With the AFL’s preseason tournament having changed format in recent years, and now resembling a glorified practice match series, it’s fitting that regional areas get to host most of the matches.
Over the first two weeks of these games, clubs have visited Mandurah, south of Perth, far North Queensland and Coffs Harbour in NSW and this weekend they went into footy heartland in country Victoria and just over the NSW border to Albury.
At the time of writing, Carlton was due to play arch rivals Collingwood at the picturesque Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo. The footy town is famous for producing star Geelong skipper Joel Selwood and ironically some of Carlton’s best players from their golden era of the 1970s and early ’80s, such as Geoff Southby, Trevor Keogh and Rod Ashman.
That was when the 12 VFL clubs were assigned country and metropolitan regions to secure recruits and the Blues certainly did well out of Bendigo.
The other big country town in Victoria also starting with B, but located further west, is Ballarat. They got a taste at Eureka Stadium, the home of the North Ballarat Roosters in the VFL, of Melbourne playing a young Western Bulldogs side.
During the state election campaign last year, the new government committed funding to redevelop and upgrade Eureka to turn it into an AFL ground, so the Bulldogs could play home matches there during the home-and-away season.
Having covered the Central Highlands League grand final last year for ABC Grandstand‘s grassroots local footy program, there is certainly some major upgrading to be done as the ground is exposed to the elements and extremely wind swept. But a big crowd turned out to see the Dogs and the Dees, so expect the Ballarat locals to love the Dogs playing home matches at Eureka for premiership points.
Albury, like Bendigo and Ballarat, despite being in NSW is dinky di Aussie rules, with local teams the Albury Tigers one of the domineering sides in the Ovens and Murray League.
They were packed to the rafters at the Lavington Sports Ground to see Richmond thump Port Adelaide, who like the Bulldogs fielded a young side, but again the result was irrelevant.
There’s a strong football community there who couldn’t care less about who won and lost. AFL footy was in town and they were not going to miss it for the world.
Wangaratta has had success holding matches as well, and as part of the buildup to the new season the clubs tend to hold community camps in country regions, which continue to be outstanding successes.
Country footy is such an important part of the Australian rules code and brand, and the game’s popularity is still developing. Country regions in the AFL-savvy states of Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia must be catered for too.
After all, you never know where the next Selwood, Southby, Keogh or Ashman would be found. Or even the next Kelvin Templeton and Bernie Quinlan, a couple of Brownlow Medalists who came from the famous Latrobe Valley in Gippsland in South East Victoria.
Martin
Guest
It is great the AFL are catering for country people who would not otherwise have time to travel to the cities to watch a live match.
Gecko
Guest
Good point Rob, though you could be even more general and say Australians are becoming more indoorsy, with their Fox TV, their PC games and now their ipads etc. I fear that even if the AFL banned live telecasts on Saturday arvo, Australians would find something indoors to do instead of going to the local footy. (Ps. I used to play in the Tungamah League; that disappeared two decades ago!)
Rob
Guest
Oh please the AFL owe country footy BIG TIME. A direct result of the broadcast rights in recent years has seen the death of to many country footy teams to mention. Sure there are problems there out of the AFLs control but allowing your broadcasters to show televised games into regional Victoria has basically meant that these country clubs that were once the centre of attention every Saturday afternoon in these towns now compete with the AFL every week for viewers. Many have been forced to merge with arch rivals or change leagues just to stay afloat. Entire leagues have vanished since FOX and Channels 9, 10 and 7 started showing all games live every week - why the hell would you on a cold winters day go out to watch the Devenjsh Barbers (defunct club from a defunct league) when you can stay at home in front of the fire and watch the AFL? 20 years ago if the people of Devenish wanted to see a game of footy they went to see Devenish play. They paid at the gate, brought raffle tickets, food and drinks and the club got the cash. 15 people who would usually spend $50 on entry, a couple of beers during the match and maybe a meal in the social club after but now don't go means $750 less in the coffers. That's $6750 over an 18 game season (9 home games). Not much for a club like Geelong or Hawthorn but the difference between staying afloat and dying for a lot of these smaller country clubs.
Gecko
Guest
Dan thanks for acknowledging the importance of country footy to the AFL and to country communities. Good to see the AFL giving a little bit back. Pity some teams (particularly if they have to travel) rest virtually their entire team (no, let's not pick on Essendon again. I mean teams like Port Adelaide yesterday and Hawthorn last weekend). Makes for some one-sided spectacles but I guess it gives young blokes a chance to bid for a senior spot.
Gary
Roar Rookie
Nice article. The Blues certainly did well out of South Australia too. Kernahan, Bradley, Klomp, Motley(sic), Maylin, Naley McKay
Alicesprings
Guest
Someone didn't read the article...
Mark
Guest
Not sure if Drummoyne is quite regional
Paul
Guest
Mandurah, Burpengary, Pt Lincoln, Townsville, Coffs Harbour.
Adam
Guest
3 of the the 6 games this weekend are in NSW. no need to research?
Jeremy
Guest
So to sum up Dan your story says not "AFL footy shines bright in regional Australia" at all but "AFL footy shines bright in regional Victoria".
Richard
Guest
Dan, thanks for posting. I don't think anyone is under any illusion other than the preseason are practice matches. I don't know why you feel they are glorified. To be honest, the AFL marketing machine and journalists who have been starved of things to write about probably are the ones who get carried away. For the average footy fan, it's a chance to start getting excited, to ease into the season. The season proper is when things get serious. As a result, it is great the games are taken far and wide which is fantastic. Enjoy the season because it ends to quickly. Cheers