Ask Robbo: Chief football writer Mark Robinson answers your big football questions
The AFL media landscape has changed a lot in recent weeks. Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson explains what footy’s shutdown means for AFL360 in his new Ask Robbo column.
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Did we just experience the biggest week in the history of the AFL?
From playing matches in front of empty stadiums to no matches at all, footy fans will never forget the past seven days.
AFL headquarters and clubs have been forced to stand down around 80 per cent of their staff, with some of those people unlikely to return even when the season is back up and running.
The players and league officials have been engaged in pay discussions all week.
There is so much to talk about and we asked our readers to send through questions they have about the game and its future for Herald Sun chief football writer Mark Robinson to answer.
He’s picked the 10 best questions and answered them below.
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STOP HANDOUTS
ALAN: When footy resumes either this year or next, surely the AFL has to stop propping up clubs. In the past three years Gold Coast has received more than $75 million and last year St Kilda got $20 million. This has to stop for the betterment of the game. The AFL cash reserves are low because of these very decisions. Keen to hear your thoughts.
Robbo: It’s a fair question. Don’t worry about the Suns because that’s an investment as well. Maybe a better question is: How long can we expect Melbourne to sustain nine clubs? It’s incredible that we have so many in the one market. As for the Saints, they are a problem child and the AFL knows that.
INTERSTATE GRAND FINAL
RICHARD: If an interstate club ends up on top in this reduced season, it would be a great opportunity to have the Grand Final in their home state. Do you agree or think it could happen?
Robbo: It’s a unique year so why not explore different scenarios? Suspect, though, the AFL will want to use Marvel Stadium.
NO WAR CHEST?
JOHNNY: Can you please explain what the AFL does with all the money it makes? Why is the AFL in such a desperate position? Shouldn’t it have a war chest for a rainy day?
Robbo: It did have a war chest and that allowed the concept of a Tasmanian team to grow, but that war chest (future fund) will be needed right now. The AFL, like all businesses, probably wastes some money, but remember, it ploughs most of its money back into the game. Ticket prices are pretty good, the women’s comp is a winner, kids’ footy etc, etc. You can expect executive salaries at the AFL to drop, however.
NO PREMIER
BARRY: If there was only a 10-game season surely we can’t have a GF winner? How many games do we need to make it a legitimate season?
Robbo: David King asked AFL CEO Gill McLachlan that exact question on Fox Footy Live on Saturday. He didn’t get an answer because there’s so much uncertainty about the months ahead. I’d have no issue if it was a 100-game season and then finals.
ARMS RACE
JOHN: Given the current state of play, can we 1) Expect more transparency and accountability from the AFL on how, exactly, it spends its money. 2) Have the AFL legislate to stop a ‘future’ arms race from ever occurring. Because history shows that once things resemble normal, the ‘financial’ clubs will want to use their infinite resources to ramp up spending to obtain an advantage.
Robbo: The AFL introduced a cap on football department spending, so it already has stopped the arms race. The better question is transparency and accountability. They like to do their dealings behind the Iron Curtain, the AFL, and this current situation just might require to the AFL to put everything on the table in the future, including and not limited to all investigations into club matters and all salaries to executives.
ROZEE v WALSH
GREG: Kane Cornes got it right. Connor Rozee will prove to be the best player in the 2018 draft. No. 1 pick Sam Walsh is an accumulator, who will rack up the stats week after week. Rozee is a gamebreaker, a clean ball-handler with pace to burn. A top-10 AFL player within a few years. What do you think?
Robbo: Not disagreeing. Rozee is electric, a gamebreaker. Walsh is different, but that doesn’t mean he is less of being a gun. Can remember this kind of discussion being held when Hodge, Ball and Judd were drafted and started playing. You know what, it doesn’t achieve much to compare them when they are so young. Judd was the first superstar of the aforementioned three, but the Hodge lad fared OK in the end. It’s a click-bait discussion right now.
PLAYER PAYMENTS
DAMIEN: In view of the players insisting on collecting the bulk of their paychecks in direct contradiction to the rest of the community, will the future see contracts with relatively small bases with large match payments? For example, Dustin Martin would be on a base of $250k with $30k per game. What are your thoughts?
Robbo: Good question. The power struggle between clubs and players is a widely discussed. For so long, clubs had the stronger hand. Then free agency arrived and players had the stronger hand. Great players will always find a club to pay them what they want. Would you stay for 250K and 30K a game or swap clubs for guaranteed 900K? It’s an easy answer. The status quo will remain: The great players will maintain their hand and the lesser talented players will scrounge for the best performance-based contact they can get.
PUT SCARVES OUT
CARMEL: I think every supporter should begin hanging out scarves of their team colours to show support for their teams. I am not on social media so don’t know how to spread the word. Wouldn’t it be great to see hundreds of thousands of coloured scarves to brighten up the doom and gloom?
Robbo: Maybe off the front door handle, or out of the car window? True, the clubs need the fans more than ever.
FREE MEMBERSHIP?
MICK: What do you think will happen with all the money paid for memberships this year? Will we get free membership next year? Is there any indication at the moment? What are your thoughts?
Robbo: Broad discussions at the moment about how clubs will deal with their members. There will be deals offered, no doubt. My initial thought was members deserve a refund considering the economic nightmare looming. Now I reckon footy clubs need their people and their money like never before. Consider it a donation.
LOVE FOOTY TALK
ROBERT: I can’t see the AFL returning this year. I hope I am wrong but it seems light years away at present. If this is the case what will happen with AFL360? Love the show but how long can you talk footy if it’s not on? Let’s hope we can all have a beer in our local by the end of the year and put this bloody virus behind us.
Robbo: With you, mate. Unfortunately, AFL360 has gone into hibernation. It will return, though. Many football shows and media people are being hit just like most people, so yeah, fingers crossed this is over sooner rather than later.
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Originally published as Ask Robbo: Chief football writer Mark Robinson answers your big football questions