Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
for
rec.sport.football.australian |
Version 1.5 Part 2
of 4 Last Updated: 12 January 1998
The first HTML Version
(1.5) was modified by Darryl Harvey - 12 January 1998 and was
based on original work by Adam East at the University of Western
Australia
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2.0
What is the Australian Football League ?
The Australian Football League
or AFL is the national league for Australian Rules Football in
Australia. It consists of 16 clubs that compete in a regular
competition. The AFL is also used sometimes to denote the AFL
Commission.
2.1
How did the AFL start ?
Eight clubs formed the Victorian
Football League on 2 Oct 1896. These clubs (Carlton, Collingwood,
Essendon, Fitzroy, Geelong, Melbourne, South Melbourne and St
Kilda) formed the basis of the league, with further teams joining
in later years. By 1925 Victoria boasted a 12 team competition
widely acknowledged as the strongest state league in Australia.
Known as the VFL it remained in this format until 1982, when
the South Melbourne Football Club relocated to Sydney,NSW. A
new era of expansion came as more teams were admitted, however,
these teams were from other states than Victoria. The VFL changed
its name in 1990 to become the Australian Football League (AFL).
2.2
Why did the VFL admit interstate teams and expand ?
Despite the success of the VFL,
many teams were suffering financially. Much of this is blamed
on "cheque-book recruiting", that is where teams attempted
to buy successful players from other teams in the VFL or playing
in other states. This lead to many clubs being technically bankrupt,
with some being investigated by the Department of Corporate Affairs.
In addition, crowds were falling, as were club memberships. Transfer
fees were excessive and the competition was operating at a loss,
whilst ground facilities were falling into disrepair. The new
teams provided income to save the failing Victorian teams by
firstly paying substantial licence fees to join the competition,
and secondly by providing increased income from television rights.
The money from these two areas helped refinance the teams in
the VFL.
2.2
Why did the VFL change its name to the AFL ?
In admitting the inter-state
teams, the view of the direction of the VFL changed. This is
best summed up in the first underlying principle of the AFL's
5 year plan. "... we take a national view of football, simply
not an expanded VFL view. The AFL emerged from the VFL and a
Victorian focus was inevitable given the beginning. This plan,
however, is based on the view that football followers throughout
Australia are of equal importance." Hence the VFL became
the AFL to reflect the change in focus from just Victoria, to
Australia as a whole.
2.3
Who runs the Australian Football League ?
On December 4, 1985, the then
VFL Board of Directors resolved to appoint a Commission with
specific powers to administer the competition. The Commission
was entrusted with the powers of the League, but required explicit
approval by the League (teams) for major items, such as further
Expansion, Mergers, Relocations, Major Capital Works and similar
items. On August 11, 1992 the AFL Board of Directors recommended
an independent review of the AFL structure. On March 1,1993 Mr
David Crawford of KPMG Peat Marwick presented his report to the
AFL Board of Directors and Commission. On July 19, 1993 the Board
of Directors approved a new Memorandum and Articles of Association
for the AFL , reflecting the recommendations of the Crawford
Report. These being :
- Commissioners - up to 8 commissioners
be appointed
- Chairman - appointed by Commission
and not being the CEO, to Chair meetings of the Commission, as
well as those between the Commission and the Clubs, and to act
as a sounding board for the CEO.
- Chief Executive Officer - appointed
by Commission, must be a commissioner. Role is to : be responsible
for operating performance of the AFL, for implementation of Commission
policy, being the public face of the commission.
- Admission, Relocation or Merger
of Clubs - AFL Commission has power to do all three. Can be reversed
by 2/3rds majority of clubs within 14 days of decision. Three
clubs required to call for meeting to vote on reversal of decision.
Clubs cannot be merged unless relevant parties agree first.
- Expulsion of Clubs - Commission
can suspend or expel clubs but the decision must be ratified
by a simple majority of clubs.
- Other Powers - all powers to
run AFL transferred to AFL Commission and AFL Board of Directors
abolished.
The current AFL Commission is
:
- John Kennedy (Chairman)
Wayne Jackson (Chief Executive Officer)
Colin Carter
Terry O'Connor
Ron Evans
Graeme Samuel
David Shaw
Craig Kimberley
2.4
What Teams are part of the AFL ?
For full
team details see section
4.0.
Admitted Team Logo (Current)
-----------------------------------------------------------
1897 Carlton Blues
Collingwood Magpies
Essendon Bombers
Fitzroy Lions
Geelong Cats
Melbourne Demons
South Melbourne Swans (Relocated in 1982)
St Kilda Saints
1908 Richmond Tigers
University Students (Disbanded 1914)
1925 Footscray Bulldogs
Hawthorn Hawks
North Melbourne Kangaroos
1982 Sydney Swans (ex South Melbourne)
1987 Brisbane Bears
West Coast Eagles
1991 Adelaide Crows
1995 Fremantle Dockers
1996 Brisbane Lions (Fitzroy Lions amp&; Brisbane Bears Merged)
1997 Port Adeliade Power
2.5
When is the AFL season played ?
Games usually start in the Premiership
season in the last weekend of March, and continue through until
the end of August. The Finals then Start, culminating in the
Grand FInal being played on the last Saturday in September. A
pre-season knock-out competition (the Ansett Australia Cup) with
the majority of games being held as night fixtures is played
in late February to the last week before the Regular Season Games
are played. (1995 Ansett Australia Cup will be played from 24
Feb to 25 Mar 1995) Exhibition games are sometimes played overseas
after the Grand Final. Actual games are played on Friday nights,
Saturday afternoons and Sunday afternoons. Some Saturday and
Sunday evening matches are being scheduled to cater for the increased
number of matches in 1995. Games are occasionally scheduled on
Monday afternoons on Public Holidays.
2.6
How is the draw for the season determined ?
Each team plays 22 games in the
regular (or Home and Away) Season. The majority of teams will
play 11 games at home, and 11 games at away venues. The League
for the purposes of scheduling games for the next season is split
into 2 divisions, being the top and bottom eight teams (expansion
team Fremantle is considered team number 16). Each team will
play the teams in their division twice, whilst playing those
in the other division once. There are some exceptions due to
the AFL policy of maximising the number of potentially large
audience games, such as West Coast vs Fremantle derbies.
2.7
How is the Premiership Ladder worked out ?
The weekly results of games produce
a Premiership ladder. The top eight teams at the end of the 22
Home and Away Games go through to the finals.The final 1994 Ladder
was:
Team P W L D F A % Points
WEST COAST 22 16 6 - 2078 1572 132.9 64
CARLTON 22 15 7 - 2351 1774 132.5 60
NORTH MELBOURNE 22 13 9 - 2383 1848 129.0 52
GEELONG 22 13 9 - 2403 2104 114.2 52
FOOTSCRAY 22 13 9 - 2106 1905 110.6 52
HAWTHORN 22 13 9 - 2188 2005 109.1 52
MELBOURNE 22 12 10 - 2190 1879 116.6 48
COLLINGWOOD 22 12 10 - 2017 2019 99.9 48
Richmond 22 12 10 - 2033 2167 93.8 48
Essendon 22 11 11 - 2075 2119 97.9 44
Adelaide 22 9 12 1 1876 2159 86.9 38
Brisbane 22 9 13 - 1940 2195 88.4 36
St Kilda 22 7 14 1 1809 2415 74.9 30
Fitzroy 22 5 17 - 1726 2456 70.3 20
Sydney 22 4 18 - 1987 2545 78.1 16
The ladder indicates the number
of games played (P), the number of games won (W), lost (L) or
drawn (D) and the Premiership Points the team has (Points). A
team receives 4 points for a win and 2 points for a draw. This
is the first way that teams are ranked on the ladder (according
to Premiership Points). If teams have the same number of points
, then the teams are ranked according to their percentage (%).
The percentage is the average percentage of the oppositions score
that the team makes. (e.g. a team with a percentage of 200.0
would double the oppositions score on average, a team with a
percentage of 50.0 would only score half of what the opposition
team does.) The percentage is worked out by taking the total
points the team has scored (F) in the season to date, and dividing
it by the total points that the opposition teams have scored
in games against that team to date (A), and then multiplying
the result by 100. The two points totals are referred to as the
For and Against Points respectively.
View
the current Ladder
2.8
How do the Finals work ?
The top eight teams after the
regular season go through to the finals. The ranking of teams
according to how they finished the season and then which Finals
games they have won is all important. The McIntyre Final Eight
System was introduced in 1994 and operates as follows:
QUALIFYING FINALS
- First weekend - 4 games (played
either Friday night, Saturday, Saturday night, Sunday or Sunday
night.)
- At least one game to be played at the MCG, other venues to
be determined
- Games to be played in sequence
- 1st Qualifying Final Fourth
vs Fifth
2nd Qualifying Final Third vs Sixth
3rd Qualifying Final Second vs Seventh
4th Qualifying Final First vs Eigth
- After Qualifying Finals, teams
are ranked as follows :
- The first or highest ranked
winner is designated......Winner 1 (Bye)
The 2nd or 2nd highest ranking winner is designated...Winner
2 (Bye)
The 3rd or 3rd highest ranking winner is designated...Winner
3
The 4th or 4th highest ranking winner is designated...Winner
4
The first or highest ranking loser is designated......Loser 1
The 2nd or 2nd highest ranking loser is designated....Loser 2
- The two lowest ranking losers
(overall) are eliminated.
- The two highest ranking winners
(overall - Winners 1 and 2) proceed to the 2nd and 1st Preliminary
Finals respectively in the 3rd weekend, and have a bye the 2nd
weekend.
- The remaining teams advance
to the Semi Finals on the 2nd weekend.
SEMI FINALS
- Second Weekend - 2 games - One
played at MCG, other venue to be determined.
- 1st Semi Final Winner 4 vs Loser
2
2nd Semi Final Winner 3 vs Loser 1
- The two losing teams from the
semi finals are eliminated.
The two winning teams advance to the Preliminary Finals played
on the 3rd weekend.
PRELIMINARY FINALS
- Third Weekend - 2 games - One
played at the MCG, other venue to be determined.
1st Preliminary Final Winner
2 vs Winner of 2nd Semi Final
2nd Preliminary Final Winner 1 vs Winner of 1st Semi Final
The two losing teams are eliminated.
The two winning teams advance to the Grand Final on 4th weekend.
GRAND FINAL
- Fourth Weekend - 1 game - Game
played at MCG
Winner of 1st Preliminary Final
Winner of 2nd Preliminary Final
Winning team is the Premiership
Team for that season.
The team that won the Premiership in 1994 was the West Coast
Eagles.
2.8.1
Tied Finals Games
- If a Grand Final is tied at
the end of regular time, the game will be replayed.
- In all other finals, if the
game is tied at the end of regular time, extra time consisting
of two five minute halves will be played.
- Teams will maintain the same
ends as at the completion of play for the first five minute period
of extra time, and will change ends after the first five minute
period.
- if the scores remain tied after
extra time, additional periods of extra time will be played until
a result is achieved. Each additional period will also consist
of two five minute halves.
- Players cannot be addressed
by the coach or any other club staff during extra time.
2.9
How do the teams acquire players ?
There are several ways in which
teams can acquire players, but the system is heavily regulated
to foster the strengthening of weaker teams. The major ways of
being registered with an AFL team are as follows:
The National
Draft
- A draft compulsory for teams
to participate (for at least two picks - more are available if
a greater number of players have been delisted after the end
of the season). Players eligible to be drafted must be 17 YO
or older by the 1st Jan of the following year and:
The Pre-Season
Draft
- A non-compulsory draft for AFL
clubs. Is primarily used for the transferral of players previously
delisted from AFL clubs. To be eligible to be drafted in the
Pre-Season Draft a player must:
- not be bound to an AFL club:
and
- have attained the age of 18
years at the date of the Pre-season Draft; and
- the player has previously been
registered with the AFL; or
- have been previously drafted
by an AFL club or otherwiseincluded on a club list and has been
deleted from such list; or
- the player has been registered
with the VSFL continuously from1st June immediately preceding
the Pre-Season Draft.
Pre-Draft
Trading
- for a week sometime prior to
the National Draft, teams can trade players as well as Draft
Picks in the National Draft.
The Father/Son
Rule
- A club can select a player if
his Father:
- played 50 or more senior VFL/AFL
matches with any one club; or
- served for not less than 5 years
as President, Vice-President General Manager, Football Manager,
Senior Coach or elected member of the SEnior Grade Committee
of any club, and the player has not been registered with the
AFL as a player for any club, then the club which the players
Father played or served for can select him.
In addition, if a players Father
played at least one senior game in the WAFL prior to 1987, or
in the SANFL prior to 1991, prior to the above qualifications
(50 games/5 years), then an AFL club in the respective States
of those competitions can select him under this rule.
This rule also applies to fathers
having played in the QAFL or SFL (NSWAFL) at any time (providing
it is not to provide entitlement under this rule) for AFL clubs
in the respective states of those competitions.
Free Agency
- Such as when a player comes
out of contract usually requires a player to be picked up in
the Pre-Season Draft, however, he has the rights to specify his
required financial terms and conditions which a drafting club
must meet.
3.0
Other Australian Football Leagues
3.1
What other leagues exist ?
Each state has its own elite
level of competition. As stated previously, the VFL, which was
the strongest competition, has expanded and become the AFL, however,
the previous VFL Reserves competition has now become the Victorian
State Football League (VSFL), which renamed itself Victorian
Football League (VFL) for this season. There are two other leagues
which have provided the majority of non-Victorian players. These
are Westar Rules (the former Western Australian Football League
(WAFL)) based in Western Australia, and the South Australian
National Football League (SANFL) based in South Australia. ("National
football" and "Victorian Rules" were archaic names
for Aussie Rules.) Contact addresses for each of these leagues
as well as the other state leagues are provided below:
3.2
South Australian National Football League (SANFL)
Mr L. Whicker (General Manager)
South Australian National Football League
GPO Box 1
West Lakes
SA 5021
- SANFL currently has 9 teams,
being:
- Central Districts
- Glenelg
- North Adelaide
- Norwood
- Port Adelaide
- South Adelaide
- Sturt
- West Adelaide
- Woodville-West Torrens Eagles
(2 recently merged clubs)
3.3
Westar Rules
Mr J. Ovens (Chief Executive)
Western Australian Football League (Inc)
PO Box 275
Subiaco
WA 6008
- WAFL currently has 9 teams,
being:
- Claremont
- East Fremantle
- East Perth
- Peel
- Perth
- South Fremantle
- Subiaco
- Swan Districts
- West Perth (recently relocated
to Joondalup)
3.4
Australian Capital Territory Australian Football League (ACTAFL)
Mr S. Dobbie (General Manager)
ACT Australian Football League
PO Box 364
Woden
ACT 2606
3.5
New South Wales Australian Football League (NSWAFL)
Mr C. Davis (General Manager)
NSW Australian Football League
PO Box 333
Strawberry Hills
NSW 2012
3.6
Northern Territory Football League (NTFL)
Mr H. Johns (General Manager)
Northern Territory Football League
PO Box NTFL 1
Casuarina
NT 0811
3.7
Queensland Australian Football League (QAFL)
Mr P. Cummiskey (General Manager)
Queensland Australian Football League (Inc)
PO Box 1211
Coorparoo DC
Qld 4151
3.8
Tasmanian Football League (TFL)
Mr B. Breen (General Manager)
Statewide Tasmanian Football League
GPO Box 427E
Hobart
Tas 7001
3.9
Victorian Football League (VFL)
Mr Ken Gannon (General Manager)
Victorian State Football League
GPO Box 1449N
Melbourne
Vic 3001
3.10
Other helpful addresses :
Australian Football League
GPO Box 1449N MCG
Melbourne Brunton Avenue
Vic 3001 Jolimont, Vic, 3002
Telephone: (03) 654 1244
Media Dept. Fax: (03) 650 3189
National Australian Football
Council (NAFC)
Mr E. Biggs (Executive Officer)
National Australian Football Council
120 Jolimont Road
Jolimont
Vic 3002
3.11
Non-Australian Australian Football Leagues
The AFL provides financial or
practical assistance to Leagues in Britain, Canada, Denmark,
Japan and New Zealand. Respective details of several of these
leagues are:
3.12
British Australian Rules Football League (BARFL)
Greg Everett / BARFL
c/o The Redback Club
264 Acton High Street
Acton W3 9BH
England
Telephone/Fax: 081 752 1823
Intl: +44 181 752 1823
10 team competition, formed in
1990.
Six London clubs and four country clubs.
Season begins in May, and runs to the end of August.
3.13
Canadian Australian Football Association (CAFA)
Andrew Lonsborough (League President)
Phone: (416) 926-5759
7 teams competition, formed in
1989.
Team contact details:
Toronto Panthers Scott MacDonald
(416) 537-0954
Lawrence Park Rebels Andrew Lonsborough
(416) 926-5759
Balmy Beach Saints Graeme Hewitt
(416) 922-3737
Brampton Wolverines Doug Clark
(905) 391-7545
Broadview Hawks Helga Cunning (416)
924-1728
Hamilton Wildcats Lyle Ralph (905) 575-7604
Mississauga Mustangs Terry McPhee (905) 274-5507
E-mail: mpearson@contax.com
Season runs from end of May to
start of October, for 14 rounds (play each other teams twice
and 2 byes.) Final Four system is used for finals.
- Games held on Saturdays,
at one of two grounds;
- Centennial Park, Etobicoke (CAFA
Main Oval)
Mohawk Park, Hamilton (Hamilton Team home oval)
Hamilton home games begin at
11AM. Two games every Saturday at Centennial Park, 8.30 AM and
10.30 AM.
3.14
Japan Australian Football Association (JAFA)
Takashi Kariya (JAFA Coordinator)
E-mail: a1392098@cc.aoyama.ac.jp
3.15
Christchurch Australian Rules Football League (CARFL) New Zealand
c/- Simon Kinniburgh
ph. 64-3-325-3180
E-mail: kinnibus@weka.lincoln.ac.nz
Competition played at QE2 Stadium
(Site of '74 Commonwealth Games)
Season runs from May to October.
Games start at 1.15 PM on Sundays.
Uniforms and footys supplied by the AFL.
(Gloves are worn too - no delays for snow !)
Game versus Gaelic Football Club every 3 weeks also played.
All welcome to play or spectate.
3.16
Probability of an Aussie Rules 'Super League"
The Australian Rugby League has
undergone massive upheaval as a corporation (News Ltd) has attempted
to start a new Rubgy League competition - the Super League, by
offering massive contracts to Rugby League players. Massive division
has resulted with a threatened expulsion of teams from the ARL,
and threatened extinction of others. News Ltd's motivation is
in broadcasting this Super League over its Pay-TV empire. (News
Ltd's Head Rupert Murdoch has already done this in the US with
the NFL, and in the UK with the Premier League.) There is mounting
speculation that the AFL may be the next target for a 'Super
League'.
- This is unlikely for many
reasons:
- a) Australian Rules Football
is very much a tribal game - the allegiances are to your specific
team.
b) Teams leaving the AFL can't use their Name, Logo, Uniform,etc
for two years afterwards - the AFL retains these rights.
c) The AFL has *exclusive* playing licenses for practically all
major Football grounds in the country.
d) Murdoch already has part control of the Seven Network that
broadcasts AFL games.
e) AFL doesn't have the broad International Appeal on Pay-TV
that would justify the massive expenditure of setting a Super
League up.
f) AFL teams receive much higher dividends from the AFL than
in the similar ARL cases ($1.4 million cf. to $400,000).
g) Player contracts revert to the AFL if a team happens to leave
the League (originally in place to protect players should a team
fold).
- To Part
1 of the FAQ
To Part 3 of the FAQ
To Part 4 of the FAQ
- Curator: Darryl
Harvey email: {darryl@nospam.harvey.net.au}
Last Updated: 12 January 1998
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