SA Footy

There is talk on a different forum that for 2007 the SANFL will be changing its underage competitions from U17/19 to U16/18s. It is said so it lines up with the Victorian leagues.

Anybody know if this is true or not?

Dunno, but this dicussion comes up every year.
I personally think it would be a good thing mainly because a lot of SANFL clubs struggle for volunteers these days and if you merged the U17s and U19s into an U18s you could have all 3 grades on the same day making it a much easier proposition to support.

Macca19 wrote: There is talk on a different forum that for 2007 the SANFL will be changing its underage competitions from U17/19 to U16/18s. It is said so it lines up with the Victorian leagues.

Anybody know if this is true or not?

Wedgie wrote: Dunno, but this dicussion comes up every year.
I personally think it would be a good thing mainly because a lot of SANFL clubs struggle for volunteers these days and if you merged the U17s and U19s into an U18s you could have all 3 grades on the same day making it a much easier proposition to support.

Having a U16 & U 18 comp would require just as many volunteers as the current U17 & U 19's, so I can't really see any advantage in that, as you mentioned Wedgie, if they merged them into one U18 comp, and played all 3 grades on the same day, that would be a huge advantage to the clubs when it comes to getting the volunteers required to support all grades.

Ian wrote:

Macca19 wrote: There is talk on a different forum that for 2007 the SANFL will be changing its underage competitions from U17/19 to U16/18s. It is said so it lines up with the Victorian leagues.

Anybody know if this is true or not?

Wedgie wrote: Dunno, but this dicussion comes up every year.
I personally think it would be a good thing mainly because a lot of SANFL clubs struggle for volunteers these days and if you merged the U17s and U19s into an U18s you could have all 3 grades on the same day making it a much easier proposition to support.

Having a U16 & U 18 comp would require just as many volunteers as the current U17 & U 19's, so I can't really see any advantage in that, as you mentioned Wedgie, if they merged them into one U18 comp, and played all 3 grades on the same day, that would be a huge advantage to the clubs when it comes to getting the volunteers required to support all grades.

U16's will be like the present U15's comp - a shortened specialist type comp and not the impact of 23 (edited) rounds like the 17's have now. So in reality we will be dropping one grade overall and just changing age years for the others so it will benefit the clubs.

drebin wrote:

Ian wrote:

Macca19 wrote: There is talk on a different forum that for 2007 the SANFL will be changing its underage competitions from U17/19 to U16/18s. It is said so it lines up with the Victorian leagues.

Anybody know if this is true or not?

Wedgie wrote: Dunno, but this dicussion comes up every year.
I personally think it would be a good thing mainly because a lot of SANFL clubs struggle for volunteers these days and if you merged the U17s and U19s into an U18s you could have all 3 grades on the same day making it a much easier proposition to support.

Having a U16 & U 18 comp would require just as many volunteers as the current U17 & U 19's, so I can't really see any advantage in that, as you mentioned Wedgie, if they merged them into one U18 comp, and played all 3 grades on the same day, that would be a huge advantage to the clubs when it comes to getting the volunteers required to support all grades.

U16's will be like the present U15's comp - a shortened specialist type comp and not the impact of 3 rounds like the 17's have now. So in reality we will be dropping one grade overall and just changing age years for the others so it will benefit the clubs.

Fair enough, that would make more sense than just altering the ages of the current comps

First time I have heard of this, has not been talked about at the Eagles in the last few weeks that I know about.

Its a great idea, especially with collage footy not letting alot of players play in SANFL each week once their footy season begins.

TroyGFC wrote:Its a great idea, especially with collage footy not letting alot of players play in SANFL each week once their footy season begins.

Collage footy ... where they exchange the sherrin for derwents and idolise Rembrandt, not Robran...

MightyEagles wrote:First time I have heard of this, has not been talked about at the Eagles in the last few weeks that I know about.

It has been floated at the SANFL for some time by a couple of clubs with North leading the charge to change and based on good reasoning, facts and stats. Some clubs however just can't see the forest for the trees and really have narrow visions on this topic and believe it or not some of those resitant to the changes (6 clubs I undertand) are the financial strugglers and the propposal is actually a very effective financial saving to clubs!

drebin wrote:

MightyEagles wrote:First time I have heard of this, has not been talked about at the Eagles in the last few weeks that I know about.

It has been floated at the SANFL for some time by a couple of clubs with North leading the charge to change and based on good reasoning, facts and stats. Some clubs however just can't see the forest for the trees and really have narrow visions on this topic and believe it or not some of those resitant to the changes (6 clubs I undertand) are the financial strugglers and the propposal is actually a very effective financial saving to clubs!

Agreed Drebin - some of these clubs are in their current financial position as a result of a lack of forward thinking and living in the past.

North would be supporting it beacuse their senior Coach is the one who suggested it in the first place. I am i right Drebin

heater31 wrote:North would be supporting it beacuse their senior Coach is the one who suggested it in the first place. I am i right Drebin

No actually, Jars went public on it but it actually originated from our CEO and Board.

ok then i wont give jars the credit of comming up with the idea

drebin wrote:

heater31 wrote:North would be supporting it beacuse their senior Coach is the one who suggested it in the first place. I am i right Drebin

No actually, Jars went public on it but it actually originated from our CEO and Board.

North have been "anti" (loose sense of the word) U/19s since the Nunan years, when the philosophy if you can't play senior footy by 18 well you aren't really going to make it. Nunan came back with this attitude from his study tours in teh 70s.

When I was with the Glenelg juniors the North 17s were always strong but their 19s were so-so. Some good players but you could see there emphasis was always on the 17s compared to the 19s.

I think there is merit in what they are proposing at the good kids are playing reserves footy by the time they are 17-18. Even in 1990 towards the end of the season we had 11 u/19s playing 2s footy, none of those left in the 19s who weren't eligible for U/18s went on to play senior footy.

Similar story in 91-93 when i still worked with the juniors.

BAsically very few kids who haven't played senior footy by the time they are 19 will ever make it. If they don't thay can still be attracted back to the club if they start playing good footy at A1-A2 level.

1980 Tassie Medalist wrote:

drebin wrote:

heater31 wrote:North would be supporting it beacuse their senior Coach is the one who suggested it in the first place. I am i right Drebin

No actually, Jars went public on it but it actually originated from our CEO and Board.

North have been "anti" (loose sense of the word) U/19s since the Nunan years, when the philosophy if you can't play senior footy by 18 well you aren't really going to make it. Nunan came back with this attitude from his study tours in teh 70s.

When I was with the Glenelg juniors the North 17s were always strong but their 19s were so-so. Some good players but you could see there emphasis was always on the 17s compared to the 19s.

I think there is merit in what they are proposing at the good kids are playing reserves footy by the time they are 17-18. Even in 1990 towards the end of the season we had 11 u/19s playing 2s footy, none of those left in the 19s who weren't eligible for U/18s went on to play senior footy.

Similar story in 91-93 when i still worked with the juniors.

BAsically very few kids who haven't played senior footy by the time they are 19 will ever make it. If they don't thay can still be attracted back to the club if they start playing good footy at A1-A2 level.

Good points there tassie. By only having one comp U18's it will free up kids to lay in local leagues and back in the country taking the strain off what we have presently where the kids come and go depending upon injuries, college footy etc. I think it is a great idea- especially if the games are played before the ressies and league each week. It wil make for a long day for some people but it will improve attendances, unite clubs and make those currently in the 17's and 19's feel more attached to the club. Also gives the senior coaches a chance to look at the players more often to gauge the talent.