Isn’t it funny how fans complain when there isn’t enough footy on?

The AFL season is stretched as long as it can be, from March to September – with now two byes – and senior players are noting burnout. There are hundreds of other competitions from state to regional and community levels, but people feel an overwhelming attachment to their AFL club first and foremost.

One way to get more football into the calendar while still supporting your team is through the proposed national reserves competition.

Such a league would mean curtain-raisers at all AFL games, because everyone in the competition will have a second team to mirror the seniors – and footy would be all the better for its existence.

According to Nine News, 17 of the 18 clubs support this measure – only Fremantle, who would rather keep their relationship with Peel Thunder in the WAFL, stand opposed, though Peel themselves have previously voiced in-principle support for a nationwide second tier.

A double-header on game day would provide more value for fans and paying members who would be able to attend two games in one place. More importantly, it would actually allow supporters to follow their reserves team as closely as they would their AFL one – imagine spending the day out watching both your club’s teams play, without having to make extra plans or visit another ground. Just arrive at the same venue a little earlier.

This would increase engagement with fans and provide more eyes on games for potential sponsors, but also have major advantages on-field for players – and not just for the interstate teams.

Having a more streamlined reserves competition would lift the quality of matches, because players would be competing against each other, rather than some teams playing in what are considered by many to be weaker leagues.

A national reserves competition would also allow the opportunity for young players to get AFL exposure sooner.

Reserves coaches would work closely with senior head coaches and could work out a streamlined football program that combines both grades as part of development.

Young stars like Ryley Sanders playing so many games in ‘ressies’ in his early seasons would be even better for their development. If fans are attending both games, they won’t miss seeing him – using the second grade to manage young players would surely help them reach their potential earlier, rather than fade out as their first seasons go on.

This in turn would increase the player talent pool – not just in terms of the number of players pulling on the boots, but their experience and quality that can only be gained from playing against the best.

This is going to be crucial with the AFL wanting to increase to 20 teams and perhaps beyond down the track. They can’t be taking from the current talent pool without putting in, and not see more lopsided games.

It would also provide more responsibility on clubs to develop their talent. If younger players need to be playing at a higher standard for reserves, club coaches – each will still have their unique style – will have to put more work into giving them the necessary skills.

Collingwood have already noted that a national second-tier competition would allow players from both levels to travel together, encouraging more mentorship, but also enabling coaches to work alongside each other, to help ease the burden on staff within their club.

It would open the door to grow the game from the roots up, meaning longevity in playing stock, rather than building a club brand (and forcing them to build infrastructure) and then trying to pilfer talented players from existing lower-level clubs.

There are enough Australian Rules players in the country to develop, and reserves create an alternate, streamlined pathway to the top.

According to the AFL’s Annual Report in 2023, there are more than 500,000 registered participants in the game – right down to the community level. That may not sound like much in a country of 26 million people, but playing the numbers game of 22 in a side, that is still 22,727 teams across all levels.

Adelaide, Port Adelaide and West Coast are prepared to break with long-standing tradition and leave their state leagues. This sacrifice cannot be understated as to how important it’s seen to these clubs who’d be leaving behind some rich history and tradition.

While it seems like an idea driven by interstate clubs crying foul over the evenness of the current AFL competition, a national reserves competition makes sense for everyone.

It is not going to be cheap to coordinate it all, and there are obviously some clubs in a better position than others to transition, but it’s a no-brainer that work on it has to happen sooner rather than later.