After St. Kilda, I generally follow the second tier AFL leagues. Things haven’t been looking so great on this front.
The original plan was to form a sort of eastern seaboard reserves competition, with the fourteen sides (Vic, NSW and QLD) pitting reserves sides against each other, with a few independent sides (NT, Canberra etc).
The SANFL and the WAFL were never included in this, due to the SA and WA teams licenses belong to their respective state leagues. The AFL cannot undermine them. The recently reformed TSL was also never mentioned.
The VFL clubs, especially the independent ones, have voiced their concerns and it seems confirmed that the VFL will remain untouched. I believe this new “Northern Conference” should be set up in parallel to the VFL with fourteen teams.
The 2 territories, NT and ACT should have one side to represent them in this league.
Queensland’s six teams should be the Lions’ and Gold Coast’s reserves, Southport, a second Brisbane based team, a central Queensland team and a Far North Queensland team.
NSW would have the reserve teams of Sydney and another Sydney team. Going into uncharted territory, I would push for teams in Newcastle, Illawarra and the Central Coast, taking the AFL to exotic places (in the unexplored territory of NSW).
Its season would run parallel to the VFL, and would push to be on equal standing with the SANFL, VFL and WAFL in terms of strength, possibly joining them in their inter-league playoffs.
The AFL would gain a strong league in the northern states, a reserves competition strong enough to develop the northern teams youngsters, and push into areas they currently have little influence in.
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