Gloomy outlook in heartland

[Toy Saint]

Historically the beginning of the new season is marked with excitement and optimism by most Victorian football fans. This year is different, Magpie fans are not confident, nor Carlton and Richmond. Lets not even discuss Essendon and their state of mind. Melbourne, Footscray and North, or whats left of them are loyal, but they don't seriously expect their teams to do well.

Our teams do not even have exciting young kids to develop, they have all been sent to the 'new world'. The AFL in their wisdom have artificially stimulated intesrtate teams in order to develop a national game. Good for them.

But not good for the Victorian heartland supporters. There is a real lack of excitment this year. I'm expecting attendance will be down, and general interest in football in Victoria will be lacking.

[plugger66]

Historically the beginning of the new season is marked with excitement and optimism by most Victorian football fans. This year is different, Magpie fans are not confident, nor Carlton and Richmond. Lets not even discuss Essendon and their state of mind. Melbourne, Footscray and North, or whats left of them are loyal, but they don't seriously expect their teams to do well.

Our teams do not even have exciting young kids to develop, they have all been sent to the 'new world'. The AFL in their wisdom have artificially stimulated intesrtate teams in order to develop a national game. Good for them.

But not good for the Victorian heartland supporters. There is a real lack of excitment this year. I'm expecting attendance will be down, and general interest in football in Victoria will be lacking.

Swings and roundabouts. Same things were being said about 8 years ago and then the Vics started winning most of the flags. Still more likely to be more Victorian sides in the eight this year than interstate sides.

[Cairnsman]

Yeah agree with P66...swings and roundabouts. I was surprised that the Collingwood crowd was down on Friday night. Interestingly the NRL also had very disappointing crowds for their round one games, apparently well down on previous records for their opening round.

I wonder if the low crowds and memberships could also be attributed to other factors like employment and the economy.

[gringo]

North fans should be pretty excited, Tigers fans will just be happy with finals.

[stevie]

Yeah agree with P66...swings and roundabouts. I was surprised that the Collingwood crowd was down on Friday night. Interestingly the NRL also had very disappointing crowds for their round one games, apparently well down on previous records for their opening round.

I wonder if the low crowds and memberships could also be attributed to other factors like employment and the economy.

I heard a sports show discussing the low NRL crowds (lower than their usual 10,000 a game, lol). The fixturing of their Rd one was very average and poorly done.

They had the Storm playing in Sydney when there was no footy on yet in Melbourne. 7 of the opening games were in Shitney. No opening games in Qld at all. And the big game to open was at Homebush where fans hate trekking out too apparently.

And, yeah, tough economic times for a lot of people means going to sporting events is now out.

[White Winmar]

Historically the beginning of the new season is marked with excitement and optimism by most Victorian football fans. This year is different, Magpie fans are not confident, nor Carlton and Richmond. Lets not even discuss Essendon and their state of mind. Melbourne, Footscray and North, or whats left of them are loyal, but they don't seriously expect their teams to do well.

Our teams do not even have exciting young kids to develop, they have all been sent to the 'new world'. The AFL in their wisdom have artificially stimulated intesrtate teams in order to develop a national game. Good for them.

But not good for the Victorian heartland supporters. There is a real lack of excitment this year. I'm expecting attendance will webe down, and general interest in football in Victoria will be lacking.

Swings and roundabouts. Same things were being said about 8 years ago and then the Vics started winning most of the flags. Still more likely to be more Victorian sides in the eight this year than interstate sides.

I agree. The whole thing is cyclical, but what bothers me is that GC and GWS have been allowed to stockpile a decade's worth of first round draft picks, along with priority/pre-listings. Even if they each lose a few, as they invariably will, they are both set to dominate the competition for many years. Throw into the mix that Port and Adelaide both look strong, as do WCE, Freo and Sydney, there is a possibility that we could have six to seven non Victorian teams make the finals in one year. I wonder what that might do to the heartland of the game? BTW, when was the last time the filth drew fewer that 38, 000 to a home game, let alone a season opener in a potential blockbuster?

[plugger66]

Historically the beginning of the new season is marked with excitement and optimism by most Victorian football fans. This year is different, Magpie fans are not confident, nor Carlton and Richmond. Lets not even discuss Essendon and their state of mind. Melbourne, Footscray and North, or whats left of them are loyal, but they don't seriously expect their teams to do well.

Our teams do not even have exciting young kids to develop, they have all been sent to the 'new world'. The AFL in their wisdom have artificially stimulated intesrtate teams in order to develop a national game. Good for them.

But not good for the Victorian heartland supporters. There is a real lack of excitment this year. I'm expecting attendance will webe down, and general interest in football in Victoria will be lacking.

Swings and roundabouts. Same things were being said about 8 years ago and then the Vics started winning most of the flags. Still more likely to be more Victorian sides in the eight this year than interstate sides.

I agree. The whole thing is cyclical, but what bothers me is that GC and GWS have been allowed to stockpile a decade's worth of first round draft picks, along with priority/pre-listings. Even if they each lose a few, as they invariably will, they are both set to dominate the competition for many years. Throw into the mix that Port and Adelaide both look strong, as do WCE, Freo and Sydney, there is a possibility that we could have six to seven non Victorian teams make the finals in one year. I wonder what that might do to the heartland of the game? BTW, when was the last time the filth drew fewer that 38, 000 to a home game, let alone a season opener in a potential blockbuster?

As much as most victorians love footy i beleive it is to early to start the season. That is why I reckon the crowd was poor on Friday. Also their supporters seem the opposite of us, they dont like Etihad and love the G. I was always of the opinion that if they got rid of the Nab cup they could extend the season to 24 games but im really doubting they should do that now because the big grounds arent available and people dont seem fully committed to footy this early in the year.

As for the other point about the interstate sides, yes you could be right but I still think GC are at least a year away from finals and GWS at least 2 years. Hopefully by then other interstate sides are struggling. Will both GWS and GC dominate. Their selections suggest they should but I still have doubts they will actually dominate. They certainly will be very good though.

[Moorabbin Man]

You would have thought there would be close to a full house for Coll/Freo.

[saintspremiers]

The MCG is not available due to stupidity.

If it was released 2 weeks earlier then problem solved.

The shield games in March can be played at the Junction.

[Stephen Theodore]

Historically the beginning of the new season is marked with excitement and optimism by most Victorian football fans. This year is different, Magpie fans are not confident, nor Carlton and Richmond. Lets not even discuss Essendon and their state of mind. Melbourne, Footscray and North, or whats left of them are loyal, but they don't seriously expect their teams to do well.

Our teams do not even have exciting young kids to develop, they have all been sent to the 'new world'. The AFL in their wisdom have artificially stimulated intesrtate teams in order to develop a national game. Good for them.

But not good for the Victorian heartland supporters. There is a real lack of excitment this year. I'm expecting attendance will be down, and general interest in football in Victoria will be lacking.

Hmm, not so sure AFL is exactly buzzing up here at the moment.

Lions three peat is a long time ago, attendances are down, management issues have grabbed the bulk of the attention in recent years, and AFL still only commands about the eighth page from the back of the sports section.

Maybe things are starting to hot up on the Goldy, don't get down there too often

[plugger66]

The MCG is not available due to stupidity.

If it was released 2 weeks earlier then problem solved.

The shield games in March can be played at the Junction.

Isnt it a government thing? Still doesnt solve other grounds around Australia. from the crowds at both the NRL and AFL I suggest we shouldnt play footy any earlier even if the grounds were available.

[suss]

I think that the AFL has misread the tea leaves on this one.

It clearly thought that it could create two new super-clubs in GC and GWS without losing the support of the followers of the 16 remaining clubs. Big gamble. No start-up club has ever been given the level of concessions that GC and GWS have received - ever.

I think most people agree that these two teams will be near-impossible to beat in a year or two and will be sharing premierships for a very long period thereafter, like Geelong on steroids. Even when they lose players, they'll receive draft picks / players in compensation, so the legacy of the initial AFL benevolence will continue for many years to come.

While I don't see there being a mass-exodus of interest in the AFL (who could seriously watch the NRL if you weren't brought up with it?), I think that there will be a slow but sustained drop-off in interest in the game over the coming years as these two dominate. I could be wrong, but I suspect I'm not.

Just my 2c worth.

[plugger66]

I think that the AFL has misread the tea leaves on this one.

It clearly thought that it could create two new super-clubs in GC and GWS without losing the support of the followers of the 16 remaining clubs. Big gamble. No start-up club has ever been given the level of concessions that GC and GWS have received - ever.

I think most people agree that these two teams will be near-impossible to beat in a year or two and will be sharing premierships for a very long period thereafter, like Geelong on steroids. Even when they lose players, they'll receive draft picks / players in compensation, so the legacy of the initial AFL benevolence will continue for many years to come.

While I don't see there being a mass-exodus of interest in the AFL (who could seriously watch the NRL if you weren't brought up with it?), I think that there will be a slow but sustained drop-off in interest in the game over the coming years as these two dominate. I could be wrong, but I suspect I'm not.

Just my 2c worth.

But why would someone stop supporting the saints because GWS and GC are good. lets face it if it isnt the saints up the top of the ladder then why does it matter who is on top. Surely people dont really have a second side they are interested in?

[FQF]

Hopefully they will quickly scrap the free agency compensation picks so that GC and GWS will not keep getting into the early first rounds for years to come as they keep turning over top players who don't fit under the cap.

[Stephen Theodore]

I think that the AFL has misread the tea leaves on this one.

It clearly thought that it could create two new super-clubs in GC and GWS without losing the support of the followers of the 16 remaining clubs. Big gamble. No start-up club has ever been given the level of concessions that GC and GWS have received - ever.

I think most people agree that these two teams will be near-impossible to beat in a year or two and will be sharing premierships for a very long period thereafter, like Geelong on steroids. Even when they lose players, they'll receive draft picks / players in compensation, so the legacy of the initial AFL benevolence will continue for many years to come.

While I don't see there being a mass-exodus of interest in the AFL (who could seriously watch the NRL if you weren't brought up with it?), I think that there will be a slow but sustained drop-off in interest in the game over the coming years as these two dominate. I could be wrong, but I suspect I'm not.

Just my 2c worth.

But why would someone stop supporting the saints because GWS and GC are good. lets face it if it isnt the saints up the top of the ladder then why does it matter who is on top. Surely people dont really have a second side they are interested in?

Yep, Cowboys

[Richter]

I think that the AFL has misread the tea leaves on this one.

It clearly thought that it could create two new super-clubs in GC and GWS without losing the support of the followers of the 16 remaining clubs. Big gamble. No start-up club has ever been given the level of concessions that GC and GWS have received - ever.

I think most people agree that these two teams will be near-impossible to beat in a year or two and will be sharing premierships for a very long period thereafter, like Geelong on steroids. Even when they lose players, they'll receive draft picks / players in compensation, so the legacy of the initial AFL benevolence will continue for many years to come.

While I don't see there being a mass-exodus of interest in the AFL (who could seriously watch the NRL if you weren't brought up with it?), I think that there will be a slow but sustained drop-off in interest in the game over the coming years as these two dominate. I could be wrong, but I suspect I'm not.

Just my 2c worth.

Yep. Agree. Looks like GC and GWS are going to be really good way before it was imagined. It may well be that all of Essendon, North and Richmond have been overtaken by them. Collingwood and Carlton are in no-mans land. I suspect that this year we will finally see the Cats drop off too. The Bulldogs are on the way up with the best prospects over the next 5 years of any Vic club. Melbourne, if they can get their act together under Roos also have some real talent emerging. Obviously the Hawks too are well set though will struggle in a couple of years when they lose Hodge and Mitchell.

As for the Saints... well we'd better hope like hell that there are some once in a generation talents at the top of the draft over the next 3-4 years and that we are smart enough to select them. Because we'll be up and against the likes of O'Meara/Martin and Boyd/Cameron amongst others... all of whom have the potential to be multiple AA players.

[Richter]

Oh yeah, and on Friday night I found myself switching over to watching the "Lincoln Lawyer" instead of the opening AFL fixture of the season... hmm...

[joffaboy]

Like Frank Leach said on Offsiders today, football club support is built on hope.

Melbourne, Bulldogs, Richmond, even Richmond, and North. Been down for decades, while rebuilding the supporter will wait in hope.

GC and GWS has taken dozens of First round draft picks, while the other clubs sit there.

yesterday showed the powerhouses these clubs will be.

What happens to the heartland? Well crowds drop off, 37k at the Collingwood game yesterday.

The hope of the supporter is fading as the AFL corrupts the process more and more.

At least it will be easy to get GF tickets for the 2016 to 2022 GF when GWS take on their traditional rivals GC.

[Con Gorozidis]

Agree with everything you said Richter - also take out Burgoyne Gibson Lake and Lewis from the Hawks.

I think only the Dogs and Demons have any hope v GWS and GC in the medium term.

If we draft well and get lucky with who is actually in the draft - then pick up some big names on the upswing - we can definitely challenge by 2019/20.

A few 'ifs' there.

[remboy]

Yep, I think the AFL might have got it wrong. I'm sure they expected GC & GWS to trade half of their early picks for experienced players to make them competitive from day 1. I don't think they expected a team to have 27 first round picks (or 8 top 3 picks) on their list.
Not that they'll care either way.

[PADDLEPOP1001]

It's a sad reality that everyone is bored with the way the AFL have given the new teams and Sydney a huge leg up ,ordinary supporters have had a gutful of it and don"t discount the effect that the Dank/Essendon drug saga has had on everyone . Also a bit sick of all the "Boys Club" commentators not having the balls to come out and say what the majority of people are thinking,soccer is also taking a lot of kids interest!

[saintspremiers]

Pies Freo at the G last Friday would've drawn 50 to 60K.

All games are fairly weak crowd wise for round 1 - perhaps this is Demetriou's way of telling the govt/cricket Australia it needs the MCG so it can schedule big matches to launch the season.

The opening game of the season should've been either at the G or Adelaide Oval, but neither were available due to outdated cricket contracts.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

I think that the AFL has misread the tea leaves on this one.

It clearly thought that it could create two new super-clubs in GC and GWS without losing the support of the followers of the 16 remaining clubs. Big gamble. No start-up club has ever been given the level of concessions that GC and GWS have received - ever.

I think most people agree that these two teams will be near-impossible to beat in a year or two and will be sharing premierships for a very long period thereafter, like Geelong on steroids. Even when they lose players, they'll receive draft picks / players in compensation, so the legacy of the initial AFL benevolence will continue for many years to come.

While I don't see there being a mass-exodus of interest in the AFL (who could seriously watch the NRL if you weren't brought up with it?), I think that there will be a slow but sustained drop-off in interest in the game over the coming years as these two dominate. I could be wrong, but I suspect I'm not.

Just my 2c worth.

Well put, suss. And I appreciate why you had to throw in that last line at the end ... for fear that someone on this forum would immediately bag you for daring to have an opinion.

[Con Gorozidis]

I find it very upsetting that GWS will have more flags in their first 10 years than we will have after 120.

[SainterK]

Pies fans hate Etihad