#AFL General Pre Season Discussion Thread

[Ralph Dawg]

Apparently swans are in dire financial trouble according to brief blurb on Ch9. I wonder if the AFL will let us go under, GWS go under or force a merger? Perhaps Sydney Giants with feeder club of South Melbourne in VFL?

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Or Sydney Swans in AFL and Giants NEAFL. Now I could live with that.

[Ralph Dawg]

Sydney GWS Swans 2021 best 22
B Rampe Davis Lloyd
HB Williams Haynes Mills
C Kelly Parker Whitfield
HF Coniglio Franklin Heeney
F Greene Cameron Papley
Foll Jacobs Taranto Hopper
Int Florent Dawson Perryman Aliir

I have assumed Ward, JPK and Shaw have retired. Depending on how Sam goes, he would be a possible in instead of Jacobs.

That's just off the top of my head. Might have missed some players but I reckon that side would be the premiership favourites.

[Boddo]

Apparently swans are in dire financial trouble according to brief blurb on Ch9. I wonder if the AFL will let us go under, GWS go under or force a merger? Perhaps Sydney Giants with feeder club of South Melbourne in VFL?

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Or Sydney Swans in AFL and Giants NEAFL. Now I could live with that.

I wouldn’t take any notice of MSM. They are the kings n rulers of propagating hysteria n doom & gloom.

This virus is the perfect example. Every article tries to compare Australia to Italy & Spain. Not one mention of the data that atm compares Australia favourably with Germany, South Korea & Singapore. The countries that have this the most under control.

Decisions will not be made via these clowns.

I would expect there to be 18 clubs to finish off this season and 18 clubs in next years season.

[stevoswan]

Apparently swans are in dire financial trouble according to brief blurb on Ch9. I wonder if the AFL will let us go under, GWS go under or force a merger? Perhaps Sydney Giants with feeder club of South Melbourne in VFL?

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Or Sydney Swans in AFL and Giants NEAFL. Now I could live with that.

Silly talk.....which I assume was your aim.

Bottom line is, even though they seem to hate us (or are far too easily influenced by the Vic power clubs to make life hard for us), the AFL know how important the Swans are to them in NSW.....far more important than the Giants with their meager fan base. Unless they are too proud to let their new baby go, I can't see the above happening.....no matter how dire our finances are.

[Ralph Dawg]

Silly talk.....which I assume was your aim.

Bottom line is, even though they seem to hate us (or are far too easily influenced by the Vic power clubs to make life hard for us), the AFL know how important the Swans are to them in NSW.....far more important than the Giants with their meager fan base. Unless they are too proud to let their new baby go, I can't see the above happening.....no matter how dire our finances are.

Let's hope so. I suspect though that the AFL (and NRL) have no idea who will be left after this is all done and dusted. But I did enjoy dreaming of cheering for a combined Swans / GWS lineup. It would dominate the competition.

[TheBloods]

The AFL's priority will be all eighteen clubs making it out of this crisis as unscathed as possible. If this means mass job losses (even on a permanent basis), do not for one second think the AFL executives would be above letting that happen. They, like every other executive branch of every other corporation in Australia and around the world, will do whatever is necessary to sustain their business.

What I see as most likely outcome will be eighteen clubs playing in 2021 in a significantly more stripped-back competition. Alterations to the broadcasts, a much smaller football department both in general and in the coaches box on game day, smaller team lists, and most likely a major reduction in trade activity. In essence it will be less spectacle, more grass-roots, as if it's the AFL returning to the days of the VFL in the 1960s, before the last two administrations made it the revenue-dependent conglomerate it is today. I would call it karma to an industry that has repeatedly prioritised corporate benefits over the integrity of the game or fan enjoyment, but that would be disrespecting the millions of lives that will be impacted by this pandemic.

[goswannies]

But I did enjoy dreaming of cheering for a combined Swans / GWS lineup. It would dominate the competition.

As long as they were called the Sydney Swans and wore red & white, I’d be fine with that

[707]

As long as they were called the Sydney Swans and wore red & white, I’d be fine with that

Let me see, 150 years of history versus 9 years of history, it'll be red and white!

All AFL clubs will survive but the 2021 model onwards may look a whole lot different. What the second tier comp looks like will be the interesting one.

Talk in the media that lists may be as few as 32-35. as an exercise to amuse yourself at home, do the swans list for 2021 using those numbers. Assume existing contracts are voided.

1. Naismith
2. Kennedy
3. Parker
4. Buddy
5. Rampe
6. Heeney
7. Mills
etc

[TheBloods]

Let me see, 150 years of history versus 9 years of history, it'll be red and white!

All AFL clubs will survive but the 2021 model onwards may look a whole lot different. What the second tier comp looks like will be the interesting one.

Talk in the media that lists may be as few as 32-35. as an exercise to amuse yourself at home, do the swans list for 2021 using those numbers. Assume existing contracts are voided.

1. Naismith
2. Kennedy
3. Parker
4. Buddy
5. Rampe
6. Heeney
7. Mills
etc

1. Rampe
2. Parker
3. Kennedy
4. Franklin
5. Heeney
6. Mills
7. Lloyd
8. Papley
9. Hewett
10. Aliir
11. Dawson
12. Florent
13. Naismith
14. Hayward
15. Cunningham
16. Blakey
17. Rowbottom
18. McCartin
19. Reid
20. Gray
21. Brand
22. O’Riordan
23. McInerney
24. Stephens
25. Gould
26. L. Taylor
27. Ronke
28. Ling
29. Foot
30. Warner
31. E. Taylor

The rest are not safe

Basically anyone with a rookie contract or coming out of contract this year will be in jeopardy: Clarke, Thurlow, Maibaum, Reynolds, Bell, Stoddart, O’Connor, Rowles, McLean, Fox, Melican, Wicks, Amartey and Knoll. Quite a few I like the look of who in ordinary circumstances would be given another year, but if lists are reduced, we may have no choice but to cut ties with many, if not all of them.

[Mr Magoo]

1. Rampe
2. Parker
3. Kennedy
4. Franklin
5. Heeney
6. Mills
7. Lloyd
8. Papley
9. Hewett
10. Aliir
11. Dawson
12. Florent
13. Naismith
14. Hayward
15. Cunningham
16. Blakey
17. Rowbottom
18. McCartin
19. Reid
20. Gray
21. Brand
22. O’Riordan
23. McInerney
24. Stephens
25. Gould
26. L. Taylor
27. Ronke
28. Ling
29. Foot
30. Warner
31. E. Taylor

The rest are not safe

Basically anyone with a rookie contract or coming out of contract this year will be in jeopardy: Clarke, Thurlow, Maibaum, Reynolds, Bell, Stoddart, O’Connor, Rowles, McLean, Fox, Melican, Wicks, Amartey and Knoll. Quite a few I like the look of who in ordinary circumstances would be given another year, but if lists are reduced, we may have no choice but to cut ties with many, if not all of them.

Will be interesting to see how that would work at NEAFL level. If you assume that five players will be injured at any one time , then that leaves in a squad of 32 , 5 players to play NEAFL.

Thats a huge amount to supplement from the academy(assuming the academys still can operate post COVID) and even if you allow 9 NDS players its still a big amount when you also have an expanded NAB league plus 18s carnival.

[707]

Carlton have tossed in the towel on their VFL side, don't think anyone knows what the second tier comp will look like in Vic and the northern states.

A lot to figure out comp wise once the virus eventually departs our shores. Will the severe reduction in costs at AFL clubs kill reserves sides?

You would think that we'll eradicate (hopefully) the virus sooner than those overseas countries that haven't or can't control it. So I'd assume that state border controls will be lifted once we have the virus controlled but international borders will stay closed for some time after that as we don't want to start importing it again. Not sure where that will leave international players that went home. I notice COR has stayed in Sydney, smart lad!

[rb4x]

Doubt if we will see a NEAFL next year.

[Mr Magoo]

My view is that the AFL should do the following :

1. Reduce squads as they have stated to 32-35 players to lower costs in the short term
2. Cancel any draft at the end of the year.
3. Change the under 18s NAB league to an under 19s NAB league
4. Change the under 18s nationals to an under 19s nationals and the under 16s to an under 17s
5. Reinstate the draft for end of 2021 and increase the draft age to 19
6. Increase squad sizes end 2021 to allow for new draftees in what will then be a more bouyant competition

This will in my view provide many benefits :
1. The draft will now be at 19s level so it takes it out of HSC year for potential draftees
2. Draftees will have a proper season to show their potential and with a year of further development and growth under their belts.
3. Clubs will be able to refocus on just culling their current list and rebuilding their support staff (such as recruiters which may have been put off during all this ) without then working out who to draft from what will be at best a very short under 18s carnival.

This is a very simple fix that solves a lot of problems for the AFL .

[stevoswan]

My view is that the AFL should do the following :

1. Reduce squads as they have stated to 32-35 players to lower costs in the short term
2. Cancel any draft at the end of the year.
3. Change the under 18s NAB league to an under 19s NAB league
4. Change the under 18s nationals to an under 19s nationals and the under 16s to an under 17s
5. Reinstate the draft for end of 2021 and increase the draft age to 19
6. Increase squad sizes end 2021 to allow for new draftees in what will then be a more bouyant competition

This will in my view provide many benefits :
1. The draft will now be at 19s level so it takes it out of HSC year for potential draftees
2. Draftees will have a proper season to show their potential and with a year of further development and growth under their belts.
3. Clubs will be able to refocus on just culling their current list and rebuilding their support staff (such as recruiters which may have been put off during all this ) without then working out who to draft from what will be at best a very short under 18s carnival.
if the draft being cancelled.
This is a very simple fix that solves a lot of problems for the AFL .

Sensible approach.....and the perfect scenario to raise the draft age by a year, meaning that due to the 2020 draft being cancelled, no one technically misses out. Under the new rule, they'd have to wait until 2021 anyway.....and also, squads increase in size naturally for a few years through drafting. Perfect.

[Nico]

Ah Magoo you've done it again.

I think you are on the 'money". I believe they have wanted to go to an Under 19 draft for some time and this allows them the perfect opportunity.

I doubt they will go to smaller lists. Who do they cull in the short term given all players have contracts. The player association will not cop that.

What could come out of this is clubs being realistic and resisting ridiculous contracts being thrown up by player managers, and players accepting that the party is over on big, fat contracts. Will the salary cap be reduced? Will media outlets paying for the rights be prepared to up the ante at the next negotiating table? Could it mean the cost of going to the footy goes up to compensate for less payments from the media? Maybe 3rd party deals may play a bigger role, with relaxed rules. Will the AFL put a ceiling on what elite players can get? Where will this end?