How do AFL Goldfields’ leading country cousins truly stack up against clubs of suburban status?

A long debated promotion-relegation hypothetical is to become a reality in massive, historic overhaul of the region’s next-door neighbour AFL Barwon. This is a move already being billed as the Geelong region’s biggest football bun-fight.

It was mooted in Geelong last year. Blueprints were put to clubs mid this week. Structure change will start from 2017 and be in place by season 2019.

Take note: other regions, like AFL Goldfields, will be watching the ensuing roll-out closely for curiosity. Potential maybe.

Put your pitchforks away because it is not time to be breaking out in a sweat over a tiered Ballarat and district super league just yet.

Promotion-relegation is a great idea. Clubs can strive to play at the highest possible level and those battling for relegation have plenty of spark in their season’s end. Then you take a closer look.

AFL Barwon is similar to Goldfields football in the sense that its major leagues are quite individual – stuffing them into a tiered structure without getting all affected leagues and clubs predominantly on the same page is dangerous. They do not want to play together in the first place.

Barwon is seemingly trying to achieve a sense of equality that goes beyond player points weighting. Barwon wants an even draw between competitive clubs. In Goldfields, Central Highlands Football League already boasts a near seamlessly even draw in which every team plays each other once in a 17-round season – those which played away one year, play home against the same club the next. 

But disparity in competitive stakes is vast. All sorts of geographical conferences or performance-driven divisions have been put forward as solutions. All have been rejected in fiery debate. 

So a tiered system across the region makes sense. A reigning Central Highlands premier like Springbank trade places with a Ballarat Football League wooden spooner, like Sebastopol, into a superior league (on AFL Victoria rankings). 

But this is a far from black-and-white issue.

Goldfields leagues have different junior structures. Juniors, like clubs’ netball arms, are lumped together to hinge on the fate of senior football. These teams could be promoted or relegated in leagues regardless of form. 

Culturally, Goldfields leagues are different. Central Highlands, Ballarat, Maryborough and Riddell District leagues have distinct vibes and parochial supporter bases. Clubs establish rivalries. History is important.

In the Geelong District league, Bell Post Hill has won five of the past six senior football flags. Who is to assume it wants to trade up leagues? Bell Post Hill might be happy to stay put and keep playing for premierships.

Any major football league reform must have resounding benefits formed by thorough club consultation for success. Really want to know how BFL and CHFL measure up? Form one ripper interleague battle for an undisputed champion.