How does the AFL address the widening gap between the elite level and the VFL?
North Melbourne coach David Noble put it on the agenda following his side’s loss to Carlton, saying it’s difficult preparing players for AFL intensity coming out of state league level.
“The step between the VFL and the AFL now has grown, it has grown significantly,” Noble said post-game.
“It is a bit (of a concern), the problem is, particularly for those younger guys, to get the games into them to make sure they are absolutely ready to go.
“An example, Paul Curtis was better again tonight because he had the tempo and understanding from last week, which we know you don’t get until you expose those guys.
“We talk about playing at AFL speed, sometimes that’s quite hard to do at VFL level.
“The ball is not as reliable, doesn’t get delivered as well, the system is a bit slower, the execution is a little bit more off.
“Trying to get our guys to play with a bit more intensity and urgency at a VFL level is tricky.”
Former Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley agrees, saying the gap has never been wider between the competitions.
“We made this point a couple of weeks ago, the gap is getting bigger and there’s never been a larger difference between the expectations and the game and the pressure and the intensity of an AFL contest versus the next highest level, which could be VFL or SANFL or WAFL,” Buckley told SEN Breakfast
“When we’re trying to bring players up into the elite level, it takes time. Even established players.
“Like Taylor Adams a couple of weeks ago came in and first game in, even established highly rated players coming in first time, some of them are struggling to come back in and get their touch.
“We have spread the talent so, so wide and that’s part of the argument around a 19th and a 20th team. If you spread that talent even further, you’re going to increase the gap between the best players and the rest.”
Buckley believes the solution may be cutting the size of AFL lists, which would add talent to state leagues, increase development times and save clubs some money.
“It depends on what level you’re looking at. If you’re looking at quality of footy, and if you’re looking at economics, I think the best answer is to reduce list size,” Buckley added.
“Come to accept that in the depths of your list you’re not going to have the type of players who can come up and compete, so put them in a development program for longer and only bring them up when they’re ready.”
The six Victorian standalone VFL clubs have only won seven of their 30 games so far this season.