Current state of AFL Card market....

Even with releases aimed at kids there needs to be some decent "hits" for other collectors like an auto as was done in 2011 or some different parallel cards including low # parallels or game used, however for whatever reason select don't appear to listen to any feedback and churn out Similar stuff year in year out, I've purchased a few boxes of hobby afl each year since 1994, however probably won't bother this year.

My thoughts from a 25+ year collector.

Teamcoach are for kids (although I have enjoyed them in the past) and are the same cookie cut release every year - boring.
Select Series 1 has no appeal for me either (for kids) and again, same cookie cut design, feel of cards, ugly white backgrounds. At least include some chase cards. Signatures were cool a few years back.
Select Series 2 has never been reinvented - just gone backwards, no more DPS, the same inserts year in year out (All Australians, really? who cares?).

Last year instead of my annual box of Select series 2, I purchased the M Blight signature redemption for less than the price of a box.

Select Series 2 needs MASSIVE improvement, low numbered cards/parallels, big name autos, game worn / event worn / football piece cards.

Also reconsider getting those cards printed in China, the finish on them feels like sandpaper.

I have moved on from AFL collecting.

Well, being a Teamcoach collector here, I don’t have a problem with the ‘sameness’. In fact, I think Teamcoach does a good job in making solid new inserts (Footy Flix is a wonderful idea, really impressed with the idea. Footy Pointers is also a clever idea.) Since Teamcoach is a game first and a collectable series later, the sameness is natural. In fact, I like the idea of traditional C/S/G sets. It stays constant so you can compare 2002 with 2012 with little problem (GP aside.) It's traditional and it's a good start to any set. I would admit there is some things Teamcoach have changed for the worse, liking getting rid of action shots for the gold, which are the best cards for a kid (I mean, a card of your favourite player doing something awesome? Hell yeah!)


Teamcoach could do with a little more broadening audience wise (At least you’ve got star wilds), but they’re always very interesting! Plenty to collect and some good ideas. As a game series, it works well.


Of course, I can understand how frustrating it must be for the average collector. Champions is a poor ripoff of Teamcoach, and Series 2 just misses that extra sparkle. I’m also a bit mixed about multiple releases over a year, because unlike the NBA, the players are quite stationary in terms of movement, and of course there’s the problem of oversaturation. I think 3 releases is right. FF is a very risky game, but that’s all part of the fun, isn’t it? I can see why Select would want to try appeal to the kiddies with Champions, but at the same time, you’re looking at a poor ratio for the adult collectors. The only thing worth their while is Series 2, and to be honest, Champions is looking more and more ‘tryhard. Yes, you want the kiddies in, but there isn’t going to be much for them once they grow up. At least Teamcoach has the game and their prize cards… Champions… meh.


In regards to sigs, Select should definitely have them, no matter what series. It doesn’t really work for Teamcoach, since the idea is that it is meant to be accessible to all, which is why it is very collectable in the first place. A signature set is possible (One from each of the 18 clubs), but I’m not sure how they would handle it. As a collector, I want all 18 of them. Heck to be me if I have to try get them all. 54 prize cards is already a tricky enough challenge (Where are all the 2013 prize cards?!)


But yeah, I think there needs to be more comps and more for the older collector, but not to the point of oversaturation. Those cards need to mean something after all. They also need to give you the illusion that you can truly complete a set… the thrill of the hunt to get them all!

Flix and Pointers epitomise why I lost interest in Teamcoach.

One thing we also need to be aware of is that Teamcoach operates under a gaming card licence with the AFL which is different to a Trading Card licence.

Whilst we may see them as the same thing, its the reason why Teamcoach puts out the product it does (much to Select's anger)

I see it as really frustrating that there are people out there that would kill to put out some amazing products if they had a licence to do so, however because it is a monopoly and we have someone who continues to put out average to below average products we just have to wear it.

Again we are just the consumers........and we have to put up with what we get.

I believe a lot of people have stopped collecting because there are way too many cards to actually collect.
Gone are the days of just common cards as the entire set, fair enough i get that, but how expensive is it to actually get an entire set from each year. Basically impossible, unless you have a big wallet.
More and more people collect team based cards only, that is good and i get that also. Buy a packet of cards and get mostly common cards, that is being ripped off, particularly if you buy a box or a case and dont get a lot of hits.
You can often get common sets on ebay at $9.99 or even less, so they really are valueless, just a packet filler to get a price per pack.
Plus the fact money is tight these days and will be for many years to come, like i do, most just buy a card at a time, and i will never complete an entire set, so collectors interests vary greatly these days.
Manufacturers of cards need to make money also, as it is a business, or they go broke so i understand they can only invest so much money themselves just like us.

The monopoly sucks, I hate champions but had to buy 2 cases off my supplier just to get his numbers up so we are guaranteed the better released later on, now I'm just trying to get my money back so I can move on, teamcoach I am a fan of I like there cards and I hope that extra insert they put in this year is a 1:72 odds, why can't champions do that all they need is something a bit rarer or numbered to keep us older people interested, I don't follow nrl that much but the esp elite releases shit all over anything select dishes up and I will be buying them this year as they are fun to bust

Not sure I agree on the NRL ESP. Checklists I have seen show more inserts than commons. Be worried that may go the way of basketball and have 1/1 worth $5. But I admit I have only briefly looked at it. Being someone who likes to get 1 of all releases I dread the day when 1/1 come to AFL.

its the offseason, let the season start and it will pick up a little bit

Card collecting in Australia is having a downward spiral atm, I stopped collecting AFL 3-4 seasons ago and NRL when ESP took over. Best move I've ever made, the products that these two make a sub standard at the very best, this also allows me to venture into other products too.

That's another reason why I won't touch ESP & Select cards, if you are a true Australian company why not get the printing done locally? Yes, I understand it's much much cheaper in China, but the quality is shit! Support a local business, I'm sure their pockets are full enough.

Here's something to ponder, say Regal were to make a of a 'legend' signature card for the AFL market, how many people not supporting that club the player played for, would actually go out and buy one of these cards? Only reason I ask, is I know the NRL collectors would buy one in a heart beat, the AFL collectors not so much?

Put me down for three(even if its a Collingwood player).

Go Bombers.

Lazlow said:

Flix and Pointers epitomise why I lost interest in Teamcoach.

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Ah well, fair enough. They're actually some of my favourite cards, especially the Flix. Not all of us are sig crazy for game guernsey keen.

I understand Teamcoach's market, because after all, I used to be in that market. There's still plenty for me to enjoy, though I do wish they bought back the proper action golds.

Matt26 said:

One thing we also need to be aware of is that Teamcoach operates under a gaming card licence with the AFL which is different to a Trading Card licence.

Whilst we may see them as the same thing, its the reason why Teamcoach puts out the product it does (much to Select's anger)

I see it as really frustrating that there are people out there that would kill to put out some amazing products if they had a licence to do so, however because it is a monopoly and we have someone who continues to put out average to below average products we just have to wear it.

Again we are just the consumers........and we have to put up with what we get.

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Thank you, my point exactly. In reality, it's just Select. Teamcoach is game first, and has always been the case. The wildcards and stuff are just nice bonuses on the side. Blame it on Select for trying to emulate Teamcoach, they should be focusing on being the 'real' deal. One for the collector that has graduated from the school of Teamcoach.

Who knows? Now that Gil's in charge, maybe we might see some changes in regards to licensing? He is listening to the people from what I'm hearing.

I hope someone like Panini never gets afl you get a 1 of 10 made card its worth 20 bucks and 1 of 1s would make me hate collecting you want to have a shot of getting certain cards not no chance in hell that's why I never bought into the 2014 world cup soccer cards I ve got everything made from 1986 on cards and stickers but once they make 1 of 1s and 6 parallels of the same card # to 10 etc spoils the fun for me select need to make the redemptions back to 100 made and do something like the prime draft insert again or 05 platinum die cut . but being honost I think honours was pretty good and will only get better this years should be great masters greg Williams garry ablett Robert Harvey etc plus they can add to it like the hall of fame cards every so many years

stevic said:

I hope someone like Panini never gets afl you get a 1 of 10 made card its worth 20 bucks and 1 of 1s would make me hate collecting you want to have a shot of getting certain cards not no chance in hell that's why I never bought into the 2014 world cup soccer cards I ve got everything made from 1986 on cards and stickers but once they make 1 of 1s and 6 parallels of the same card # to 10 etc spoils the fun for me select need to make the redemptions back to 100 made and do something like the prime draft insert again or 05 platinum die cut . but being honost I think honours was pretty good and will only get better this years should be great masters greg Williams garry ablett Robert Harvey etc plus they can add to it like the hall of fame cards every so many years

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I disagree. Personally I'd love someone like Panini to produce AFL cards. Jerseys and more signatures. Low numbered parallels would be great. Having to chase six parallels of a particular player would give you more to collect, and would make Selects cards more appealing, at least to me.
With Select series 2, once you've seen one case broken, there's not much more to see. With the inclusion of more signatures, rare patches, 1/1's, each case would be significantly different to the other.

As it stands at the moment, I think someone else having a crack and potentially failing...is a better result than the hobby continuing on the same path.

I used to count down days until new sets come out and now days I barely bother to read any emails from Select. I am 27 now, been collecting since I was 3!

Mike_K said:

So with inflation creeping into all other aspects of our lives, I guess we can be grateful that there is still significant sales volumes to cover the increasing costs incurred by the manufacturers without the need to increase the price per pack, or reduce in the number of cards per pack for the same price.

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Or you could suggest that the production costs have not increased, and possibly in real terms, decreased with Asian (China based) competition.

When I opened the 1st pack, it felt like deja vu.....looks like 2012 FF to me.

The inserts need to be on thicker stock. They need to produce 'prizm / chrome' base cards - try a 'finest' type release - there needs to be an auto, and I still do not understand why we don't have GU / patch cards. You can just go on and on.

ozfootball said:

Or you could suggest that the production costs have not increased, and possibly in real terms, decreased with Asian (China based) competition....

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Or I could just suggest that given a packet of Select Champion cards cost $2.95 in 2006, and with an average annual inflation rate of 2.7% since that time, the cost of a pack would be $3.65 in today's dollars.

But of course then we just get back to the same discussion about people being to willing to pay $3.65 per pack for decent cards, blah, blah, blah.

But why worry....I heard today that Woolworths new collectable range is going to be Disney/Pixar Dominos. There are 44 to collect, and you get 1 domino for every $20 spent, so the $880 that will need to be spent to collect a full set is going to make it a bargain.

So my advice, why bother with Select cards when you will be able to make a fortune selling these dominos to the mums for their little darlings.

What was it about $2.99 for a pack of AFL cards again....

Mike_K said:

Or I could just suggest that given a packet of Select Champion cards cost $2.95 in 2006, and with an average annual inflation rate of 2.7% since that time, the cost of a pack would be $3.65 in today's dollars.

But of course then we just get back to the same discussion about people being to willing to pay $3.65 per pack for decent cards, blah, blah, blah.

But why worry....I heard today that Woolworths new collectable range is going to be Disney/Pixar Dominos. There are 44 to collect, and you get 1 domino for every $20 spent, so the $880 that will need to be spent to collect a full set is going to make it a bargain.

So my advice, why bother with Select cards when you will be able to make a fortune selling these dominos to the mums for their little darlings.

What was it about $2.99 for a pack of AFL cards again....

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While i get what your saying, it's slightly flawed. You don't actually pay $20 for one domino, you pay $20 for groceries you would have brought anyway and you get a free domino. Slightly different. And in 2006 $2.95 per packet was better value than now, atleast then we got numbered rookie cards. But i get the inflation thing, but surely they are saving that plus some more in them being printed overseas.

It is sad to see the Freefall that the AFL card market is in at the moment. One day it will bounce back.

Jesse Dart said:

It is sad to see the Freefall that the AFL card market is in at the moment. One day it will bounce back.

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The easy way to improve the market would be to introduce competition.

That would mean companies would have to innovate and improve products to stay afloat.