Is adding more clubs going to lower the standard of AFL?

Question

On statistical grounds if you add 2 more teams, say 80 players added to the pool, from 640 to 720 players, and spread them socialogically (the dreaded level playing field), all things being equal, the average level of quality is diluted. Is that why many clubs today are performing poorly? Not enough top players to go around? Or is youth becoming more sensible, and turning to less damaging and destructive games like soccer and basketball and surfing.

Answer 1

i don't know... i don't think so...i think they needa have some good players in there starting off not some b graders. they can find alot of talent in perth and adelaide if they go looking. but im a bit worried new teams arnt going to have a fan base... i mean brisbane can't even get many to a game whats gonna happen with the gold goast of west sydney or even tassie

Answer 2

80 Players added so what, the population of Australia and there for Aussie Rules Players grows a lot faster than that in 1 year.

Answer 3

there wont be less quality. i mean, in the SANFL there are heaps of top quality players, who i can picture in the afl. and i bet there are plenty also going around in the VFL and WAFL. like someone said before, another 80 players added is nothing, compared to the population of aussie rules players

Answer 4

**I think there would be a lot of young kids out there who if given the opportunity could be great players but because there are a limit number of spots in AFL teams they don't get the opportunity so by introducing more clubs to the competition could give them a chance.

I'm not in favour of introducing more clubs into the competition though.**

Answer 5

I agree with that, more players will be able to play at the top level when they otherwise wouldn't have if the league had 16 teams. The more the AFL expand, the less quality there will be in the competition.

Answer 6

Your question is funny in a lot of ways.

in a way you make sense when your talking about the

level playing field.

But in another your not !   Heres why i think that :

When you have more clubs, you will have more players

joining in the AFL, like there is a lot out there who can

really play but not enough club places for all of them.

Also places like Perth need to tap in to all that talent

that is left over , which there are no places for with just

the Eagels and the Dockeres !   For instance , in the other

direction South, you have Kelmscott Armadale which has

a huge Indigineous group amongest other good Footy

players never picked up ..... and no club to go to!

Then theres the Midland Lands and again no place for them.

Then again theres the Wannaroo area , another club could easely be made.

This is how PERTH SHOULD HAVE AFL

*Kelmscott/Armadale Hills Club *Fremantle Dockers Club

* Westcoast Eagles Club   * Wannaroo Rangers Club

* Midland Hills Club.

Until Perth gets to this , we will still struggle on the AFL as

a lot of our players don't get a look in.

:Look at how many clubs in the Melbourne AFL ?  Why do

we have to be so far behind? Once the excuse could be

accepted.   We have a large Resource Boom and we should

be able to have a good Chunk of that resource used on our

own sporting heros to be and clubs to be established , about

time the Federal Gov. took some of it's greedy fingers out

of the kitty and let the West have a little more say what we do

with our surplus $$$$$$$$ from OUR State! Including for

sport !

Answer 7

Yes it will lower the standard, the thinner the talent is spread the less quality, it is up to the AFL to make sure the young stars of the future are heading down the right path and not being sidetracked, that is why the current expansion plans are necassary, more kids from NSW and QLD will find themselves in the system and Rugby League will again suffer

Answer 8

The level of players won't go down. 80 extra players from a total population of maybe 100 000 guys aged 16-22 who play AFL?

You note I said 16-22. There is room for recruiting guys who don't mature as footballers till after they leave school - potential ruckmen are a prime example, but fullbacks are another group. Maybe someone who's been playing for a good amateur side or  VFL or the other state equivalents will step up at 20. The Davey brothers, playing for Essendon and Melbourne, are personal examples. As well, there are people who have been playing basketball, or swimming competitively, who want a change. I would go even further and lift all AFL lists to 50 players. Even 20 clubs with 50 players is only a thousand blokes! With restricted lists, coaches have the tendency to play injured or troubled players because they must, and this tells on young players especially.

There are too many guys recruited at 18 who don't progress, and their teams often lack that middle-level of players with four or five years of experience playing in the big kids' games. This could be bolstered if major clubs also drafted guys from their state teams at 21.

So yeah, one of the benefits of 18 teams is more opportunities for good footballers on the verge of adulthood.