AFL circa 2028

[gadj1976]

With Wayne Jackson's comments about the AFL not being serious about a national comp with 10 teams in Melbourne, where do you see the AFL in twenty years time?

Will there be:

20 clubs?

10 clubs still in Melbourne? If not, how many and where will they relocate to?

International venues for home and away games?

Teams in the NT, Tassie?

Umpires full time, or ex players only?

Will players have individual sponsors on their guernseys?

Will players have their names on their guernseys?

Clash jumpers - will that still be on the agenda?

Revised drug code and drug testing?

Flooding?

And will we still be talking on safooty.net about the same old things? More than likely - yes.

[Adelaide Hawk]

I'm not so sure the AFL will still exist in 2028. Australian Rules will still be played but in what format? I think if the AFL continues to milk money from the economy the way it has been doing, then eventually the seemingly endless flow of money will cease, and maybe private ownership will raise its ugly head once more to bail the clubs out of financial debt. The face of the game could go though a number of major changes over the next 20 years, and footy needs to be careful it doesn't alienate it's life blood ... the supporters.

[the big bang]

i think the only thing that would change, would be the amount of teams and where they are.

with the personal sponsors on the players jumper, i really hope, and don't think that would ever happen.if you look at the worlds richest sporting comps, such as americas NBA, MLB, NFL, NHL and the worlds soccer leagues such as the EPL, they don't even do this.

as for the names on the guernsy's, i really don't think thats such a bad idea.i cant see a single bad thing coming of this.

[Dog_ger]

I will be too old to care...

[Aerie]

Interesting to think about...

Looking back 20 years the changes have been huge and with the seeming desire for everything to change so quickly these days, it would be naive to think that the game 20 years down the track won't change just as much.

I would say the biggest changes to the VFL/AFL in the last 20 years has been the footballers and coaches turning full time professional, the introduction of 2 teams in SA and WA to make sure the AFL is dominant over the WAFL and SANFL in these states, the nationalism of the game, the media attention and the loss of Fitzroy.

The biggest change that could happen in 20 years is for the game to go international. Maybe Ireland, South Africa or the Pacific Islands? Perhaps the game can be the biggest code in NSW and Qld - if it is, that will go a long way in ensuring the AFL survives the test of time. Maybe we will see 2 divisions of 12 teams (Gold Coast, Western Sydney, Tasmania, 3rd WA team, 3rd SA team, NT, Canberra, Nth Qld).

The biggest challenges will be keeping the clubs viable and not losing fans to the game through destroying what has made football so great in the past.

[Mr66]

footy needs to be careful it doesn't alienate it's life blood ... the supporters.

Already is with the constant effing around with the games rules..
It has with me.
I have been to one game this year (Melb v Bullies Rd3) and have not even watched a full 1/4 of an AFL game on TV at all.
I saw enough of the game last year to realise what an embarrassment it has become.
I'll stick with the suburban and amateur footy around Melbourne.

[Psyber]

There'll only be Soccer left as "Football".
Kids mothers will have stopped letting them play anything else because of the injury risk and behavioural patterns emerging in the press all the time.

[oldfella]

The Australian pot of gold is just about played out.

The AFL is working hard to develop a world game hence all the rule changes that is gradually perverting the real game into the Irish version.

Hopefully there will still be genuine AUSTRALIAN RULES FOOTBALL played in Australia somewhere

[heater31]

There'll only be Soccer left as "Football".
Kids mothers will have stopped letting them play anything else because of the injury risk and behavioural patterns emerging in the press all the time.

Jeez the mothers only have to look to the biggest league in the World the EPL to see they aint all angels too

[Psyber]

There'll only be Soccer left as "Football".
Kids mothers will have stopped letting them play anything else because of the injury risk and behavioural patterns emerging in the press all the time.

Jeez the mothers only have to look to the biggest league in the World the EPL to see they aint all angels too

Yeah, but most Mums only read the local press, and think in terms of the local league.
It's blokes who would find a sport to watch and something to get drunk on in Burkina Faso..

Looking it up to check the spelling of its name I discovered it is probably an appropriate place to choose as an example, too, as the median age there is 17, and median age of death is 50.
I wonder if a 17 year old there is more mature than a 27 year old here...

[Media Park]

We'll see a Tassie side, and an NT side, Gary Ablett the third will dominate for the Cats, and Freo will still not have won a grand final.
Carlton will be full of number one draft picks- and still be shite... nuff said.

[Adelaide Hawk]

There'll only be Soccer left as "Football".
Kids mothers will have stopped letting them play anything else because of the injury risk and behavioural patterns emerging in the press all the time.

Jeez the mothers only have to look to the biggest league in the World the EPL to see they aint all angels too

EPL players don't pin players' arms in and then drive their heads into the turf.

[gadj1976]

BUMP

Looks like the Tassie team is a go-er but maybe not NT - certainly not by 2028.

[DOC]

With Wayne Jackson's comments about the AFL not being serious about a national comp with 10 teams in Melbourne, where do you see the AFL in twenty years time?

Will there be:

20 clubs? Probably

10 clubs still in Melbourne? If not, how many and where will they relocate to? Yes

International venues for home and away games? No.

Teams in the NT, Tassie? 1/2

Umpires full time, or ex players only? Possibly

Will players have individual sponsors on their guernseys? No

Will players have their names on their guernseys? No

Clash jumpers - will that still be on the agenda? YES

Revised drug code and drug testing? YES

Flooding? 666 but still time for 5 more rule changes yet

And will we still be talking on safooty.net about the same old things? More than likely - yes. CORRECT

[carey]

Crowds in 2028 UK Fan?

[Rik E Boy]

We'll see a Tassie side, and an NT side, Gary Ablett the third will dominate for the Cats, and Freo will still not have won a grand final.
Carlton will be full of number one draft picks- and still be shite... nuff said.

40 year old Tom Hawkins still handing off goal assists to the Cats who are still in the top four with Richmond and Hawthorn anchored to the bottom. Fly's Pies win their 43rd comeback game by less than a kick but have now lost 12 one kick finals as the AFL media continue to masturbate furiously over how refreshing Collingwood are for the game. Injuries take a massive spike as the ten umpire system confuses everyone and umps are being knocked over like ninepins, in some instances, useful people are hurt. West Coast finally get rid of their abomination of a theme song and change it to the Benny Hill theme as rusted on coach Adam Simpson racks up his sixth 2-20 season, he narrowly escapes the axe when the members vote 6-3 to retain the embattled coach. Port successfully lobby the VFL for entry into the national reserves comp but spit the dummy and come crawling back to the SANFL when they aren't allowed to wear the Prison bars by Collingwood. A plucky Adelaide finish 7th after dropping a home final to the Tasmania Devils but after posting a record profit, the season is deemed a success by the Chardonnay quaffing backslapping suits in the boardroom.

regards,

REB