AFL to expand to 18 clubs

[mightytiges]

Relocation, no relocations, relocation back on again...... make up your mind Andy D . Melbourne must be in dire straits for such a sudden backflip.

[WilliamPowell]

 

Andy D

Little Adrian A

and now Gillion McFudd

The AFL's own 3 stooges

 



 

= their motto

[one-eyed]

AFL blockbuster sweetener for Gabba
Andrew Hamilton | March 28, 2008 12:00am

THE AFL will offer the Gabba an extra four crowd-pulling blockbusters each season in exchange for a release from the Queensland Government's clause.

The clause states the Gold Coast Football Club must play its home games in Brisbane until the end of 2015.

The AFL proposal would offer scheduling concessions to the Queensland Government so the Gabba would host Gold Coast v Collingwood, Gold Coast v Essendon, plus both derbies against the Lions when the new team was introduced in 2011.

Premier Geelong plays its biggest games in Melbourne and the Titans use Suncorp in Brisbane for blockbusters.

The draw would not preclude Collingwood or Essendon travelling twice to Brisbane in a season to also play the Lions.

In exchange the league will seek a release from the existing contract struck when the Gabba was re-developed, which states any side based in south-east Queensland must play its home games there until 2015.

That would allow the new club to play its remaining eight home games at the rebuilt Carrara Stadium. As a sweetener the AFL has the capacity to send more neutral games to the Gabba each season.

When the 17th side starts, the league will have to find venues for extra games to ensure no side gets more home games than another. That would mean the formation of some neutral-venue games which could also be offered to the Gabba.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23443600-19742,00.html

[one-eyed]

Western Sydney team to get time
Roger Vaughan
afl.com.au
6:29 PM Mon 07 April, 2008

Demetriou said 2011 is the right time for the Gold Coast. Western Sydney at the same time or shortly thereafter, not two or three years after. Meaning there could be a year with byes in the fixture.

The league has also put together a draw for an 18-team competition, which features Saturday 5pm games and Monday night football.

Demetriou said the AFL was having "ongoing dialogue" on several options, including the construction of a 22-24,000 seat stadium on the Gold Coast, "a bit like the Geelong model". Some of the Gold Coast team's bigger-drawing games will be played at the `Gabba.

Full article at:
http://www.afl.com.au/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=57517

[one-eyed]

Any early draft picks could be under threat in this year's draft ....

The AFL could give the Gold Coast franchise access to young talent as early as this year's national draft, with those selected standing out of elite competition and playing in an establishment team in the Brisbane or Victorian state league. The league is also considering giving the new teams access to one uncontracted player from each club.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/demetriou-sells-the-west-to-roos/2008/04/07/1207420304061.html?page=2

[one-eyed]

Michael Voss firms in deal to coach Gold Coast
Mark Robinson | April 09, 2008

MICHAEL Voss remains the white-hot favourite to coach the new Gold Coast franchise and an unprecedented seven-year contract could await him. The Brisbane Lions triple premiership skipper has not held formal talks with the Gold Coast bid team.

But a source close to Voss yesterday told the Herald Sun that if Voss was to sign with the Gold Coast, it would be for "five years minimum, I mean bare minimum".

He argued that 2009-10 would be development years in AFL Queensland State League and that a five-year deal would then be requested to build and develop the new southeast Queensland team from 2011.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23509473-19742,00.html

[Hellenic Tiger]

1. Crazy for an untried coach at that level the length of contract.

2. We cannot get it right with 5 years alot can happen that can sway players fans board on retaining him.

3. He may be the right man but 3 years would seem a more sensible duration.

[mightytiges]

Watson went straight from the media into senior coaching and we know what happened there. A massive ask for Voss given he'll start with a mixture kids and other clubs' offcuts.

[one-eyed]

Taswegians are getting a petition going...

The Hawks will make their 2008 official season debut against Adelaide there on Sunday where locals reportedly will petition for the introduction of a Tasmanian club.

http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/tassie-cool-on-afl-push/2008/04/09/1207420487740.html

[Fishfinger]

Good on whoever got the petition going for Tassie.

The AFL seems to ignore them in any expansion talk when there is a ready made and passionate Aussie Rules base there already.
Sydney's West and the Gold Coast may be prospectively better from a business sense but I reckon the local populations in general of each probably wouldn't give a stuff about a team there.

If the AFL brand is all about business at the expense of taking it to where it's really wanted, then I think that's pretty sad.

[one-eyed]

Gold Coast franchise must find $5 million
Andrew Hamilton | April 23, 2008

 THE Gold Coast Football Club must find $5 million in sponsorship and 20,000 prospective members in six months before the AFL will grant the 17th licence to the region. The AFL handed control over to the Coast bid team yesterday - and in the process asked it to scale a mountain.

The bid team, led by prominent local lawyer John Witheriff, ex-Lions chairman Graeme Downie and Southport Sharks president Dr Alan MacKenzie, must deliver 111 sponsors, including a naming rights sponsor, 10 second-tier sponsors and 100 business supporters.

The AFL standard for naming rights sponsorship starts at $1 million, while the going rate for second tier sponsorships, which include jumper, ball and coaches' sponsors, is $250,000-$350,000.

Full article at:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23584229-19742,00.html

[one-eyed]

2010 draft jackpot for new Queensland team
Mark Robinson | April 23, 2008

The Gold Coast team would be given up to eight of the first 24 selections and the first two selections in the pre-season draft in 2010.

They would also have priority access to five Queensland and Northern Territory players.

As expected, the Gold Coast team would also have access to up to 15 players from Queensland in the 2008 and 2009 national drafts to "warehouse" them before the club's AFL debut in 2011.

It's anticipated, because the oldest player on its list would be about 20, that the Gold Coast team would use its raft of draft selections in 2010 to trade for senior players.

For example, the Gold Coast could offer picks three, five, and a player to St Kilda for Nick Riewoldt.

If West Sydney is up and running, it, too, would be given access to New South Wales players as well as receiving a significant amount of draft selections in the 2010 draft.

That would mean up to 18 of the top 30 selections could be off limits to the other 16 AFL clubs.

It points to a furious trade period as both Gold Coast and West Sydney would need to trade some of those picks for experienced players immediately.

Full article at:
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23584071-19742,00.html

[Ramps]

All the smart clubs will trade out players in 2008 and 2009 and load up in those drafts. RFC should follow this route.

[mightytiges]

All the smart clubs will trade out players in 2008 and 2009 and load up in those drafts. RFC should follow this route.

Not necessarily. If you're a top side in 2010 then Gold Coast, chasing after senior players,  may pay in terms of draft picks over the top for contracted 'good ordinary players' as Jack use to say. It would be a good year to finish up the top given the chance to buy top picks off the Gold Coast club. I remember Port overpaying for duds like Brewer from Geelong and Downsborough from the Eagles when they came in. Same with Freo missing out on Lloyd and Macleod chasing recycled duds.

Agree we need to make the most of the 2008 and 2009 drafts so we are near the top by 2010. It depends though on where we finish on the ladder. We don't want another stuff up like in 2005 by overachieving and finishing ninth and then being stuck with only 3 draft picks. 

The main thing is by 2010 to have your required list contracted until 2011 and beyond so they just can't walk out for nothing.

[mightytiges]

Vossy has put his hand up for the Gold Coast coaching job. He was a great player but it's a big risk giving someone with little coaching experience the senior coaching job. Timmy Watson was the last one at St Kilda and he failed miserably.