The AFL’s Foxtel Cup is in danger of going the way of State of Origin and International Rules unless some radical changes are introduced to help spice up the competition before it is discarded from the interstate leagues and the clubs themselves.
Here are the two ideas I think would help improve the Foxtel Cup as a whole.
1) Play it in the pre-season
For SANFL clubs like Norwood, it becomes a nightmare to focus on both competitions-the SANFL premiership and the Foxtel Cup.
If you asked the Redlegs, they’ll tell you that while they would like to win the Foxtel Cup, their main goal is to not only being there on SANFL grand final day, but also to win the flag,
Norwood had to make eight, read that again, eight changes from their SANFL game to focus on the Foxtel Cup. Most of their top players weren’t there in the Foxtel Cup game against East Fremantle, which they lost.
However, if the Foxtel Cup was played in the pre-season, most of the clubs would go all-out to win it. This is not only because it would be an ideal preparation for the regular season, it would also give clubs like Norwood and Port Melbourne the chance to focus totally on their respective league premierships.
2) A two division competition
The Foxtel Cup could be broken up into two divisions or sections in knockout football.
This is how the divisions or sections would look like.
DIVISION 1 (10 teams and using this year as a guide)
1. Port Melbourne (VFL)
2. Williamstown (VFL)
3. Box Hill (VFL)
4. Werribee (VFL)
5. Claremont (WAFL)
6. West Perth (WAFL)
7. East Fremantle (WAFL)
8. West Adelaide (SANFL)
9. Norwood (SANFL)
10. Woodville-West Torrens Eagles (SANFL)
DIVISION 2 (8 teams)
1. Belconnen (NEAFL)
2, Queanbeyan (NEAFL)
3. Burnie (TSL)
4. South Launceston (TSL)
5. University Blacks (VAFA)
6. St Pauls (SFL)
7. Kangaroo Flat (VCFL)
8. Vermont (EFL
The Division 1 games and the Division 1 and 2 grand finals would be shown live on Fox Footy.
So, if the Foxtel Cup wants to be respected by not only the state league and clubs, but also by the TV viewers, it needs to undergo these changes I have outlined.
Dan
Guest
I think there's still a couple years left on the Foxtel contract for the comp so not much else will change, especially since they scaled back to 8 teams comprising 6 from WA, SA and Vic and 2 from a qualifiying comp between 4 teams from Tas and the NEAFL. I think what they've gotten wrong was switching from weekends and the odd Wednesday night to Tuesdays. Norwood and East Freo both only had 3 day turnarounds so not a lot of time to recover and prepare. The pre-season suggestion is worth a thought, as that goes back to the old Ardath/Willis/Escort/Fosters Cup days of the 70s and 80s where there was a national night series almost every year (some good clips on youtube with Collingwood playing North Adelaide, Norwood v East Perth, etc.) but I think they would be treated even more like trial games than they already are (at least by the SANFL clubs). I like the comp and think it would be a great experience as a player, particularly those from the non-traditional AFL states that wouldn't get a lot of television coverage or attention from AFL scouts.
Lroy
Guest
Foxtel cup is a great idea.. why not have it as a regular comp home and away?? Top 4 sides from WA, Vic and SA play each other ... the rest play in a second division... The team that wins the Foxtel cup goes into the AFL the next year!!!! Surely Norwood or East Fremantle could put up a better performance than Melbourne at the moment? Great way to build the game, I recall the Southport Sharks up on the Gold Coast had a super strong side back in the Bears days.. most of the Bears reseves played for the Sharks.. very good side... pretty strong financially if I recall, all those gold coast millionaires chipping in a bit of money to pay players etc.
Chairman Kaga
Guest
Good idea in theory, but it appears to benefit noone other than the airlines and hotel chains. This is exactly what soccer is looking to do with their FFA Cup.
Jimbo
Guest
Play the fixtures at either clubs home ground, rather than at Etihad, Metricon or Subi etc. The ABC can televise from East Freo, Claremont etc The Foxtel cup is just for TV, rather than for the actual clubs. The players want it, it gives players who want to play in the AFL more exposure.
Ahmed
Guest
The AFL is too strong in Victoria for the state league to be taken very seriously. Remove some AFL clubs and more focus will be placed on the state league. The foxtel cup then can be used to grow football in Sydney through the NEAFL.
damo
Guest
I say don't even bother. It exists purely as a money making exercise for foxtel. Crowds don't wanna know about it, the topflight clubs like Norwood see it as a distraction at best and an injury risk at worst, and it proves nothing in regards to which state is the best at footy. Scrap it as a good idea poorely recieved, or it it go on as a purely invitational comp.
Franko
Guest
Some good ideas there Jason, I too am at a loss as to why this cup struggles so much. I can only conclude that if big enough prize money was at stake clubs would show more interest. Nathan Bassetts treatment of the comp this year and the SANFL in general in the past few years has been deplorable. In the first year the top 3 or 4 SANFL clubs didn't even enter the comp.