I've never had a problem with the AFL assisting the poor clubs so that they can survive, we don't want to see any more clubs fold because they can't afford to play. My issue however is with the AFL assisting clubs who clearly just take it for granted. http://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/afl-moves-to-bring-poor-clubs-up-to-scratch/story-e6frg1xu-1226111272389?from=public_js "Port Adelaide, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Richmond, Carlton, Sydney and the Western Bulldogs received special distributions totalling $7.1 million from the AFL last year." Port seem to have burned themselves, although they never do appear to draw a crowd. Melbourne clearly need some help, and are doing the best they can to save themselves - so full credit to them! North have been poor for a while, and unlucky at times, so I'll allow them the assistance. Richmond are in a similar boat to North, been poor for a while, and always need some help. Sydney failed to capitalize on the good thing they had 5-odd years ago, so its rather their own fault really. The Bulldogs are historically poor, and always try to do something to save themselves but it never quite works. Carlton however I can't understand... here is a team that likes to think of itself as wealthy, has a history of rorting the salary cap, and only recently paid a squazillion dollars (inside and outside the cap and quite possibly the rules) for Chris Judd, yet somehow they feel the need to put their hands out for assistance. This seems more than somewhat rich for mine! Either you have the money, or you don't. If you do have money then you don't need assistance. If you don't have money then you can't go buying up players, especially when it may very-well be proven that said purchase was done-so outside of the laws of the game. Its like someone rocking up at centrelink in their new Mercedes. Its Just Not Done!
At least Melbourne, Richmond & Port have been taking steps to address their debt through debt demolition campaigns - I know Port has raised over $1.5million this year with their campaign, and nobody can argue against the efforts of Melbourne to demolish their debt under the inspirational leadership of Jim Stynes. Granted, Port do struggle to get good crowds to their games lately - but I can tell you that there are many Port supporters out there who have refused to attend Aami stadium since the SANFL allowed Adelaide to build there headquarters as part of the stadium, therefore virtually turning the place into their own stadium - in fact, it goes a bit further back than that to when the SANFL granted Adelaide permission to turn a section of the Aami stadium members facilities into a function/gaming facility (albiet a short-term venture in the end). It is also fact that both Port & Adelaide struggle with the worst stadium returns in the league. Also, Port & Adelaide are hamstrung by the fact that they are required to provide a hefty percentage of any profits to the SANFL, thus propping up the administration that continually hamstrings them with the poorest stadium returns in the league!!! And the 2 SA clubs were also required to repay the SANFL the $4million licence fee over their first 10 years in the competition - something the 5 Victorian clubs mentioned have never had to pay - in fact the licence fees paid by the early expansion clubs, (West Coast, Adelaide, Fremantle & Port), propped up several ailing Victorian clubs at the time. North Melbourne & Western Bulldogs have struggled financially for some time, but you have to admire both clubs for their tenacity and fighting spirit. Sydney is in a unique situation - they have a higher salary cap than the others due to the higher cost-of-living in the harbour city and they are competing against the NRL - but I do agree that they failed to capitalise sufficiently on their recent premiership success. The one club mentioned that I consider to be an absolute disgrace that they received AFL assistance is Carlton - like WTF!!! You said it all JPK
Sydney is fine, they contribute probably 30% of the TV rights, and the change the AFL gives them is a bargain. Carlton should get nothing, and I think their fans would be fine with that. If they do get some money they should be forced to cut back on spending on their footy department. Can't very well cry poor but then spend truckloads on new coaches. On Port, well they did get fans out there when they were winning, so it's the age old thing, when you aren't worth watching you aren't worth watching. This Port team aren't worth watching, and Port fans haven't had to be committed to watching tripe for generations. They have a culture of success, so obviously so do their fans. The AFL recent culture of take your medicine and go down the bottom of the ladder must seem as anathema it was to Port as it was to Carlton and Collingwood getting their spoons in the last decade (or so). But it's the way the system works. Can't say I'm too sorry for Port. They did have a fair few first round picks which have done half of stuff-all. It has been good to see Hartlett and Boak play well though. There are signs of life.
@ Lucas, Port have had not many first round picks. Our highest ever pick was Hartlett (pick 4). While we have been picked some duds, e.g Moore (pick 9), all of our first round picks have been late in the round. We did have pick 4 in 2000 but we traded this to the Saints to get Daryl Wakelin which was a great move. This is why it essential that the priority pick system should stay in place. All teams are going to have their turn at the bottom of the table. Look who Collingwood were able to pick up when they were near the bottom (Thomas and Pendlebury), the same can be said with Carlton (Murphy) and Hawthorn (Roughy and Buddy). Like you said if you win games, the supporters will turn out in numbers. As Bear said, we are also up against a number of different factors here in SA, no one wants to go to the shithole called AAMI stadium and Port is still fighting it's battle with the SANFL about stadium deals. A lot of Port supporters are simply not going to the footy as a form of protest.
And just to back up argument about AAMI stadium, you will find that the Port V Melbourne game at Adelaide Oval in round 24 will be a sell out with a crowd in excess of 30,000. Port supporters are coming out of the woodwork for that game plus even Crow supporters want to go to that game as we all want AFL footy at Adelaide Oval. Port currently has just over 36,000 members. So people are still quite happy to contribute financially to the club but they just can't be bothered going to AAMI stadium or to watch how our team is playing at the moment. Hopefully by 2014, is when we will be back contending for a finals spot which will coincide with the move to Adelaide Oval and you will see regular crowds over 30,000 at each Port home game.
Fair call Steve. Salopek has been middling as a pick. Gilham was traded, whoops Chaplin good Thomson average at best Willits poor Traded a first round pick that ended up getting Birchall for N Lonie (might have got Pickett?) Boak good Hartlett good Butcher/Moore jury out but both look average at the moment - though Butcher could end up like Dawes Jacobs OK but if it weren't for the compromised GC/GWS drafts, it would have been Caddy/Heppell/Conca instead. The issue for Port is not the priority pick so much as the compromised drafts. But considering we knew quite a while ago it was going to be the worst possible time to go down the bottom (that's why Carlton stayed tanking for so long), it's just one of those things Port need to deal with. Personally I reckon the pick at end of first round is the right option. Darling worked out well for WCE but not overcompensated which was the fear when tanking began (i.e. setting a games won target to try not to achieve) And Carlton - what did they get from priority selections? Not just Murphy... Kreuzer, Hampson and Walker were full priority selections. Judd came out of selections that were made OK by having the priority (pick 3, prev year pick 4 of Kennedy) PS: Pendlebury was the priority pick of the Pies draft but given lots of teams didn't rate him, he probably would have ended up a Pie anyway.