The league got too clever by half with its scheduling and ticketing, presuming the supporters would, once again, obediently fall into line. But they didn't, particularly in this supposed heartland of the game. Hence the AFL's attempt this season to win back the disaffected through greater "fan engagement" and more family-friendly timeslots for matches. Empty seats at the MCG during an AFL game. Credit:Getty Images What it may now be discovering, however, is that a convergence of factors and the gradual erosion of the faith of the traditional fan base has resulted in a perfect storm, which continues to bucket down troubled waters. Two-thirds of the way through the premiership season there's not a huge amount of evidence that the disillusioned are flocking back to their sporting church. After 66 games to date at the three Victorian venues – the MCG, Etihad Stadium and Geelong's Simonds Stadium – crowds are nominally up on the same stage of last year, by a total of just 27,500.

But even that small comfort looks a bit different when you account for the difference the return to a more traditional round one kick-off made this season. In fact, two of the five highest-drawing games in Melbourne so far both came in round one – the Carlton-Richmond and Hawthorn-Geelong clashes at the MCG. The five Victorian games that opened the new football year drew nearly 65,000 more people than the more pedestrian offerings in 2014. Which makes what's happened subsequently another worry for the AFL. There are about 100 games per season in what is home to 10 of the AFL's 18 clubs. From 2007, after the redevelopment of the MCG, crowds averaged between 41,000 and 43,000, climbing to nearly 44,000 in 2011, when the juggernaut that can be a successful Collingwood was still riding high on the ladder. But that average fell by more than 3000 the following year, recovered a little, then dropped by more than 5000 last year to fewer than 37,000. It remains to be seen over the rest of this season whether much, if any, of that number will be recovered. And there has to be plenty of doubt about that right now. Because if you're a footy traditionalist without a huge interest in the newer, non-Victorian brands, there's not a whole lot to get excited about.

Were the finals held now, five of those playing off for the premiership would hail from beyond this state, and the MCG could conceivably host just two of eight finals played before grand final day. And as dominant as have been Hawthorn at their best, it's fair to say that for the neutrals, the novelty has well and truly worn off. The nationalisation of the game has certainly been successful, and many of us have enjoyed watching the likes of Brisbane, the epic battles of Sydney and West Coast, and the first appearance of Fremantle in a grand final. But the greater good isn't something that necessarily means much to the parochial hordes who follow the more traditional clubs. And it's even harder for them to enjoy the spectacle from a purist's point of view when the game currently serves up more stoppages than we've ever seen before and lower scores than we've known since the late 1960s. All the while, the AFL, at least worried enough now to be seriously considering what steps need to be taken to redress the slide, continues to involve itself in a broad range of community initiatives and gestures beyond running a football competition.

That might be worthy. But there's a time and a place. And right now, it's the core product that requires more urgent, full attention. Because without that, who knows how big an audience will be left to pitch any such message to anyway. Victorian crowds rounds 1-16 Year Average 2008 43,148 2009 41,273

2010 42,164 2011 43,902 2012 40,777 2013 42,218 2014 36,948

2015 39,038