Roar Rookie
Joined December 2018
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With a Tasmanian AFL licence a foregone conclusion, the battle for the 20th AFL licence is heating up. Several areas have been touted for…
While Tasmania continues to be overlooked for an AFL club, Canberra continues to be overlooked as the city seen to be overlooked. When Tasmania…
My preference would be a 20-team comp with no need for mergers. But if clubs were in a position that they were looking at relocation to survive, I think their fans would prefer a merged team they can see every other week rather than a relocated they can see only two or three times a year.
Capital idea for AFL expansion
I’d definitely love to see a Canberra v Tassie game one day.
The AFL seems keen to keep it an even number of teams so I think both of us having strong cases benefits the other.
Capital idea for AFL expansion
Thanks Rowdy
Despite the lack of full-time team, Aussie Rules has kept up quite well at a grassroots level. We have a similar number of senior teams compared to rugby union and more teams than league.
I’m not sure how our juniors compare to the other codes, but they’re going well for growth, too. I mentioned it in another post, but a 2017 article reported that junior teams were the highest since 1984 (two years after the Raiders joined the NRL).
Capital idea for AFL expansion
I personally would be okay with a relocated Melbourne side if it came to that, but I’d actually be more keen (if we had to) on mergers within Melbourne. That way supporters still get to see their side and it opens up room.
Capital idea for AFL expansion
It’s just a bit small and outdated.
13k seats aren’t enough for a full-time team. The ground also lacks amenities. The lines are atrocious during a big game. Most seats also lack any decent coverage from the rain or sun.
It’s a beautiful ground, just needs a makeover.
Capital idea for AFL expansion
Thanks Gyfox!
The Manuka Green proposal was a joint venture with GWS and Grocon. It was meant to upgrade the stadium to 19,000, but was part of a larger redevelopment around it: https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/news/106411/manuka-green-proposal
From memory, the local community was really not keen. Hard to say if they’d be as opposed if it was a government-led proposal rather than a private one.
And you’re right, the juniors are definitely going well! There’s an article from 2017 saying we had 125 junior teams, which is the most since 1984. I’d assume that’s continued to grow further since.
Capital idea for AFL expansion
I agree. We couldn’t get a Canberra team in without some groundwork, so I would get them started with a club in the new merged VFL/NEAFL and VFLW.
A brand-new composite team with buy-in from all of AFL Canberra (not a rebranded Eastlake).
Get community input regarding team name/uniforms etc and get everybody excited with the expectation that these will be the teams they one day watch in the national leagues. Then when the time comes, it will be easier to transition them into the AFL and AFLW. A spot in the AFLW may even come first. Canberra has shown their good at supporting standalone women’s sides (in the W-League and WNBL).
Capital idea for AFL expansion
A Canberra team would take at least 10 years of planning, which should give the Giants enough time to capitalise on their record membership numbers. I think they’re even beating the Sydney NRL teams. They just need to convert those and their growing junior participants to bums on seats.
I’d also like to see them play a game or two in Newcastle.
Capital idea for AFL expansion