AFL unveils new Foxtel Cup knockout competition

Would bring back memories of the old Escort Cup in the late 1970s-early 1980s, when interstate clubs such as Subiaco, Port Adelaide, Swan Districts, Glenelg, would compete against VFL clubs like Hawthorn, Carlton, Essendon, Richmond. This was long before the advent of the national comp, which meant we would get to see the likes of Russell Ebert, Stephen Michael, Graham Cornes, Robert Wiley playing in Victoria for their local club sides.

Clipper, I am an Aucklander and agree that the Polynesian population and working class form a good chunk of the fans for league in Auckland. However, there is significant interest from other demographics (probably not quite to the extent of rugby, but it is within reaching distance) in terms of watching the game. I would say the Warriors are not that far away from being as popular as the Auckland Blues rugby team but of course, not as popular as the All Blacks in Auckland. AFL is not a patch on league in the popularity stakes in Auckland, so I am not quite sure how that would translate into fan fervour when hypothetically playing an Australian AFL team. Not trying to bag AFL out, and I would also say (having lived in Melbourne) that AFL in Melbourne is much bigger (and more ingrained) than rugby in Auckland (as soccer and league take their fair share of fans).

Amusing how the AFL has beaten soccer to a all leagues knockout cup. The soccer brigade would be eating themselves alive now.

png will not work they played in the queensland cup rl already

So what happens if North Adelaide Roosters play North Ballarat Roosters? A cock fight? Sorry. I've been checking out all the teams websites.

Republican, what you term a robust collective contempt for Australia, I would term a robust rivalry with Australia. Just look at League - outside the Polynesian population and a few of the poorer areas of Auckland, there isn't much interest - but come to a chance of beating Australia and suddenly everyone is glued to the TV. The same would apply to AFL. If it ever had any following over there, not many would have an interest, but come to a chance of beating Australia, everyone would be barracking for the team.

Ballarat paper getting behind Nth Ballarat, reigning VFL premiers: http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/football-australian-rules/vfl-north-ballarat-roosters-go-nationwide/2071998.aspx They play East Perth in their first fixture - little Victorian town travelling to Perth - support from local media - that's what this comp is all about - if club sponsors aren't happy about that, they'll never be happy.

Andrew McLeod will be playing for the NT thunder in this comp, which is fantastic news, he'll be worth watching out for.

Yeh, I have trouble seeing an NFL type conference system with only 20 teams. 24 teams starts to become a possibility, but even then....

The AFL certainly takes a lead from the NFL but OZ is a much smaller country with only a few major cities. A 20 team league is a distinct possibility but why not get them to play each other once (19 rounds) with an expanded finals series, SOO and I think everyone would be happy.

My crystal ball see's two conferences or two divisions in the next, say, 20 years.

SFM, The point is without a strong second tier there is too much of a gap for an emerging club/region to leap from grass roots comps to the elite AFL competition. Both the NEAFL and Foxtel Cup provide this. In the future, it might well be a NT that uses the second tier to take the next step. Along the way for example the NT Thunder builds a following, sponsors, National branding,etc. Conversly, a region not ready for even the second tier like PNG can still look to grow through the NEAFL and do likewise. Without the strong second tier it is expecting too much to just build from grass roots local comps straight to the AFL. There will be winners and losers amongst the 2nd & 3rd tiers however the path is much stronger. At this point a PNG side could find itself in the fairly strong NTh QLD comp soon, move to the NEAFL, then perhaps the Foxtel Cup. Along the way player recruitment to the AFL improves as these players are exposed to better standard competitions. The same goes for all of the developing regions. Lastly, its been mooted that the winner of the Foxtel Cup will get a slot in the followng years NAB Cup. Its not P & R per se but whether its eventually Centrals from SA or East Perth or a Morningside these clubs can show something on the National stage.

I thought he'd mispelled it and was reporting belatedly on the Waikerie Magpies' 2008 flag.

Good luck to the Roosters in this competition. They have recruited well in the off season and the new coach looks to have the respect of his players, which (sadly) Danny Healy did not.

We have a strong national competition because the VFL bludgeoned the others into submission. But if that hadn't happened, we'd still have three pissant suburban comps. You only need to look at rugby union to see what happens when two strong states continue to run their affairs oblivious to the game as a whole.

Those clubs never put the competition at risk. The AFL said it would be going whether they were involved or not. I believe the competition could have some value. But I also believe that my club did the right thing by not being involved - this time around.

It wasn't a national competition. It was a Victorian competition with a couple of 'franchise' teams outside of that state. Some would still argue that is the case. The only reason the VFL wanted an Adelaide side in the competition was to prop up the financial situation of several Victorian clubs. I have no love for Adelaide or Port Adelaide. But am saddened by some of what has occurred to the SANFL as a result of the 1990 attempt by Port to join the Victorian competition.

This is a great tournament. I think itll really kick off over the next couple of years. As it's developing i think it is a good start, but eventually i think there should be rather than one tassie team two (north and south) and another Canberra team. and deffinetly a team from the ovens and murray and one from cairns. maybe even establish a alice springs based team, which could also be in the NEAFL. it will be interseting to see what the replacing nsw team will be (Cardiff, newcastle city, broken hill, griffith, north albury, a team from the hume league, or another team from sydney) The NEAFL is another great competition. but this should also be generating more teams in to the league over time. the AFL has done a great job this year with new and improved things. the IC11 is another fantastic competition between countries from all over the world (27 countries mens and 6 womens).

Those 2 schoolboys with Richmond, still 16, are showing such promise, Hardwick was going to play them in the all stars game (before it was cancelled).

PNG junior teams , boys and girls both play in the QLD state champs and PNG lads have gone on to represent QLD at the Australian champs. From that i think there is a PNG boy at Carlton ( Peter Labi) and Essendon (David Meli) ??, Richmond actually trialled 2 just recently, and will school them in Melbourne next year, the GC Suns may also have a couple on their books, but they may have been cut. http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/eye-of-the-tiger-on-png-20110205-1ahr7.html