I’ll be honest, I miss the old pre-season night premiership. Football Park was the only premiership I’ve been alive to see. Now, we have this weird mismatch of a pre-season, but I believe I have the fix, which will solve at least some of the problems.
For readability, I need to separate this solution into Victorian and non-Victorian teams. As they have slightly different needs, especially with them being based either up the road from opponents, or in a different state. All teams however, will play 2 games, regardless of where they are geographically located.
For the non-Victorian teams, I am proposing they play one game against a “state” team and one against their AFL rival. So, in the case of Adelaide teams, make up a state squad from the best SANFL talent that is available to play both Adelaide and Port Adelaide. Spread that over two weekends, and then on the third weekend have Adelaide vs Port Adelaide.
Substitute SANFL for WAFL or NEAFL and all the interstate teams can get a couple of practice matches in, without needing to travel interstate. This will reduce costs on the teams, and still provide quality opposition.
The use of combination teams, rather than straight SANFL/WAFL/NEAFL teams, allows for quality opposition that won’t run risk of getting smashed badly. This is more for the TV viewing audience, who would likely prefer to see a semi-close contest than watch the AFL teams having a glorified training drill wearing their match day kit.
The reason I separated out the VFL teams, is because a single state team couldn’t suffice against ten opponents. To combat this, I would suggest bringing in five combine teams, representing North/South/East/West/Central. These teams would two matches against the AFL teams, in the same fashion as the interstate teams. Then the AFL teams play one match against each other before the season starts proper.
Why this is different, especially using combine teams rather than VFL teams, is that it stops clubs playing against opposition they know (being their VFL clubs), and prevents teams potentially roughing up their AFL counterparts (as the selection in the combine team would screen that). I’m not suggesting that would happen if a VFL team was put in, but we are more likely to see a sloppy tackle from an inexperienced player than a group of invited players who would have a superior skill set.
This model delivers in that it reduces the cost to the AFL clubs, with them not needing to travel interstate.
It also gives Foxtel 27 games of football, where clubs will be less inclined to rest players because there are only two practice matches before the season starts.
The AFLPA would likely be happy to have less travel and pre-season matches in the players’ already packed schedules.
Any merit? Let me know in the comments.
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