News to me

Let's hope it's not a sign of the times. For as long as I can remember Channel Nine has been carrying the VFA/VFL scores at the conclusion of Sunday night's news. Now there's not even a mention of the VFL. That's surely something to worry about. It's always annoyed many VFL followers that the ABC, which broadcasts VFL matches on Saturdays refuses to show a highlights package on its news segment. When you consider how anguished Tim Lane and the boys were when they lost the rights to AFL football a decade ago, it's even more galling.

The funny thing is that the ABC's broadcast of VFL football continues to attract a big audience and more and more young people are aware of the VFL because of the link to AFL clubs. Yet the support from AFL clubs still leaves a lot to be desired. This Saturday the Bendigo Bombers play Geelong in the ABC match of the round, telecast from Windy Hill. Surely this was an opportunity for the Bombers to promote a 'back to Windy Hill' day. Forget it. If you go to the Bombers website you need the patience of a poker player to find a word on the VFL Bombers. And when you do find it, what's on offer? A fixture and how to join the Bendigo Bombers, and no mention of this week's game being on TV. It's even more disappointing when you consider that the Bendigo Bombers have had as many as 16 Essendon AFL players in its teams in recent weeks.

It's time AFL clubs supported their VFL partners in developing a comprehensive approach to the promotion of VFL football. The VFL provides the AFL with massive infrastructural support in developing players. And VFL clubs need to raise vast amounts of money to survive. If it weren't for poker machines most simply couldn't survive. Those without them survive hand to mouth. Yes, we survivors of the old VFA know that once the AFL went national the VFA was doomed and by the early 90s it had run its race. Nevertheless, no one can say it didn't carve out a special place in the football market or that we shouldn't be marketing this charismatic history.

Time for out own DVD

The transformation of the VFA into the VFL has come at a cost, in that we seem reluctant to acknowledge our history. We have no DVDs of club history and interesting stories are at a premium on the web. Recently, historian Marc Fiddian published an upgraded history of the VFA. Yet there's been hardly a mention of it in the media. These days, young kids will sit down and watch DVDs about AFL history. It's time the VFL, with support of AFL clubs, devoted resources to this important task. Before last week's Richmond v Carlton game an article appeared in the Age newspaper canvassing the reasons why Richmond and Carlton hate each other. It proved one thing. History is a powerful force in the promotion of a football game. Forgot nostalgia, it showbiz.

Take a bow Mr Mace

The need to market his club hasn't been lost on Frankston's wily godfather Bryan Mace. Last Sunday he threw the gates open and the result was staggering. More than 2,000 people turned up for the game against Geelong and 170 went to the Mother's Day luncheon. With the day supported by the Menzies organisation, Frankston was able to make a bigger profit than for
a normal game. In the preceding weeks the club distributed 1500 fliers and had players promoting the game in local shopping malls.

Better still, the Dolphins won the match and generated unbelievable publicity locally. So impressed were many youngsters, they approached the club after the match to purchase jumpers with the Dolphin insignia. 'It's a symbol of the area,' says Mace. During the game large clusters of kids clapped the giant, Daniel Clarke's every move. The 151-game veteran has become an institution in Frankston. Bryan Mace and his club have had their detractors over the years. However, he is surely having the last laugh. Not only has the team won three of its five matches, it is playing inspiring football and winning massive local support. So well are they travelling off the field, Mace says the club should break even financially this season.

There's much we can learn from the Frankston FC. For aligned clubs, maintaining an identity is a balancing act. For non-aligned the challenge is to stay competitive. But for both, the local community remains the heart and soul of their future. Poker machines, and reduced player salaries courtesy of an alignment with an AFL partner don't make a club. Standing alone and defeating an AFL aligned club is what makes Frankston people happy, says Mace. This Sunday the Dolphins are at home to Werribee. It's kind of funny that the side that was looked down on by many established VFA clubs is now an emblem of the old tribalism. With Big 'Norm' Clarke firing the kids on the boundary, Sam Anstey and Ben Phibbs loving their football and coach Brett Lovett in mint form Frankston's the place to be on Sunday.

SATURDAY

BENDIGO BOMBERS v Geelong (Windy Hill)
WILLIAMSTOWN v Port Melbourne
NORTHERN BUlLANTS v Scorpions

SUNDAY

SANDRINGHAM v Box Hill Hawks
FRANKSTON v Werribee
North Ballarat v COBURG

Hi Phil

I totally agree with you. The media and AFL don't give a rats about the old VFA/VFL.
I have a copy of Marc Fiddian's book which is a good buy. In fact I have several VFA Club histories which include Willaimstown, Camberwell, Mordialloc, Preston, Prahran,Brunswick, Yarraville and of course of Lions and Liniment (Coburg FC).

Phil, I am finally converting old VFA tapes to DVDs.
Would you like me to copy the Coburg 1988 and 1989 Grand Finals to DVD for you ?
I could do that no worries. I can bring them to the VFL v SA match on Saturday week.

I was reading the MX express yesterday and was disgusted by the comments of Tony Shaw. He reckons that Williamstown should play all Collingwood listed players and give them full game time. He also blasted Williamstown and says that they are only second to the developement to the Collingwood players. What a joke. Morons like Tony Shaw have no idea and I wish that Willy gives Collingwood the big A. I know Port are never happy with alignments and never take a backward step. I would not be surprised if Port was stand alone next season. I wish the Seagulls were. Both Port and Willy have a bit of money and could easily go alone. Williamstown do well with the seagulls bar in Newport and Port with the Rex.
I was at Frankston on Sunday and they have done wonders with the ground. The atmposphere was great. I stood on the near the wing and it was like the good old days of the VFA- plenty of passion.

We ended up with 96 tipsters in our VFL tipping comp which includes Aunty which I think its someone from the ABC as well as the Bendigo president Warren Driscoll. The results are also published in the vflfooty website. Hopefully next season we can get a few more VFL presidents in it and of course the commentators Booth, Donegan and Cleary (that would be a coup).
Even comp this season with Werribee looking like favourites. When Werribee gets televised watch out for a kid called Salim Hassan, you might even see him in the state game. He can play.

I'll catch you in the state game

Cheers from
George