18-side AFL comp an option - Demetriou

[one-eyed]

18-side AFL to save Roos
Jon Ralph
Sunday Herald Sun
March 18, 2007

THE AFL would expand to 18 teams if it meant saving the Kangaroos.

Chief executive Andrew Demetriou revealed the lifeline yesterday as an option to save the battling Kangaroos being shunted to the Gold Coast.

And two new teams would mean a game being played in Queensland and NSW every week of the season, he said.

The Roos will play 10 games over the next three years on the Gold Coast in what many see as a precursor to a permanent shift from Victoria.

But Demetriou believes two more teams in the league would not dilute the talent pool of AFL players.

"We have never ruled out having a 17th or 18th team," he said.

"People laughed when there were 14 teams and we were going to 16. But that is the great legacy of Ron (Evans). We have to think where we want to be in the future.

"We never stand still. We are never satisfied."

Demetriou has said the league must play 22 games a year on the Gold Coast by 2015. But he says there is a major difference between relocating teams and finding clubs willing to play extra games interstate.

Demetriou also says Victorian teams will return as a force, despite interstate-based sides winning eight of the last 11 premierships.

http://www.news.com.au/sundayheraldsun/story/0,21985,21400624-661,00.html

[letsgetiton!]

sick of ron evans

why do all talk about how was such a gr8 bloke.

ron was a guy that teh 1st question he would ask is "whats in it for me?"

he never cared about teh game , just his pocket

ppl forget he /was top dog at spotless catering, the worst quality food at teh highest price.
he had a conflict of interest, and ripped us all off with his overpriced drinks and overpriced garbage he served up as food;

to this day i have no idea why the accc never ever investigated him, ah thats right, whats his name samual at the accc and the afl are tight

and ppl say the mafia is corrupt


btw


18 teams is way too many, vladimir is a tosser

[mightytiges]

10 teams in Victoria is too many. Why introduce two more clubs into the comp when we have 4 Vic clubs surviving purely on the AFL drip and another playing 4 home games in Tassie?

[Puntroadroar]

Demetriou

What an idiot, stupid idea.

[tiga]

The playing depth might be fine but where would they get the supporters for any new teams in Melbourne???
Most supporters alliegences are already firmly set in concrete.

They would also have to be called the "Crown Casino Pokies" just to survive financially. Free season tickets with every $50 jackpot! 

What a stupid idea!!
 

[Fishfinger]

I thought from the article that the 2 new teams would be in NSW & Qld.

I agree with mt. Already 4 teams fighting to survive in Melb, no point having another 2 struggling interstate as well.

My first objection is that even less teams would play each other twice. I don't think shortening the season to 16 rounds would be a consideration, for many reasons. ($$$$$$)
I don't want a disjointed competition with "conferences". Unless, of course, our conference is just the Vic teams and the winner of the GF plays the winner of the other conference for bragging rights. (Ahhh, back to the future). 

[torch]

not so bad 18 teams in the AFL ...

like to see new teams ...

but would it be top 8 still ???

a new team in qld and nsw ...

what about tasmania and canberra ???

i would pump money in tasmania ...

send the hawks there

and kick the kangaroos to gold coast ...

and make an Canberra team ... needs money obviously ... so do it !

[mightytiges]

Andy D today reckons all 16 clubs including the Roos can be made profitable in the next 5 years with the new redistributions. Footy may have a turnover this year of $300m but he is living in lalaland if he thinks 10 clubs in Victoria is long-term sustainable.