Missed opportunity with disjointed AFL-VFL fixtures

A common lament of rusted-on football supporters who make the effort is arriving at games with nothing to do but twiddle their thumbs, watch the grass grow and be blasted by promotional crapola.

Gen Y’s and millennials wouldn’t remember the days of the curtain raiser, when there was a reason to turn up early to secure a good spot (which had the positive side effect of mitigating crushes at the turnstiles just prior to bounce down).   Not only that, whether it was the next big thing or some skinny kid from the local area, fans could track the progress of new recruits and feel a greater connection to their football club (as opposed to entertainment franchise).  When a player made his debut you actually knew a bit about them and what they might offer.

Now?  To all but the top end of the fanatic scale they’re just a name and a number.

With the VFL morphing back to something akin to the old reserves competition (with historically significant Association add-ons), interest has definitely been on the rise.  I’d vouch some are attending as many or more of their club’s VFL games as AFL.  It’s not surprising really.  The best elements of suburban footy such as having a kick on the ground with the kids and listening to the coach’s address at the breaks, freedom to view the game from any vantage point and the negligible cost all add up to an afternoon well spent.  The only difference is the quality of the football is even better.  All this surely cannot last.

Which brings me to a point of curiosity about how the AFL and VFL competitions have been fixtured this year.

I’d be interested to know whether other club supporters have experienced the same but Collingwood have only twice played the same AFL / VFL counterpart on the same day and at times whereby fans of both clubs could actually attend both clashes.  The most recent encounter must have occurred with a blue moon in the sky as Collingwood played the Northern Blues at the MCG prior to the main game.  Only problem was the match finished an hour before, rendering the initiative a tad pointless.

Even stranger is that on three occasions the Magpies have played a Victorian based club the week after they have met their VFL reserves or affiliate team, and on another three occasions have played on the same weekend but on a different day.

Granted there’s a lot of permutations to factor in but is it lazy fixturing, coincidence, lack of awareness or all of the above?  It seems the value of nurturing a bond between supporters and their own players hasn’t registered.  Between that and fantasy football competitions, the notion of players as cattle or commodities is widespread.  It’s arguable this is one of a number of reasons for diminishing passion and greater prevalence of fair weather fans and theatre goers.

And it’s not just about appeasing old farts stuck in the past.  After all, they are the ones who often bring their kids – who incidentally love the opportunity to experience football up close, to meet and have photos taken with players after the game, have a run on the ground and all the other things once taken for granted.

Personally, the one shining light in another underwhelming AFL campaign has been the performance of Collingwood’s VFL side which has now won a dozen games on the trot.  With a top two position secured, now the question is where the Qualifying final will be played.  Victoria Park and Holden Centre have been ruled out (Yarra Council has cited “timing and logistics” as reasons).  Princes Park has been suggested, a field that Collingwood’s VFL team never grace with their presence.  Yep, a Collingwood home game at Carlton’s home ground is on the cards.

Strange days indeed.

 

@JeffDowsing