TOPIC:

Factor opinion wrote: It is sad to see interest in and attendances at the WAFL waning.
Action is needed to reinvigorate the "product". I think that every one who has an interest in the WAFL should be promoting it (ie the whole comp), joining a WAFL club and getting along to the games. We all need to be part of the solution and not just be sitting around complaining about the demise of a great competition.
Make no mistake about the growth in Women's football and the genuine excitement around it ... if that is a way to find a new generation of WAFL fans then it has to be looked at.
I'm not saying it should be a curtain raiser in the place of WAFL Reserves but here is a growing group of people who might help to grow the WAFL as well.
How about this weekend we all go to the WAFL, take 2 mates and buy them each a beer at the game? Small step for sure but let's do something!

Funny when I was heading for the train station last week after the game, I was asked by several people whether Swans had won or not and by how much. My workmates still talk about the WAFL in the tea room, so it appears to me that the interest is still there. Unfortunately this interest doesn't translate into attendances. There's got to be a way to get people away from their TV's and out to the grounds.

Mike it is the same with my workplace the WAFL is chatted about just as much as the AFL.
FO you make some good suggestions.
Just on the women's footy my club has had a side for close to 15 years now and they are integrated into the SDFC and have played after our League games on a number of occasions both at Basso and away games...it is really only AFL house that is new to this "phenomenon"!

thanks Mikeh. Let's all pounce on that kind of interest. Take them to the game. They'll love it and wonder why they stopped going. Get them to Leederville this weekend!

BH - I'm with you. But the AFL and WAFC are treating women's footy as a special case - all I'm saying is maximise that interest (and money) to benefit all footy, especially the WAFL.

The Colts are very important to a viable competition. I am most concerned about big changes with the Colts format. Equally any age restriction on league teams is ridiculous. It turns the competition into a development league not a senior competition.

I agree LB. It is important to build the WAFL into the football future of youth players so that the focus is changed from "AFL or bust".

Maybe it's time to consider free entry.

Maybe Baz but maybe Mikeh and Beasley can tell us why their workmate talk about the WAFL but don't go. Is it the cost?

Dont expect any one at WAFC HQ to listen to the supporters of clubs. They have rarely done that in the passed 5 years so i can not see them doing it now.
Wouldnt want to jeorpardise there corporate ticket invites around town by going against the AFL

This Boston report will be like a self fulfilling prophecy. They would have been given strict parameters and guidelines within which to create the report and those guidelines would have been structured to give the answers that the WAFC/AFL coalition want, therefore in their minds provide them with the so called "independent" advice they need to restructure (destroy) our historic competition.

I'm guessing the main recommendations will be:

- A separate elite colts comp based on the TAC.
- An 18 game home & away season (2 rounds of 9 with the inclusion of an Eagles reserves team after they dump East Perth).
- Move the WAFL league towards an u/25 comp with a max of 5 over age players per game.
- The reserves will be moved to an u/21 comp with max 5 over age players per week.
- The current colts will be left to those who don't make the elite comp and will be left to die on the vine.

Not a happy outlook for those who love and cherish our local game.
I wonder how the SANFL will look on this type of restructuring, I bet they are under similar pressure to change but they will put up a much bigger fight as their commission actually value their local comp.

If the above changes occur, what happens to state footy? cant have an u/age league competing against open age leagues like the VFL, SANFL, TFL & NEAFL.