VFL to merge with NEAFL in shake up of state league football

Victorian Football League clubs will compete against teams from NSW, Queensland and the ACT after a merger with a rival state league competition was confirmed.

Williamstown and Richmond lock horns in last year’s VFL grand final. Picture: Michael Klein

THE VFL will expand next year to take in the NEAFL.

After weeks of speculation about the structure of second-tier football, the AFL announced this afternoon that the NEAFL competition would be absorbed into the Victorian state league in 2021.

AFL clubs in Victoria, Queensland and NSW will be given three options for next year: to field their own teams, strike an alignment or spread their players across multiple clubs.

The NEAFL’s nine clubs — Brisbane, Gold Coast, GWS and Sydney as well as Aspley Hornets, Canberra Demons, Redland Bombers, Southport Sharks and Sydney University — will be invited to join the VFL.

But sources indicated the AFL did not expect them all to take up the offer.

Meanwhile the Victorian clubs will have to weigh up their involvement, with the costs assessed against the benefits of developing their players with their own coaching staff.

Last year Collingwood, Geelong, Essendon, North Melbourne, Richmond and the Western Bulldogs ran their reserves in the VFL.

Hawthorn has been aligned with Box Hill Hawks since 2000, Melbourne is with Casey and St Kilda is aligned with Sandringham.

All indications are the alignments will continue.

The AFL said second-tier football in 2021 would be a “year of transition’’ reflecting the impact of a reduced AFL soft cap, the level of AFL club investment and resources allocated to men’s and women’s football programs, any player CBA revisions and any associated impact on player list sizes.

Southport Sharks and Redland do battle in a NEAFL practice match in March. Picture: Steve Holland)

It said it would work towards ensuring greater alignment across all second-tier competitions and increase the alignment with talent programs in each state and territory.

The model for second-tier women’s football in Victoria is under review but it’s believed the VFLW season may be brought forward to operate at the same time as the AFLW.

The AFL is also making changes to the elite junior pathway, with the NAB League Boys and Girls to go from Under 16 and Under 18 levels to Under 17 and Under 19 in 2021.

The national championships will also go to Under 19s.

The draft age will remain at 18 for the AFL and AFLW competitions.

The AFL’s talent pathway team will also assume control of the Victorian Next Generation Academies (NGAs), targeting Indigenous and multicultural players.

* Richmond announced this afternoon that it would not field a VFLW team in 2021.

“The impact of the COVID pandemic has been significant and we have had to make the difficult decision not to participate in the next VFLW season,” Richmond general manager of women’s football Kate Sheahan said.

“We had a meeting with staff and players last week to inform them of the decision.

“This decision will ensure we can focus our resources and energies on delivering a high-quality AFLW program in 2021 and beyond.

“We are currently considering potential alignment opportunities that would allow our AFLW-listed players to participate in the VFLW competition as required, but those discussions are in the very preliminary stages.”

MORE TO COME