Richmond Reserves side / Tigers to endanger Coburg's survival (Age)

[one-eyed]

Tigers to endanger Coburg's survival
Brent Diamond
February 14, 2011

RICHMOND'S intentions of fielding a stand-alone team in the VFL has its VFL affiliate, the Coburg Tigers, fearing for their future according to the club's hierarchy.

A former Coburg player and coach, VFL pundit Phil Cleary, is backed by Coburg president Bill Balakis in saying that the club wouldn't survive financially if Richmond split its alignment to stand alone in the VFL - which could happen as soon as next season.

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick said last week - after announcing the club's Fighting Tiger Fund, which aims to raise $6 million and clear the club's debt - that one of his priorities would be to look at the successful Collingwood model and introduce a stand-alone VFL team into the competition.

He wants a further say on the positioning of some of his young and developing players within the team.

''I've met Damien Hardwick. I like him. But he's not Coburg,'' Cleary said. ''Coburg doesn't matter to him. The Coburg history that I am a part of doesn't matter to him.''

Coburg's two-year contract with Richmond ends at the end of this season. Several other VFL clubs also fear that their AFL partners will dump them to follow the likes of Geelong and Collingwood in forming stand-alone VFL teams in what could again become a fully fledged AFL reserves competition.

Some fear that the replacement of the AFL Victoria board with key AFL personnel - headed by former Essendon chief Peter Jackson who is the new AFL Victoria chief executive - means that these key figures won't put a limit on how many AFL clubs can enter the VFL from 2012 as stand-alone.

''Everyone knows Coburg couldn't survive in the VFL, there's no income stream,'' Cleary said. ''The Coburg Football Club has never had the kind of revenue stream to be flush with funds. It's never had gambling. It's astounding that the most powerful VFL clubs are now those with gaming venues.

''Think about what kind of society it is that the only community clubs that can exist in the VFL are those with gaming revenue such as North Ballarat, Port Melbourne and Williamstown.''

Cleary said Coburg's only hope of survival would be to enter a local league such as the Essendon District Football League or re-establish the VFA competition.

Balakis, who has been president of Coburg for three years, admits it would be an uphill battle to retain the club in the VFL if a split with Richmond eventuated. ''I think probably not at this point of time and that's completely honest, too,'' he said.

http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/tigers-to-endanger-coburgs-survival-20110213-1as0z.html

[Penelope]

It would be a shame to see old clubs like coburg fold, but the guilt trip shouldn't be put onto Richmond over it.

[cub]

It would be a shame to see old clubs like coburg fold, but the guilt trip shouldn't be put onto Richmond over it.

Exactly! They would of been dead by now if not for us anyway.
From what I can tell I see more supporters at local league level than 'True' Coburg supporters at their games.
Let's be honest, they have ridden on our coat tails without trying to help themselves in any other way, sad for them. Things change and a reserves team for us if we get this debt wiped is crucial for our competitive survival.

[Judge Roughneck]

Richmond need a reserves side.

The like of helbig. Contin etc. Should be first choice midfielders. Not 25-28 yoa vfl players who have no future at RFC

[Tigermad20011]

The sooner coburg go under the better as it will mean we have a stand alone VFL side.

[Penelope]

Why do coburg have to go under for richmond to field their own reserves team?

[Smokey]

Yeah, don't want to see any club fold, especially one with a rich history like Coburg.  But if we can afford a standalone team then that is obviously our preferred choice.  Having said that, we are lucky in our current relationship with them - I think we get more 'say' on how our kids are played than some other clubs do and I think a large part of that is because they are so reliant on us for their financial survival.

[cub]

Why do coburg have to go under for richmond to field their own reserves team?

No $$$$$ and stuff all supporters.

''Everyone knows Coburg couldn't survive in the VFL, there's no income stream,'' Cleary said. ''The Coburg Football Club has never had the kind of revenue stream to be flush with funds. It's never had gambling. It's astounding that the most powerful VFL clubs are now those with gaming venues.

[smasha]

Richmond.

Damned if we do.
Damned if we don't yet a bloody gain.

[Penelope]

Why do coburg have to go under for richmond to field their own reserves team?

No $$$$$ and stuff all supporters.

''Everyone knows Coburg couldn't survive in the VFL, there's no income stream,'' Cleary said. ''The Coburg Football Club has never had the kind of revenue stream to be flush with funds. It's never had gambling. It's astounding that the most powerful VFL clubs are now those with gaming venues.

still doesnt explain why they need to go under for us to field a stand alone team. Us fielding a stand alone team is not reliant on coburg folding.

[cub]

Why do coburg have to go under for richmond to field their own reserves team?

No $$$$$ and stuff all supporters.

''Everyone knows Coburg couldn't survive in the VFL, there's no income stream,'' Cleary said. ''The Coburg Football Club has never had the kind of revenue stream to be flush with funds. It's never had gambling. It's astounding that the most powerful VFL clubs are now those with gaming venues.

OK, crossed wires. They don't need to go under but will when we leave.

still doesnt explain why they need to go under for us to field a stand alone team. Us fielding a stand alone team is not reliant on coburg folding.

[the claw]

ah the afl. what a disease it is.
while raking in hundreds of millions local footy clubs and leagues have to scrap for miserly hand outs to survive.
there are so many strong comps and clubs that barely exist any more.
the afl and by being an integral part of the afl the rfc and all other afl clubs have an obligation to ensure these clubs survive.
we dont mind say bull creek leeming producing a shedload of afl players but come time to compensate them they see nothing.

[one-eyed]

'We will survive'- Balakis

    * Sam Landsberger
    * From: Leader
    * February 24, 2011 2:50PM

THE Coburg Football Club is steadfast that it can stand its own two feet should its alliance with Richmond eventually cease.

"We will survive," president Bill Balakis said.

"I think given the support we have and the sponsorship we have, we know it'll be a tough gig, but we will survive.

"I don't know what the long-term vision is of the AFL but I do think if we as a football club were to stand alone we would endeavour to survive. The history of the club has been up and down but I have no doubt in my mind it will survive."

Richmond coach Damien Hardwick inadvertently poured oil on the fire when he revealed to the media the AFL Tigers planned to ditch their alignment with Coburg and field a stand-alone side in the VFL.

AFL clubs can sever alignments at the end of the 2011 season and Richmond, which wants to raise $6 million from its fans in search of an 11th premiership, is the first to publicly declare it wants out.

Powerhouses Collingwood and Geelong, the past two AFL premiers, both field stand-alone clubs in the VFL, which gives them total control over player and team development.

If Richmond and Coburg split it would place an enormous financial strain on the VFL club. But Balakis said the club was on the rise and had the backing of new AFL Victoria chairman Peter Jackson, who has announced a strategic plan for 2012-14 will be developed to add financial stability to the VFL.

"Compared to where Coburg was five years ago when it owed a lot of people a lot of money we've turned that around to now actually be making money," he said.

He said the club would consider all options when Richmond ditched the affiliation, but pointed out that was not across the line yet. "I don't know when they're going to go, what if they don't pick up their $6 million?

"I've spoken with Richmond president (Gary March) and he's not quite sure when that could be."

Balakis admitted he was "very much surprised" at Hardwick's comments that Richmond wanted out of the partnership.

"I was definitely taking aback ... but the affiliation is pretty good, the comments won't affect the alignment (this year)."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/we-will-survive-balakis/story-fn53khop-1226011421810

[mightytiges]

Hard to see Coburg "making money" without Richmond supporters forming the bulk of their home crowds.

[one-eyed]

I can't find the audio but Gary March was on SEN yesterday and he said a stand alone reserves side is still possibly 2-3-4 years away.