2012 will be a huge year for the AFL, and will have a lot of firsts. It will be the first year of an 18-team competition, with the introduction of the Greater Western Sydney Giants. The first matches will be played at Blundstone Arena (Hobart), Skoda Stadium (Showgrounds), and Blacktown International Sports Ground.
The AFL will will be able to show the whole of Australia, via Foxtel, every single game live in HD, siren to siren.
It will also be a year of seconds. The second year of the NEAFL and Foxtel Cup, the second year of the Gold Coast Suns, and the second AFL premiership game in Cairns.
Last year the AFL reached incredible heights, with the announcement of the $1.253 billion television rights deal: the richest boradcast deal in Australian history, and one that took two years of negotiation.
Also the AFL and the AFL Players Association came to an agreement which means AFL players will be the highest paid athletes in Australia.
An average AFL player will receive over $300,000 a year, a rookie-listed player will recieve $35,000 and when a player retires he will recieve a minimum of $20,000 a year.
It’s hard to think that just 30 years ago the VFL consisted of 11 Melbourne teams and Geelong, was only played in Victoria (except the odd exibition game), and didn’t have draft, trade, or salary cap systems.
One can only ask what heights the AFL can reach this year? Can they continue to grow? What of Kevin Sheedy’s talk of expanding into China, and other expansion talk? Will the Giants be a hit? Will they even win a game?
Will Gold Coast make the top eight? Can Brisbane climb the ladder? Will Collingwood win the premiership? Will Sydney finish in the top 4? All these questions and many more are yet to be answered, and I can’t wait to find out.
I know its Australian football’s time of rest, and we should all be focusing on the Big Bash and the Test cricket, but we have a huge year ahead of us, there’s no time for resting.
Here are my predictions for 2012.
The Contenders
Collingwood
Geelong
Hawthorn
Carlton
The Hopefuls
West Coast
Sydney
Fremantle
Essendon
North Melbourne
The Cellar-Dwellers
St. Kilda
Richmond
Adelaide
Brisbane
Gold Coast
Melbourne
The Pretenders
Western Bulldogs
Port Adelaide
Greater Western Sydney
Premiers
Collingwood
Runners-up
Hawthorn
Wooden-spooners
Greater Western Sydney
Brownlow
G. Ablett or S. Pendlebury
Norm Smith
S. Mitchell
Coleman
L. Franklin
Rising Star
S. Coniglio
Foxtel Cup
Port Melbourne
VFL
Northern Blues
SANFL
Central Districts
WAFL
Claremont
TSL
Burnie
NEAFL North
Aspley
NEAFL East
UWS Giants
NEAFL
Aspley
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Fitzy Good stuff mate. International cup will be the biggest by far in 2014, im thinking we should enter the AIS U18's team into it as well. I only like Australian Football, i watch a little bit of cricket every now and again, as well as tennis and american football, but i don't go articles that have nothing to do with Australian Football and write about stuff that i know nothing about. But thats just me.
Titus
Guest
Bex pills and powders are an Australian cultural icon, its such a shame that our culture is being destroyed in this age of globalisation.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Mate i don't even know what a Bex is, has to be a thugby follower. Didn't have too much to offer, it has nothing to do with any other sport whatsoever, good riddance to him.
Fitzy
Guest
Its articles like these that really put people like Kassey back in their box, I suppose in 5 yrs when TV ratings increase they will blame News again for hijacking RL, rather than doing the hard yards and getting people involved. But I suppose they will say RL figures arn't being properly represented because they always invite their friends around, watch it in a group and make a day of it in the loungeroom. The fact of the matter is 2012 will be a watershed point in AR, 18 teams, more participation by fans, higher ratings and greater numbers involved OS with initiatives in Sth Pacific, China, GB, USA and SA kicking in. Can hardly wait till 2014 International comp will be bigger than ever!
JamesP
Guest
Bex? Geez what century are you from? Where are your articles? Is that the best you can contribute? Leave the kid alone...
The_Wookie
Roar Guru
never has so much been threatened by so few
Tony
Guest
The Nth Adel group will be up in arms if they threaten to put a new stand where the hill is!
JamesP
Guest
Lets just see about that. I dont think Port will ever fill it (i.e over 50k) unless for Showdows. Adelaide Crows might if they get on a roll. In any case, If things go gangbusters in Adelaide then in 10 years they can easily increase it to about 60k plus (which I think is the perfect size for a city the size of Adelaide), by filing out the grandstand over the existing hill area (cant believe there is still a hill area in this day and age of AFl footy)
Tony
Guest
The last line (comment by NRL man) is significant. These programs are where AFL has got it all over the other codes.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
http://www.coffscoastadvocate.com.au/story/2011/10/19/tony-robinson-in-afl-coup-coffs-coast-rugby-league/ http://www.manningrivertimes.com.au/news/local/sport/general/group-three-acts-to-stave-off-afl/2399914.aspx
Lachlan
Roar Guru
Jesse White can play there and be second ruckmen and also Tommy Walsh will play there as well as Sam Reid who if can work on his goal-kicking abit more, he'll become a gun full forward. Sam Reid can take terrific grabs and can get the ball no problems, its just goal-kicking, normally it's the other way around, so he should be able to master the goal-kicking and go on to become a gun.
Lachlan
Roar Guru
I have total faith in the swans, im a member of them and have been for 12 years since i was 5 and they look as good as they did in the premiership year. With the addition of a potential forward powerhouse Tommy Walsh and Tom Mitchell a gun midfielder we will go close to top 4 again. We lost Lewis Johnston, but gained Tony Armstrong, which isn't too bad. Also Jordan Lockyer seems like a he could sqeeze into the team at some point this year. Funny that we only have 4 remaining from our premiership side 7 years ago and yet the last 2 years we've finished 5th both times. 2010 we led Western Bulldogs all game, but ended-up losing by 5 points in the last quarter. In 2011 we went in favourites against Hawthorn, who later went on to lose to collingwood by 3 points, had a honoured start and played a terrible game, but our 3rd quarter brought us back with 2 or 3 goals, but got blown apart in the last quarter. We have a great list, mixed between experienced and young players, who are committed to finishing top 4 and undoubtedly deserve it. After round 4 we should be undefeated.
Jaceman
Guest
Swans full forward??
Fitzy
Guest
Strange no one has much faith in Syd Swans, have a decent list and got alot stronger with Tom Mitchell, Armstrong etc. I think that the fact they have an extra game in Syd with into of GWS that is winnable and stronger line up with continued improvement of younger players like Reid and Young means top 4 not out of equation. I dont see that Carlton have improved in areas they needed to i.e. Defence and Forward line, also sorry to say Cattery, how Geelong will go after retirements of such good players Ling, Ottens etc. I know people wrote them off last year but top 4 could be out of reach when in a development end of premiership clock.
Nathan of Perth
Guest
Only two leaguies on this article? Something doesn't feel right........
Nathan of Perth
Guest
And by "convincing" we mean Chicago Typewriter work.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
warren that's a fair enough point. I would just say that: 1. broad conversion is not necessary, just a small percentage of those people who don't watch any live sport currently would suffice; and 2. from the moment the VFL tested the market back in 1979 with a few games, Sydney people turned up in large numbers, so it would be a mistake to conclude that all Sydney people have an aversion to attending games of footy in large numbers. Also, going back to your cultural appropriateness argument (Marketing 101) - people from seemingly different cultural background can quickly adapt to new products such that the difference is minimal with the home market, as we often find in East Asia and many Western European markets for particular products (not all). Indeed, I stumbled across the SBS2 station the other day and they had a pop show featuring the latest Asian pop videos - apart from the different looking faces - it was identical to what you might find in some Western pop shows, same affectations, etc.
Greg Mac
Guest
Was chatting with a Collingwood fan the other day who had a great one liner: "What's the problem with doing altitude training in the pre-season?" ... ... ... You 'peak' too soon...
warren
Guest
Lachlan - the points you make are correct. I have started businesses in different countries and what I have found no matter how good your product or services are unless they will be culturally accepted it is going to cost you a lot to make it a success. The GWS is located in RL heartland yet the Penrith Panthers with their big leagues club next door to their ground are lucky to get 10k people through the door. The AFL may argue that Australian football is a more attractive sport and they will convert the masses who do not turn up to these games. I do not believe this is the central issue but rather that Sydney people simply do not turn up to sporting events as those in Victoria. Look at cricket. Both the major summer sport in both states yet Melbourne has double the crowds with a lower population. Some may argue the transport is better, stadium bigger but to me it simply goes back to the culture of the city. In the end the AFL has to spend it money on expanding the game and they in my opinion are doing a great job of it. The question is how much are they going to spend to maximise the potential of the GWS team.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
There's a lot to be said for sitting in an armchair in the comfort of your own home, with a 100" screen in front of you. The AFL appears to have got a healthy balance between attendances and ratings, and I do hope that they can hold onto to that, and I think that would be part of their strategic planning, i.e. if current attendances to ratings ratio for a full season is 7 mill to 100 mill (for arguments sake), they'd have an objective of going to 7.5 mill / 110 mill, for example. There's no doubt that as a TV viewer, we have a preference for seeing big attendances and hearing a bit of crowd noise. When you can hear every word being shouted by one lone barracker - that sort of detracts from the viewing experience.