So now Melbourne might finally be getting a Super rugby team, and not before time.

If the Australian Rugby Union had the balls, pardon the pun, it would have originally awarded the franchise that is the Western Force to Victoria, and the Melbourne Trams, or whatever the side would have become known, would likely have performed better than the serially-underperforming Force have in four seasons to date.

The thing about sporting clubs in Melbourne is that the marketplace is so competitive, that they must thrive in order to survive. The AFL is so pervading that if Victorian teams from other sports want to be successful, they must contend for championships in order to attract bums on seats and therefore, sponsorship.

It is not merely a coincidence that Melbourne is home to the defending champions in soccer, basketball and netball, while its rugby league team has played in the last three flag deciders, having brought home the premiership in 2007.

There is a culture of sporting excellence in the city and for that, the South Dragons, Melbourne Vixens and the Melbourne Storm can thank the presence of the AFL and the 10 Victorian clubs.

Having these uber-professional AFL clubs in Melbourne means that the best sporting administrators, sports medicine experts and sports media and marketing types live in Victoria. The training these people receive at AFL clubs is first-rate and the networking opportunities for those in the sports industry are better in Victoria because that's where the best in the business tend to live.

Remember the national cricket and tennis bodies are headquartered in Victoria as well.

The AFL has had a particular effect on both the Storm and the Victory. Both clubs have drawn from AFL clubs on their boards and their management and both clubs have borrowed heavily from the AFL recipe book in how they have built up their clubs.

Storm CEO Brian Waldron has brought an AFL culture and ethos to the Storm, with an emphasis on developing a strong club culture and to involve club members, much as the AFL clubs do. The Storm's handling of the Greg Inglis affair earlier this week was swift and firm, and a lesson to the rest of the NRL as to how to deal with bad news.

Geoff Lord was an unremarkable club president at Hawthorn, but has built an excellent club at the Victory. Signing the taciturn Ernie Merrick as coach was one smart move as was not looking for instant success in the first year, but instead building a team and a club for the long haul. Melbourne has won two of the four A-League titles so far and has a squad that despite last week's hiccup is well placed for another premiership assault this season.

Contrast the steady-as-she-goes Victory with the basket-case that is Sydney FC, which enters the fifth season the A-League with manager no.6.

Both the Storm and the Victory could rightfully claim to the best-run clubs in their respective sports and have created a template that the new Melbourne Super rugby team, should it get the nod from SANZAR, would be well advised to follow.