By: JAMES BRESNEHAN
``All the clubs agreed that a six-week finals series was too much,'' Glenorchy general manager Leigh McAdam said yesterday. McAdam represented the Magpies at a full State League meeting in Launceston last Saturday.
The finals format was the first significant change from the State League licence agreement document.
``The clubs felt an 18-round roster series, a representative game and six weeks of finals was too much,'' McAdam said.
``So we've gone back to a top- five system and I think everyone is happier with that.''
Another sticking point was where finals would be played.
McAdam said that in the licence agreement, finals venues would be selected at the ``discretion'' of AFL Tasmania.
But the clubs wanted to be rewarded for finishing higher on the ladder than their finals opponent by having games scheduled at their home ground.
Another bone of contention was the distribution of money generated by finals games.
``That's another issue we're interested to know more about, because as we found out this year, finals are very valuable to a club,'' McAdam said.
``The evidence we had when we played North Hobart in the second semi-final at KGV was that it was our best day for the year.
``It was worth about 70 to 80 per cent more than a normal roster game.''
That is why Glenorchy will be the first club to opt out of AFL Tasmania's scheduling of so-called double-headers.
In the business plan, it was revealed that AFL Tasmania would stage double-header matches aimed at reducing travel, but it would also pocket the money from these ``gala days'' to cover the competition's running expenses, such as the cost of footballs and umpires.
However, if clubs choose to play all nine home games at their home venue, they can do so.
But they will no longer be exempt from football and umpire costs -- they must pay their share of those costs to cover the entire season, not just the seven non-AFL Tasmania-run matches.
``Based on our business modelling, we would probably come out between $1000 to $2000 better off if we played all nine games at home,'' McAdam said.
``Even if we just broke even, we feel it is a sign of good faith to our members and supporters to keep nine home games.''
The 10 clubs have until Thursday of next week to sign and hand over their licence agreements to AFL Tasmania.
Last Modified on 09/12/2008 10:05