SA Footy

Obviously the SAAFL had made a big step in changing the C and D grade competitions this year !!!

It is nearly @ the end of the first year and it would be interesting to see what is going to go on next year with promotion and relegation for 2008.

I must admit that its not very often I praise SAAFL but the move to C1-C6 has proven that some concepts do work and I must applaud them for that.

After 14 rounds this is how they all sit

C1 has 9 teams

Uni 20
Goodwood 18
Edwardstown 16
Tea Tree Gully 16
Gaza 16
Rostrevor 10
Salisbury North 6
Gepps Cross 6
Broadview 4

C2 has 10 teams

Sacred Heart 26
Port District 24
Modbury 22
Pembroke 18
Kilburn 15
Scotch 12
Seaton 10
Phos 6
Payneham 4
Woodville South 3

C3 has 10 teams

Athelstone 26
Smosh 24
Walkerville 20
Old Iggies 18
Flinders Park 18
St Peters 10
Uni 10
Salisbury West 8
Prince Alfred 4
Eastern Park 2

C4 has 10 teams

Mitcham 28
Para Hills 22
Uni 20
Ingle Farm 20
Salisbury 18
Unley 14
Portland 10
North Haven 6
Pooraka 2
Pultney 0


C5 has 9 teams

Flinders Uni 26
Hectorville 22
Golden Grove 20
Hope Valley 16
Kenilworth 14
Fitzroy 12
Adelaide Lutheran 12
Central United 6
West Croydon 2


C6 has 9 teams

Sacred Heart 24
Tea Tree Gully 24
Smosh 14
Ovingham 12
Modbury 10
Mitcham 10
Edwardstown 8
Athelstone 6
Uni 4

Taking a look at the ladders I dont think the SAAFL got it 2 wrong - there is only really a couple of large gaps in there.

The SAAFL should use the promotion relegation system based on performance for these grades as to the way the results are panning out.

If they went down the A grade only path we may continue to see some very one sided results which is no fun for any one !!!

Blue Boy wrote:Taking a look at the ladders I dont think the SAAFL got it 2 wrong - there is only really a couple of large gaps in there.

The SAAFL should use the promotion relegation system based on performance for these grades as to the way the results are panning out.

If they went down the A grade only path we may continue to see some very one sided results which is no fun for any one !!!

But wouldnt the 'A grade only' system keep it reasonably fair, as it has this year ? As you said, you are always going to get exceptions, but on a whole its pretty good. If they use promotion/relegation in the C divisions now, then in a few years they will have to rearrange the divisions anyway to keep them fair.
The other advantage of 'A grade only' system is that it builds rivalrys between clubs. Also, when triple-headers are played, the C grade are more involved with the A & B grades. I know that this has been a problem at our club in the past, the C grade feel like the 'poor relation' to the higher grade teams.

Felch wrote:

Blue Boy wrote:Taking a look at the ladders I dont think the SAAFL got it 2 wrong - there is only really a couple of large gaps in there.

The SAAFL should use the promotion relegation system based on performance for these grades as to the way the results are panning out.

If they went down the A grade only path we may continue to see some very one sided results which is no fun for any one !!!

But wouldnt the 'A grade only' system keep it reasonably fair, as it has this year ? As you said, you are always going to get exceptions, but on a whole its pretty good. If they use promotion/relegation in the C divisions now, then in a few years they will have to rearrange to divisions anyway to keep them fair.
The other advantage of 'A grade only' system is that it builds rivalrys between clubs. Also, when triple-headers are played, the C grade are more involved with the A & B grades. I know that this has been a problem at our club in the past, the C grade feel like the 'poor relation' to the higher grade teams.

I will use Div 1 - C1 as an example as to why we need promotion - relegation

Adelaide Uni and Edwardstown will probably be relgated from Div 1 this year - yet currently in C1 Adelaide Uni are top and Edwardtown are 3rd.

You possibly could not relegate the Uni and Edwardstown sides from C1 to C2 as there performances have warranted them being in C1 . If one of those sides even wins the premiership the SAAFL surely could not relegate them.

so that makes it the A grade's fault they are simply not good enough and embarrassing for the club to win flags in lower grades and presents a good case of quality players camping in lower grades taking the easy option. It has happen before I'm sure the A's finish bottom two but the B's continue on and play finals

Blue Boy wrote:

Felch wrote:

Blue Boy wrote:Taking a look at the ladders I dont think the SAAFL got it 2 wrong - there is only really a couple of large gaps in there.

The SAAFL should use the promotion relegation system based on performance for these grades as to the way the results are panning out.

If they went down the A grade only path we may continue to see some very one sided results which is no fun for any one !!!

But wouldnt the 'A grade only' system keep it reasonably fair, as it has this year ? As you said, you are always going to get exceptions, but on a whole its pretty good. If they use promotion/relegation in the C divisions now, then in a few years they will have to rearrange to divisions anyway to keep them fair.
The other advantage of 'A grade only' system is that it builds rivalrys between clubs. Also, when triple-headers are played, the C grade are more involved with the A & B grades. I know that this has been a problem at our club in the past, the C grade feel like the 'poor relation' to the higher grade teams.

I will use Div 1 - C1 as an example as to why we need promotion - relegation

Adelaide Uni and Edwardstown will probably be relgated from Div 1 this year - yet currently in C1 Adelaide Uni are top and Edwardtown are 3rd.

You possibly could not relegate the Uni and Edwardstown sides from C1 to C2 as there performances have warranted them being in C1 . If one of those sides even wins the premiership the SAAFL surely could not relegate them.

Why not, this happens with B grade teams all the time. A few years back, i recall Plympton winning the D3R flag, but their A grade finished long last. I reckon SMOSH were in the same boat a couple of years back too. Adel Lutheran's B grade almost made the GF last year, A grade bottom and relegated. As previously mentioned, always exceptions and Adel Uni will always be an interesting one with so many teams. Edwardstown may not even be in SAAFL next year anyway.
Apart from C1, most of the divisions seem to be reasonably true-to-form (with some exceptions)

heater31 wrote:so that makes it the A grade's fault they are simply not good enough and embarrassing for the club to win flags in lower grades and presents a good case of quality players camping in lower grades taking the easy option. It has happen before I'm sure the A's finish bottom two but the B's continue on and play finals

The quality player camping in the lower grades thing has always been something that has happened for ever and a day and will probably always happen. I personally do not agree with it unless it is for a specific reason - eg work / travel.

I take my hat off to the football committees of clubs that dont allow this to happen @ there clubs.

Blue Boy wrote:

heater31 wrote:so that makes it the A grade's fault they are simply not good enough and embarrassing for the club to win flags in lower grades and presents a good case of quality players camping in lower grades taking the easy option. It has happen before I'm sure the A's finish bottom two but the B's continue on and play finals

The quality player camping in the lower grades thing has always been something that has happened for ever and a day and will probably always happen. I personally do not agree with it unless it is for a specific reason - eg work / travel.

I take my hat off to the football committees of clubs that dont allow this to happen @ there clubs.

Wes Le Grand for example. Camps down in Uni's D grade and has won about 5 medals?
Cant tell me that he cant play higher.
Their C grade is bottom without a win and their Ds are looking at 3rd spot this week

Felch wrote:

Blue Boy wrote:

Felch wrote:

Blue Boy wrote:Taking a look at the ladders I dont think the SAAFL got it 2 wrong - there is only really a couple of large gaps in there.

The SAAFL should use the promotion relegation system based on performance for these grades as to the way the results are panning out.

If they went down the A grade only path we may continue to see some very one sided results which is no fun for any one !!!

But wouldnt the 'A grade only' system keep it reasonably fair, as it has this year ? As you said, you are always going to get exceptions, but on a whole its pretty good. If they use promotion/relegation in the C divisions now, then in a few years they will have to rearrange to divisions anyway to keep them fair.
The other advantage of 'A grade only' system is that it builds rivalrys between clubs. Also, when triple-headers are played, the C grade are more involved with the A & B grades. I know that this has been a problem at our club in the past, the C grade feel like the 'poor relation' to the higher grade teams.

I will use Div 1 - C1 as an example as to why we need promotion - relegation

Adelaide Uni and Edwardstown will probably be relgated from Div 1 this year - yet currently in C1 Adelaide Uni are top and Edwardtown are 3rd.

You possibly could not relegate the Uni and Edwardstown sides from C1 to C2 as there performances have warranted them being in C1 . If one of those sides even wins the premiership the SAAFL surely could not relegate them.

Why not, this happens with B grade teams all the time. A few years back, i recall Plympton winning the D3R flag, but their A grade finished long last. I reckon SMOSH were in the same boat a couple of years back too. Adel Lutheran's B grade almost made the GF last year, A grade bottom and relegated. As previously mentioned, always exceptions and Adel Uni will always be an interesting one with so many teams. Edwardstown may not even be in SAAFL next year anyway.
Apart from C1, most of the divisions seem to be reasonably true-to-form (with some exceptions)

It happens some times with B grade sides but not all the time. I dont doubt the examples you have given but we are talking about C1 to C6 which has nothing to do with B grade sides.

I personally do not mind the new system - it has been good for us this year, as it has enabled us to do some triple headers. The only thing that I don't agree with is that Flinders Uni are in our divisiob (C5) when it is their A Grade side. Surely they could have been placed in a higher division. Makes it almost impossible for them to be beaten when we are playing with our C grade sides. Only GG have beaten them this year, and its because it was Uni holidays at the time.

The Ash Man wrote:

Blue Boy wrote:

heater31 wrote:so that makes it the A grade's fault they are simply not good enough and embarrassing for the club to win flags in lower grades and presents a good case of quality players camping in lower grades taking the easy option. It has happen before I'm sure the A's finish bottom two but the B's continue on and play finals

The quality player camping in the lower grades thing has always been something that has happened for ever and a day and will probably always happen. I personally do not agree with it unless it is for a specific reason - eg work / travel.

I take my hat off to the football committees of clubs that dont allow this to happen @ there clubs.

Wes Le Grand for example. Camps down in Uni's D grade and has won about 5 medals?
Cant tell me that he cant play higher.
Their C grade is bottom without a win and their Ds are looking at 3rd spot this week

Does any one know why Wes plays @ level then ???

All other Uni sides

Uni 5th side top C1
Uni 6th side 7th C3
Uni 7th side 3rd C4
Uni 8th side 9th C6

how can you rank the uni sides??? they are like separate clubs under the one football club. C4's are roseworthy boys and half of them don't even know what is going on in their A grade.

What would you do with C6.

The 2 top sides beat every one by 15 goals on a regular basis and have beaten each other once.

Yet the rest of the competition has been pretty even and just seem to be playin for third !!!

Probably wouldnt be to fair for this to happen again next year either !!!

heater31 wrote:how can you rank the uni sides??? they are like separate clubs under the one football club. C4's are roseworthy boys and half of them don't even know what is going on in their A grade.

Not a ranking h31 just how they sit on the ammo web site.

Blue Boy wrote:

heater31 wrote:how can you rank the uni sides??? they are like separate clubs under the one football club. C4's are roseworthy boys and half of them don't even know what is going on in their A grade.

Not a ranking h31 just how they sit on the ammo web site.

I think this is an excellent innovation personally.

Our depth at SMOSH is pretty damn good (atm, sides are top, top, second and 3rd I think) and the C1-C6 scheme gives them another incentive to play well, and makes their footy more competitive and more worthwhile in the end IMO.

The triple headers are awesome. Its unlucky for our d grade sometimes, but the have the b's and c's watching the a grade game at the end of the day makes for a terrific atmosphere.

Interestingly enough, we're playing St peters this week in an interesting triple header.

The b's and c's are playing at the same time on ovals right next to each other. Could make for intriguing viewing

I'll try to answer some very valid questions and concerns that have been raised on this page from a blacks perspective as coach of the c1's and as somebody who has played and been involved with amateur league for 20 years.

how can you rank the uni sides??? they are like separate clubs under the one football club. C4's are roseworthy boys and half of them don't even know what is going on in their A grade.

the roseworthy boys are a separate team as they study at a a separate campus - they are based still at park 10 but play the occasional game at roseworthy. they are made pretty much made up of country kids from SA and interstate who can't travel home to play with their local clubs. as such, they have ranged from being in the bottom sides to finishing top. their side is often topped up with players from the wider club but it gives the roseworthy players a wonderful opportunity to meet new people who are studying at the same campus.

university also have a side that provides the place in which new to the game players can play. this year it is in c6 while the club has also had american, irish, english and scottish exchange students play this year - one of which played div 6 (or c grade) for most of the year.

basically there is a level for everyone and everyone can find a level with which their commitment can meet their work schedule.

Adelaide Uni and Edwardstown will probably be relgated from Div 1 this year - yet currently in C1 Adelaide Uni are top and Edwardtown are 3rd.

the university c1 team (or e grade) has players ranging in age from 18-40 with at least one player playing his first year of football. many of the team are over 30 and others can't train at all or only train once a week. some of the youngsters are in their second year out of school and plan to play up but felt that they needed the experience of playing against men before being confident enough to push up. the core of the side has played in that grade (div 8 etc) for the last three years.

we've played against a grade players returning from injury or those in the twilight of their careers, against those who just want to have a kick with their mates because of the inability to train due to work, injury problems or travel. div 8/c1 is not an easy grade.

I like the grading system that is in place and can see the sense in keeping the divisions reflecting the respective a grades as it makes programming much easier, it provides for triple headers (we're involved in one this week against gepps cross) and it even provides as good a quality game (often) as the b grade. I like the idea of potential long term rivalries being developed.

On the flipside, often clubs can have strong a grades but poo c grades. I do believe that stand alone a grade clubs such as flinders and ovingham should have been installed into the c1 grade so that they are playing 'supposedly higher quality opposition'. Whether this is actually the case is debatable as teams like modbury, port districts, smosh and SHOC (among others) would hold their own in div1.

Does any one know why Wes plays @ level then ???

He came out with friends and is often unavailable to train because of work. He only plays because of the friendships he has developed with the 6Reserves guys.


I'd like to think that this system will work better than the north south sytem or 8/8Reserve system but can see problems as outlined above with any long term structure. Without knowing, I'd believe that the standard of c2 would not be too different to that of c1 with a similar affinity between c3 and c4. If an a grade side is going up divisions it usually means that their well of players is deep and their c grade should reflect this strength. In other words,

Perhaps there could be attention paid to results over several years so that an aberrant (either winning or losing) year is not weighted too strongly. I'd keep the system of reflecting the a grade division system going with perhaps a change with the premier going up and the bottom team going down.

Interested in people's thoughts on this one. Cheers.