5 hours ago, poita said:

As soon as they can work out how to squeeze in some more teams in to the competition and more byes in to the fixture.

Looking forward to a 37 team competition next year - 22 week season with each team having 14 byes.

Well, thanks to the powers that be, one club has been killed off for 2026 namely the Northern Bullants who were booted off and weren’t given any financial assistance to survive.

That’s a whole scandal by itself.

@KC from Casey @Whispering_Jack

Brodie Atkins. Gippsland u18 best and fairest and 2025 Morrish medal winner. He’s signed with Sandringham VFL for 2026. Disappointing to see that Casey couldn’t appeal to him as a local lad and with the former Power coach Rhett McLennan as Casey’s new coach. Atkins had a great year and still a player to watch out for. He averaged 24 disposals per game and 6 tackles per game. I think the standalone clubs like Tassie and Zebras and Saints are appealing to these young guns who will more likely to get a regular game than if they are in AFL aligned clubs. The “whole of club” feel also a potential factor.

On 04/12/2025 at 17:52, Sydney Pennski said:

Well, thanks to the powers that be, one club has been killed off for 2026 namely the Northern Bullants who were booted off and weren’t given any financial assistance to survive.

That’s a whole scandal by itself.

The AFL treat the VFL with utter contempt. I wonder how any team can function under their control. Why would you want to play for Casey unless you firmly believed you were still a shot at AFL. How can you build club culture when you just fill holes in the AFL seconds team and are shunted in and out of your local comp. What the hell's the point?

They've killed off a few clubs now, not to mention pulling club funding. It's like the VFL is their plaything.

I can see another year of a [censored] comp. Would like to see a comp of 2X12 teams. Western conference and an Eastern conference. The top 4 of each conference play each other to eventually determine the G.F winner. The extra club could come from S.A , W.A and Tasmanian. Victorian clubs being the bulk could play in each of the two conferences. Each club will play 22 home and away matches. Each club to have one mid season bye (allows players to freshen up). Victorian clubs would rotate between the conference at the start of every new season i.e in 26 and 27 Casey would play in the East , 28 Casey then would play in the West. Otherwise the reserves could be an U23's plus each club is allowed to players over .Only one bye.

1 hour ago, Coolx2 said:

I can see another year of a [censored] comp. Would like to see a comp of 2X12 teams. Western conference and an Eastern conference. The top 4 of each conference play each other to eventually determine the G.F winner. The extra club could come from S.A , W.A and Tasmanian. Victorian clubs being the bulk could play in each of the two conferences. Each club will play 22 home and away matches. Each club to have one mid season bye (allows players to freshen up). Victorian clubs would rotate between the conference at the start of every new season i.e in 26 and 27 Casey would play in the East , 28 Casey then would play in the West. Otherwise the reserves could be an U23's plus each club is allowed to players over .Only one bye.

Nice idea, but I don’t think anybody’s at the wheel

5 hours ago, Roger Mellie said:

Why would you want to play for Casey

Why would you want to play for any AFL aligned club when you know you will be dropped for fringe AFL players who may not be as good as you.

As a comp it has produced very few players at VFL level who get promoted to an AFL list.

It simply doesn't work anymore on so many levels. With the inclusion of interstate teams it has also lost what little community feeling it had. I liked going to Coburg, Port etc but now we are lucky to get to play at the old grounds

Another Casey-listed player gone elsewhere but this one’s not really unexpected. Max Roney is the Tasmanian player who was recruited this year but didn’t play for the Demons. He’s now found his way to the Tassie Devils’ inaugural VFL squad for 2026.

Meanwhile, no sign of any new Casey Demons signings other than possibly Melbourne NGA player Toby SInnema who has appeared as an add on trainee at Gosch’s Paddock with the AFL team.

5 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Why would you want to play for any AFL aligned club when you know you will be dropped for fringe AFL players who may not be as good as you.

As a comp it has produced very few players at VFL level who get promoted to an AFL list.

It simply doesn't work anymore on so many levels. With the inclusion of interstate teams it has also lost what little community feeling it had. I liked going to Coburg, Port etc but now we are lucky to get to play at the old grounds

The VFL is not what is once was and it’s a shame.

I have no idea why so many players from the SAFNFL got drafted this year it is normally depth only and lucky at that.

Players have come through the VFL system who dominated, I can think of one that played for Casey and got onto Melbourne’s list who kicked 6 goals in a grand final

Culley another who more recently put himself under the nose of recruiters by choosing an aligned club.

AJ and Henderson both came through by excelling at the level. If you are good enough to get on a list, it happens. (Being good enough to produce at afl level is another story entirely, but recruiters always have their eyes scouring for talent in all the pathways)