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The Australian Championship 🇦🇺🏆

Most intersting article that goes towards the very different footballing mentality that is present in Aus!


Mjallby, based in a town of fewer than 1,000 people, who find themselves four points clear at the top of the table and on track to play in Europe.... playing out of a stadium that fits 6k.

Seems like Australia is the only place that continues to argue:
1. stadium = viabilty for national stage, 2. crowds are the be all and end all,
3. demographics and exclusions lead to success!!!

Ohh what could be if the FA had some vision and the knackers to go out and make the game great!
 
Most intersting article that goes towards the very different footballing mentality that is present in Aus!


Mjallby, based in a town of fewer than 1,000 people, who find themselves four points clear at the top of the table and on track to play in Europe.... playing out of a stadium that fits 6k.

Seems like Australia is the only place that continues to argue:
1. stadium = viabilty for national stage, 2. crowds are the be all and end all,
3. demographics and exclusions lead to success!!!

Ohh what could be if the FA had some vision and the knackers to go out and make the game great!
That's a beautiful story
 
Most intersting article that goes towards the very different footballing mentality that is present in Aus!


Mjallby, based in a town of fewer than 1,000 people, who find themselves four points clear at the top of the table and on track to play in Europe.... playing out of a stadium that fits 6k.

Seems like Australia is the only place that continues to argue:
1. stadium = viabilty for national stage, 2. crowds are the be all and end all,
3. demographics and exclusions lead to success!!!

Ohh what could be if the FA had some vision and the knackers to go out and make the game great!
Sadly we all know the FFA/APL’s throwaway excuse will be “B-but that’s only bc ⚽️‘s already the No.1 sport in 🇸🇪…”
 
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First federation club is Broadmeadow Magic is winning the NNSW NPL
SA’s North Eastern Metrostars already in. Others look like NWS Spirit, South Hobart, Heidelberg or Dandy, Bayswater or Kingsway, Canberra Croatia or Tigers FC.
 
The more I think about this. The more I’m actually liking this setup.

But I would have it as a 16 team H/A season.

1st - 9th (Remain in Championship next season)

10th - 16th (Relegated back to state leagues and replaced with the winners of each states NPL)

- guarantees every state will always have a second division representation each year.

You could also take it one step further. And give the teams from 10th - 16th a chance to stay up by having randomly drawn H/A playoff against an NPL champion.
 
The more I think about this. The more I’m actually liking this setup.

But I would have it as a 16 team H/A season.

1st - 9th (Remain in Championship next season)

10th - 16th (Relegated back to state leagues and replaced with the winners of each states NPL)

- guarantees every state will always have a second division representation each year.

You could also take it one step further. And give the teams from 10th - 16th a chance to stay up by having randomly drawn H/A playoff against an NPL champion.
I’ve noticed you’re only counting 7 NPL champions? Have you taken out Capital Football since they banned travel for their NPL? It makes sense I suppose.
 
The more I think about this. The more I’m actually liking this setup.

But I would have it as a 16 team H/A season.

1st - 9th (Remain in Championship next season)

10th - 16th (Relegated back to state leagues and replaced with the winners of each states NPL)

- guarantees every state will always have a second division representation each year.

You could also take it one step further. And give the teams from 10th - 16th a chance to stay up by having randomly drawn H/A playoff against an NPL champion.
I've thought about similar, relegating 8 and promoting 8 to always have a representative from each federation. But doing it with 16 teams is too brutal haha. I thought anything from 23 to 31 teams would be ok and only playing each other once. I think @Monoethnic Social Club might have compared it to a wrestling comp haha. But then, having 11 to 15 matches per weekend is just too damn expensive.

As much as I'd love to have leagues splitting evenly all the way down the pyramid, it really does seem that a group stage format between the NPLs is the most cost effective way of promotion to NST, and it's still fair as well. I'd have the first competition with the top two from each fed, and every season after that based on performance coefficients.

Also, we can't make playoffs between tiers possible with a connected pyramid because the top three tiers would need to be played all at different times of year, so they finish at different times. This is assuming A-League stays with the mostly global calendar (which they will), and the federations stay in winter (which they will).
 
SA’s North Eastern Metrostars already in. Others look like NWS Spirit, South Hobart, Heidelberg or Dandy, Bayswater or Kingsway, Canberra Croatia or Tigers FC.
Avondale also with a chance of winning NPL Victoria and making it into the Australian Championship, they're now level on points with Heidelberg but are top of the table with superior for and against.
 
Dont know about the rest but now that its slowly taking shape (even in this monstrosity of a format) im getting the tingle!! A solid month of football for SMFC in cups still to come before then, but cant help but be a little excited already for that inaugral kick off!
 
The more I think about this. The more I’m actually liking this setup.

But I would have it as a 16 team H/A season.

1st - 9th (Remain in Championship next season)

10th - 16th (Relegated back to state leagues and replaced with the winners of each states NPL)

- guarantees every state will always have a second division representation each year.

You could also take it one step further. And give the teams from 10th - 16th a chance to stay up by having randomly drawn H/A playoff against an NPL champion.
Thats not a half bad compromise....
 
I've thought about similar, relegating 8 and promoting 8 to always have a representative from each federation. But doing it with 16 teams is too brutal haha. I thought anything from 23 to 31 teams would be ok and only playing each other once. I think @Monoethnic Social Club might have compared it to a wrestling comp haha. But then, having 11 to 15 matches per weekend is just too damn expensive.

As much as I'd love to have leagues splitting evenly all the way down the pyramid, it really does seem that a group stage format between the NPLs is the most cost effective way of promotion to NST, and it's still fair as well. I'd have the first competition with the top two from each fed, and every season after that based on performance coefficients.

Also, we can't make playoffs between tiers possible with a connected pyramid because the top three tiers would need to be played all at different times of year, so they finish at different times. This is assuming A-League stays with the mostly global calendar (which they will), and the federations stay in winter (which they will).
There are countless ways to skin a cat, the elephant in the room however is that the FA wont even acknowledge that the cat exists....
 
Dont know about the rest but now that its slowly taking shape (even in this monstrosity of a format) im getting the tingle!! A solid month of football for SMFC in cups still to come before then, but cant help but be a little excited already for that inaugral kick off!
Im still a little apprehensive... being so close to kickoff and still no further to establishing a "proper" league despite all the promises of the past 2-3 years has left me a bit flat....
 
Avondale also with a chance of winning NPL Victoria and making it into the Australian Championship, they're now level on points with Heidelberg but are top of the table with superior for and against.
Avondale are already in as a foundation club, so the 2nd-placed goes in is my understanding?
 
Im still a little apprehensive... being so close to kickoff and still no further to establishing a "proper" league despite all the promises of the past 2-3 years has left me a bit flat....
Tin foil hat time.
Could the most recent press release from FA be a bit of deliberate self sabotage?
Think about it. If they had literally said nothing, you might still be frustrated, but you'd probably be more enthusiastic about this year's competition as you'd still have more hope that something bigger and better was just around the corner.
Kicking the can further down the road has definitely left the rusted-ons pretty deflated. This may result in lower crowds/viewers then what could have otherwise been. I hope that's not the case, and the fans get behind their clubs in massive numbers, but it's also understandable that it'd have an effect.
 
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