VFL>SANFL....... Yeah right!

[John_Fidge]

Look at the bolded comments below from that tosser that runs the vfl, Gannon.



VFL the place to go
22 September 2006 Herald-Sun
Ron Reed

FINALS fever is not the familiar, frenetic commodity it once was at the stadium formerly known as Princes Park -- but it's back, nonetheless.

On Wednesday, the Storm rugby league team trained at the venue.

Next up, one after the other, were the combatants in Sunday's VFL grand final, Geelong and Sandringham, banging through goals at the social club end as if they were "Jezza" and the "Dominator" in the good old days.

Back then, there would have been thousands watching the Blues pursue another flag.

This week, you could count the onlookers on your fingers.

Sandringham coach Mark Williams, an old Blue himself, sat alone as he spied on the Cats, the atmosphere relaxed enough for him to exchange pleasantries over the fence with old acquaintance Ron Watt, one of the opposition's coaching staff.

As has been documented with much hand-wringing, this is as close as any Victorian teams will get to grand final glory.

If you're a footy fanatic who needs a fix, this is where you'll find it.

Football Victoria chief executive Ken Gannon hopes this will translate to a crowd of about 12,000 on Sunday, up from 9000 last year.

Gannon is an old hand who was once in charge at the Cattery, so he won't be bereft of emotional involvement.

But it will run a distant second to his life's work these days, which is to nurture the Victorian game at all levels below the AFL -- no minor task, especially in the current climate.

He admits to some frustration about the perception of the VFL, believing many otherwise expert footy-heads don't know what they're missing.

"This is, without any question whatsoever, the best competition outside the AFL -- better than the SANFL, better than the WAFL," Gannon said.

But nor would he dispute that an image problem exists -- even, he says, a form of cultural cringe that has seen star players such as Melbourne's Aaron Davey and Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell forced to wait to be drafted.

It has to do with the competition being a bit of a bastard child -- the "parents" were the old rough and tumble VFA and the AFL reserves -- still struggling to create its own identity after only seven years of existence.

It's "a bit of both," says Gannon.

Most of the 13 clubs act as AFL feeders but the terms of the relationships vary widely.

Geelong pays a fee of $85,000 to allow it to fulfil much of the traditional reserves role, and it can play as many AFL-listed players as it wants.

Sandringham, though, is limited to 12 Demons, with 10 spots reserved for VFL core players.

Williams is faced with a delicate dilemma that pretty much sums up the unique nature of the competition.

He had the option of squeezing four players -- Nathan Brown, Daniel Bell, Nathan Jones and Nick Smith -- from Melbourne's losing semi-final into a side that thrashed Northern Bullants in the preliminary final.

You wonder what effect such a scenario would have on the team ethic, but Williams insists it is not an issue.

"They love it. They pull on a Sandringham jumper and they play as hard for it as they do for Melbourne," he said.

"We place as much importance on attitude as on how they play."

Nor is there a problem with confused agendas.

"We win firstly and develop players secondly," he said. "It's the only way to survive. So we're playing for sheep stations this week."

Crowds average about 2000 and are mostly from the old VFA communities, but Gannon will be disappointed if he doesn't see some new faces.

"People are saying we've got to make sure footy in Victoria is strong. Well, if we all love footy, come and support it -- simple," he said.

[spell_check]

Sounds like a bit of a wank-fest to me.

[heater31]

Can someone please remind him who won the last State match between the two leagues.

12,000 for a grand final thats as about a half as many the SANFL had for its poorest GF crowd in the last six years. yeah Victorians like their VFL footy methinks not

[the tractor]

What do you expect from a vic tosser!

[bayman]

would you expect any different ? & unless i'm wrong aren't the victorians coming here to play & not vice verser ? the last player i think that went to victoria to play was ciccallella, oh hang on he went then came back before they played a game

just very poor victorian propaganda !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mr66]

Gannon is a good administrator but always comes off as a goose when he tries this sort of thing.
Why people say these things is pretty pointless as they are only preaching to their own people
and don't they realise that this sort of comment gets aroung VERY quickly in this day and age.

[Dutchy]

send him a copy of Passadors interview on AA tonight, categorically stated that SANFL was miles ahead of VFL...this is a guy thats played in 2 flags in the VFL and a top side here...prety good guy to judge I would have thought!!

[Wedgie]

Actually its not as far fetched as it sounds.
I've talked to some administrators here who don't want to be quoted who've gone over and watched VFL finals and claim they're a higher standard than the SANFL solely because of the huge amount of AFL listed players that play in the comps.
Having the non-AFL players is a much bigger chunk out of the VFL side than it is the SANFL side each year.

Having said that, Go Cats, its the only comp Geelong have a chance of winning in my lifetime.

[fester69]

Hang on Wedgie!!

We beat the Cows in the NAB cup!
That's the only comp we'll win in our lifetime outside the VFL!

[Dutchy]

Actually its not as far fetched as it sounds.
I've talked to some administrators here who don't want to be quoted who've gone over and watched VFL finals and claim they're a higher standard than the SANFL solely because of the huge amount of AFL listed players that play in the comps.
Having the non-AFL players is a much bigger chunk out of the VFL side than it is the SANFL side each year.

Having said that, Go Cats, its the only comp Geelong have a chance of winning in my lifetime.

give me the opinion of a player than an administrator anyday

[McAlmanac]

The inter-league match is not quite representative of the competitions as AFL-listed players don't participate. VFL matches have far more AFL-listed (and hence, full time) players running around, which lifts the standard. Sandringham's side for tomorrow's match is extremely strong - I believe it would knock off any SANFL side.

[Mr66]

So what is the criteria that we use to judge this?
Crowds,playing standards or even club finances?

[Wedgie]

People that have objectively watched both comps agree that the VFL is of a higher standard.
BUT it doesn't make it a better competition, there's much more involved with claiming which comp is better and the SANFL is streaks ahead in other facts such as crowd support, money, etc, etc, etc.

[mighty_tiger_79]

well the VFL may be of a higher standard, but of what ive briefly seen on fox with the replays that is yet to be believed for me.

It is a fair point to say that the VFL may be more skillful because of the number of AFL players in any given team, but the SANFL do more in terms of grass-roots level then the VFL i would say.

Id like Sandringham to play the EAGLES with the EAGLES having their AFL players playing.

[Mr66]

Maybe the old end-of-season premiers matches that we had in the '60s and '70s could be revived.
Or these teams could play each other as curtain raisers to AFL pre season games?
I saw the first round of SANFL games this year and have either seen VFL games on telly or in person
and really couldn't differenciate between either league. What makes me lean toward the SANFL is
crowd size AND passion. SANFL fans truly follow their club while VFL fans tend to be fans of the AFL club that
they are feeders to.
There aren't many die hard VFA fans left from the halcyon days of the '60s &'70s.
THAT was a footy league.

[mighty_tiger_79]

MR66

good idea, get all the state comps to finish the season at the same time and a fortnight after teh grand final - giving the winning team plenty of time to celebrate and recover have a round-robin format in which all teams play each other, or split them into different groups.

[NFC]

SANFL > VFL.

[MightyEagles]

SANFL > VFL.

I agree.

[MightyEagles]

well the VFL may be of a higher standard, but of what ive briefly seen on fox with the replays that is yet to be believed for me.

It is a fair point to say that the VFL may be more skillful because of the number of AFL players in any given team, but the SANFL do more in terms of grass-roots level then the VFL i would say.

Id like Sandringham to play the EAGLES with the EAGLES having their AFL players playing.

I would agree with this.

[mighty_tiger_79]

well the VFL may be of a higher standard, but of what ive briefly seen on fox with the replays that is yet to be believed for me.

It is a fair point to say that the VFL may be more skillful because of the number of AFL players in any given team, but the SANFL do more in terms of grass-roots level then the VFL i would say.

Id like Sandringham to play the EAGLES with the EAGLES having their AFL players playing.

can i take that back? i didnt think i was going to see what i saw today when i posted this.