Viable Alternatives

[saintal]

Where's chad playing?

Bottom placed Torren$ Valley in the HFL.

[MatteeG]

Get rid of the salaray cap, easy.
Worked nicely for over 100 years.
If clubs can't spend responsibly then good riddance but don't penalise those that do.

YES!!

Yep- this.

[Dog Day Afternoon]

Get rid of the salaray cap, easy.
Worked nicely for over 100 years.
If clubs can't spend responsibly then good riddance but don't penalise those that do.

YES!!

Yep- this.

OK let's think through what would happen if we did this. First it has been reported that maybe half the clubs are doing it tough - ie they have no more money to recruit better. So for these struggling clubs no change. For the few clubs that have surplus funds they would spend them on better players and presumably improve. The gulf between top and bottom would grow and probably a few clubs would go under financially.

You would be left with a comp containing Port, the Crows and a couple of financial clubs.

[Pag]

The commitment that SANFL players need to have while juggling full-time work is just too much for guys to do have a 12-15 year career.
I'm not sure raising the salary cap is the answer, maybe reducing the training load is.

[cennals05]

The commitment that SANFL players need to have while juggling full-time work is just too much for guys to do now for 12-15 years.

I'm not sure raising the salary cap is the answer, maybe reducing the training load is.

I find that hard to believe. I know plenty of people that work full time and go the gym every night. How is it any different? SANFL clubs train 3 times a week and play on Saturdays.

[heater31]

The commitment that SANFL players need to have while juggling full-time work is just too much for guys to do now for 12-15 years.

I'm not sure raising the salary cap is the answer, maybe reducing the training load is.

I find that hard to believe. I know plenty of people that work full time and go the gym every night. How is it any different? SANFL clubs train 3 times a week and play on Saturdays.

But in the case of Centrals and South in particular how long could you put up with a drive 45-60 minutes to the 'gym' 3 times per week for a 2.5 hour workout then drive the same amount of time home again. On non 'gym' days you may have other medical appointments to ensure that you are in the best possible shape to play each week.

[Pag]

The commitment that SANFL players need to have while juggling full-time work is just too much for guys to do now for 12-15 years.

I'm not sure raising the salary cap is the answer, maybe reducing the training load is.

I find that hard to believe. I know plenty of people that work full time and go the gym every night. How is it any different? SANFL clubs train 3 times a week and play on Saturdays.

Monday - train.
Tuesday - weights
Wednesday - train
Thursday - day off
Friday - train
Saturday - play
Sunday - recovery session.

Considering you can stop in at the gym on the way home from work, do a quick half an hour and be home by six, I wouldn't quite put it in the same boat as a 2hr session followed by ice baths etc, and getting home at 9pm, four times a week, plus your Sunday mornings. For people with a family, it is a big commitment on top of full-time work. SANFL players would do more hours a week through work/footy than AFL players.

[gossipgirl]

play tiddlywinks instead

[UK Fan]

play tiddlywinks instead

The fact that you have 10 likes on SA Footy staggers me.

[wild dog]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/millions-in-undisclosed-payments-will-sink-sa-amateur-clubs-warn-football-chiefs/story-fnig5e6k-1226933730504
[url]http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/country-leagues-support-salary-cap-on-growing-player-payments/story-fnii00l
5-1226936519260[/url]

Supposed to be some form of review by the Community Football League into Player payments. Apparently leagues' support it and I'm sure the clubs will too . Anecdotally article claims some clubs having player budgets of approx. $200k with the River Murray League alone estimated to spend $1 mill on player payments. Not sure how trustworthy the figures quoted, but we all know of the grand per match figure.

The OP is about alternatives. The problem is the SANFL trashed its blueprint, which was an alternative and was operating ok. With the income from the SMA and the SANFL asset base being assured, why not revert back. I just cant see how amateur clubs would be able to compete from a facilities perspective,

In respect to the training, what are we going to be left with if we reduce the thing to amateur status. The SANFL has been weakened to the point clubs are barely able to make a profit because of the expenditure. Amateur clubs don't have the expenditure, but their income would not reach SANFL club level.

SANFL clubs don't have their juniors which is a source of income for amateur and country clubs. Should SANFL clubs have their own under age teams and compete against them?

[Dogwatcher]

The AFL needs, at this point in time, for the SANFL to be strong, competitive and financial. It's got to get its players from somewhere and the better conditioned and skilled they are, the better prepared they are for a shot at the big time.

[johntheclaret]

That's my point.
The AFL need state leagues to develop players, so they should contribute to the development costs.
The current system doesn't work because if it did the SANFL wouldn't be losing players to the amateurs at the rate it does.

One issue is the current salary cap. Raise it or scrap it altogether. Extract a bigger transfer fee from the AFL for draftees which would go some way towards supporting the higher salaries.

And by the way Kinkyinit, let the AFL try to develop their own u18 comp. if was viable they would ready be doing it. You see there is a big cost difference to developing 3 teams u16, u18 and reserves, for the AFL to cherry pick the few that make it to that level.

[wild dog]

Can the SANFL clubs reduce overheads. There always appears to be some dog whistling within SA football media that the SANFL waste money. From my perspective I just cant see how, unless you call the player payments a waste of money. And the (black) market would indicate that the current player payments are fair.

[Aerie]

Not sure salary cap increase or removal is the answer and joining the Amateurs would be a big step down. For every O'Sullivan there is a Lachy McGregor.

As much as it is unfair, having AFL Reserves in the comp retains the SANFL having the best players in SA outside the 44 playing AFL each weekend so that will attract players wanting to play against the best they can. Having a chance at being a professional is no doubt a drawing factor for players to play SANFL.

Prestige is the other factor. The history of the clubs, playing in front of bigger crowds, being on TV and playing on Adelaide Oval in Finals would be appealing to some.

Evening out the competition is another factor, but everything else the SANFL have done this year is at least an attempt to improve the SANFL, whether you agree with what has happened or not.

[Dog Day Afternoon]

Crowd numbers are clearly down and the public are voting with their feet. The SANFL format has survived for 100+ years but it is now time for a major renouvation. If NSW, Qld and NT can get a NEAFL up and running then surely SA and WA can get their heads together and work out a new and exciting format?

[gossipgirl]

perhaps a lingerie league

[o five]

I have said this before in a previous topic, but the simple fact is that some of these players leaving for the country are being over paid and unless we raise the cap or scrap it in the SANFL, this will continue to happen. UNLESS of course they start to monitor the Amateurs which from all accounts is a difficult exercise which has also been pointed out before.
Any true SANFL supporter would know that something has to be done, as each year the standard is dropping along with attendances yet the price to attend these games continues to climb I.E entrance, food, drinks etc.
WAKE UP SANFL.

[Bounce of the ball]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl ... 6943430498

Either Norwood aren't or North are .

Typical CEO talking. I wonder why they leave then?

[spell_check]

Why doesn't the salary cap increase with the CPI yearly? I thought it did once, with the reason being that it hadn't for so many years - like a catch up thing. But no increase since.