Diamond_Jim

Don't disagree with the concept but why not trial it at VFL and AFLW level. Similarly get the kids playing at school etc. Even bring a team or two from overseas if the scheduling allows. Then if and when the momentum and demand are there move it to the seniors level. It would also have the benefit of giving the VFL players exposure similar to the big bash. At the moment it just has too much of a gimmick factor to it and is heading for a flash in the pan type destiny. I could be wrong but it just seems to me they have the cart before the horse. PS: I particularly like the idea of playing on a rectangular field but why play it at Docklands where the crowd is then miles from the action. My first game at AAMI park during the Soccer Asian Cup blew my mind at how close you could be to the action.

Not sure if people remember but around the same time as the ODI's started there was 6 a side cricket. They played internationals in Hong Kong if I recall. Never really took off, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong_Cricket_Sixes

nothing like Eden Gardens in Kolkata when India are playing England in a one dayer

A somewhat apposite article about the members of a golf club adjoining the Wimbledon tennis complex selling out: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/dec/13/wimbledon-to-expand-after-golf-club-members-vote-to-sell-for-65m "Debate over the merits of the takeover had fractured the peace and tranquillity of the golf club’s fairways, laid out on parkland created by Capability Brown in the 18th century. “It’s like Brexit,” Devons, said. “You are either for it or against it. The offer split members and put decades-long golf partnerships on the rocks.” mind you each of the members picked up a cool $170K or thereabouts

Agree.. but they had they had that with the format from last year. This is entering the theatre of the absurd.

okay.. let's turn this thread on its head and ask why in the hell the AFL would go for this. In the world of the so called "thought bubble" this would not last for a millisecond. We're all missing something. First there is the game itself... okay it's not the best and needs some work but in these days of "fast sport" and the need to play on smaller ovals (rectangles) another version makes some degree of sense. But why turn a fiasco into an utterly unbelievable piece of#$%^. My only explanation is that they actually want to spoof the whole thing up (think World Championship wrestling). I'm lost.. the AFL are dumb sometimes but they are never this dumb.

have always thought that part of the arms race will include specialised AFL training equipment. Could be fun thinking of what they might come up with Do they use the machine that shoots the footy out (a la clay pigeon targets) at training?

T20 was born in England county cricket and remained there for a while before being introduced as a state based comp here in the form of BBL and of course the IPL. It was well and truly tried and tested before it moved to the top tier. The game needs to be trialled and perfected a lower levels with the public then demanding the game at the higher level. You can't force it on people.

This is the stuff straight out of Rob Sitch's Utopia ... amazing

good point but I suspect they are talking of the premises lease. The pokies will stay somewhere or other and are "owned" by EFC RSL clubs are fading as they have high upkeep costs with limited revenues. Not to say that the activities of the RSL are fading but one has to question the need for exclusive establishments used for drinking in the main. A common facility shared with other community groups is perhaps the way to go.

Many have commented that it seems to be a deliberate policy of the AFL to soak up the media space whether it be by trading periods, the draft, AFLX or whatever. Other sports just cannot get any free air.

yep.. that's the reality. A little worried as to where our improvement will come from in 2019. Brayshaw and Salem moved to higher levels. Harder to say who will move upwards in 2019. Most would say Petracca and I hope he is joined in the improvement stakes by Spargo.. (the young man seems to have a sense of where the ball is.) Should be interesting and I see no reason why we cannot win the Cup. No use waiting until 2020 as we could so easily be cruelled by form and injuries.

a bad idea that got even worse... one really has to wonder whether the AFL is up to running this sport. Take a lesson from T20.. expose the public via the lower leagues. If it takes off then bring in the higher leagues.

With only two pre season games and the VFL season starting 3 weeks after the AFL round 1, "training form" takes on another level compared to past years for the players ranked between say best 14 and 30.

Agree but sport and gambling is so entwined in Australian culture that it could take a while. Ironic that the biggest operators of pokies if one includes NSW are sports clubs and the RSL.

Sounds like Essendon are continuing their highly ethical approach to sport: "Melton City Council voted unanimously on Monday night to approve a 29-year lease extension allowing the Essendon Football Club to continue operating Melton Country Club and its 89 poker machines until the end of 2047. The lease for the venue, at which gamblers lost $5.69 million in 2017-18, was due to expire in 2022." "Essendon, who also own 101 poker machines at Windy Hill, refused to comment when contacted by The Age. " https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/essendon-lock-in-three-decade-pokies-lease-20181211-p50lkd.html

Strange place..... Ireland.... "AN IRISH woman who married the ghost of a 300-year-old pirate claims the couple have split up. Amanda Teague, 46, from Drogheda, Co. Louth, married the Haitian pirate named Jack earlier this year. The wedding to her ‘soulmate’ took place on board a boat in international waters off the Irish coast. However the Irish Mirror reports the couple have called it a day after less than a year." https://www.irishpost.com/news/irish-woman-married-ghost-300-year-old-pirate-says-split-162579

Have you ever wondered where the scalpers etc get their tickets? Arbitrage with GWS memberships not to mention interstate members with guaranteed GF tickets not tied to competing clubs are probably a prime source. In these days of electronic barcoding etc it would be a relatively simple process to check names against ID at the point of entry but it's not in anyone's interest to do it.

RBG.. will be very interesting to see how it plays out with Tim Kelly of Geelong at the end of 2019 re his wanting to return to the Eagles. Must say I feel for anyone drafted to play for the Suns..empty stadiums.. no buzz..etc plus a feeling I suspect of every player for themselves. PS Gunston has an enormous sense of being in the right place in the forward line. In the last two years his accuracy seems to have decreased but still a dangerous player as his 3:8 in the finals against us showed.

That and the "i want to go only to club xyz" which has become the mantra for players of any seniority when they want to change clubs

it's certainly a lot. The usual number would be 15 or less which makes 31 as you say "huge".

Interesting AFL article (below) reporting that Hawthorn has 31 players out of contract at the end of 2019. Would be great if someone could analyse that list to say how of many of the best say 25 are out of contract. Our approach and that of most clubs is to have rolling renewals of around one third each year. Sounds logical. (Collingwood have 29 coming out of contract.) I wonder if the Hawthorn situation was accidental or planned. "JAEGER O'Meara, Jarryd Roughead, Grant Birchall and potential captains Liam Shiels and Ben Stratton headline Hawthorn's AFL-most 31 players set to come out of contract next year. That figure is two more than Collingwood's unsigned group ahead of its 2018 campaign and includes 2014 premiership player Will Langford, who remains on the Hawks' list, but has retired. Flag stars Shaun Burgoyne, James Frawley, Ben McEvoy and Paul Puopolo, club champion runner-up Blake Hardwick and teenage cult hero James Worpel are also in line for fresh deals." https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/dec/07/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-relegation

Interesting article from today's Guardian discussing a TV show about how the great Man United were relegated to the second division in 1973. Perhaps there is a lesson in that for us. It goes on however to discuss the obvious ... namely that these days the power clubs in all the big leagues are leaving the others far behind. "This week the research group CIES Football Observatory published a paper called Competitive Balance: A Spatio-Temporal Comparison. Its conclusions reflect what we already know to be true, that the top clubs in every European league are pulling away. The champions of the big five leagues raked in 83.3% of all possible points last season. More games are being won by a wider margin by a group of elite clubs, all of whom are now too big to fail. United can have a wretched season, can clank about the pitch like a group of sad, misfiring robots, and still the worst thing that might happen is they finish behind Everton." https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2018/dec/07/jose-mourinho-manchester-united-relegation Luckily the AFL is a far cry from what have become the almost "life sucking" European leagues but there are salutary lessons for those who think something similar could not happen with the AFL. By the way.... why don't Collingwood publish membership figures?

Agree OD and it really makes you wonder why Richmond agreed to make the Anzac eve match a "make up game " for MFC members. Eagles and I think the Crows have capped their membership lists at around 60k. Reserved seats for Crows fans are treated like diamonds by those who have them. The extra revenue pulled in by the mega clubs year on year has to have an impact on the competition at some time notwithstanding salary caps and equalisation. It has to be spent somewhere.

Richmond on the way to 100,000 members again. Let's say that is a 50k number over Melbourne at an average of say 7 home games at $20 per game. (Conservative probably) That's a cool $7M in additional revenue.