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In a two-part series, I will provide 10 random ideas discussing how to grow the AFL now and into the future. They all have an element of randomness about them, are all hopefully original and take an outside-the-box look at the AFL.
1. Points For elimination tanking
There have been so many ideas thrown around on how to eradicate tanking from the game, but all these ideas still revolve around teams being assessed by wins at the end of the season.
No matter what system is suggested, wins against losses will always play a part in the decision of who gets which draft pick.
Whenever wins against losses is going to decide a draft order, the incentive to lose will remain.
So why not take wins completely out of the equation? Instead of a team’s draft position being based on a ladder of wins and losses, why not make the draft order based on points scored. The team who scores the most points is rewarded with the number one pick.
Personal preference would be that the 10 non-finalists be assessed by points for and the eight finalists draft order be decided by final draft position after the completion of the grand final. The order is kept the same throughout each round of the draft meaning that teams that dare to score during the season are rewarded on draft day.
The flow on effect of this concept is that in a league where scoring has been negated by defensive tactics, the encouragement for attacking play is further emphasised. No longer would Melbourne’s 2014 season be seen. Instead of teams needing to play poorly to get a number one pick, the most attacking of teams are rewarded with a number one pick.
Indeed the only way to eradicate tanking is to remove wins and losses from the equation. This system is controversial, it is random, but it would work.
2. Father-Son for one game
If the AFL decides to modify its conditions on how father-son (and academy) picks are assessed, surely part of this modification should make it that simply playing one game for an AFL club makes a son eligible to join that club.
It is a refreshing part of the AFL that family legacy is given the chance to continue and realistically there should be no bounds on how many games a player plays if both father and son want a legacy to continue.
Now if the much discussed points system comes into place, it really should not matter how many games a father played. If a player is an outstanding junior prospect a club is going to have to pay for the right to draft that son.
How clubs assess potential father son picks is at the discretion of the club now and if one element of the system is going to be relaxed so to should the games played condition.
Random yes, positive change yes.
3. Six interstate trips per year
One of the real bug bears of interstate fans is the lack of travel from the powerful Victorian clubs. Travel between Victorian clubs can vary, but no travel burden comes close to the clubs based outside the AFL’s heartland.
One way in which the AFL could make a positive change is by having every Victorian based club travel six times per year.
This ensures that every club should travel to each football state at least once each year and also evens up the travel kilometres that each club does do. With a high percentage of Victorian clubs now playing interstate anyway, it really should be easy enough with some creative fixture making to get an even spread for each team.
For the non-Victorian clubs knowing that each team is travelling at least six times ensures the gap between six and ten trips which interstate teams do is getting towards more equitable. Random to hear, but if equity is what this league wants to be then this idea helps.
4. Thursday night football each week
It works for fans who get the weekend a day early, it works for players who get a full weekend break after the game, it works for broadcasters who get another primetime time slot for a game and it should be actively being worked by the league.
By again getting creative with the bye structure and having two or four teams on bye over most weeks of the AFL season it would be easy to be able to fixture a Thursday night match every week. This also gives the chance for the AFL to give primetime chances to all clubs without affecting the marquee blockbuster that Friday night football has become.
Every team could be guaranteed at least one home match on Thursday night which ensures that there is no ongoing convenience to fans of all ages, Thursday night games will be like one offs for clubs each season.
On top this, it also allows a timeslot in northern markets which rugby has yet to reach. If the four northern state teams were to have an additional match of two it would be a way to grow the game in these markets.
It seems a random night to become the big night of footy, but again random can be good.
5. A proper season launch
The current AFL season launch falls well short of the spectacle that it could and really fails to generate the hype that a new season could. A great way to create a proper season launch would be to use the last week before the season commences to build up to the first game with a series of events especially around Melbourne.
Why not have the last pre-season round of games all be held in Melbourne, ensuring that all 18 clubs spend the last weekend before the season in the Victorian capital. Sunday night could be dedicated to a hall of fame evening such as the one that is seen in the NFL which receives widespread praise every year.
Couple this with fan engagement activies like the AFL uses in the lead up into the grand final and it would be a great way to launch the season. Treating the AFL season like a big deal should not be a random thought and making the most of the hype is the way to go.
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