if there were more teams though. The exact same thing was the main sticking point in the last CBA, that caused that process to stall. The group of players who stood up in 2019 managed to force a 10 game H&A season plus finals series for the 2022 season just gone (the AFL were wanting 8, for a 14-team comp). Those players in 2019 were looking ahead as well, managing to get an agreement that 13 H&A games wouldn't be off the table for the current round of negotiations (this was before the final expansion was announced). Obviously that hasn't come to much, but at least it wasn't a foregone conclusion!

The AFL put the negotiations under massive pressure by (unilaterally) bringing the next season forward, which at least seems to have worked in the players' favour re: pay. Without that pay increase, there would have been big player numbers lost after the tumult of this season. That would have put the AFL in a difficult position due to expansion. Additionally, the AFL has long held that working towards professionalisation/full-time hours in-season etc. was off the table until all clubs were in the comp. That's now, so that's another reason for the pay changes being pushed through. So, in prioritising expansion while simultaneously experimenting with the season timing, they've been forced into higher pay, but at the expense of a reasonable season length. Something had to give.

May the fixturing gods be in our favour. On the bright side, to be the best you've got to beat the best...

A good summary of the process, thanks.

Can't help but feel that by not considering the quality of games doesn't undermine their goal to get more fans and more money.  Its taken 7 years to get to a point where the quality is good from the better teams.  So this is the time to go for max crowds but if the quality isn't there or a 10 game season is seen as a joke more and more fans might just lose interest and the whole thing backfires on the AFL.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having a 10 game season is just ridiculous. It would be like ending the AFL season after this week and thinking that is a fair fixture.

I'm guessing the rationale is that the AFL want to limit the number of opportunities for weaker expansion sides to be thrashed by the stronger established sides. Expect to see Adelaide/Melbourne/Brisbane/Fremantle all playing against each other, and with the bare minimum of games against expansion sides.

I struggle to see how the AFL will promote this AFLW season with the early rounds running against AFL finals. You'll be lucky to see more than one game a week on Channel 7, and heading out to venues like Casey for twilight or night fixtures in September is not an attractive proposition.

Good to see some more money available to players. Hopefully it allows the stronger teams more scope to keep their lists together.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites


1 minute ago, poita said:

Having a 10 game season is just ridiculous. It would be like ending the AFL season after this week and thinking that is a fair fixture.

I'm guessing the rationale is that the AFL want to limit the number of opportunities for weaker expansion sides to be thrashed by the stronger established sides. Expect to see Adelaide/Melbourne/Brisbane/Fremantle all playing against each other, and with the bare minimum of games against expansion sides.

I struggle to see how the AFL will promote this AFLW season with the early rounds running against AFL finals. You'll be lucky to see more than one game a week on Channel 7, and heading out to venues like Casey for twilight or night fixtures in September is not an attractive proposition.

Good to see some more money available to players. Hopefully it allows the stronger teams more scope to keep their lists together.

 

Exactly right!

But then the AFL haven't learnt from their previous mistakes, and come finals time, we will have these same expansion teams playing, but much better sides denied. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Demonland changed the title to AFLW: The New 2022 Season
3 hours ago, george_on_the_outer said:

Exactly right!

But then the AFL haven't learnt from their previous mistakes, and come finals time, we will have these same expansion teams playing, but much better sides denied. 

"the AFL haven't learnt from their previous mistakes" - shock!

3 hours ago, Lucifers Hero said:

A good summary of the process, thanks.

Can't help but feel that by not considering the quality of games doesn't undermine their goal to get more fans and more money.  Its taken 7 years to get to a point where the quality is good from the better teams.  So this is the time to go for max crowds but if the quality isn't there or a 10 game season is seen as a joke more and more fans might just lose interest and the whole thing backfires on the AFL.

Yeah, just imagine an eight team competition right now! That would be a great standard!

Interestingly, there's a good percentage of AFLW fans who aren't "traditional" footy fans who follow the men's league. I saw some stats on this that were surprising! The fanbase also comprises a fair percentage of former fans returning to the game after becoming disillusioned or losing interest in the AFL for whatever reason. Getting the game out of summer might draw back some fans who've melted out at Casey along the way. I know for me that's been a major stumbling block in my attempts to recruit fans who are otherwise keen but don't want to stand around in 35 degree heat with no shade at the height of summer.

Obviously the AFL will also be after the big numbers, being those who already follow men's footy. Club loyalty is the biggest driver there and (for the four new teams) that initial novelty factor. But you're right, the quality has to hold up or they'll lose interest.

Notably, one of the obstacles to quality that players speak about constantly is how the standard reached so far has in part occurred on a voluntary basis during the off-season and outside of the 15 contracted hours per week in season. Hopefully the new pay deal will help with that. The AFL is also clearly banking on the quality of the draftees coming through...not sure what's happening for the Year 12s and the early draft and August season start, which again, a foreseeable problem!

I guess the question is, would a longer season drive quality faster than better pay that allows a higher and more prolonged standard of training? I have no idea. Both and fewer teams would be the absolute ideal, but clearly that's not possible.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is being built up way to quickly. There is not the talent to cover 18 teams. However it has been done and I believe there should be 2 divisions. 1st division with 10 teams and second with 8. Draft selections should be over both divisions from bottom to top and so after say 10 or 20 years you would be able to have 1 division. A 10 game series between 18 sides is ridiculous.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 minutes ago, dl4e said:

This is being built up way to quickly. There is not the talent to cover 18 teams. However it has been done and I believe there should be 2 divisions. 1st division with 10 teams and second with 8. Draft selections should be over both divisions from bottom to top and so after say 10 or 20 years you would be able to have 1 division. A 10 game series between 18 sides is ridiculous.

We may end up with that as a defacto result as 18 into 10 doesn't go.

To avoid diabolically poor games they will have to fixture the 4 new teams and last year's bottom 5 or 6 teams against each other.  Last years top 9-10 teams play each other.

As I and others have mentioned the result will be that poor teams will play finals at the expense of good teams, like they did when we had 'Conferences'.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I think they need to pay a full time livable salary for all players so that they can be footballers. It doesn't have to be AFLM money, but working towards a 60k per person minimum at least sets a benchmark which can be "topped up" through other work if desired but allows full time focus during preseason and season as well.

I'm concerned about the quality difference between the teams and think that divisions are probably the way to go, but understand it won't be popular. 

I also wonder if playing 2 seasons of "8 game plus finals" per year, a spring and autumn comp, is actually a plausible option? It minimises long seasons and dead rubbers. There can be 2 teams up and down twice per year, making conferences more palatable, and swapping teams around a lot more. There can be an extra trade period mid year if needed. 6 month player contracts to cover each shorter season might make the financial part more palatable for the AFL.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Some people would know the recruits better than me but would our best side look like this

B: Birch, Colvin

HB: Goldrick, Lampard, Heath

C: McNamara, Purcell, Mithen

HF: Hore, Zanker, Bannan

F: D.Pearce, Harris

FOLL: L.Pearce, Paxman, Hanks

IC: Wilson, Gay, West, Ivey, Sherriff

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/10/2022 at 1:31 PM, WERRIDEE said:

Some people would know the recruits better than me but would our best side look like this

Good effort Werridee.   Some thoughts: prefer to see Fitzsimon included, Paxy is better on a wing these days, West is only gonna get better,  high hopes for improvement in Gillard.  We have a strong group and will be amongst the top teams again.  

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all.    On that rainy Friday night at the Adelaide Oval, Ken Hinkley’s young midfield secured much more than four points on offer. The victory over one of the big dogs of the competition after a succession of wins over some of its lesser lights gave his team respect and validation fo

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 5

    TRAINING: Monday 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training. DEMON DYNASTY'S TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Kade Chandler's left knee heavily strapped. BBB, Spargs & Jake Lever also in rehab group. Jake Bowey solo running separate kicking/sprint/agility drills. Super fine morning / early arvo at Gosch's for the boys to blow out some cobwebs. Choco initially had the light duties / rehab group

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter. By the time they worked out it was game on, their opponents from Box Hill had accumulated five goals and, if the game wasn’t over, it might as well have been. For a se

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Casey Articles

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head. The Demons have now won nine of their last ten encounters with the other result, a draw.     And like a fork, it was the multi-pronged options that Melbourne had all across the ground.  It certainly helped that Hawthorn

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Reports 8

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in the Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out?

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 262

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 25th March @ 8:30pm. Join George, Binman & I as we analyse the Demons victory at the MCG against the Hawks in the Round 02. You questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human. Listen & Chat

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 46

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 50

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 357

    GAMEDAY: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today.

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 437
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!
  • Podcast 

  • Podcast 

  • Podcast Stream 


    Open Stream in
    New Window
        TuneIn    Opens in New Tab
  • Support Demonland  



  • 2021 Premiership  

  • Social Media 

  • Non MFC Games  

    NON-MFC: Round 03

    Discussion of all the other games that don't involve the Demons in Round 03 ... READ MORE

    Demonland | Round 03

  • Match Preview      

    DEPTH CHARGE by Whispering Jack

    The jubilation on the coach’s face as he danced a celebratory jig by the playing bench after the final siren sounded to record his team’s four-point victory over the Demons when the teams last met, said it all ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 27

  • Latest Podcast      

    PODCAST: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The boys dissected the clinical thrashing of Hawks praising the immense performance of Christian Petracca whilst lamenting the injury toll to our defensive unit ... LISTEN

    Demonland | March 26

  • Training  

    Monday, 25th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Demon Dynasty & Kev Martin were trackside at Gosch's Paddock today to bring you their observations from training ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • Casey Report      

    HIBERNATING by KC from Casey

    When they locked up the rooms for summer at the end of last year’s football season, the rooms gathered cobwebs, the atmosphere became dense and the place developed a sleepy feel. They opened up the rooms to let Casey out to play on Sunday but the team was still hibernating and they missed the bulk of the opening quarter ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 25

  • PreGame      

    PREGAME: Rd 03 vs Port Adelaide

    The Demons head out on the road for the next 2 weeks as they travel to Adelaide to play Port on Saturday and then have a 5 Day break before facing the Crows in Gather Round. With injuries to May and Lever who comes in and who goes out? ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 28

  • Match Report      

    A FORK IN THE HAWK by George on the Outer

    For too long in the past, Demon fans became habitually sick and tired of watching the Hawks hand out thrashings to their side. But Melbourne’s empahtic 55-point win at the MCG on Saturday has truly put a fork in the Hawk and turned that history well and truly on its head ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Post Game      

    POSTGAME: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    The Demons cruised to an easy 55 point win over the Hawks at the MCG but but paid a heavy toll on the injury front with Steven May & Jake Lever possibly sidelined for a number of weeks ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Votes      

    VOTES: Rd 02 vs Hawthorn

    Last week Steven May took the lead in the Demonland Player of the Year Award from Jack Viney. Clayton Oliver & Max Gawn round out the Top 4. Your votes for the win/loss against/to the Hawks. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Game Day      

    GAMEDAY: Round 02 vs Hawthorn

    It's Game Day and after mixed results in the first two weeks of the season the Demons have the opportunity to capitalise on their good form last week when they take on the Hawks at the MCG today ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 23

  • Training  

    Friday, 22nd March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatcher Kev Martin and I attended the Captain's Run at Gosch's Paddock on this lovely sunny morning to bring you the following observations from the training session ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 22

  • Training  

    Tuesday, 19th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin & Walking Civil War attended Tuesday morning's training session at Gosch's Paddock to bring you the following observations ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 19

  • Training  

    Saturday, 16th March 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers Kev Martin and Dee Zephyr wandered down to Gosch's Paddock on Saturday morning to bring you their observations from the Captain's Run in the lead up to Sunday's Round One match against the Bulldogs ... READ MORE

    Demonland | March 16

  • Farewell  

    Angus Brayshaw Retires

    After 167 games including the drought breaking Premiership Angus Brayshaw has made the heart breaking decision to medically retire from football as a result of a series of serious head knocks over his nearly decade of footy. We wish Gus all the best and he'll always be a hero at Demonland ... READ MORE

    Demonland | February 22

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Koltyn Tholstrup Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club’s newest recruit Koltyn Tholstrup to have a chat about his journey from the farm to the Demons, his first few weeks of preseason training, which Dees have impressed him on the track and his aspirations of playing Round 1 ... LISTEN

    Demonland | December 14

  • Latest Podcast  

    PODCAST: Jason Taylor Interview

    I interview the Melbourne Football Club's National Recruitment Manager Jason Taylor to have a chat about our Trade and Draft period, our newest recruits, our recent recruits who have yet to debut as well as those father son prospects on the horizon ... LISTEN

    Demonland | November 27

  • Next Match 

    .

    Round 03

       vs   

    Saturday 30th March 2024
    @ 07:30pm (AO)

  • MFC Forum  

  • Match Previews & Reports  

  • Training Forum  

  • AFLW Forum  

  • 2024 Player Sponsorship

  • Topics

  • Injury List  


      PLAYER INJURY LENGTH
    Jake Lever Knee Test
    Clayton Oliver Hand Test
    Oliver Sestan Concussion Test
    Steven May Ribs 1 Week
    Lachie Hunter Calf 1 Week
    Daniel Turner Hip 2-3 Weeks
    Charlie Spargo Achilles 2-4 Weeks
    Shane McAdam Hamstring 3-5 Weeks
    Jake Bowey Shoulder 7 Weeks
    Jake Melksham ACL 12-14 Weeks
    Joel Smith Suspension TBA

  • Player of the Year  


        PLAYER VOTES
    1 Christian Petracca 27
    2 Steven May 25
    3 Max Gawn 21
    4 Jack Viney 20
    5 Bayley Fritsch 19
    6 Clayton Oliver 18
    7 Christian Salem 12
    8 Blake Howes 11
    9 Jack Billings 10
    9 Alex Neal-Bullen 10

        FULL TABLE
  • Demonland Interviews 



  • Upcoming Events 

×
×
  • Create New...