The future prospects of young VFL stars, like the Scorpions’ high-flying Kyle Mathews, could be harmed if AFL clubs decide to split from their VFL counterparts to go it alone. Picture: Stewart Chambers.By Marc McGowan
THE strained relationship between Victorian Football League and Australian Football League clubs is nearing crisis point, and the Casey Scorpions are not immune to the tension.
It has already been reported that the Kangaroos will almost certainly end their alignment with Tasmania to go it alone in 2008.
Carlton, the Western Bulldogs and Collingwood, too, are set to split with the Northern Bullants, Werribee and Williamstown respectively.
The Scorpions have recorded just 14 victories in the last three years, the least of any VFL side, and picked up only their second win for the season on the weekend through nine rounds.
It is also common knowledge that Casey’s affiliation with St Kilda, which began in 2001, suffered under former Saints coach Grant Thomas.
Current St Kilda coach Ross Lyon refused to comment on the partnership when contacted by the News, after the tumultuous week his club has endured.
But Scorpions coach Peter Banfield defended the union, and believes the bond between the two teams has improved markedly this year.
“Grant had a different philosophy on how players should play in (the VFL) competition,” he said.
“This year, there has been a lot more communication from St Kilda regarding their players.”
Danny Sexton’s appointment as development coach at the Saints in November has been the turning point, according to Banfield.
“Ross and I had a couple of meetings earlier in the year and I have regular communication with Danny Sexton and (St Kilda development manager) Tony Elshaug,” he said.
“Obviously, having Danny Sexton on board has bridged some gaps with the alignment.”
However, the better collaboration between the two sides has not solved the predicament that plagues all VFL-AFL alliances.
While VFL clubs seek success in their competition, AFL teams are most interested in developing their younger players for the elite level.
“It’s something we sit and think long and hard about. It’s not easy because both clubs, to some extent, have different philosophies, but we come together and try to find the right solution,” Banfield said.
CEO of AFL Victoria Peter Schwab, who experienced first-hand the dynamics of the VFL-AFL association as coach of Hawthorn for five seasons, highlighted this dilemma as being at the heart of the problem.
“I don’t think a lot’s wrong with the competition – in fact the competition is as strong as it has ever been,” he said.
“Why are they deciding to go alone? The number one reason is that AFL clubs want total control of their player lists.”
It has produced the distinct possibility that there will be a substantial increase to the 13 sides currently competing in the VFL.
“At the moment, I’m thinking there will potentially be another two (stand-alone AFL teams) to add to Geelong, but I’ve not been told anything by any AFL clubs,” Schwab said.
“We will work through it, but there are a lot of unknowns, so it’s a wait and see for us as to which alignments may or may not be broken.”
While Sandringham has won four flags in a row playing a largely experienced squad, Banfield answers his side’s knockers by pointing to the youth stepping out on a weekly basis for Casey.
“We have a really, really young list. When people say we have a poor alignment, they’re only judging it on the win-loss,” he said.
“If we win some games, people will say we’re going really well. It’d be nice if St Kilda had an injury list of three or four players like everyone else, but it is always in the half-dozen bracket.
“If you’re not inside the club, you’re not looking from a realistic point of view. People always think things are worse than what they actually are.”
