2015: 7 Pure A-Grade Divisions

[jo172]

You are just so, so, so wrong.

You sound exactly like someone who has only every been at a struggling club and not experienced both sides of the coin.... oh wait...

In 2009 we were effectively in Div 5 (Edwardstown leaving bumped us back up), we effectively had 2 teams (the Cs were all fill ins and were lucky to kick a goal). In 2015 we are Div 2 and have 4 sides.

The off field working of our club is absolutely chalk and cheese. What you have said disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

Ditto, in 2010 (our last Div 1 stint) we were all intents and purposes down to two sides.

To suggest that where we've got to now is a result of pure geography, coincidence and good fortune is a tad insulting to some people who have put in some very hard work.

[morell]

You are just so, so, so wrong.

You sound exactly like someone who has only every been at a struggling club and not experienced both sides of the coin.... oh wait...

In 2009 we were effectively in Div 5 (Edwardstown leaving bumped us back up), we effectively had 2 teams (the Cs were all fill ins and were lucky to kick a goal). In 2015 we are Div 2 and have 4 sides.

The off field working of our club is absolutely chalk and cheese. What you have said disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

So now "culture" is defined as how hard our volunteers work?

Put it this way, it doesn't matter how hard your local supermarkets management works, how good their culture is, how well they treat their customers, if Woolworths and Coles move in side by side, they're pushing the proverbial uphill and face many a challenge to survive. Or if the GFC hits real hard, your local store is stuffed again...

Of course that doesn't mean the local supermarket is perfect, couldn't get better or is without fault, but to just look at them and say "Woolie's run a better ship so piss off" is the wrong attitude to have.

Mitchell Park have struggled for many years - much of it is our own doing, we've ****** up time and time again, we've had bad management, poor structures and dick heads ruining our image. No doubt about any of that.

But we've also had a tough lease with Council, and awkward business model with the sports club, we've had a change in population and demographics, we've seen the improvement of rival clubs, we've seen changes in the way the SAAFL has been run, we've seen cultural changes in the sport more broadly and been left behind etc etc

If you actually had any understanding of who I am or the things I am trying to do, you would understand how critical I am of many of the decisions and practices at MP but to put it all at the feet of the many people at Mitchell Park and just say "you ****** up" is unfair and disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

[morell]

You are just so, so, so wrong.

You sound exactly like someone who has only every been at a struggling club and not experienced both sides of the coin.... oh wait...

In 2009 we were effectively in Div 5 (Edwardstown leaving bumped us back up), we effectively had 2 teams (the Cs were all fill ins and were lucky to kick a goal). In 2015 we are Div 2 and have 4 sides.

The off field working of our club is absolutely chalk and cheese. What you have said disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

Ditto, in 2010 (our last Div 1 stint) we were all intents and purposes down to two sides.

To suggest that where we've got to now is a result of pure geography, coincidence and good fortune is a tad insulting to some people who have put in some very hard work.

Thats clearly not what I am saying and you know it.

Expected better.

[jo172]

You are just so, so, so wrong.

You sound exactly like someone who has only every been at a struggling club and not experienced both sides of the coin.... oh wait...

In 2009 we were effectively in Div 5 (Edwardstown leaving bumped us back up), we effectively had 2 teams (the Cs were all fill ins and were lucky to kick a goal). In 2015 we are Div 2 and have 4 sides.

The off field working of our club is absolutely chalk and cheese. What you have said disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

So now "culture" is defined as how hard our volunteers work?

Put it this way, it doesn't matter how hard your local supermarkets management works, how good their culture is, how well they treat their customers, if Woolworths and Coles move in side by side, they're pushing the proverbial uphill and face many a challenge to survive. Or if the GFC hits real hard, your local store is stuffed again...

Of course that doesn't mean the local supermarket is perfect, couldn't get better or is without fault, but to just look at them and say "Woolie's run a better ship so piss off" is the wrong attitude to have.

Mitchell Park have struggled for many years - much of it is our own doing, we've ****** up time and time again, we've had bad management, poor structures and dick heads ruining our image. No doubt about any of that.

But we've also had a tough lease with Council, and awkward business model with the sports club, we've had a change in population and demographics, we've seen the improvement of rival clubs, we've seen changes in the way the SAAFL has been run, we've seen cultural changes in the sport more broadly and been left behind etc etc

If you actually had any understanding of who I am or the things I am trying to do, you would understand how critical I am of many of the decisions and practices at MP but to put it all at the feet of the many people at Mitchell Park and just say "you ****** up" is unfair and disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

For what it's worth our Council lease and deal with the Sports Club is also a nightmare

[morell]

if some of the larger clubs couldn't field so many teams, it absolutely would help other struggling clubs pick up players. We see it in juniors all the time...

You know absolutely nothing.

In the junior league your club is involved we dont see it all the time.... we are continually frustrated by how little we see it. We have a ton of rules encouraging what you have suggested, but its only when the club 'builds it' that those players come. Colonel Light Gardens are a great example of this.

Players are far, far more likely to go to a big club on a 'train only' basis and hope for a spot for the following year than go to a weaker club.

In seniors these rules are inappropriate and to say that its simple math about there being so many footballers to share round is so flawed.

hahaha dude I've literally spoken to probably 5 or 6 sets of parents who have directly told me that they brought their kid to Mitchell Park because they wouldn't have got a game at a nearby rival. I have personally recruited players who came across because they weren't getting selected at their club. I have tried to convince players not to leave because they weren't getting selected at my club! It happens all the time, every season, over and over again. To deny it is blind ignorance.

If you think getting a game at the standard you think you should be playing at isn't a massive factor in the decision on where people are going to play, then it is you, who knows absolutely nothing and have been living in your silver spoon Mercedes OS backed sponsor laden toffee club bubble.

Over time (and I am talking many years) if there were fewer spots at the bigger clubs, we would see a natural progression of the people missing out move to other clubs. Whether or not the short term loss would be worth the long term gain is a worthy discussion, but I cannot believe I am even having this debate that it wouldn't happen at all - to be perfectly honest - I thought it was pretty much a given.

[scottroo]

I hate to say it, but I think Mitchell park are in a better position now to when they won there last flag, you have some hard working people around the place, a significantly growing suburb which in 5-10 years will be 90% new homes aimed at first home owners. New clubrooms on the horizon. Has the club ever thought of changing the clubs colours to a darker green? Something about the light green just doesn't do it for me. Dark green, red and white in the similar design to what they have now would look quite good and show the club is changing?

Onto Colonel Light, like BFG said 2011 was one of the leanest years at CLG for awhile. We had 2 Junior sides and basically 1 senior side (most weeks the B grade would be scraping to get a side) It took 10 or so people on and off field to put there hand up and work there backsides off. We has some luck along the way, we managed to get some very passionate football dads to the club, who have very good business backgrounds and also willing to work hard behind the scenes. Nathan Eagleton put his hand up to coach a young junior side, and one of our A graders took over as under 13 coach. Those under 13s are now under 16.5s, have plenty of mates making there way out and the junior numbers are thriving.

[The Ash Man]

I hate to say it, but I think Mitchell park are in a better position now to when they won there last flag, you have some hard working people around the place, a significantly growing suburb which in 5-10 years will be 90% new homes aimed at first home owners. New clubrooms on the horizon. Has the club ever thought of changing the clubs colours to a darker green? Something about the light green just doesn't do it for me. Dark green, red and white in the similar design to what they have now would look quite good and show the club is changing?

Onto Colonel Light, like BFG said 2011 was one of the leanest years at CLG for awhile. We had 2 Junior sides and basically 1 senior side (most weeks the B grade would be scraping to get a side) It took 10 or so people on and off field to put there hand up and work there backsides off. We has some luck along the way, we managed to get some very passionate football dads to the club, who have very good business backgrounds and also willing to work hard behind the scenes. Nathan Eagleton put his hand up to coach a young junior side, and one of our A graders took over as under 13 coach. Those under 13s are now under 16.5s, have plenty of mates making there way out and the junior numbers are thriving.

Do you really think changing the guernsey would help?
I agree it's terrible but surely changing it wouldn't make a difference to the personnel you aquire

[scottroo]

probably true. just looks terrible IMO

[morell]

I hate to say it, but I think Mitchell park are in a better position now to when they won there last flag, you have some hard working people around the place, a significantly growing suburb which in 5-10 years will be 90% new homes aimed at first home owners. New clubrooms on the horizon.

Absolutely agree. The environment which we operate in is improving. We need to ensure our business model and strategic planning is spot on to maximise those benefits. Which I think we are now doing.

But yeah, if Jetters logic is right, we have manged to get a 1v1 with the Premier to secure funding from the Sports and Rec department to redevelop our facilities, we have managed to negotiate with DPTI to ensure the Tonsley development has the appropriate infrastructure to support population growth. We have also influenced the state economic panels to ensure they implement planning policy which promotes urban infill and an influx of young families. Yep, all of that is in the Mitchell Park football club's sphere of influence - we're just THAT good.

All sarcasm aside, if I had to pin point our biggest problem, it would be that we can't control our revenue from the bar. We get $0 from the bar to spend on football. We get some bills paid but not having access to this is extremely limiting. This means our football budgets is compromised of very volitile sources - sponsorship, fundraising etc. In tough economic times these sorts of things are usually the first notch which people tighten their belt buckle. This is changing, the first step towards the goal of affiliate owned bar revenue has already been implemented this year.

Has the club ever thought of changing the clubs colours to a darker green? Something about the light green just doesn't do it for me. Dark green, red and white in the similar design to what they have now would look quite good and show the club is changing?

We changed the design a while back and I think it looks much better now. I love our colours as they are truly unique, but understand they might limit recruiting a few juniors perhaps.

Onto Colonel Light, like BFG said 2011 was one of the leanest years at CLG for awhile. We had 2 Junior sides and basically 1 senior side (most weeks the B grade would be scraping to get a side) It took 10 or so people on and off field to put there hand up and work there backsides off. We has some luck along the way, we managed to get some very passionate football dads to the club, who have very good business backgrounds and also willing to work hard behind the scenes. Nathan Eagleton put his hand up to coach a young junior side, and one of our A graders took over as under 13 coach. Those under 13s are now under 16.5s, have plenty of mates making there way out and the junior numbers are thriving.

Exactly right. Its a mix of timing, luck, hard work, smarts and dedication. Not one or the other of these will guarantee or remove success.

[jo172]

All sarcasm aside, if I had to pin point our biggest problem, it would be that we can't control our revenue from the bar. We get $0 from the bar to spend on football. We get some bills paid but not having access to this is extremely limiting. This means our football budgets is compromised of very volitile sources - sponsorship, fundraising etc. In tough economic times these sorts of things are usually the first notch which people tighten their belt buckle. This is changing, the first step towards the goal of affiliate owned bar revenue has already been implemented this year.

FWIW I think you'd be surprised how common this is.

We're in exactly the same boat except often have to tip in money to the Sports Association to keep it afloat

[Footy Chick]

obviously things have changed then since I left.

A nominated amount out of subs is supposed to go towards the PSA.

and the football/cricket (and tennis Ithink) are supposed to get a divvy of whats left over from the bar takings after the bills have been paid, as a percentage of their contribution.

That's how I always remember it.

PNU get plenty from their bar if Nippa is still running it.

[Jetters]

You are just so, so, so wrong.

You sound exactly like someone who has only every been at a struggling club and not experienced both sides of the coin.... oh wait...

In 2009 we were effectively in Div 5 (Edwardstown leaving bumped us back up), we effectively had 2 teams (the Cs were all fill ins and were lucky to kick a goal). In 2015 we are Div 2 and have 4 sides.

The off field working of our club is absolutely chalk and cheese. What you have said disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

So now "culture" is defined as how hard our volunteers work?

Put it this way, it doesn't matter how hard your local supermarkets management works, how good their culture is, how well they treat their customers, if Woolworths and Coles move in side by side, they're pushing the proverbial uphill and face many a challenge to survive. Or if the GFC hits real hard, your local store is stuffed again...

Of course that doesn't mean the local supermarket is perfect, couldn't get better or is without fault, but to just look at them and say "Woolie's run a better ship so piss off" is the wrong attitude to have.

Mitchell Park have struggled for many years - much of it is our own doing, we've ****** up time and time again, we've had bad management, poor structures and dick heads ruining our image. No doubt about any of that.

But we've also had a tough lease with Council, and awkward business model with the sports club, we've had a change in population and demographics, we've seen the improvement of rival clubs, we've seen changes in the way the SAAFL has been run, we've seen cultural changes in the sport more broadly and been left behind etc etc

If you actually had any understanding of who I am or the things I am trying to do, you would understand how critical I am of many of the decisions and practices at MP but to put it all at the feet of the many people at Mitchell Park and just say "you ****** up" is unfair and disregards the hard work done by so many at my club and others.

I just don't understand how you see yourselves as this hapless little minnow in a world of big fish.

[Jetters]

if some of the larger clubs couldn't field so many teams, it absolutely would help other struggling clubs pick up players. We see it in juniors all the time...

You know absolutely nothing.

In the junior league your club is involved we dont see it all the time.... we are continually frustrated by how little we see it. We have a ton of rules encouraging what you have suggested, but its only when the club 'builds it' that those players come. Colonel Light Gardens are a great example of this.

Players are far, far more likely to go to a big club on a 'train only' basis and hope for a spot for the following year than go to a weaker club.

In seniors these rules are inappropriate and to say that its simple math about there being so many footballers to share round is so flawed.

hahaha dude I've literally spoken to probably 5 or 6 sets of parents who have directly told me that they brought their kid to Mitchell Park because they wouldn't have got a game at a nearby rival. I have personally recruited players who came across because they weren't getting selected at their club. I have tried to convince players not to leave because they weren't getting selected at my club! It happens all the time, every season, over and over again. To deny it is blind ignorance.

If you think getting a game at the standard you think you should be playing at isn't a massive factor in the decision on where people are going to play, then it is you, who knows absolutely nothing and have been living in your silver spoon Mercedes OS backed sponsor laden toffee club bubble.

Over time (and I am talking many years) if there were fewer spots at the bigger clubs, we would see a natural progression of the people missing out move to other clubs. Whether or not the short term loss would be worth the long term gain is a worthy discussion, but I cannot believe I am even having this debate that it wouldn't happen at all - to be perfectly honest - I thought it was pretty much a given.

Some very dirty words there.

You just don't know what you don't know I guess. League wide over a long period time this has basically proven not to be the case overall.

If there were fewer spots at big clubs, the standard would probably even out a bit, but a heap of social players would be lost to football.

[jo172]

obviously things have changed then since I left.

A nominated amount out of subs is supposed to go towards the PSA.

and the football/cricket (and tennis Ithink) are supposed to get a divvy of whats left over from the bar takings after the bills have been paid, as a percentage of their contribution.

That's how I always remember it.

PNU get plenty from their bar if Nippa is still running it.

When the new lights up the deal got amended and we lose money each year.

FWIW, it's the "after the bills have been paid" which causes this issue.

[morell]

If there were fewer spots at big clubs, the standard would probably even out a bit, but a heap of social players would be lost to football.

First year - absolutely, casual players will be lost. Second year - not as much but still a loss. Third year - smaller amount lost. Fourth year - maybe nil out and nil in eg balanced, Fifth year - slowly start to see smaller clubs with increased participation. Sixth year - etc

Reckon it would follow a change management curve in other words.

Would it be worth the pain of the first few years? Completely debatable.

[Look Good In Leather]

It's become a sad state of affairs when organising C-Grade teams takes priority over an entire club in Wingfield Royals

[Q.]

It's become a sad state of affairs when organising C-Grade teams takes priority over an entire club in Wingfield Royals

It didn't.

They were given more than enough time to meet requirements.

[Arch44]

It's become a sad state of affairs when organising C-Grade teams takes priority over an entire club in Wingfield Royals

It didn't.

They were given more than enough time to meet requirements.

The requirements are a joke. They have enough for 1 team that should be enough for a club to survive.

[cracka]

It's become a sad state of affairs when organising C-Grade teams takes priority over an entire club in Wingfield Royals

HFL looked after a C grade team over the health of an entire division & was applauded by many on here.

[morell]

It's become a sad state of affairs when organising C-Grade teams takes priority over an entire club in Wingfield Royals

It didn't.

They were given more than enough time to meet requirements.

Why on earth couldn't they have played in D7 with one team?