16 teams
3 x QLD
10 x NSW
1 x ACT, VIC & NZ
18 teams
10 x Vic
2 x Qld, NSW, SA, WA
Games are also regularly played in Tasmania, NT and ACT.
The SA and WA also refused to lift restrictions in a political move to force the AFL to base clubs there in a hub for economic benefit of having 4 to 6 teams based in both states.
The bottom line remains - they AFL could afford to wait because they weren’t gonna go bankrupt. 10 of their clubs are also based in Victoria whose govt doesn’t have as a relaxed attitude to COVID19 as NSW gov.
There is no impetus for AFL to get back quickly at the expense of the integrity of the game or undermining public health and safety.
This isn’t USSR and USA space race to the moon ffs. Both codes have extremely different motives and needs.
Ones administrators love beating their chest, telling the world how awesome they are, changing rules on the fly, creating drama wherever they go and needed to get the game going to avoid bankruptcy.
The other code called it off till 31 May, announced a 17 game season, secured a loan and went about its business behind closed doors. No media drama and no negative fallout with channel 7 or Foxtel or players unions or umpires.
There is no way you can defend the unnecessary public drama the NRL has caused along the way. It didn’t have to be that way and I think that leadership style tarnishes the sport rather than benefits it when you consider the AFL will restart 2 weeks later with little fuss or drama along the way.
I'd assume the AFL won't be playing games in Tassie, NT and ACT, they'll keep it basic to the main homes of each team to minimise movement and maintain control.
Rugby League also plays games in SA, WA and the NT.
RL moved quickly not because it would go bankrupt but to help it's partner Fox (who were bleeding money). The sensational reporting of the real situation was way OTT at the time as there was an agenda against Greenberg as he was anti Nine/News. Right or wrong that's another story.
Once he was gone we found out the situaution wasn't as bad and the game actually did have money and assets.
If any sport beats it's chest it's the AFL. They constantly are looking down their nose at RL.
AFL is a very insecure sport when threatened by a rival, it is not use to playing with others, because for 100 years they have had a monopoly. Look how they treated soccer when they wanted to bid for the World Cup.
Infact I heard on SEN recently Andy Maher ridiculing V'landys and the NRL for their start date.
No media drama of course because the media is in their pocket, just compare the two, whilst Cleary was Tik Toking the AFL boys were out partying. In the space of a few weeks we have had:
- Bulldogs captain smashes his car into parked cars whilst pissed and fleeing the scene
- Geelong player stabbed in the chest and in hospital
- Ex coach braving icy conditions and wandering around St.Kilda in a dress and stalking his ex partner....why?
- Adelaide and Fremantle players breaking isolation
- Adelaide player getting drunk and arrested
- Melbourne player comes out and admits major battle with drugs and alcohol
If this occured in the NRL could you imagine the hysteria.
It's reported for a day or two then goes away, the media co-operating ever so kindly as to protect brand AFL, probably in fear of losing media accreditation.
The NRL doesn't create the drama the media does, you need to separate the two. Sydney people are not interested in naming lists like the "20 greatest reserve players of the last 30 years". Whereas in Melbourne these lists make for exciting radio and TV.
