AFL’s Choices Leave Grassroots Footy Behind
Australian football is often described as the heartbeat of Victoria, but for many people who live and breathe the game in suburban and regional communities, it feels as though the AFL has lost touch with that heartbeat. What’s happening now at the grassroots is worrying, and the decisions being made at the top level are leaving local clubs struggling for survival.
For decades, community clubs have been the foundation of the game. They are where future stars are nurtured, but they’re also where everyday people learn teamwork, discipline, and make lifelong friendships. Yet, despite this, the AFL’s priorities seem fixed on television audiences, revenue, and crowd numbers at the MCG, while the health of country and suburban clubs is being quietly eroded.
Anyone who’s been around local footy knows the difference from just a few years ago. Clubs that once fielded three full teams every weekend are now struggling to fill a reserves side. Matches that should be competitive often turn into blowouts, with massive margins that do nothing for the spirit of the game. Even more alarming is what’s missing on the sidelines – the kids. Not long ago, youngsters were everywhere at country games, chasing the ball, kicking at the posts, and dreaming of being the next big star. Now, they’re absent, and that silence around the boundary line is deafening.
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The AFL’s scheduling choices haven’t helped. This weekend’s preliminary final between Collingwood and Brisbane has been slotted at 5.15pm on the very day community leagues across Victoria will crown their grand final winners. Traditionally, that time would belong to local clubs, with teams, families, and whole towns gathering to celebrate a season’s effort. Instead, many will head home early to catch the AFL on TV. It might suit the Brisbane Lions’ travel schedule, but for country football, it feels like another body blow.
This isn’t an isolated case. Thursday nights, once sacred for local clubs to gather, announce teams, and bond as communities, are now routinely taken over by AFL fixtures. The ripple effect of these decisions is being felt in every corner of community sport.
Then there’s the Victorian Talent League, designed as a pathway for young men aiming for the draft. For a handful, it’s a dream fulfilled. But for the majority, it’s a detour that leaves them cut off from their local clubs, their schooling disrupted, and their confidence dented. Families who once anchored community teams as coaches, volunteers, and supporters are drawn away too. The cost to grassroots football is enormous, and most of those young players never reach the AFL stage anyway.
The truth is, sport is bigger than elite competitions. It’s about connection, belonging, and building healthier lives. Clubs are where kids should grow as people first and footballers second. If community clubs aren’t supported, the future of the game itself is at risk.
The AFL may celebrate packed stadiums now, but unless grassroots footy is respected and protected, the foundations of Australian football could crumble. Local clubs deserve better – not just for today, but so future generations can fall in love with the game in the same way so many already have.
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