THE AFL does not do enough to support the grassroots game. More than 85 per cent of 155 country clubs that responded to a Herald Sun survey said the game's custodian was neglecting them.
And 12 per cent of club presidents told the Herald Sun they did not think their club would survive the next 10 years.
The league has pledged tens of millions of dollars to establish clubs in enemy territory on the Gold Coast and in western Sydney.
The AFL has budgeted to have $82 million in its "future fund" by the end of 2012.
First-year club, Bendigo Football League's Strathfieldsaye Storm, said it had not received any support from the AFL in its foundation year.
"The AFL is prepared to spend $17 million or whatever it is to go to west Sydney, when realistically they should be looking at Victoria and grassroots football," Strathfieldsaye president Ray Patterson said.
"We didn't want handouts, but just some assistance would have been really handy.
"The Victorian Country Football League were very good, but AFL level, I thought, was very disappointing."
Some 152 players on AFL lists hail from country Victoria.
One of the clubs that feared it would not see out the next decade was Royal Park, which plays in the Maryborough/Castlemaine District League.
Club president Adam Balzan, 27, said his young committee was working hard, but he predicted there would not be three teams in Maryborough in 10 years.
"There's a big push in town now for a merger to happen. I don't want it to happen ... but to ensure the future of football in Maryborough something has to be done," Balzan said.
"We're in a small country town and there's four clubs within a 15km radius, so we're all pouring into the one area to get all these junior players and it's just not happening."
AFL game development officer David Matthews defended the league.
"Clubs that are struggling tend to just struggle when the economics of a particular area struggle -- it's nothing to do with the popularity of football," Matthews said.
"Any time you ask anybody are they getting enough money, they're going to say no.
"(Country footy) is an annual economy in its own right (generating) about $90 million a year, $22 million of which is spent on player payments.
"So you have club presidents saying, 'I'd like to do more with facilities . . . but rather than prioritise that, I'll go out and spend $25,000 on this bloke'."
The Herald Sun sent its country football survey to the state's 456 bush clubs.
By Matt Windley
Article firs appeared The Herald Sun August 22, 2009
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