World Footy News

Over in Perth, the WAFL Grand Final on the weekend just gone was one for the ages. A classic game of Australian Football. It also helped the WAFL record a second successive record season for attendances.

Andrew Krakouer provided further momentum to his case for a recall to AFL ranks with a 40 possession 4 goal BOG performance in the WAFL Grand Final.

Claremont 3.3 (21) 5.6 (36) 9.11 (65) 14.15 (99)

lost to

Swan Districts 1.6 (12) 5.10 (40) 9.15 (69) 14.16 (100)

GOALS: Claremont : 3 N.Chidgzey, A.Foster, 2 D.Crawford, 1 I.Richardson, K.Mitchell, B.Schammer, T.Swift, T.Derickx, R.Walton Swan Districts : 4 A.Krakouer, S.Coniglio, 3 T.Geappen, 1, A.Hansen, J.Simpson, M.Walters

BEST: Claremont : L.Blackwell, R.Walton, B.Schammer, A.Browne, D.Crawford, N.Chidgzey, A.Foster Swan Districts : A.Krakouer, T.Ames, T.Roach, T.Geappen, J.Roberts, S.Coniglio, J.Roberts

24,638 spectators (best since 2002) saw a classic game decided by Krakouer's 4th goal at the 33 minute mark of the last quarter. Meanwhile, teammate, 16 year old Stephen Coniglio also kicked 4 and looks a beauty, and a possible priority pick for GWS.

While last year saw the WAFL achieve H&A attendances over 200,000 for the first time since 1994, they repeated the feat this year with 201,225. And with the finals on board, 28% up on 2009, the full season saw a 1.6% increase up to 249,269. It should be noted that 291,251 attended back in 1994. However, the current 9 side WAFL is a different proposition to 1994. Since then, the Dockers joined the Eagles and Perth would see a weekly AFL match.

It should be noted that there has been talk of a 3rd WA AFL side sometime into the future. Presently it would seem a shame to undermine this very healthy resurgence of the WAFL. By comparison, soccer in Australia is struggling to achieve a 10,000 average attendance for its national league matches. The strength of the state leagues in WAFL and SANFL in particular are an asset to the AFL.

Conversely, the VFL Grand Final, that I attended along with my 3 kids, was poorly attended. The Docklands experiment is failing dismally at achieving the hoped for 15,000-20,000. In 2008 and 2009, the Friday night AFL GF eve matches drew 11,641 and 14.026 respectively. This years return to the Sunday afternoon slot across AFL Prelim final weekend seemed to get completely lost. The attendance certainly had a feel of being less than the previous 2 that I also attended. As it is, the crowd figure was not posted on the scoreboard and nor has it been published in the press. The stadium was cold, the roof shut, the gap between the TAC Cup GF and VFL match was well over an hour. The pre game entertainment comprised of over loud music on the PA. It can all surely be done better. The VFL perhaps needs to learn from the WAFL. However, the WAFL still retains the core 8 sides. Meanwhile, the SANFL Prelim final is on this weekend. This years SANFL H&A season finished with a total attendance of 276,583 – an average of 3073 spectators per match with 16 (up from 13 in 2009) matches exceeding 4000.