So the have-all clubs (supposedly) will give to the have-nots in the quest for economic equalisation in our AFL competition (“A higher level”, Sport, 2/2)
A noble ideal, but does success off the field really equate with success on the field? I contend the facts of premiership achievements, let alone finals appearances, contradict this premise. The so-called richer clubs have sparse cups among them over the past three decades, while the less salubrious such as the Saints and the Bulldogs have played in grand finals and preliminary finals respectively, during the past 10 years. Carlton and Essendon, rich clubs, sit on top of the premiership table with 16 flags each, but haven’t won a grand final since 1995 and 2000 respectively. I argue that talent, skills, hard work, hunger, confidence and teamwork etc play a much more important role.