From: 10764380@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au (ANDREW DOCKERY)
Subject: Re: future of AFL
Organization: Faculty of Engineering, Monash University 
Date: Fri, 16 Oct 1992 02:54:40 GMT

In article <1992Oct15.150455.1@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au> eda347asft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au writes:
>From: eda347asft@vx24.cc.monash.edu.au
>Subject: Re: future of AFL
>Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 05:04:55 GMT
>The Sydney Swans must be saved and the national competition must be
>saved at all costs before the impeding invasion  from Thugby Leauge.  If
>the AFL can not get its house in order W.A. and S.A. may also subcumb to
>this devil.  There is already plans for a R.L. team out of Perth and the
>Eagles premiership will have only done good for football in general. 
>Football is not just a Victorian game but an Australian game for all
>Australians.  
>
>In order to go AFL must have more interstate teams, 2 from Perth, 3
>from  S.A. one in every other capital and only 8 in Victoria.  Teams
>such as North, Fitzroy, and  Richmond must go for the good of football
>in general.  This will hurt their supporters and they will probaly
>never look at football the same again but this will only be a few
>thousand at the most.  Besides it is their children who will be the
>future and they will love Australia's truly national and number 1 sport.
>
>A Collingwood fan.
>

I think that it is high time that everyone considered the feasability of 
moving, merging or eliminating clubs from the competition. Let's have a look 
at two recent examples:

Footscray/Fitzroy attempted merger:
The reaction to when Ross Oakley announced the merger between these two 
teams, there was an incredible angry response from the Western Suburbs, 
especially since all Footscray would keep that was theirs was their mascot.
Footscray supporters just couldn't believe that it was the only way for 
their team to even have any sort of future in the AFL. Even lots of Fitzroy 
supporters ( including me ) were upset about the plan. A rally was 
immediately called, and thousands of Footscray supporters, including some 
Fitzroy ones as well, turned up to the Western Oval to discuss how to get 
Footscray out of debt without eliminating it from the competition. 
Beyond all expectations, they managed to raise an incredible $450,000 on 
that one day!!!! 
Surely this example shows just how people feel about having their team 
either merged or eliminated.
Ross Oakley was made to look like a moron ( and deservedly so ). 
I went to the Fitzroy/Hawthorn Fosters Cup Grand Final, and you should have 
heard all the boos for Ross Oakley when he came up onto the stage after the 
match!!!

Anyway, let's move to the second example, which is of course the move that 
the South Melbourne Football Club made to Sydney to create the Sydney Swans:
Naturally enough South Melbourne supporters complained, but I can't quite 
remember how much ( I was only 8 or 9 at the time! ). This club was bought 
by Sydney entrepreneur (sp?) Dr. Eddleston (hehe...once again sp?). Now he 
had lots of money at the time, and bought a really good side ( this was 
before the days of the draft and salary caps ). So of course, Sydney was 
successful for the first few years....however, after only 10 years they seem 
to be on the verge of extinction because there is simply not enough 
supporter base in Sydney ( they're all rugby mad ). After their first wooden 
spoon since they moved to Sydney, already they look as if they are going to 
be removed from the competition. Now if I remember correctly, St. Kilda 
spent most of the 1980's on the bottom of the ladder, collecting the most 
number of wooden spoons out of any AFL club, and yet it's still alive and 
kicking today... The reason is of course that it had the supporter base to 
keep it alive during the bad years.

So there you have it...two attempts to merge/eliminate/relocate (MER) teams 
and they both failed!

It is clear that it is not feasable to MER teams for the reasons I've given 
above, and I would like supporters of the MER strategy to give REASONS why 
it should happen. Most people, like the person I've quoted above say that 
teams must MER "for the sake of football in general". To me, this is rather 
generalised reason and, since I am a Fitzroy supporter, I'm sure you would 
understand if I asked those people to give specific reasons.

Here's a few questions to answer:

What is wrong with the AFL having 11 Victorian sides ( or more sides here 
than interstate )?

How can the AFL be "truly national" when in Sydney and Brisbane, there is 
simply not enough supporter base?

Why "must" small supporter base teams ( though not as small as Sydney or 
Brisbane ) such as Fitzroy, North Melbourne and Richmond MER?

What is so desirable about a "truly national" competition when it is simply 
infeasable?

Where is the Grand Final played if it is between two interstate sides? ( or 
any final for that matter )


Andrew
**********************************************************************
*         Andrew Dockery             *     "Let's waste him...no     *
*  10764380@eng2.eng.monash.edu.au   *            offence."          *
*    dox@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au       *        -Corporal Hicks        *
*  Monash Uni, Melbourne, Australia  *           "Aliens"            *
**********************************************************************
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