The $4m target is planned for December this year so we should know by season's end how close we are to that target and whether will go alone with our own VFL side in 2012. The final lodgement of our 2012 TPP is in December also so we'll know if we can "pre-pay" players to free up salary cap to exploit free agency which is coming in at the end of the 2012 season in readiness for 2013 and beyond.
I reckon December is leaving it far too late to determine if we can field our own VFL side in 2012.
For one I cannot see the VFL (or whatever they are called come Dec
) being prepared to wait that long to know the structure of the Comp. They would start planning for 2012 around mid year.
Also as a club I think we we would needed longer than 3 months to set up. Eg finding top up players (under the rules we must have a certain number of non VFL players), finding the extra staff req'd (trainers etc)
We need to get this right on all levels as the key of haviong this side is developing our cubs
So unless we are in position to say "Yay or Nay" by say July-Aug (absolute latest) then I can't see us having our own VFL side in 2012