Two conference system will absolutely be here within 10 years. A new QLD team to make it 20 teams and then they will split it into conferences.
It’s coming
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I’m completely fine with that.
I like the idea of a conference system in the AFL.
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Ideally one would be for the Vics and one for the rest but they will mix it up I’d imagine
3rd Qld team before a 3rd WA team?
I’d rather W.A.
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I think the theory is that basically all WA people already support a WA side, so there’s not much scope for a new WA team finding a fan base. While there’s still a lot of uncommitteds in QLD.
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Yep, just look at the growth up there. Getting to the point where in 5 years time the Suns and Lions will be playing each other in Grand Finals regularly. The AFL will need to either cut off the academies or introduce a third side to dilute the talent
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Two conference needs 24 teams in total, one for Vics and the other for the scum.
Then we can breakaway, rename it VFL , develop Windy Hill and good order will have been restored.
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We also get pretty good crowds when we do go down there, can’t wait
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My understanding is that only 500-1000 tickets will be available to travelling fans though. The rest will all be Tasmanian members so a bit different to the Gold Coast and GWS games where no locals turn up and they rely on travelling support to swell the crowd
We would be odds on to give them their first ever victory.
It’s more about the resistance to high rise there in Hobart, very strong and effective organisation against with a real desire to limit the place to mid rise which has been successful and seen some big foreign groups either pull away or agree to spend a bit more, design a bit better and not fark the beauty and liveability of the place. If some had their way it’d be Docklands by now, I’d be very surprised if that contingent don’t get their way paved for them now.
Why don’t they just play their home games in Geelong, then?
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Great news for Tasmania. I’m looking forward to seeing them in the comp and the passion a one team state brings. I remember when the crows came in it was nuts.
On team 20 I think my order of preference would be:
- Canberra - growing fast a perfect blend of footy interest and an expansion market at the same time. No competition, easy to travel to and a strong academy area to build off.
- w.a 3 - WA needs a shot in the arm the they are struggling. Plenty of new residents there and what should be the games second biggest market needs more content.
- Brisbane 2 - Qld just became the second biggest footy state in the country by participation. Growing population, new stadium, big potential in that North Brisbane corridor.
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Agreed re Canberra, would love Darwin but Tassie might be enough of a drag for a while.
After that it is a real competition between interest and new markets- SA and WA for fanaticism or Qld and NSW for growth?
IMO it will 100% be WA - Joondalup or Mandurah.
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Well…
That’s that.
All the arguing and it looks like its going ahead anyway.
Now on to the next phase.
Which will be delays and over budget costs of the stadium. It’s the building industry, this is par for the course for any major project. Regardless of which state you’re in, which government is in charge, who is running the build, etc. The building industry knows what it can get away with and they also know that once a contract is awarded, any additional cost can be charged at a premium because every project gets to the builder in such a state that it allows them full flexibility to under bid on the project and make up for it on the variations afterwards.
It’ll get reported, people will say ‘we shouldn’t have done this’.
Building defences will also be reported, further getting more people incensed with what occurs with builds. Again, this is par for the course in the building industry. Builders will always try to ‘get away’ with sloppy workmanship knowing the client ‘just want to open the thing on time’ than force the builder to do things properly.
Then opening day comes along and Tassie play their game there. Then there be all these feel good reports about an area that has been activated, footy being back in Tassie and how kids now have more of a chance at an AFL career.
That won’t last long though.
Then the reporting will turn to how desolate the place is during the week and how much has been wasted on an area for something that only occurs ones every few weeks.
Twenty years later, those issues will sort themselves out through the natural increase of movement through the area meaning more investment goes into the area meaning more money is exchanged through the area.
It pretty much happens with a majority of significant build. Sydney Opera House went through it. The Docklands went through it (the area around it needs a lot of work, but it’s definitely better than when it first opened and far better than what was there before the stadium) and I’m sure Optus Stadium in WA went through it.
If you can minimise the cost overrun to somewhere between 20% and 50%, it’s been done well. Optus Stadium was around 40% over early contract price. Sydney Opera House was 1,000% over budget. And whilst there was much arguing and politicking happening around the Sydney Opera House (architect sacked, etc), I don’t think it’s become a detriment. Building nothing would have been far worse than what is there.
It’s tough to track down the contract price of builds vs the final cost. There is an announced budget, then a contract budget (when the builder is appointed) and a final cost at the end. No major build stays on budget. And some of the budgets didn’t include certain upgrades (Adelaide Oval didn’t include internal fit out costs and also didn’t include re-laying of the surface).
And within all this cloud of figures, media will perform as per normal and paint whatever picture that suits both sides of the argument. And it’ll continue on an on…
Until people run out of steam and find something else to debate about.
The major issue with this is how they work their way through the next 3 to 4 years. There’s a good chance we go into a decent financial downturn during that time. And I think it’ll be a slow climb out of it. So there is a good chance that the timing of the build isn’t going to help costs.
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If that was the case, think it would be Joondalup. Freo has strong ties to Mandurah through Peel
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Then there’s the matter of privatise the profits and socialise the costs. Which isn’t even being pretended at not happening here. MONA is one thing, private enterprise and philanthropy at its finest, with a side of fleecing the global gambling industry. A part time stadium in a city where it takes 4 years to get a hip replacement is another. Ah, it’s just progress. In 20 years there will be so many issues facing all of us that we’ll look back on these vanity projects for rich sportos and network old boys for the repulsive rorts they are.
Yep.
You’ll hate every moment of it.
It’s just one giant transfer of money from the have nots to the haves. That discussion occurs daily when Adelaide footy fans go to Adelaide Oval and give up their hard earned money on the nearby casino. Ditto with Perth Stadium. I may have overheard something similar when I last went to the Docklands this year. I’m sure it occurs. Between fans. Somewhere. It only happens at footy stadiums. Nowhere else.
Money transfer from the have nots to the haves has is something that been occurring for longer than the last 50 years.
It’s not changing anytime soon. With or without a footy stadium in Tasmania.
The stadium is coming. There’s opportunity there for the state to get some positives out of. Every other state that has built their stadiums have had those same opportunities. It’s already become a political issue in Tasmania and any good won’t get very far. A lot needs to happen in a short period of time. And it looks like Tasmania are as much a chance to end up with another Waverley Park where infrastructure around it isn’t supported.
I get there are other issues. But they are there with or without a footy stadium. Not because of the football stadium. It’ll be seen as a failure because of the way it’s kicked off. It’ll be a failure until something else replaces it as a failure.
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I’m sure you’ll be around for a few more rebuilds yet!
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