Combine southern league and SAAFL

[dont think do]

Not sure how many people on here had a look at the results fromt he southern footy leauge from the weekend. 3 A grade teams beaten by more than 300 points.

I dont want to bag the clubs involved as anyone who has been around football for some time will have seen/ been involved in struggling teams. The problem with the Southern league is that is does not have a promation system. Having teams struggle and then fold is no good for anyone.

As an idea, or at least to get people starting to talk,

Combine the 2 leagues,

and have something like this.

D1 and div 1R
D2 and div 2R
D3 and div 3R

North South
D4 and div 4R Div 4 and div 4R
Div 5 and div 5R Div 5 and div 5R
Div 6 and div 6R Div 6 and div 6R

div 7 div 7
div 8 div 8
div 9 div 9


Just an idea.

[Blue Boy]

It is worth a look for some of the clubs thats for sure !!!

[Pag]

Yeah i'm not totally against it, I've never really considered the SFL a country league anyway, Marion and Brighton are just as metropolitan as Smithfield or Eastern Park.

As far as the structure goes, it could work, but if you were have say an Eastern Park vs Port Noarlunga game in Division 3, I'd still say that's too far to go to play a game of football, but that's just my opinion. We travelled to SHOC Senior School at Somerton Park the past couple of years from Salisbury and it's past 6 by the time you get home, easily. I don't know how many northern guys would want to go any further than that, even if they're playign Division 1,2 or 3.

[bandar]

I'm not certain that all SFL clubs would want to come in. It would only ever happen if the SFL folded as happened with the NMFL? some years ago if it was to happen it may be an opportunity to also expand the GSFL. Any criteria on whether a club should be allowed in on distance surely should be taken from haw far they are from the centre of the city. If you take a line through it travelling to Gawler from the centre of Adelaide takes about the same time as travelling to Willunga going south. Both of those are to far the limits are probably Houghton to Noarlunga.

[Ruck Legend]

I don't mind the idea, North and South seems a great logical idea.

I have played both amatuer and southern football league. SFL is good not a long way to travel but an uneven comp. Amateur league OK - further to travel but closer matches and a better contest.

Also played my last game last Saturday. I have broken my nose quiet badly and need an operation. I have not chucked in the boots just cause of my broken nose but because of time. Working full-time, studying Uni part-time and first child on the way I decided that it was time to let the footy go and concentrate my time on the other three things. I enjoyed my time playing for Lonsdale in 98, West Croydon 2001-03, Kenilworth 2004-05 and this year for Morphettville Park.

Anyway Footy is great and so are footy clubs, but the Southern Football League in the last 8 years has lost Meadows, McLaren Vale, McLaren Flat, Kangarilla, Mitchell Park and even Lonsdale and O'Sullivans Beach have merged. The SFL needs to be looked at. Stronger clubs are getting stronger and the weaker clubs are loosing more and more ground with this clubs as the years go on. My tip will be that some of the Southern Football League clubs will leave and join another comp or just simply fold. Who knows?? but I know one thing - something needs to be done and lets hope what-ever happens clubs do not disappear.

[ORDoubleBlues]

Would it be fair to say that the Southern League actually didn't really care if the smaller clubs were forced into merging/folding? Think this is a fair question given their move 5 or 6 years ago of combining the Div 1 and 2 to just have the one division. Wouldn't have taken a Rhodes scholar to realise that Kangarilla, Aldinga, etc were never going to be able to compete with the Brightons, Happy Valleys, Reynellas, etc. The situation that is unfolding now was very easy to forecast back then. It's simple economics.

Once only the strong are left, I think it is very possible that the Southern League will eventually melt into the amateur league. The only club left that wouldn't really be considered metropolitain is Aldinga and in the long term I think they would be better off in the GSFL anyway. In the Amateur league, the stronger clubs can mix it in A2 and A3, while the weaker ones would be better suited to A4 and A5 and if their situations change at least they can go up and down grades to suit.

Southern League will never go back to two divisions, it's too late for that. The only way two divs was going to work was to keep it going at the time (when it was changed to one division) and put one or two of the weaker clubs div 1 clubs into div 2. Heaven knows, it's become painfully obvious in recent years that some of these former mainstay div 1 clubs can't compete any more.

[RRR]

An idea would maybe make a league encompassing the four strong sides in the SFL and teams from around the area in the saafl. i.e a 10 team league inc brighton, Happey Valley, Reynella, Marion, edwardstown, phos, goody saints, shoc, morhy parks and 1 other side in the area. Would be logical, but would be a lot of red tape to cut thru i would imagine.

[Jono]

I can see everyone's case for the southern league and how lobsided it is. Unless Morphett Vale, Brighton, Cove, Reynella,Porties are playing each other it's going to be lob sided results....However not only 5 years ago when the league was made into one division Cove were bottom of div 2 won about 2 games for year before the competition was merged.......Cove were the worst team in the league....Now they are at the top of the ladder!!!!!!It changed quickly for them they were bottom of div 2 in 2001 and playing finals in div 1 2003!!!!!!Why can't other clubs do a turn around like this????

[BubblesOfBlue]

Jono other clubs can turn it around as Cove has but some clubs dont have many juniors which will make it hard for them to turn it around, Cove have had strong juniors for a few years now I think and it it these young guys who are now 23/24 that are making them so strong at the moment (aswell as some old players returning who are pretty handy eg Ramsey, Ryan)

[MatteeG]

Think you will find Ramsay is only 22-23 Bubbles- hardly old in my books.

[BubblesOfBlue]

Very decieving by the receding!!!

[BubblesOfBlue]

by the way MattteeeeG you are almost ancient in my books and I cant wait to be "moving on up"

[heater31]

Think you will find Ramsay is only 22-23 Bubbles- hardly old in my books.

you would be correct MatteeG

[Blue Boy]

Very decieving by the receding!!!

When did you become a poet Bubble Man !!!

[BubblesOfBlue]

Very decieving by the receding!!!

When did you become a poet Bubble Man !!!

When I have said something that is wrong and look for ways to save myself from looking foolish...

...alas I failed!

[Blue Boy]

Very decieving by the receding!!!

When did you become a poet Bubble Man !!!

When I have said something that is wrong and look for ways to save myself from looking foolish...

...alas I failed!

It is easy to do - some people still think im under 30 !!!

[Jono]

Thats my point Bubbles of Blue.......Cove haven't gone out on a recruiting spree like other clubs have they have waited and nurtured there juniors..........I mean some of there biggest players have come through the ranks there Ramsey Farrugia Weidermann Harvey (apart from Fudge (30+) Ramsey at 23 is the oldest of them) and there the nucleus of there side so i don't think we should be worrying about splitting the comp at the moment. Give some of the bottom clubs a bit of time to develop there juniors and see if these juniors can rise the club up the ladder like Cove's have. Flagstaff are starting to so the other strugglers should start.

[BubblesOfBlue]

Very decieving by the receding!!!

When did you become a poet Bubble Man !!!

When I have said something that is wrong and look for ways to save myself from looking foolish...

...alas I failed!

It is easy to do - some people still think im under 30 !!!

I dont believe that for a second!!

[BubblesOfBlue]

Thats my point Bubbles of Blue.......Cove haven't gone out on a recruiting spree like other clubs have they have waited and nurtured there juniors..........I mean some of there biggest players have come through the ranks there Ramsey Farrugia Weidermann Harvey (apart from Fudge (30+) Ramsey at 23 is the oldest of them) and there the nucleus of there side so i don't think we should be worrying about splitting the comp at the moment. Give some of the bottom clubs a bit of time to develop there juniors and see if these juniors can rise the club up the ladder like Cove's have. Flagstaff are starting to so the other strugglers should start.

I agree Flaggies are moving the right direction my concern was for the hawks and morphy parks who really struggle to get juniors aswell, how will these clubs turn around without juniors

[Blue Boy]

Very decieving by the receding!!!

When did you become a poet Bubble Man !!!

When I have said something that is wrong and look for ways to save myself from looking foolish...

...alas I failed!

It is easy to do - some people still think im under 30 !!!

I dont believe that for a second!!

Believe it my Bubble friend - especially the chicky babes