The AFL - a national competition? (split thread)

[barry]

They could fine them all, they could bankrupt them, but aren't they then spiting themselves by then. And for what, to protect one particular venue ?
The reputation damage to AFL outside victoria would be monumental. The Vic biased would be laid bare. No journo could ignore it. Strikes on sport happen all over the world. It's not uncommon.

[Blood Fever]

They could fine them all, they could bankrupt them, but aren't they then spiting themselves by then. And for what, to protect one particular venue ?
The reputation damage to AFL outside victoria would be monumental. The Vic biased would be laid bare. No journo could ignore it. Strikes on sport happen all over the world. It's not uncommon.

In the USA, for example, no sporting organisation would dare let this situation arise. If perchance they did, there would be player strike action and a massive court action threat. The integrity of the AFL in this instance is a laughing stock, similar to our politics and change of PMs.

[stevoswan]

In the USA, for example, no sporting organisation would dare let this situation arise. If perchance they did, there would be player strike action and a massive court action threat. The integrity of the AFL in this instance is a laughing stock, similar to our politics and change of PMs.

Good post. I like Australia's 'she'll be right' attitude generally but not when sporting and political organizations have the same slackish attitude to integrity and fairness.....

.....but also, we in Australia are in the unique (or uniquely stupid) position of our footy league having more than half the teams and therefore, more than half the players happily at home in the state that controls the league.....the US does not have this impediment, so the player strike will never happen here unfortunately. Let's face it, the AFLPA is Vic based as well.

While he did deliver some 'silly talk', I like Barry's combative attitude on this topic and I reckon the interstate clubs should definitely do something collectively to address the obvious and tangible imbalances that exist.

[U.S. Swan]

Players don't strike over venue...believe me. They strike over $$$$.

[Blood Fever]

Players don't strike over venue...believe me. They strike over $$$$.

OK, but MLB, NBA, NHL etc would never deny home field/court entitlement. NFL at least has neutral venue.

[Markwebbos]

Michael Gleeson from the Age is one Melbourne journo who sees the non-Melbourne POV. He wrote this about the Grand Final venue: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...23-p505jd.html

A home away from home

This notionally national competition had a chance to right a wrong and didn’t.

The MCG is the best ground in the country, but it is also Collingwood’s home ground, not West Coast’s. The Eagles, the higher finishing, higher qualifying team will play on the other side of the country at the MCG as the ‘home’ team.

That is illogical and it is unfair - but it is also a complete waste of breath to argue about now because that argument was shelved when the AFL signed to play the Grand Final at the MCG until at least 2057. Now is just the moment when attention turns back to that decision.

The AFL is more likely to be able to fix its other more vexed problems like the utterly compromised fixture before it can get the Grand Final away from the MCG.

[barry]

Michael Gleeson from the Age is one Melbourne journo who sees the non-Melbourne POV. He wrote this about the Grand Final venue: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...23-p505jd.html

A home away from home

This notionally national competition had a chance to right a wrong and didn’t.

The MCG is the best ground in the country, but it is also Collingwood’s home ground, not West Coast’s. The Eagles, the higher finishing, higher qualifying team will play on the other side of the country at the MCG as the ‘home’ team.

That is illogical and it is unfair - but it is also a complete waste of breath to argue about now because that argument was shelved when the AFL signed to play the Grand Final at the MCG until at least 2057. Now is just the moment when attention turns back to that decision.

The AFL is more likely to be able to fix its other more vexed problems like the utterly compromised fixture before it can get the Grand Final away from the MCG.

The victorian argument follows a well trodden path:
1) "No ground is big enough outside MCG", despite only 30,000 club members getting access.
2) "You joined out comp, so suck it", despite the A in AFL not being an upside down V.
3) "The MCG on Grand final day is no ones home ground". By devine intervention all previous home advantages just magically disappear.
and now we have moved on to
4) "The MCG deal is signed for next 50 years", so cant be changed.

At least when they get to (4), they have admitted there is a problem.
Contracts get changed all the time. When finals were first played outside of vic, the MCG contract had to be changed.

Hopefully we get to (5) one day.
5) Ok, fair enough. Lets see what we can do.

[crackedactor]

Michael Gleeson from the Age is one Melbourne journo who sees the non-Melbourne POV. He wrote this about the Grand Final venue: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...23-p505jd.html

A home away from home

This notionally national competition had a chance to right a wrong and didn’t.

The MCG is the best ground in the country, but it is also Collingwood’s home ground, not West Coast’s. The Eagles, the higher finishing, higher qualifying team will play on the other side of the country at the MCG as the ‘home’ team.

That is illogical and it is unfair - but it is also a complete waste of breath to argue about now because that argument was shelved when the AFL signed to play the Grand Final at the MCG until at least 2057. Now is just the moment when attention turns back to that decision.

The AFL is more likely to be able to fix its other more vexed problems like the utterly compromised fixture before it can get the Grand Final away from the MCG.

Watched the Sunday morning footy show and Leigh Matthews did raise this question and suggesting it was unfair, Josh Jenkins from Adelaide also asked why Richmond plays on home ground last year but Adelaide finished on top of ladder. Of course the host ..Gil M brother Hamish, quickly crushed the conversation.


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[Markwebbos]

The victorian argument follows a well trodden path:
1) "No ground is big enough outside MCG", despite only 30,000 club members getting access.
2) "You joined out comp, so suck it", despite the A in AFL not being an upside down V.
3) "The MCG on Grand final day is no ones home ground". By devine intervention all previous home advantages just magically disappear.
and now we have moved on to
4) "The MCG deal is signed for next 50 years", so cant be changed.

At least when they get to (4), they have admitted there is a problem.
Contracts get changed all the time. When finals were first played outside of vic, the MCG contract had to be changed.

Hopefully we get to (5) one day.
5) Ok, fair enough. Lets see what we can do.

Gleeson doesn't think the AFL should have done the deal.

[Blood Fever]

Michael Gleeson from the Age is one Melbourne journo who sees the non-Melbourne POV. He wrote this about the Grand Final venue: https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/...23-p505jd.html

A home away from home

This notionally national competition had a chance to right a wrong and didn’t.

The MCG is the best ground in the country, but it is also Collingwood’s home ground, not West Coast’s. The Eagles, the higher finishing, higher qualifying team will play on the other side of the country at the MCG as the ‘home’ team.

That is illogical and it is unfair - but it is also a complete waste of breath to argue about now because that argument was shelved when the AFL signed to play the Grand Final at the MCG until at least 2057. Now is just the moment when attention turns back to that decision.

The AFL is more likely to be able to fix its other more vexed problems like the utterly compromised fixture before it can get the Grand Final away from the MCG.

Nails it with 'notionally national competition'. His article is spot on and the bit about waste of breath to argue is what sticks in the throat because it has truth. But there is no harm in reminding the unfairly advantaged Victorian team of their compromised circumstances.

[barry]

Nails it with 'notionally national competition'. His article is spot on and the bit about waste of breath to argue is what sticks in the throat because it has truth. But there is no harm in reminding the unfairly advantaged Victorian team of their compromised circumstances.

"Waste of breath" is just a way to try and silence debate.

[Blood Fever]

Watched the Sunday morning footy show and Leigh Matthews did raise this question and suggesting it was unfair, Josh Jenkins from Adelaide also asked why Richmond plays on home ground last year but Adelaide finished on top of ladder. Of course the host ..Gil M brother Hamish, quickly crushed the conversation.

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Media will not bite the hand that feeds it. If so, that hand can be very very vindictive.

[Blood Fever]

"Waste of breath" is just a way to try and silence debate.

40 year agreement needs a lot of breath. Probability that last four year cycle of disadvantage will change and then league will pretend everything is ok. As long as there is a majority of Vic teams, 'notionally national' will prevail. 2057 will see me probably long gone despite major advances in medical technology!

[Bloods05]

"Waste of breath" is just a way to try and silence debate.

As I said elsewhere, lively debate is fine, and there is a point to be made here about SOME Vic teams being favoured by this arrangement, but let's not lose our minds. We might need them down the track.

[Melbourne_Blood]

I agree with what was said earlier in the thread , I as a Melbourne swans fan am conflicted by the MCG arrangement. On the one hand it is definitely unfair on the rest of the competition outside of Victoria ( assuming a Vic team makes the big dance ). On the other hand , like it or not , Victoria is essentially the home of football. This is the state that has football attendances through the roof week in , week out. Footy season starts and it’s rare that you cannot find someone to chat about the game with. Many People plan their social life around watching the big games over the weekend , it is religion here . You could argue the same for SA and WA but they are more state focused in their interest. They love their AFL teams but other than that many prefer to watch their state league teams as opposed to the other AFL games that don’t involve their respective sides. Every pub, bar , backyard or living room in Melbourne is going to be packed to the rafters on Saturday , as it is every year on GF day . The love of the game here is fanatical , and Melbourne people turn out in force to events. It is the reason touring bands will schedule their @@@@ter slots ( Monday’s , Tuesday’s ) in Melbourne as opposed to other states. They will sell out regardless. Doesn’t matter when or where or what time , if it’s an event , you will get a turn out in Melbourne. The idea of a Aussie rules GF in Sydney is almost laughable. A grand final parade , who would turn up ? NRL attendances are a disgrace in comparison and yet their tv attendances are huge. SA and WA have great AFL attendances but they are two team towns. Would you reschedule the Boxing Day test ? Move the Australian open interstate ? Yes , that wouldn’t impact on fairness I get that , but if you look past that a little it is pretty mad to think of the grand final anywhere other than the G ( and I hope the eagles win to highlight the fact that on this day , it becomes somewhat more of a neutral venue ). I know the Sydney based swans on here are mad footy fans too but you can’t tell me when the SCG sells out it is full of rusted on Aussie rules fans. You can’t tell me anyone in SA now gives a toss about the GF. QLD ? Forget about it. WA obviously are involved but if the eagles weren’t in , I doubt there would be obsessive interest in it like there is , and always is , in Melbourne. I know this is going to be pretty unpopular with a few but it is pretty black and white for me. Can anyone who has attended the GF at the MCG honestly imagine that at any other stadium , in any other state in Australia ? It’s a pilgrimage , the buzz in the air is electric , and regardless of whether it is Sydney v west coast , Geelong v St Kilda , freo v hawthorn , that doesn’t change. Again, it is unfair, but for the sake of a magnificent tradition , in a footy obsessed town , in the biggest and oldest and grandest stadium in the country , I’m comfortable with it. The same way I’m comfortable with the rugby league GF being held in Sydney. Despite it disadvantage the storm.


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