The bye: Your Thoughts?

[Green & White Fever]

The bye sucks...

The SANFL needs to have a serious think about getting a 10th team in the league, or culling a club.

If the first option is preferable, there are a few untapped regions which could/would/should benefit from having a SANFL team. Those being;

1) The Riverland (i.e Murray Bridge)
2) The Spencer Gulf region (i.e Whyalla, Port Augusta, Port Lincoln)
3) The South-East (i.e Mt. Gambier)
4) The Barossa Valley (i.e Nuriootpa, Tanunda)
5) The Adelaide Hills (i.e Mt. Barker, Birdwood)

All of these regions have an inbuilt supporter base, as well as a sizeable population (including surrounding towns). Also, these areas are not too far away.

Also, a combined or stand-alone Northern Territory side could bring some considerable flair and/or talent to the competition, as well as some variety.

If the latter option is desired, which club would be the one under the pump?

Another, left-field theory is a promotion-demotion system a la the English Premier League. For example, if West Adelaide finished bottom of the SANFL ladder and Gaza won the SAAFL Division 1 title, Gaza would enter the SANFl and Westies would be in the SAAFL. I don't expect that this theory would be too popular, but I believe it could work, provided the SANFL (and in turn, the AFL) is willing to dip into its pocket to develop grassroots football.

The SAAFL clubs in particular would thrive in the prospect of exposure of seeing a few thousand faces at their games, as opposed to a couple of hundred (mostly wives, kids and girlfriends). Community football is where the money is at, and the SANFL could potentially make a small fortune by offering constant, fresh ideas to the table, and bringing the game to a new demographic.

A penny for your thoughts?

The debate is on.

[am Bays]

Doggies4eva you thoughts on an NT side......

FYI G&W this topic is covered on two threads on p 15 of this forum....

[Jimmy]

id like to see 10 teams, top 5 and the 10th team a country team of some sort....of course will never happen but....

if not that, an NT side...

if not that....get rid of port adelaide as no one cares about them anyway, they all wear teal now

[Rik E Boy]

The promotion/demotion scenario is a good idea. It could prove to be a real boost to both Amateur football and the SANFL. The promotion part would be easy but what if that SAAFL side finishes above a SANFL club? On current standings Westies would thus be participating in the SAAFL next year! Also, just how big is the gap between the leagues..I'd imagine it would be rather large. A top poll this one.

regards,

REB

[doggies4eva]

Doggies4eva you thoughts on an NT side......

FYI G&W this topic is covered on two threads on p 15 of this forum....

I've probably said enough on this topic on other threads but note that the NT looks like losing the annual Western Bulldogs game in Darwin so has a void to fill and has the spare dollars as they subsidised this game big time - so now might be the time to make a move.

[rod_rooster]

Promotion/Demotion system wouldn't work. The infrastructure just isn't in place. The most ovious example is where are they going to play? Could you envisage 2000 people on the dog track aroung Gaza's oval?

[MightyEagles]

I would like a side from NT or a side from the Hills.

[Booney]

As good as DIV1 SAAFL footy can be,the gap between it and SANFL is huge.Look at some of the better players in DIV1 footy ATM,some are retired SANFL players who were never what one could term "big" names ie: ALf Steed,Lucas Herbert,Matt Golding......and if any one player in SAAFL is good enough to play SANFL why is he not? Most cases,dedication.That is why the league is called amatuer,not because of players not getting paid (we all know that happened even when it wasn't allowed).

A good idea in principal,but not one I think could work.All of a sudden not only the SANFL clubs are looking for sponsors,you would also have the top 2 or 3 Amatuer clubs seeking more money from sponsors,the old problem,only so many $ to go around.

[RustyCage]

Leave the bye, no point changing the comp just because a few supporters dont want to have to do something else for 3 weekends during the season.

[Ecky]

Green & White Fever: I added another option to your poll - "Keep the Bye". I hope you don't mind.

[RustyCage]

Who voted for eliminating a team? You'd wanna have some better reasons than just getting rid of the bye. Who would you get rid of?

[Pseudo]

The bye sucks.

But it's a better option than any of the others listed.

[Aerie]

I wouldn't want to see another team from South Australia. I also wouldn't want to see a merger or losing a club. The only clubs not currently operating at profit (Norwood and Sturt) have huge supporter bases (in comparison to most SANFL clubs) and have systems in place for the future so no need to get rid of any team.

Provided it's viable I'd like to see a team from the NT. Would be fantastic for the competition. Obviously need the SANFL, NTFL, AFL, NT Government and SA Government to do plenty of research and back the new team to make sure they are competitive and also make sure the nine current SANFL clubs are looked after.

If not a team from the NT then I see no problem with our competition the way it is.

[JK]

Agree with Aerie on this one ... And whilst my club is one of those not operating at a Profit (which we're hopeful of having rectified soon), I can honestly say that even if we were atop the money tree I wouldn't want to see any of the existing clubs disappear, it would change the landscape of the SANFL to a point where it would never be the same (for the worse) IMHO.

[dash61]

Demote a side and promote the top amateur side, Really you are on another planet.

Ex league players and reserve players do very, very well at this level, because they are finished or not up to scratch. A lad from north's b's has played back at Gaza as well Kevin Koch and is one of the best gaza players yet can not get a regular game in norths b's let alone make the A grade side at norths and you want them coming up to league if they go top.NO NO NO.

Your better fringe players go to the country for $1000 a game, not into the local leagues any more because of the money in the hills and the country.

If a side like westies was dropped down you would desimate the club or any club in question, they would not recover in time if they went back up the next year because do you think a Ben haynes would play A1 football, as well West should produce another 3-5 players for the AFL system this year eg Buckley, Caire, schmidt and a couple of others who will come under consideration. Gaza Or Adel Uni supplying and U17 or U19 side plus a reserves, Dont think so, take your pills and go back to bed

[RoosterMarty]

I don't like the bye but you have to keep it at this stage. A team in Darwin would be nice because it means you get to go on a footy trip once a year but it will never work, money and the different climate. You cant just 'delete' a team either, and as mentioned already the relegation idea wouldnt work either. So we are stuck with the bye.

[Green & White Fever]

What a lively debate we're having here!

I don't agree with discarding a team on a whim, nor do I approve of having the bye for the sake of having a bye.

My point (perhaps I didn't express it transparently enough) is not about the bye in general, but about ways the SANFL can revive itself. In my opinion, and obviously those of many others, the style and honesty of the SANFL competition is preferable to the AFL, which has become a corporate spectacle. I'd sooner rock up to Alberton Oval every week, than visit the cold, generic surrounds of Football Park (I refuse to call it AAMI Stadium).

In regards to the 'Promotion/Demotion' argument, I think it could be beneficial to both the SAAFL and the SANFL. The demoted SANFL team would bring a higher standard of competiton to the SAAFL. Agreed, the infrastructure is not yet there, but it's not exactly impossible, is it? Such a move would usher in a new era of professionalism to the SAAFL, as well as inspire young grassroots talent to stay loyal to their local clubs, in the hope that their club will one day make it. It's a longshot suggestion, but maybe I'm just an idealist.

The Div. 1 Premiers would play in the SANFL League competition, while it's Div. 1 Reserves side would play SANFL reserves. There is enough junior talent at the bigger clubs (i.e Salisbury North) to suggest that making Under 17 and Under 19's sides shouldn't be too much of a problem. Hell, they might not win a huge amount of games, but if and when they return to SAAFL junior grades, they'll be much stronger, able footballers due to the experience of playing at a greater standard. Does this sound mutually beneficial to anyone?

For clubs like Adelaide University, with no junior club or feeder sides, perhaps special zoning allowances could be made by the SANFL to ensure that local kids stay local.

The SANFL has a well-earned reputation nationally as the seconds-best major league in Australia. But that title is under threat, especially from the VFL, which offers players comparable financial incentives, but with the added advantage of 10 Victorian-based AFL teams on the lookout for possible senior or rookie list talent. From what I've seen of ABC2 a few times a week, the VFL is fast approaching the SANFL in terms of player quality.

I know that my theories don't appeal to everyone, but like all of you, I care about the SANFL and want to see it thrive in the short and long-term future. To assist this, we must consider all the options.

Let's keep the debate alive, and thanks for your inspired responses!!

Regards,

G&WF

[Apachebulldog]

You all know my thoughts on this as discussed in various forums over the years.

Scrap the bye and merge two teams, this comp cannot sustain 9 clubs at the present moment so how do you all propose to support a tenth team ????

As for a NT team where is the money gonna come from ???????

Since the inception of the Crows and dah Power, the local comp is stuffed crowd attendance that is !!!!

Its only us diehards with allegiances to the local clubs that are keeping it going, when we all pass away there will be no SANFL comp unless teams start to merge it might even have to get down to a six team comp !!!!!

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF !!!!!

[heater31]

To begin with I vote leave it as is you blokes can find some thing else to do during the bye weekend but in the interest of sustainibility something may have to be done

Being a country kid (now livin in town) I say that if it has to happen then the NT option is the go the regional proposal won't work as it would stuff up the regional zones not that those matter any more in recent years as my country zone sends em back to us or they go to other clubs ( they have improved this year though with a few juniors plus a player the Power are rumoured to be looking at).

The SAAFL top side would struggle to beat a low ranked reserve side IMO as they have older ex SANFL players and the venues would be a problem. Not one of the home grounds of SAAFL clubs would meet the rundown standards of Thebby.

[Wedgie]

The age old debate.
I say get rid of Sturt just so 5RPH stop mentioning Jimmy from New York almost as much as bloody Smithfield Crash Clangers!!!:lol:
(Just joking Jimmy, Sturt fans and any 5RPH commentator that might read this)

The problem with brining another club from the country in is that you'd ruin the recruiting ground of an already established club and I doubt the finances would be there.
They should have left South at Adelaide nearer their fan base and started a new club at Noarlunga combining the resources of the SFL and GSFL but its too late for that now.

I don't think any interstate team is viable, unless a club falls over I can't see it changing ever.