The AFL Thread Proudly Sponsoring Patrick Dangerfield

[cobl04]

He's a gift, BT.

Surprised no one has posted about the Herald Sun's "SHOCK" "EXCLUSIVE" today - Dane Swan took party drugs.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I don't care about Dane Swan and would rather ignore his existence.

 

[cobl04]

Plenty happening already (trade officially opened at 10am).

- Vickery to Hawthorn for a second-round compo pick (reportedly $1mil for two years)
- Gibbs wants out, home to South Australia
- Wells to Collingwood
- Tom Mitchell wants to go to Hawthorn

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I'm pumped. Sam McClure is having a meltdown on Twitter.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

So today ...

Wells has joined Collingwood
Vickery has joined Hawthorn
Mitchell has requested a trade to Hawthorn
Tuohy has requested a trade to Geelong

 

[cobl04]

what am I chopped liver?

 

[intedomine]

Your tweet about Caddy-Deledio made the live feed on the age website cobbler..


Sent from a barge floating through the docks of Dublin

 

[cobl04]

Yes I saw that.

Sincerely hope we don't trade Caddy for Deledio.

 

[cobl04]

Two done deals so far, Cam McCarthy, picks 7,33,71 to Freo for pick 3 and Wells to Pies, Roos get compo pick 32


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Another top pick for GWS.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Top player leaves Adelaide: "Let him go home for nothing! He's given 300 years of good service!"
Top player wants to join Adelaide: "This is an outrage! They have to pay overs! Adelaide need to give player x or y or z!"

Love AFL media.

 

[Axver]

I have literally not noticed this, but OK Vlad.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I can't imagine you'd be following Trade Period news/opinions much over the years though.

 

[Axver]

Well, South Australia does have a bit of a persecution complex.

It's like how South Australia thinks it has a rivalry with Victoria. Literally nobody in Victoria is even aware that a rivalry could be an option.

 

[cobl04]

It's probably a fair criticism. I mean Vlad's entire state only has one sport journo to my knowledge.

 

[Axver]

Also, just for the record, I may be a fucking trans-Tasman blow-in, but I've been following this sport to some extent or another for about as long as you've been on this planet.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

It's probably a fair criticism. I mean Vlad's entire state only has one sport journo to my knowledge.

And it's a guy neither Adelaide club give the time of day to!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Also, just for the record, I may be a fucking trans-Tasman blow-in, but I've been following this sport to some extent or another for about as long as you've been on this planet.

Congrats on being (relatively) old.

 

[Axver]

And don't I know it! It's crazy, this year teaching units on events I remember to adults who weren't born when they happened.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

I still think of you as being perpetually 25 years old if that makes you feel better! Similarly, I still think of Cobbler as a 22 year old.

 

[Axver]

I'm not going to be pleased when my age ceases to be 20-something next year. In my head you're 19, and I actually can't remember how old you really are but I think that's reasonably close?

I'm now starting to realise how my own tutors must have felt when they mentioned the fall of the Berlin Wall or whatever. I don't even want to ask my students if they remember September 11 because most of them would've been 4-5 years old so the answer is likely no!

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Sam Mitchell is going to the Eagles? What.

 

[cobl04]

Fucking stunning news. Absolutely head-spinning news.

He rang in to SEN in good spirits and explained it all, but basically he had been in touch with West Coast about coaching, and Clarkson raised the idea of going to the Eagles before his playing career ends to then ease his way into coaching..! Unbelievable.

I might love to hate the Hawks but doesn't that just show you how incredible they are in terms of that oft-used word "culture".

 

[Vlad n U 2]

It seems like a very good gesture and I'd imagine most Hawks supporters wouldn't necessarily bemoan it either especially if they're getting O'Meara and Tom Mitchell in.

For this same reason I can't imagine Hawthorn 'demanding' a high pick. I reckon it'll just be a third rounder.

 

[cobl04]

I think even if they get nothing in return it's a win for them.

Women's draft kicks off in half an hour. How fucking awesome is it going to be having a legit women's league to watch during the pre-season instead of the fucking NAB Cup. I can't wait.

 

[Vlad n U 2]

Followed the women's draft a bit. Pretty exciting development.

Tom Mitchell off to Hawthorn for pick 14 + later swap of picks.

 

[intedomine]

I've a lot of time for Sam Mitchell - dream midfielder, absolute engine of a player. So essential to the three-peat.

Recognition of women's football at the highest level is long overdue but I'm really intrigued to see what the AFL's plan is with regards to nurturing organic growth in support and professionalism of the league. Has anyone seen any long term strategic detail as to how the AFL sees the women's league running alongside the men's competition?

As it will be THE highest level of women's football competition in the world (unlike in soccer or basketball, with their global appeal and international competitions) there is a serious opportunity for a women's league to co-exist as a highly engaging professional AFL competition that pulls strong ratings and draws five-figure crowds (by 2025)... maybe I'm just a small man with a big idea, be careful of me, Josephine.

I hope that the AFL (and the clubs) don't exhaust the arrival of women's football as purely as a PR stunt (or CSR) with limited foreseeable potential.... The PR has it's place, but I hope the AFL doesn't blow this golden opportunity for a genuinely sustainable league of widespread interest. This isn't just an U18s league or a Reserves comp... Professional women's footy will be a huge product if managed carefully.








Sent from a barge floating through the docks of Dublin

 

[cobl04]

Oh they're well aware of its potential. Thing is there are SO many women who want to play - they received 1300 submissions for the draft - and there'll be so many more as it grows that I think it will be something of a natural, organic growth.

There's no way this will be a PR flash-in-the-pan; I haven't seen an AFL longterm strategy documentation but I think the women of Australia will put paid to that happening. I don't think it's possible for it to fall by the wayside. There'll be 12 or 14 clubs instead of eight in 2018 and likely the full 18 by the 2019 season.

What needs to happen now is fair pay. The marquee players are getting 25k but the rest are only getting 5k for a pre-season's worth of training and playing and that is disgustingly though. Thankfully we've got some senior figures agreeing that it is low, like Gary Pert.


Sent from my iPhone using U2 Interference

 

[intedomine]

40K needs to be the bare minimum for the salary to be liveable (just), but that's not really an acceptable "professional" salary. Maybe professionalism can only be gradually pursued at this early stage.

60K is optimum (currently idyllic) for a start-up league if that money can be found. That'll have to largely come from corporate investment, advertising revenue and media rights that can somehow cover every single player on the list. This may take some time.

The league simply must be easy for people to turn up and turn on to. It is difficult when the sporting landscape is so congested. I hope that this can work.

 

[cobl04]

I think I'd take the average male yearly salary and apply that mathematically to the amount of time the girls will be putting in. That seems fair to me.

The AFL definitely has the money to be paying them more so it is disgrace if the season goes ahead without the pay being improved. $5k is an absolute insult. There was a HS article today about how the women's game is attracting new sponsors who've never been interested in footy before, so there's a huge market for it.

It's a build it and they will come thing I think. I reckon the inaugural season (and there's plans in place to televise all the games live) will go gangbusters and exceed all expectations.

Some credit has to go to the AFL too. All the people I spoke with said 2020 was their hope for a national league; that we've got one for 2017 is awesome.

Only thing is I'm getting really really bummed out Geelong doesn't have a team.