The AFL Commission has responded to the
threat of Rugby League expansion on the Gold Coast by making some
significant plans for its own fixtures on the Coast from next season;
but more significantly promoting a 10 year-plan with the end game
ideally being a Gold Coast-based team in the league.

However,
I understand any suggestion of a 17th expansion club is not on the
commission agenda, so that means ultimately a relocated Melbourne club
– but which one? Would you believe that one whisper suggests that the
most likely name for eventual export to Queensland is – Melbourne!

Today
the Gold Coast City Council confirmed it has been made a firm offer by
the commission – with the promise of bigger things to come – that next
season it’s prepared to schedule two Wizard Cup pre-season games on the
coast, and two regular season games. If this eventuates, the AFL will
then review the success of these games with a view to continuing a
similar schedule for following seasons. This news will be welcome by
some and resented by others given the Gold Coast public is thought to
be split roughly on 50-50 lines between Rugby League and AFL devotees
in any head-to-head popularity poll.

The full story is on the website here.