What was it like.... 18 teams.... AFL???

Question

What was it like when new teams were brought into the AFL/VFL. I am too young to remember but did you want them to come in and did you like the new teams.

I don't want 18 teams. It's too big!

What was it like the last time the AFL expanded???

Answer 1

I'm more concerned about how the finals will be played.

If i'm correct ... it used to be a top 5 with the Top team getting the bye in the first week of finals

then it went to the top 6

Now with 16 teams it became a top 8

what happens with 18 teams ????  a top 9 with the ladder leader getting a bye in the first week of finals ... or still a top 8 as it is now ?

Expansion teams will get the benefits of picks and undrafted players, and salary cap benefits too. (at least thats what happened in the past) Leaving the teams that are established getting low picks and a chance of loosing good players to a new club with more money, this could happen to any club in the AFL.

Any time the league grows in numbers ......  it feels bad as you never know what players you could loose to the new clubs.

Answer 2

i remember when west coast and fremantle came into the comp

nobody wanted them there and no body wants them there now

Answer 3

I'm glad that it expanded that last time =)

but i think 18 teams.... seems like a lot of teams! especially if they're not coming in at the same time, we'll have to have byes!!!

and what will their names be?

Answer 4

it was fantastic when the VFL took over Australia

wafl failed

sanfl failed

qfl failed

it should be the

AVFL

Answer 5

I'm not a big fan of having 18 teams in the AFL. It's big enough as it is. Besides to get these new teams up and going, some star players from other sides would have to be sacrificed, which really annoys me.

Answer 6

My son asked me this question today; he is really excited at the prospect of two new teams.

My last recollection is of the Brisbane/Fitzroy merger and then Port coming into the comp. I must admit that I was annoyed that Fitzroy were getting the flick then another team so rapidly taking their place, although Fitzroy really were dreadful for their last few years and lost a lot of sponsorship and went broke. The AFL can only prop struggling teams up for so long.

I remember the press conferences announcing the merger of the Bears and the Lions and I remember the press conference announcing the inclusion of Port. Admittedly, SA truly deserve at least two teams with their huge AFL following. To answer your original question, it is exciting when new teams enter the competition but when the excitement wears off, you might find many insidences of unfairness, especially if you follow an already existing club.

The thing that I think is disgustingly unfair is the extra money that is allocated to interstate teams and to Brisbane due to their merger with Fitzroy. I think this is indication as to why they were such a powerful club in the early "noughties".

I think the AFL stuffed up by revamping the old VFL. It hasnt worked out fair to the original VFL sides and the interstate ones always whinge about the number of Victorian sides and the grandfinal being at the MCG. What I believe would have been a better option would have been to introduce the AFL as a new competition separate from the original VFL. It would have been fairer for all involved - Hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Answer 7

GOD, i sound like an old bloke now, i hated the idea, all Victorians hated it, we get bagged by people from other states but put yourself in our shoes, the best came to play over our way, but all the other states had their leagues, but our league was invaded and we hated it, my views on the 18 will never change, doesn't make sense, the west Sydney part especially, tassie deserve a team.

sez- we wont have to have byes, it's an even amount of teams, that only happened when it was 15.

we will never have an equal season for all teams until they play each other twice, that will never happen now.

Answer 8

I hated it at the time since im from Victoria and it felt like 'they' (interstate sides) were invading our turf.

We learnt to adapt very quickly but the biggest change I've seen since VFL went to AFL is the emphisis on money.  It used to be all about the players and the love of the game, but the greedy men of the AFL board have turned it into a money making venture...

Totally different if they were to expand AFL now - it would mean we will potentially lose more Victorian sides.  And when that happens, my passion for footy will probably fade...

Answer 9

i dont really remember the AFL expanding to 16 teams. but i really dont want there to be 18 teams in the AFL. the Gold Coast team is coming in in 2011 and the Sydney team after them. the teams are going to have to have bye's or something but i think that that is really stupid. I DONT WANT THERE TO BE 18 TEAMS! especially teams that are from NSW and QLD. actually i dont mind QLD but the team is from the Gold Coast and i hate the Gold Coast. Its fake and trying to be like Hollywood.

Answer 10

i have no clue as i am only 15... but i think it will be cool to have an extra game each week. and an extra team in each of queensland and nsw will even it out better, as there is 2 in wa and sa... it will give more young players around 17 or 18 to get there chance to be in an afl team... i would love to be good enough to play afl!!! hopfully one day my name will be up there somewhere...

Answer 11

it was horrible

the vfl went down hill as soon as it went national