TOPIC:

Cardy -- thanks for that support
Barney -- We are not talking about the past, when they thought they were united but EP ratted. I am talking about the future -- when EPs or any other club's disloyalty to the WAFL can be planned for and dealt with according to the rules of the league.

Last year the WAFL clubs beat the Eagles -- they don't have their own team in the competition. Why would the WAFL clubs want to give up this victory twelve months later? Keep in mind, the seven clubs are staying in line with their membership: members don't want the AFL teams in the competition or aligned in any way.

East Perth could save itself from future sanction by reversing its policy. After all, in doing so, they would actually be reflecting the majority opinion amongst the WAFL fraternity. Now that would be novel for EP and their Eagles friends.

DF -- the seas around me are perfectly calm old boy. Nothing in what I wrote was irrational or mistaken, I am afraid. I am applying the logic of English Common Law to the EP question. In short to effect change on the question in the future, we must act according to the principles of 'good governance', procedural fairness and natural justice, which taken together, make up WA's and Australia's legal foundation. Are you trying to undermine the country's liberal tradition as outlined by Hobbes and Locke in the 1600s? Guess what DF? When the time comes the Eagles and Commission will have to play by the same rules. If you want to disregard what I write, do so, but pay attention to other posters whom are warning, some with fear others with less fear, that there will probably be a split in WA football. There are only three ways this can be avoided:

1 the Eagles or East Perth have a change of heart -- unlikely
2 the membership of the 7 has a collective change of heart and allows the two Victorian stooges their own clubs -- this is also unlikely; opinion is likely to harden if EP Eagles win premierships
3 if, when the five years are up, the Eagles back down following an 'expulsion campaign' by the 7 -- this is possible in the short-run, but in the long-run they will go to Victoria.

In which case, I will be a happy little Subi west aussie -- bye all.

Barney wrote:

ArkRoyal wrote: In answer to question about whom is the Commission responsible, the short answer is: Colin Barnett.

It looks like we will have to put up with this nonsense with East Perth for another four years, which at least will give the Club boards time to think about the issue. Over that time, the clubs need to be fully united and established a strategy to forestall another alignment. In the past, people have suggested boycotting East Perth and Peel, but I would go one step further in four years time. I would threaten the expulsion of any club which signs an agreement with the AFL clubs.

In practical terms -- besides concentrating the minds of every stakeholder in WA football -- this would involve a careful reading of WAFL's constitution. We would need to establish if there is an 'expulsion clause', what are the grounds for 'expulsion', what is the 'expulsion' procedure and so on.

One could think terms of an 'alignment' damaging the 'integrity of the WAFL' as a starting point.

If a vote on 'expulsion' was successful, we would have effectively excluded the two Victorian clubs from the WAFL and expedited the break-up of so-called WA. The WAFL can continue on into the future -- smaller in scale -- but independent of the AFL. The Victorian clubs can go to the expense of setting up their own competition -- which will not happen -- or more likely, join an AFL Reserves completion.

In any event through the strategy of 'expulsion', the clubs will have taken the initiative away from the East Perth Eagles, re-established the integrity of their competition, and finally, moved into the future with some honour.

Expulsions, boycotts and starting a new league were all threatened by some of the G7 Presidents (well mainly 1 of them) and when it came time to stand up they squibbed.

They can end the alignment sooner than 4 years. If they gave the two AFL clubs the option of their own teams (or even if they could snag the popular give Peel to Freo option) they would jump at it. There is an out clause in the contract, clubs involved must give 12 months notice.

Thats what i would prefer.You can't have your cake and eat it too.The players belong to the eagles and dockers whether they are recruited fom W.A.or eastern states.If the g7 succesfully pull the rug on the alignment what will the next step be.they don't want stand alone teams so please eagles and dockers withdraw your players and money from the wafl and you can play in the ammos.Then we will see even more squealing.

Ark me boy.
Exactly how are you going to expel the WCE & Freo?
Pray tell.

DF -- We don't need to expel the Eagles or Dockers because they are not part of the WAFL. I have explained how a WAFL aligned club could be expelled.

Chaddy: They are not going to withdraw any players unless there is a viable alternative to the WAFL. It will cost them a lot of money to set up an alternative completion in Perth; we have spent the best part of twenty years setting up Peel; that is what setting up a new competition will involve for the Eagles -- a multitude of Peels. I think therefore, that in the future, the Eagles reserves may also be playing amateur football. This is why I think they will go to Victoria.

For those of you that read my previous post early in this thread....I walked outta the discussion I had with the opinion formed that best case scenario being discussed at commission level is that the comp goes back to 8 teams and with the Eagles move out to Lathlain in a few years the club that will go is the one that currently resides there. I raised the point that would that be a merge between these 2 and got a categorical 'no'... Then proceeded to ask if the often discussed SD & P merge was where he thought it would come from which I got a 'doubt it' to which I replied you'd be mad to even try coz we will fight it to the death....ended up leaving me with more questions than answers in reality as to who would merge but my clear impression is that Perth supporters should be concerned as should one other team in the comp. if it ain't SD then it don't make any sense to me as to who else it could be. More questions than answers after it all and that's why I never commented in my first post as I was still trying to get my head around it as I am now. What I am clear on is that there is some serious hoodwinking going on. I repeat this was best case scenario/most likely to happen conversation, none of it in concrete yet. Raises the question as to how this commission doesn't have a definite clear path forward ie no plan in place, for the WAFL just a few years from now is just another illustration of how tight the puppet strings are and how ingrained the control is of the 2 AFL teams hence the Victorian organisation who think they own our game. Wait & see policy when leadership is what us taxpayers should be getting for our money. Jobs for the boys....hmmm surely not Colin.
What really got my ire was the statement "Your boy needs to start keeping his mouth shut before the Eagles just decide to stop the cash flow" SD people should know who this means and I for one congrat our man for getting under both the commission and therefore Eagles skin. Call it blackmail, bullying, corruption whatever you like, what I saw and now have is an insight that the people who should be fighting the good fight for the future of our WAFL footy and it's long term viability and ability to become self sufficient don't have the vision, the fight or the want to do so. That's the saddest truth of all of this.

Must add, I do agree with a lot of what ArkRoyal is saying here. The best step forward may be a giant step backwards to regain control of the comps own destiny. The answer may just lie in the comp's constitution as he pointed out. We must remember that this is a sport, first & foremost and should not necessarily be about business but sustainability to provide value to our local communities and opportunities to gather and enjoy good times together. At its heart the WAFL is a wonderful thing. We seem to have forgotten that in this state as the elitism of our society continues to spread like the most aggressive of cancers. It's always good to beat the Vics but not at such an expensive cost to one of the historical pillars of our own society here in Perth. I for one am ashamed as to what we as a community have allowed to happen to our state league, our competition, just to go play in another. My fight has started, not sure exactly what I can do but this is the start of getting involved and attempting to fight the good fight. Any honest advice from fellow WAFL lovers, on this site especially, as to what path I take on this journey will be well received. Hope I can do my Grandad proud, he loved this comp and is the reason I do to. I meant it when i stated its time for the revolution. I'm ready for the fight, stay tuned. The social media revolution in this war is about to start.

Great post DW. It is amazing how they have always suggested merging Swans and Perth; I can see how they might float the idea of Subiaco and Claremont.

Good post DW... You took the time to write it and I read it... Worth it

Hey how about the Eagles and Dockers make friends and have one team in the WAFL.. Call it what you like.. e.g AFL alignment side

They would be able to play all their players under one jumper and get the run they want their guys to have. The stand alone AFL association side could be administrated by both clubs and it would save them lots of money... Shit only one coach to start with.
They might even be able to squeeze in a Ressies side which would be good for the WAFL Reserves to have a run against some top competition and learn a few things.

When it came to finals goodbye to them and just play it out amongst the WAFL clubs.
If they get into finals and want their guys to keep playing they could have scratchies between themselves... even to the point if one side got into the finals and the other didnt they could let a few players jump sides as they are playing as one team anyway in the WAFL comp..

Cant see that being a problem and the alignment could be shit canned.

Now think about it before you come back on me..as food for thought.

Will do Cardy, first thought that came to mind was how would the Eagles try to control the whole bloody thing. Will sleep on ur idea, an interesting suggestion and one I've never considered. Imagine the clash of egos hahaha look forward to tonite's dream/visions of the big love in....haha laughing already at the possibilities

ArkRoyal wrote: Great post DW. It is amazing how they have always suggested merging Swans and Perth; I can see how they might float the idea of Subiaco and Claremont.

Agree. SD supporters are seriously not interested and neither are Demon fans going by opinion on this site. Subi & CL is actually a very logical one when you consider the new burswood stadium i assume will seriously effect Subi's cash flow and Claremont need all the help they can get to raise an audience over 500 excluding opposition fans. Won't happen though with these 2 well to do clubs who have their people & mates in all the right places, Ethically and locality wise the merger i believe the Eagles should negotiate as its their people anyway in general. IMHO the best case scenario if alignments remain and a merger is necessary. Tigers/Lions could just rebadge as the Cats or the Pride

Can't wait for the movie to come out.