TonyK
CibbuanoFootball heartland a wasteland
September 17th 2006 06:28
The natives in Melbourne are getting restless.
No football at the MCG for two weeks and the last great Victorian hope in this year's finals series was bundled out in emphatic fashion by West Coast at Subiaco Oval last night.
The Eagles 74-point semi-final win over the Western Bulldogs means that for the first time ever Victoria will be without a preliminary finalist, with the premiership bound to head out of Melbourne for the sixth consecutive year.
The recent interstate dominance has prompted football legend Ron Barassi to call for an inquiry into why interstate powerhouses continue to dominate the AFL.
Am I mistaken, but isn't this a national competition.
Sure I can empathise with traditionalists who feel like their game is being taken away from its spiritual home, but this is a national competition and the interstate teams need to be embraced wholeheartedly.
Such is the concern in Victoria, former Collingwood hero Len Thompson and Geelong's last premiership coach Bob Davis have called for a massive change of the finals schedule.
Davis said fans deserved to see at least one game at the MCG every week during the finals and interstate teams should set up camp in Melbourne for the month of September if they are concerned about travel.
Now let me put this hypothetical scenario in front of you.
For argument's sake, lets say West Coast, Adelaide, Sydney and Fremantle occupied 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th positions respectively.
Under the current system each of these sides would be entitled to a home final during the first week of the finals series.
However, under Davis's proposal the Dockers would have to travel to the MCG in the first week of September, despite having earned the right in the regular season to host a final.
Now that is hardly fair and in keeping with what is supposed to be a national competition.
Interstate teams are entitled to host finals just as, if not more so than their Victorian counterparts if you consider the amount of travel each has to do.
Consider this, Collingwood this year travelled outside Melbourne just 4 times, while Fremantle were forced to travel to Adelaide and Tasmania twice in the opening five rounds of the season.
This is hardly equitable and Davis's comments smack of a man concerned with protecting the interests of his own backyard and not thinking about the bigger picture.
The Magpies were bundled out in the first week of the finals, while the Dockers are one game away from their first grand final.
Remember this is the AFL, not the VFL.
Barassi beleives the interstate dominance can be attributed to money and the "often superior resources of interstate clubs."
But didn't the Kangaroos win premieships in 1996 and 1999, and you wouldn't say the facilities at Arden St would rival those of West Coast or Adelaide.
Money doesn't win you premierships nor does it buy you any form of success on the field.
Many ingredients need to go together in order to win a premiership.
A talented and football-matured list, a good run with injuries and suspensiosn to key players, peaking at the right time of the year and the ability to adapt to the multitude of different situations that will be thrown your way across the course of the regular season and finals series equates to success
However, any success is cyclical, and while the interstate invasion is in full swing at the moment, things can change very quickly.
Consider this, the bottom three sides in 2001 were West Coast, Fremantle and St Kilda.
The Saints have contested in two preliminary finals in the past three years, while the Eagles and Dockers are both one win away from a grand final.
Therefore, Barassi's call for an inquiry may be a tad premature.
It may be hard for the Victorian football public to accept the dominance of interstate sides, but this is a national competition now and while the cup will be in the hands of the "enemy" this year, the tide can just as quickly turn.
No football at the MCG for two weeks and the last great Victorian hope in this year's finals series was bundled out in emphatic fashion by West Coast at Subiaco Oval last night.
The Eagles 74-point semi-final win over the Western Bulldogs means that for the first time ever Victoria will be without a preliminary finalist, with the premiership bound to head out of Melbourne for the sixth consecutive year.
The recent interstate dominance has prompted football legend Ron Barassi to call for an inquiry into why interstate powerhouses continue to dominate the AFL.
Am I mistaken, but isn't this a national competition.
Sure I can empathise with traditionalists who feel like their game is being taken away from its spiritual home, but this is a national competition and the interstate teams need to be embraced wholeheartedly.
Such is the concern in Victoria, former Collingwood hero Len Thompson and Geelong's last premiership coach Bob Davis have called for a massive change of the finals schedule.
Davis said fans deserved to see at least one game at the MCG every week during the finals and interstate teams should set up camp in Melbourne for the month of September if they are concerned about travel.
Now let me put this hypothetical scenario in front of you.
For argument's sake, lets say West Coast, Adelaide, Sydney and Fremantle occupied 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th positions respectively.
Under the current system each of these sides would be entitled to a home final during the first week of the finals series.
However, under Davis's proposal the Dockers would have to travel to the MCG in the first week of September, despite having earned the right in the regular season to host a final.
Now that is hardly fair and in keeping with what is supposed to be a national competition.
Interstate teams are entitled to host finals just as, if not more so than their Victorian counterparts if you consider the amount of travel each has to do.
Consider this, Collingwood this year travelled outside Melbourne just 4 times, while Fremantle were forced to travel to Adelaide and Tasmania twice in the opening five rounds of the season.
This is hardly equitable and Davis's comments smack of a man concerned with protecting the interests of his own backyard and not thinking about the bigger picture.
The Magpies were bundled out in the first week of the finals, while the Dockers are one game away from their first grand final.
Remember this is the AFL, not the VFL.
Barassi beleives the interstate dominance can be attributed to money and the "often superior resources of interstate clubs."
But didn't the Kangaroos win premieships in 1996 and 1999, and you wouldn't say the facilities at Arden St would rival those of West Coast or Adelaide.
Money doesn't win you premierships nor does it buy you any form of success on the field.
Many ingredients need to go together in order to win a premiership.
A talented and football-matured list, a good run with injuries and suspensiosn to key players, peaking at the right time of the year and the ability to adapt to the multitude of different situations that will be thrown your way across the course of the regular season and finals series equates to success
However, any success is cyclical, and while the interstate invasion is in full swing at the moment, things can change very quickly.
Consider this, the bottom three sides in 2001 were West Coast, Fremantle and St Kilda.
The Saints have contested in two preliminary finals in the past three years, while the Eagles and Dockers are both one win away from a grand final.
Therefore, Barassi's call for an inquiry may be a tad premature.
It may be hard for the Victorian football public to accept the dominance of interstate sides, but this is a national competition now and while the cup will be in the hands of the "enemy" this year, the tide can just as quickly turn.
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