Left at 3/4 time

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Newbie
This would be the ideal case but I dont know how keen other VFL clubs would feel about the idea. I would be surprise if we did not explore this option before decided to team up with Port Melbourne back then.

The only legitimate complaint they might have could be cost. The question, once again, turns to AFL subsidies.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
The discussion has moved on a bit but harking back to Charlie's query, there are plenty of good bush footballers running around, it is just that they are spread a bit thin. Reducing the number of Sydney and ACT teams could possibly raise the standard. But until the reserves can play in a quasi-professional league, not much is going to happen.

Perhaps the AFL needs a reserves comp again. I have no idea how much it would cost but surely all the money coming in from the TV deal could just about subsidise it.

Do you think that any number of bush footballers could be the equivalent of the professionalism (as opposed to quasi-professionalism) of the VFL? Keep in mind that a hundred or so senior AFL-listed players run around in the VFL each week.

[ROK Lobster]

Originally posted by Charlie
Do you think that any number of bush footballers could be the equivalent of the professionalism (as opposed to quasi-professionalism) of the VFL? Keep in mind that a hundred or so senior AFL-listed players run around in the VFL each week.

No I don't, but I think it could be improved. One or two more seasons like this and the ACTFL will itself be up the creek because people are not going to want to want to play in a comp where only one side can win it.

Is money the only reason there is not a reserves comp in the AFL?

[Charlie]

Originally posted by ROK Lobster
No I don't, but I think it could be improved. One or two more seasons like this and the ACTFL will itself be up the creek because people are not going to want to want to play in a comp where only one side can win it.

Is money the only reason there is not a reserves comp in the AFL?

Erm... it's the only one that I'm aware of.

We didn't realise it at the time, but shutting down the ressies really has been a disaster for us, hasn't it?

[ROK Lobster]

I guess it is really only an issue for the Swans and Bris. All other clubs have very strong local comps. How much would it cost to have a team in the VFL? Surely an investment for the future and Melb members would see a Swans team every second week - should they choose to do so.

[anne]

Re: Left at 3/4 time

Originally posted by Foreign Legion
Sorry to admit this but I am sick of it.

Where do I start...

Ball was not fit...

Schneider is not learning much playing in the ACTAFL....

ROK is as lazy as hell...and not doing enough...

McVeigh won't make it - don't care what anyone thinks - he is too light.

WHY THE BLOODY HELL DOESN'T ROOS REALISE THAT KENNELY IS A FORWARD/WINGMAN - NOT A BLOODY BACKMAN! I am sick of saying this.

Umpiring didn't cost the game but was pathetic.
Agree with all the above except about the beer!
Bloody Mid Strength beer as well!

[anne]

Oops. I agree with the above except about the beer.

[stellation]

Swans and Lions split the costs and establish a VFL side.
*Supply 12 players each for games (and one assistant coach/trainer/whatever).
*One training session together at the end of the week, rest of the training sessions/recovery/fitness/whatever done with their own clubs.
*Play home games out of the Lake Oval or the old Brunswick Street ground.
*Get the AFL to convince the main aviation/accomodation sponsors to cut a deal for player flights down and accomodation.++
*Give Melbourne Swans + Lions members an option for a membership that would include entry to VFL home games for the hybrid team as well as Swans or Lions Melbourne games.

++ if the aviation deal does not come off, grab the flying pigs passing by and put players on them

[Bas]

Re: Left at 3/4 time

Originally posted by Foreign Legion

Bloody Mid Strength beer as well!

At the SCG and Stadium games we get full strength beer.
Hmmm I wonder................................

Not suggesting that Victorians can't handle their alcohol or anything like that. In NSW, we just blissfully numb out during Swans usual performances.

A thermos with red wine does the trick these days when you have to pay nearly $5 for a beer.

Look in the sky, it's a bird!, it's a plane!, no it's just LRT flying into the back of another forward with the ball nowhere to be seen!

Don't forget the cheese and crackers!

[Foreign Legion]

Re: Re: Left at 3/4 time

Originally posted by stellation
He won't make it all because he is too light or just won't make it as an elite midfielder?

Both - although he can play a bit (as evidenced when he plays in the 2's) but he gets knocked off the ball and can't hold tackles either.

I hope I am wrong.

[Foreign Legion]

Originally posted by anne
Oops. I agree with the above except about the beer.

Sorry Anne - anyone who could watch last night without drinking beer is braver than me!

[Foreign Legion]

Re: Re: Left at 3/4 time

Originally posted by Bas
At the SCG and Stadium games we get full strength beer.
Hmmm I wonder................................

Not suggesting that Victorians can't handle their alcohol or anything like that. In NSW, we just blissfully numb out during Swans usual performances.

A thermos with red wine does the trick these days when you have to pay nearly $5 for a beer.

Worst thing is Bas that you can buy Smirnoff Vodka's, Cougars etc! How does this make sense???

[robbieando]

Originally posted by Newbie
This would be the ideal case but I dont know how keen other VFL clubs would feel about the idea. I would be surprise if we did not explore this option before decided to team up with Port Melbourne back then.

We did explore that option and Football Victoria rejected it out of hand because they didn't want an "interstate" club playing in what is now the Victorian State League (of course then they go out and allow Tasmania to enter a side in the VFL, but that was for a reason that doesn't apply to the Swans). Thus the only option we had was to "merge" with a VFL team, which then had limits placed upon it (12 Swans listed players per week, no control of use of players and pay for Port's licence fee)

People are forgetting that the VFL option we had was no better than we have now. Players like Bennett and Stevens would rip up teams in the VFL and fail upon making the seniors. Even worse was the fact that Port picked the 12 players we sent them each week and thus our rookies ended up playing in the Sydney League for the Redbacks where we played two short each week and weren't allowed to play in the finals.

The main reason we decided to play in the Canberra League was because it was a higher standard than the local Sydney League, we would be able to play our players together as a team and in positons that we want and most important of all we were saving at least $200,000.

Sure its not the best way to develop players but its the best option we have, because the VFL won't allow us to have a stand alone team and regardless of what you do, a NSW State League wouldn't improve upon the standards of the Canberra League.

[Charlie]

I'm quite confident that some behind-the-scenes 'discussions' between the AFL and Football Victoria would solve this problem.

[robbieando]

Originally posted by Charlie
I'm quite confident that some behind-the-scenes 'discussions' between the AFL and Football Victoria would solve this problem.

I'm not because it didn't work last time and we were forced to "merge" with Port Melbourne to be involved in the VFL set up. Basically we can wish all we want, but at the end of the day we are stuck with what we have because the AFL made the stupid decision to do away with the Reserves competition and in the process hurt the Swans only true way of developing players.

Now we have two options

1) Play our rookies against Postman Pat in the Canberra League
or
2) Drop our rookies in the deep end and hope they can swim.

Also something that is missed has been the clubs policy to not give first year players senior game time rather to allow them to get use to playing in the Canberra League before debut. Problem there is, once they make their debut the either fail to cope at the senior AFL level or don't get any game time to prove themselves and thus back to Canberra they go to learn more bad habits and get use to the slower level of play.

The answer of course is the VFL and that what we should be looking at, but the problem is unless we are allowed a stand alone side in the VFL, the 12 player merge option is no better than what we do at the moment and some believe that it is worse than the entire reserves set up playing Canberra.