Talking Footy

I think in the current climate and the demand for SOO is growing - but what should the format be. Well no one wants to see their sides chances of finals being dashed due to injuries, even more so when the player in question wasn't playing for your side when it happened. So in the interests of having a series that is meaningful (I.E a BS series where the sides don't play for anything) and protecting the clubs number one assets (the players). I suggest the following.

1st play it in the off season - either October or November ( my preference is November because each squad will have to be announced - go into camps etc - GF players deserve some time to enjoy their spoils).

2nd play it only every two or three years (my preference is 3 years). Enough to inspire interest not enough to wear it out. (A player is less likely to pull out if selected if it's not every year). It will also fit in nicely with my other suggestions.

3rd have a proper championship -
Two pools
Pool A - Vic, SA, Indigenous All Stars/NT (parents who identify with Aboriginal heritage I.e. at least one Grand Parent, Patents of Aboringinal extraction) and International ALL stars (players whose parents born OS or themselves born OS).
Pool B WA, NSW/ACT, QLD, Tassie.
Each pool plays other sides in their pool once. Finals 1st in pool A play 2nd in pool B, 2nd in pool A play 1st in pool B with the winners to play off in a final - held over 4 weeks.

4th remunerate the clubs for ever player selected and of course the players them selfs.

5th delay the draft until after the championship - each club who's player is injured whilst representing their state will depending on the player have a compensation pick in the draft - e.g. Garry Ablett Jnr - end of 1st round draft pick. The clubs then have an extra space on their list until the next championship. That way clubs should not be disadvantages during a season.

All Australian selecting for that year is dependant on playing in AFL season AND SOO championship.

6th all games played at night (using Edihad, Metricon, Spotless, Pattersons and Adelaide Oval if available),

Well what do you recon - given there will be a separate tv rights and sponsorship etc etc - I see that this could be AF World Cup and a potential windfall.

Nah I'm with TLPG on the venues and the time of year. Too hot. Etihad is the only chance and only if it can be cooled under the roof. And there's no way the other states or territories could compete with Victoria, SA or WA, so forget the pools. It'd have to be divisions.

But as time goes on they will compete I don't know about where you are NRLcrapper but October November is still very cool in Vic, SA and WA. Play 20 min qtrs no time on with unlimited interchange - what's the alternative? And Divisions doesn't that mean that outside of Vic SA WA - no one will play?? As for IR it's a completely different game and IMO they should get rid of it - it's boring and no one I knows gets the slightest involved in it! You can't have anything pre-season because again - I don't want my side stuffed up because of an injury.

No, Swans, November is not cool. It's not as hot as it is in the Summer or in March I agree, but it's not cool enough. I've lived most of my life in Melbourne, and I have visted both Adelaide and Perth many times - especially Adelaide.

Sorry, but if AFL SOO is going to come back it will be during the season. They won't have a choice in the end. And it would cause two byes as the AFL won't be as dumb as the NRL and try and jam it in during the week. This first for your suggested pool matches as divisions (I'd start with the NT/Aboriginal team in Division 1) and then the finals and consolation matches with the loser of the Division 1 consolation playing in Division 2 the next year and the winner of the Division 2 final playing in Division 1.

TLPG wrote:

No, Swans, November is not cool. It's not as hot as it is in the Summer or in March I agree, but it's not cool enough. I've lived most of my life in Melbourne, and I have visted both Adelaide and Perth many times - especially Adelaide.

Sorry, but if AFL SOO is going to come back it will be during the season. They won't have a choice in the end. And it would cause two byes as the AFL won't be as dumb as the NRL and try and jam it in during the week. This first for your suggested pool matches as divisions (I'd start with the NT/Aboriginal team in Division 1) and then the finals and consolation matches with the loser of the Division 1 consolation playing in Division 2 the next year and the winner of the Division 2 final playing in Division 1.

I don't like that idea for a number of reasons - Injuries is the biggest to clubs with no mechanism to compensate clubs - the 2nd is if competes against clubs interests - the clubs will kill it - lastly no one would be interested in playing or watching the lower division - be honest would you go??? I wouldn't because there not competing against the best and have no way of winning. Lastly we keep trying to repackage RL SOO when we should be trying something unique and distinct - That's why I take it out of the regular season - although the week after GF has merit - I still don't think October or November is any hotter than March - or Jan/ Feb yet we have played NAB and practice matches then. As for Melb traditionally it's hotter in Jan/Feb than it is in Oct/Nov. anyway well have to agree to disagree.

There is an alternative have a knock out comp
ROUND1
Game 1.Vic v WA
Game 2. NSW/ACT v QLD
Game 3. SA. V Tassie
Game 4. International v Aboriginal all stars

Round 2
SF1 Winner game 1 v winner game 2
SF2 Winner game 3 v winner game 4

Round 3 final
Winner SF1 v winner SF2

3 rounds in all - the only difference may to have Aboriginal all stars play WA so they don't get broken up 1st round and have Vic play the internationals - I'd have NSW still play QLD for the natural rivalry.

I'd go to see Division 2, yes, just for the record.

It has to be October if it's going to be off season. Don't put October and November in the same box - November is definitely warmer, almost up there with March. I guarantee it.

TLPG wrote:

I'd go to see Division 2, yes, just for the record.

It has to be October if it's going to be off season. Don't put October and November in the same box - November is definitely warmer, almost up there with March. I guarantee it.

Well October would give more time off for players so agreed