Today, Eddie McGuire said the existence of intestate academies is ‘going to destroy the game.’

As usual, Eddie has been restrained and nuanced in his criticism.

His desire to keep other club presidents onside means he has significantly undersold the danger these academies present.

Typical Eddie. Always trying to please others and put the broader competition first.

While I admire Eddie’s self-restraint and complete lack of self-interest, I can’t stay silent.

These interstate academies will not only destroy the AFL, they will rip our society apart.

The list of failed nation states that once had footballing academies is literally endless. Any school kid knows how quickly the end came for the Roman Empire when footballing academies were introduced.

I’m not talking about this happening here in maybe a million years, like those ‘scientists’ would have you believe about climate change.

I’m talking possibly as early as August 2015.

We really need to stop and ask ourselves, who wants to continue with a national competition anyway?

It’s obviously been a failure in every way.

Let us go back to a time before state leagues, before suburban leagues; until we are back to the game being an eighty-a-side free for all on the banks of the Yarra, lasting two days.

Like all things, progress has ruined what was once a pure and noble pursuit.

So thank you Eddie for starting this debate, it’s time for people who find it a bit easier to speak up, to take up the cudgel and tear down these academies.