Dogwatcher wrote:morell wrote: I expect them to understand that it's for the betterment of football in this state and in the grand scheme of things its not that big of a deal.
Betterment of football in SA? No, it's for the betterment of two football clubs in the national competition, not THE state.
There's a big difference between the two.
I can accept some arguments for the reserves being in the competition, but this is not one of them.
The two AFL clubs now represent the majority of peoples perceptions (and I'd strongly argue reality) of what SA football is. Most football supporters wouldn't be able to pick Zane Kirkwood apart from Kane Zirkwood.
The two AFL teams being competitive is critically important. Economically, emotionally, tactically, strategically. Lots-of-other-big-words-ally. We (as in the sport of Aussie Rules) are no longer competing in an empty marketplace with just cricket, we're competing with Soccer and Basketball (and other sports). Kids want to be Lionel Messi and LeBron James as much as Rory Sloane and Ollie Wines.
If we don't exhaust every avenue to ensure the AFL teams sustainability and competitiveness, in a cut throat competition like the AFL, they'll drop down the ladder. Then, if Port and the Crows have sustained bottom of the ladder periods, memberships drop. Attendance drops. Gameday revenue drops. Football spend drops. Cycle continues. Kids choose basketball and soccer. Junior numbers drop. Grassroots clubs fold. Pathways close. After all that it wont ****ing matter where the AFL Reserves play because there wont be enough kids to push through the ranks of the SANFL anyway.
This is the thing, the sporting competitive landscape has changed, we're in a connected globalised world. The priority *must* be the elite competition as it's the main catalyst for juniors to start their process into wanting to become a footballer.
