Facts are lofty are crap in seniors and finished bottom. Loby were too before last year but as no one wanted to come up from country they where lucky for 3 years straight. Just make relegation and promotion compulsory year in year out and then everyone know the rules. Otherwise make a 14 team league with kersbrook, birdwood , nairne up in central as well and tell the others to amalgamate or go elsewhere. Nothing is going to change as the current board shows no leadership and is dictated to by williams and co at the self interested so called big clubs. 1 or 2 clubs are getting sick of it from what I hear and looking for change. It won't take much unfortunately.

Legs, i see merit in the zones idea but unfortunately you won't be solving the problem we have with the gaps between bottom and top. There's no way the likes of Gum/Birdwood/Kersbook are going to be able to comete against Mt Barker. Same going for Kangarilla v Hahndorf/Blackwood.

I have mentioned quite a few times before I think the HFL also needs to look to the future and see the potential of towns like Nairne that have grown so much more than the smaller towns (which are restricted to internal growth).
My thoughts...
Div 1 - 2 snr teams
Mt Barker
Hahndorf
Onkas
Lobey
Lofty
Ironbank
Uraidla
Echunga

Div 2 - 2 snr teams
Bridgy
Nairne
TV
Kersbrook
Meadows
Birdwood
Maccy
Gum

Div 3 - 1 snr team
Sedan/Cambrai
Milang
Any other "C grade" team
Cornerstone/Littlehampton (to start with until established) -
Houghton??
Callington??
Woodside??

Blackwood to SAAFL
Kangarilla to SFL
Sedan Cambrai to Div 3 or Riverland indys

Colts at U18's, U15's and U13's and all clubs must have 2 of the 3 colts teams to play in div 1 or 2.
Any div 3 teams that want to join div 2 must have 2 senior teams and the 2 out of 3 colts.
Promotion/relegation between div 1 and 2 compulsory for bottom 2 / top 2 based on A grade (not whole club).

Two 8 team divs will reduce the step up from div 1 and 2 and should make the difference between top and bottom much closer.
One Cornerstone/Littlehampton are established with juniors, eventually this will reduce the excess juniors at Mt Barker and Hahndorf.

Excellent reading here recently re Country footy problems. Cheers bailey39 for being the sole poster here to mention Milang. I would welcome any discussion as to where punters think we belong in the scheme of things. Where would you put a very solid and consistent C grade side which has players missing out on a game most weeks, yet could not field another grade? Great facilities and oval, new and effective lights, kids everywhere at games.

Over to punters.....

Finally, Looks Good in Leather - surprised you think Bridgewater are in danger given they have to play Uraidla and Echunga, so between the senior colts and B grade will be over 150 points without much effort.

A lot of assumptions here, but here goes.

Bridgewater - curr 139
Expecting them to lose their 3 remaining A-Grade games (Mount Barker, Echunga & Uraidla). They should account for Echunga in the Bs (5 points) but I would expect them to lose the other two. In the senior colts I expect them to beat Echunga & Uraidla (10 points), but the Mount Barker game is hard to call. In the Junior colts I expect them to lose to Mount Barker, with the Echunga and Uraidla games in the balance.

Predicted Final Range: 155-166


Echunga - curr 116
This week very important in the A's against TV with the winner gaining an extra 10 points against a fellow relegation candidate. I expect them to beat both Bridgewater and Hahndorf (20 points). Unlikely to win any of the remaining games in the Bs (0 points). Expecting them to lose the Senior colts against Bridgewater & Hahndorf, with the game against Torrens Valley in the balance. In the junior colts I don't see them beating Hahndorf, but both the Torrens Valley & Bridgewater games are a chance.

Predicted Final Range: 136-157


Torrens Valley - curr 111
As mentioned, this week very important against Echunga and likely to beat Hahndorf (10 points) with the Ironbank game also a chance. Expecting TV to win their B-Grade games against Echunga & Hahndorf (10 points) and a chance to beat Ironbank. Not expecting them to win the Senior colts against Hahndorf or Ironbank but the Echunga game could be a chance. Similar in the Junior Colts I expect losses to Hahndorf & Ironbank but toss a coin in the Echunga game with it being a close one earlier in the year.

Predicted Final Range: 131-164

If Torrens Valley beat Echunga this week then Bridgewater should be safe, but their performance in the A-Grade mean that if a few results go Echunga's way, Bridgewater also find themselves in danger.

Should be an exciting finish.

Can someone from Onkas please tell me why a convicted criminal is again playing for them after recent release on parole. Has anyone cared to read the court report in relation to this serious offence? Why would a club allow a person of this character to return?

Not sure of the scenario, but surely if someone has been released on parole, then people with much higher qualifications and experience than your average football committee have determined that they are suitable to go and participate in society again. A football club/organised sport is a very good environment for someone who is trying to get their life back on track by re-joining society in hopefully a more positive way than what got them into trouble in the first place.

Then again I have no idea what the crime and situation was that had them in trouble in the first place, and the assumption is made the club has assessed the risks, but football clubs provide an exceptional service to the community in assisting people like this.

Our small club has had 3 of the last 4 mail medallists in Senior and Junior Colts who, subject to their SANFL journey, will play A-Grade for the Raiders for the next decade. Add them to the nine teenagers who played A-Grade this year, and you can see why we’re confident in the sustainable way we’re building our club.[/quote]

Is this new investing in your juniors. Meadows have been doing this for years have a look at how many mail junior medallists they have had in the last five years. Two juniors played state footie one named all Australian one being apart of the winning u16 state team, not to mention Brady Dawe 3 time premiership player with Norwood. 75% of the senior side who have played junior colts at Meadows.