Some AFL club presidents aren’t happy with the idea of expanding to 19 clubs, according to former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, with fears North Melbourne must “stand for something” or be in the firing line.
The looming introduction of the Tasmania Devils in 2028 will see the Kangaroos lose their link to the Apple Isle, which includes their Next Generation Academy.
McGuire has argued the Kangaroos should instead focus on northern Victoria, up the Hume Highway and into the outer sprawl suburbs of Melbourne, to gain fans and future players in the growth area.
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But he fears should they instead just remain one of the smaller Melbourne-based teams, they would risk being axed should the AFL act on the wishes of several club presidents.
“If North don’t (expand their influence to northern Victoria), I can tell you – non-Victorian presidents and some of the Victorian presidents, don’t want to have 19 teams,” McGuire said on Nine’s Eddie and Jimmy podcast on Monday.
“There’s an easy solution for this. One will go.
“And it wasn’t that long ago that St Kilda were right under the microscope on this.”
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While few believe axing an existing club is feasible in the modern AFL, it is also clear if the league was created today, there would not be so many clubs in Victoria and especially Melbourne.
The current setup leaves sides like North Melbourne, St Kilda, the Western Bulldogs and even Melbourne with a continuous disadvantage as compared to the historic powers Collingwood, Carlton, Essendon and Richmond, as well as the more modern giant Hawthorn.
McGuire argued clubs like the Kangaroos need to find a niche.
“If you don’t stand for something, you stand for nothing in this game,” he said.
“Big clubs fill the MCG, get the ratings, your expansion clubs get up there, get in the community, get them excited about football.”
He also suggested the AFL should end the Kangaroos’ agreement with Tasmania to play more exciting fixtures in the state before the Devils’ introduction.
Just 5365 fans showed up to Bellerive Oval for the winless Roos’ 57-point loss to Adelaide, similar to last year’s crowds of 4378 (vs Gold Coast), 5025 (vs GWS) and 6310 (vs Port Adelaide).
“I think the AFL should move North out of there, pay them the money and start bulking up those games in Tasmania and send some of the big clubs down once a year to get the Tasmania people lined up and excited (for their team in 2028),” McGuire said.
“They weren’t excited by the weekend, I can promise you.
“Send the good teams down there.”
Source Agencies
