Concerns with Under 18 competition

[SANFLnut]

Not sure where this competition is at. Each week the top sides seem to belt the bottom sides with many fifteen goal or more wins throughout the year. The best under 18s are still playing up in reserves teams, state team members are still playing college football - none of these have changed despite them being put up as objectives of the competition. There are more and more under fifteen and sixteen players being pushed into teams, particularly the bottom sides and from what I hear it is because these teams can't fill teams. I know West have played without a full team (22 I think at 18s) at least twice this year.

Are others hearing similar stories? Anyone involved in these teams got a more informed view? Should we be concerned?

[Jim05]

Just a cycle IMO, i know at Norwood our U18's havnt been much chop but are having a great year this season. Think it all comes down to recruiting, some of these clubs near the bottom may have to recruit better from their zones and identify talent a bit better. Must admit i cant understand how teams are short of numbers but thats not good if thats happening. Has been some blowouts but the top 4 are fairly evenly matched and most of the games ive seen this year have been of good quality

[Adelaide Hawk]

No different to the U19 and U17 competitions in the 70s and 80s. I recall Norwood teams handing out some massive hidings to other clubs in those days. I think it's more an environmental issue than anything else. Each area goes through periods with a high number of teenage boys.

I will say though, when I was a teenager, it seemed just about every other lad I knew was into football in some way. These days when young men start in our office, I'm surprised by the number who simply have no interest in football whatsoever, or sport for that matter, electing to spend their time with computers instead.

Added to this, teen boys are forced at an early age to discriminate with which sport they elect to play. And then we must take weekend trading into account as well.

[Pseudo]

... I'm surprised by the number who simply have no interest in football whatsoever, or sport for that matter, electing to spend their time with computers instead.

Even as a former computer science major (note emphasis) I am amazed at how many young blokes want to spend time on computers. Even discounting those who are just surfing for pr0n.

[The Sleeping Giant]

I will say though, when I was a teenager, it seemed just about every other lad I knew was into football in some way. These days when young men start in our office, I'm surprised by the number who simply have no interest in football whatsoever, or sport for that matter, electing to spend their time with computers instead.

A lot has changed in 50 years.

[tigerpie]

I would like to see how our clubs here would go against the TAC sides. then we could make a better judgement. Its not about developing afl players, thats a bonus...i believe its value is developing league players for our clubs.
I think all sides put a lot of time and effort into this comp. Some, however do it better than others.
Hard to believe some clubs struggle to find players?

[Adelaide Hawk]

I will say though, when I was a teenager, it seemed just about every other lad I knew was into football in some way. These days when young men start in our office, I'm surprised by the number who simply have no interest in football whatsoever, or sport for that matter, electing to spend their time with computers instead.

A lot has changed in 50 years.

Which IS my point

[Slots It Through]

Not sure where this competition is at. Each week the top sides seem to belt the bottom sides with many fifteen goal or more wins throughout the year. The best under 18s are still playing up in reserves teams, state team members are still playing college football - none of these have changed despite them being put up as objectives of the competition. There are more and more under fifteen and sixteen players being pushed into teams, particularly the bottom sides and from what I hear it is because these teams can't fill teams. I know West have played without a full team (22 I think at 18s) at least twice this year.

Are others hearing similar stories? Anyone involved in these teams got a more informed view? Should we be concerned?

I think some of the lower ranked sides at this time of year maybe struggling for players as kids may chose to go back and play finals with their local club, rather than a minor round game in the SANFL.

[Wedgie]

Juniors be it 17s and 19s or 18s and 16s has always been hugely impacted upon by school kids being or not being available and the different way different clubs promote younger kids at different times with different objectives.
The fact the Top 4 is so unbelievably close this year makes it a pretty damn good comp especially taking the school factor or other factors into account!

[ferret]

Chatting about this subject while watching an U18 game on Saturday. I believe a lot of country lads prefer to stay in the country and try and qualify for their local clubs finals if their SANFL U18 team can't make the finals. It also takes the pressure off parents who put in a lot of time and effort during the season.

[SANFLnut]

I agree with most of what people have posted so far. As I understand it West played short around the middle of the season or even before so I don't think country finals was the driving force. I can understand players choosing to go back to home clubs to play finals, however it makes it hard to argue that this comp is an elite, centre of excellence based comp that it was supposedly going to become. We are obviously not going back to having 17s and 19s, but I am not sure that the objectives that the shift was based on have been achieved and it seems the SANFL has just given up on them.

[Pseudo]

We are obviously not going back to having 17s and 19s, but I am not sure that the objectives that the shift was based on have been achieved ....

Surely the main objective was the satisfaction of the AFL overlords' demand to fall into line, and that this has most surely been achieved?

[has been]

sanfl nut you make some good points. I was in Bendigo on the weekend and the TAC game there was of very good standard - much better than our 18 level. The kids looks bigger, stronger etc. May be because they have more to choose from. I think we have fallen into the trap of trying to push kids up to higher grades which does not happen with the TAC. We think here that by palying ressies etc before time that we are doing kids a favour. we may in fact be doing them a disservice. The number of kids I have seen this year playing in higher grades and struggling is on the increase. Maybe making them play in their age group as they do interstate would benefit the comp here. Just a thought.

[Jim05]

sanfl nut you make some good points. I was in Bendigo on the weekend and the TAC game there was of very good standard - much better than our 18 level. The kids looks bigger, stronger etc. May be because they have more to choose from. I think we have fallen into the trap of trying to push kids up to higher grades which does not happen with the TAC. We think here that by palying ressies etc before time that we are doing kids a favour. we may in fact be doing them a disservice. The number of kids I have seen this year playing in higher grades and struggling is on the increase. Maybe making them play in their age group as they do interstate would benefit the comp here. Just a thought.

Not a fan of them playing Ressies but if an U18 is good enough I have no problem with them being pushed into the league side

[ca]

I agree with most of what people have posted so far. As I understand it West played short around the middle of the season or even before so I don't think country finals was the driving force. I can understand players choosing to go back to home clubs to play finals, however it makes it hard to argue that this comp is an elite, centre of excellence based comp that it was supposedly going to become. We are obviously not going back to having 17s and 19s, but I am not sure that the objectives that the shift was based on have been achieved and it seems the SANFL has just given up on them.

I don't see any possible reason why West would gone into a game one player down unless there was a late withdrawal from one of the three grades or it was just to hard to get someone to mkae up the numbers. I am sure they could haev got a player if they really needed to. That's not really a fault in the competition.

[SANFLnut]

I had a quick look at stats on SANFL website and they suggest that West played with 21 instead of 22 against Eagles in Rd 13 and only 20 vs Sturt the week before. My point is that the competition is not living up to it's "elite" status that was suggested it would be when it was instituted. Teams not fielding full sides is part of that. The best players are not playing in the comp and some sides are getting smashed on a regular basis are other aspects of the comp that concern me. If players are choosing to go back to home clubs late in the year then that may also indicate where they see the status of the league.

[MightyEagles]

sanfl nut you make some good points. I was in Bendigo on the weekend and the TAC game there was of very good standard - much better than our 18 level. The kids looks bigger, stronger etc. May be because they have more to choose from. I think we have fallen into the trap of trying to push kids up to higher grades which does not happen with the TAC. We think here that by palying ressies etc before time that we are doing kids a favour. we may in fact be doing them a disservice. The number of kids I have seen this year playing in higher grades and struggling is on the increase. Maybe making them play in their age group as they do interstate would benefit the comp here. Just a thought.

But do the TAC u18 clubs have a higher level of teams like the SANFL do? eg 16s, 18s, Reserves and League or is it just a u16s and u18s club. Or is it something we have to consider?

[Pseudo]

I don't see any possible reason why West would gone into a game one player down unless there was a late withdrawal from one of the three grades or it was just to hard to get someone to mkae up the numbers. I am sure they could haev got a player if they really needed to. That's not really a fault in the competition.

If West turned up a player short, couldn't they have got one of the opposition players to suit up for them?

I had to do that once in primary school....

[smac]

It was always the crap players who got passed on to the other team, wasn't it?

[Pseudo]

It was always the crap players who got passed on to the other team, wasn't it?

I am the proof of that particular pudding