The joke is the Daily Telepgraph’s “he ours’ rhetoric.

Bankstown – Paul Keating land?

Redb

afl did it smart with no lions games at cararra (much)

TBH I dont care what they do..i actually support the Swans in AFL

Redb

I think the new team will (unfortunately for the Swans) draw some supporters away from them. Couldn’t think of a better way to grow the pie then against the local team and a top VIC club.

Redb

No mention since – especially about merging Vic clubs.

However, the AFL did toy with sending North to the Gold Coast with an enormous incentive package worth $100 mill plus.

That sort of thing is more likely than a merger, i.e. a club that goes broke being sent to Tassie or WA (pretty much the South to Sydney scenario).

This contrasts with previous expansion teams in a major way, particularly the 3 year lead in.

Sydney – relocation in 1982, bugger all planning, a literal transplantation of entire senior team. Went into private hands, became a play thing, pink helicopters,etc. Propped up financially by the VFL, eventually Ronald Dale Barassi got involved circa 1993-94 and they became a real football club in Sydney some 12 years after relocation. By 1996 they played in the Grand Final, salary cap concessions, but it took 23 years to win one.

West Coast and Adelaide – The AFL granted them both exclusive recruiting zones from their respective states thus ensuring in 5 years that each was virtually a State of Origin strength team. Both went on to win two premierships each. Importantly very stable clubs with huge fan bases.

Brisbane – Initially the first creation team in a non heartland area (1987), poor planning, cobbled together playing list and coach, private play thing, played on the Gold coast instead of Brisbane. Merged with the Fitzroy Lions in 1996 and literally was able to combine two teams of talent into one. Given room in the salary cap. moved to Brisbane, won 3 in a row.

Port Adelaide and Fremantle – have been given the worst support from the AFL,. No exclusive recruiting zones, both SANFL and WAFL clubs so more or less ‘promotion’ teams, 1 flag in 12 years between them.

GC and WS – given 3 years to develop lists, in the GC’s case build from young Qlders, PNG, as well huge draft concessions and uncontracted players.

The major difference is the 3 year lead in, coupled with a development pathway of TAC Cup (under 18s), VFL (state level) and then AFL level.

So many expansion teams have no lead in they are franchise clubs that have sprung up over the off season. There is a lot to like about the way GC in particular has been put together and history tells us the AFL is right to give them concessions as success is mandatory for new teams.

Redb

That stat is very misleading then.

“Poached stars a shaky foundation for new clubs”

I thought this line was interesting

“Just two Queenslanders were picked up in the most recent AFL national draft and one player from NSW”

Is that for real? Or is it misleading becasue of the way the expansion teams are being brought in. i.e. are all the QLD players allready in the Gold Coast team?