Even many AFL fans are unaware that towards the end of 1980, WAFL club East Perth put in an application to join the VFL.
This application went nowhere showing that the VFL weren’t interested, although they were looking at interstate expansion at the time.
So I’m going to look at what I think would happen if the Royals were accepted into the VFL.
Firstly, looking at East Perth, in the 1980 WAFL season, they finished in fourth position making into the preliminary final before losing to Swan Districts in what was the highest attendance for a WAFL/WANFL preliminary final at over 34,000.
They were averaging 9,779 people through the gates at their home ground of Perth Oval which was significantly behind the lowest VFL attendance at the time which was Fitzroy’s 16,271. It was behind three other WAFL clubs in Swan Districts, South Fremantle and West Perth who to this day are probably still the three biggest clubs in Western Australia (behind the Eagles and Dockers of course).
But East Perth were still a stable club.
Would they have been able to compete with the bigger VFL clubs once they entered? I think so.
We need to remember that average crowd does not equal fan-base, so seeing as the Royals did get crowds of 15k+ in bigger games in 1980, I’d imagine they’d have a fan-base of around 13k average if they entered a bigger league than what they were in, and seeing as they would be the only West Australian team playing in the Victorian league, they’d be the hottest ticket in town which would add to that figure.
When the West Coast Eagles entered the VFL in 1987, pretty much every man and his dog that lived in Perth supported them. The Royals did have rivals like West Perth and others, so they wouldn’t have been as big as the Eagles but still one of the biggest in the competition
So a club with history and an established fan-base and identity, would presumably succeed playing in another state’s league, but what knock on effects would that have.
Looking at what happened after 1980, would any of it change?
Firstly, at the end of 1981, South Melbourne decided to leave Lake Oval and move to Sydney, seeing as they were an extremely broke club at the time, I don’t think this move would’ve changed, they were looking for anything to stay alive.
Of course in 1987, the Brisbane Bears and the West Coast Eagles joined the competition. Seeing as there wasn’t really any established football clubs in Queensland at the time, I think the Bears would’ve entered the league, especially as we’ve seen Queenslanders get behind composite sides no matter what sport it is.
As for the West Coast Eagles, I don’t think they would’ve existed. Seeing as there was already a Western Australia club, I don’t think the VFL would’ve wanted another one there just yet, and also Western Australia wouldn’t have wanted a composite side. The people probably would’ve preferred to wait for their WAFL club to enter the league
In 1990, the Adelaide Crows joined the VFL, but there were discussions with Port Adelaide going on before that. Would the SANFL have let the Magpies join the VFL? I think so.
With East Perth thriving in WA, and the Brisbane Bears side struggling, I don’t think the SANFL would want to take a risk on a composite side, and would’ve got out of Port Adelaide’s way. And they’d probably be just as, if not more, successful than they currently are if they joined in 1990.
AFL marking contest. (Photo by Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images)
In 1995, the Fremantle Dockers joined the AFL. This is a tough one to think about. I still think a Fremantle side would’ve entered the AFL, seeing as Australian Rules Football in Western Australia started in Fremantle, and with 43 per cent of WAFL/WAFA/WANFL flags being won by a club that contains the word Fremantle in its name, it’d make the most sense.
However I think it’d be more of a joint venture between South Fremantle and East Fremantle with the Fremantle AFL club claiming the history of both the Sharks and the Bulldogs
At the end of 1996, Brisbane and Fitzroy merged to become the Brisbane Lions. Seeing as how broke Fitzroy were, and that Brisbane were struggling with identity, I think this merger would still go ahead.
In 1997, Port Adelaide entered the AFL, but in this little fantasy, they’re already in the competition, so the AFL would be looking for a second Adelaide AFL club.
A poll from 1993 showed the SA population’s second preference to a second SA side behind Port Adelaide was a merged Norwood-Sturt team, so that’d be the best option.
In 2011, the Gold Coast Suns entered the AFL, but it seems as though everyone had forgotten that one of the most successful football clubs in Australia was based in Gold Coast, the Southport Sharks. The Sharks have 22 first-grade premierships in just 60 years of existence, and are doing well in the VFL at the moment, despite having to travel every second week.
In 2012, the GWS Giants entered the league. There’s no real nationally recognised football club from Western Sydney so this would probably still go as normal.
So if everything I just said happened, the 18 AFL clubs would look like this:
Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood, East Perth, Essendon, Fremantle, Geelong, Greater Western Sydney, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Norwood-Sturt, Port Adelaide, Richmond, Southport, St Kilda, Sydney, Western Bulldogs.
So if East Perth did join the VFL, not only would it make the Western Australia football market much different, I believe it would have massive knock-on effects for years to come.
Falcardy
Guest
Not quite right there regarding Australian football in WA. Perth was ahead of the Goldfields. The WAFL was founded in 1885, playing Australian football. The ad hoc rugby competition in Perth folded at the end of 1884 and was not revived until the 1890s. The Goldfields competitions started in the late 1890s.
Yeahrighto
Guest
East Perth Royals West Perth Falcons Fremantle Dockers (joint venture between East & South Freo) North Adelaide Roosters Port Adelaide Power (Keep the prison bars as stipulation of changing nickname) Norwood Redlegs Carlton Blues Richmond Tigers Collingwood Magpies Essendon Bombers Hawthorn Hawks Geelong Cats Melbourne Demons Western Bulldogs Southport Sharks Brisbane Lions Sydney Swans GWS Giants Hobart Kangaroos (North Melbourne move) Canberra Saints (St Kilda move)
RoyalPunter
Guest
The final note to this story is that given East Perth were the first club coin the idea of interstate clubs competing, which set the spark for a national comp they should therefore be the 3rd Western Australian team in any future expansion. There are several other considerations that would make this the sensible option and to list a few: WA is the only state in the AFL without its capital's city's name appearing in a club's name and East Perth is the real city club in WA not Perth who dropped South from their name, and while the 2 teams shared the WACA for a while EP's old homeground was Perth Oval which sums up who is the city's club. Without a WCE reserves team, there would be nine clubs that could be split into 3 geographically based feeder clubs. Anyone knowing Perth would know of the freeway which runs south-north and of the Swan River. Thus Peel (current Freo affiliate), EF & SF whose junior zones fill the area south of the Swan and West of the freeway would feed Freo. North of the Swan and west of the freeway would be Subi, Claremont & WP, would feed WCE; and EP, P & SD zones and all areas east of the freeway would feed East Perth. Although P & SD fans may not be warm to the idea, the reality is in the AFL there is already a Swans team, a B&W stripes team, a Demons team and black & red team, whilst there is no Royals team, nor black & blue colours. Also EP has won 17 premierships (plus 3 as Union) while SD & P only 15 between them. Not to mention SD was carved out of EP's zone anyway, granted there was Midland Junction for a while, but after they became defunction it was EP's, that's why EP pushed back on SD's entry into the WAFL. In regards to team names and colours the other WA teams would not be suitable either. There is already a blue & white stripes team, red V on white, a bulldogs team, a lions team, a tigers team, a thunder bolt icon - Power & Thunder (too close) and blue & red colours, furthermore WP have the same anthem as Melbourne; and there are already Eagles, Hawks, and Saints so Falcons or Cardinals just wouldnt work.
TMC
Guest
The SANFL and all teams were 100% against the idea of a local club playing for an interstate league, especially the VFL. It was only after the VFL became the AFL that an SANFL team was open to the idea of joining the AFL. That being Port Adelaide which went behind the SANFL's back.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
A team over a 150 years old in the most AF mad city having a lot of followers is not a hard get. The Dockers missed and mashed their chances. Port Adelaide was almost another country to the rest of Adelaide’s football followers. 36 Flags, think about that! Wearing Red n Blue at Alberton was, in equal parts, both foolish and brave. ——– Port is the only traditional team, in it’s traditional base, in the AFL outside of Melbourne. Ofc it’s going to come with an armada of fans. 2nd loudest crowd in world sport is the home games of Port Adelaide. ——– I hate em.
Seymorebutts
Guest
Hard to believe Port has more fans than the Fockers.. So I would suggest the rivalry between the two WA clubs is bigger than over in Adelaide.
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Optus probably Same with Port Adelaide in the city, Fremantle playing near East Perth, St Kilda in the Docklands, Collingwood at the MCG Really no different
Micko
Roar Rookie
And where would a Joondalup AFL team play home games???!
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
Joondalup Cardinals is the best bet, really the only candidate that would actually expand the game and not just split the existing pie 3 ways instead of 2 Also there’s already a Perth Football Club so i doubt they would’ve changed to that
Jordan Klingsporn
Roar Guru
It's not about people jumping ship though It's about finding new fans, a Joondalup/West Perth team is probably the best bet but not for a while
Brian
Guest
No doubt they would have changed their name to Perth. I do wonder though who's the best candidate for a 3rd WA team. From what I can tell Northern Perth doesn't seem much represented by the 2 existing sides. Something in Joondalup maybe or alternatively some sort of Swan Districts/East Perth team with a base north of the river. Not from WA though so I could be all wrong.
WCE
Roar Rookie
Still does not mean in anyway that people from WA will jump ship to support another team just so they can buy a membership to go to the game. A third team in WA would struggle to fill out any stadium our team loyalties are set in concrete. Not too many Thom's over here willing to jump ship as soon as new team comes in and moves closer to your town. Look at the interest the WAFL has if that had booming crowds weekly then maybe a third team would be warranted. Not to mention people from WA do not at all want a third team. You have spun that idea around few times it ain't happening. No need for a West Australian version of the Suns albeit we would be better.
RT
Roar Rookie
Don't worry, I can be arrogant, but I fear those days might be behind me, for a couple of years at least. Meanwhile, that was one of the worst dropped catches I've ever seen by a wicket keeper. At least keep us honest, sheez.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm glad to get you up n running. You're a rare breed: An Unarrogant Tigers man. :laughing:
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
I'm sorry Thom but l was reminded of SEQ's fave past time these past few days: parking on long thin strips of concrete. I'm here at the northern end of the GC but heading back to Northern NSW this arvo.
Rowdy
Roar Rookie
Dunno about that but with the inexorable influx of population from AF states AF will continue to be the ever growing sport in Queensland. ------- RL continues to be pincered by AF nationally and RU internationally.
Gyfox
Roar Rookie
True enough, your last point, Thom. Almost impossible for a visiting fan to get a seat at WCE games.
Hoolifan
Guest
Is Australian football bringing native Queenslanders along, or are the majority of folks southern state expats?
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Southport Sharks were the competing bid in 1996 with Port Adelaide, but the AFL was hankering for Fitzroy to be merged and keeping the League to 16 teams was the preferred model. East Fremantle and South Fremantle tried to cobble together a joint bid in the 80s, but the West Coat juggernaught wasn't going to be denied. I think the AFL has found quite a balanced national code. There are too many teams in Melbourne, but with the Roos and Hawks playing in Tassie, the Bulldogs to Ballarat, Saints to Cairns, Demons to Alice Springs and 9 games in Geelong it seems to work. Canberra has a 40 year old claim to getting its own team too, but for now that team is the Giants, while Darwin has its deal with the Suns. A third team in WA would have little trouble filling stadiums, with West Coast and Fremantle membership becoming harder to secure seats for regular games.
RT
Roar Rookie
No they are more a Frankenstein club, hence didn't include them.