08-12-2019, 12:21 PM
[3] The Inequities in programming, scheduling and recruiting:
What last weekend’s game showed me is the inequities of the system not only still exist but are worse than ever.
Richmond and Collingwood rarely play at places other than the MCG. Neither travel much. Nor do Essendon. Do they play in Tasmania? Darwin? Canberra?
I will flog this horse at another time, as I have flogged it before.
The same goes for the recruiting. The rules as they are do not help lower clubs, they penalize them as other clubs steal their players through free agency. The Zones for some teams, particularly GWS, appear to give them an advantage that is difficult to counter. No other ‘Zone’ produces top level players like that.
As for home grounds, in Victoria only Geelong have one, and they are fed games there that should be played at the MCG. We will play them in a couple of weeks and our members and supporters get less chance to see the game than if they go to Perth. There could have been 60 000 people at the game. There will not be 30 000: their ground cannot hold that many.
The WA teams have a huge home ground advantage, as do all of the ‘interstate’ teams. Some Vic teams get special treatment (Coll, Rich, Ess, for example). But only Geelong has a home ground advantage. Why? Why not us? Or North? Or even the Bulldogs? I have written about Princes Park any number of times. It remains a much better venue and could have been much, much better.
I'll stop there. I didn't intend to write an essay. God knows I couldn't write an essay to save my life when I was a students. Probably why I teach Maths and Science!
What last weekend’s game showed me is the inequities of the system not only still exist but are worse than ever.
Richmond and Collingwood rarely play at places other than the MCG. Neither travel much. Nor do Essendon. Do they play in Tasmania? Darwin? Canberra?
I will flog this horse at another time, as I have flogged it before.
The same goes for the recruiting. The rules as they are do not help lower clubs, they penalize them as other clubs steal their players through free agency. The Zones for some teams, particularly GWS, appear to give them an advantage that is difficult to counter. No other ‘Zone’ produces top level players like that.
As for home grounds, in Victoria only Geelong have one, and they are fed games there that should be played at the MCG. We will play them in a couple of weeks and our members and supporters get less chance to see the game than if they go to Perth. There could have been 60 000 people at the game. There will not be 30 000: their ground cannot hold that many.
The WA teams have a huge home ground advantage, as do all of the ‘interstate’ teams. Some Vic teams get special treatment (Coll, Rich, Ess, for example). But only Geelong has a home ground advantage. Why? Why not us? Or North? Or even the Bulldogs? I have written about Princes Park any number of times. It remains a much better venue and could have been much, much better.
I'll stop there. I didn't intend to write an essay. God knows I couldn't write an essay to save my life when I was a students. Probably why I teach Maths and Science!
Live Long and Prosper!