GMcG wrote:They also weren't impressed by my comment regarding the lack of country matches that don't feature AFL reserves sides.
AFL = Gepetto, SANFL = Pinocchio
Just on country games, you're right. Every country game since 2011 has featured the AFL sides.
Why don't we play more country games though? I know it may cost clubs in lost game-day revenue, but for clashes against lower-drawing teams where it probably costs more to open the venue and play the match, play it elsewhere.
Country games get good crowds when scheduled well. Well, the average is slightly less than the average for H&A matches, just with a new set of people being able to watch.
I'd like to see every club host at least one game in their country zone every two years. I can understand Norwood & Sturt not doing this as their home crowds are excellent. Obviously for Adelaide & Port it'll be different but continuing the tradition of Adelaide hosting Port somewhere outside the metro area works.
From a South point of view, we've gone to Encounter Bay four times in 13 years and our crowds are over 2,000 every time. Last year we got 2,300 over Easter, then barely over 1,000 later in the year at home. We should be playing the Crows every year at least once away from Noarlunga. South v Crows averages 1,282 at Noarlunga since 2015 which is the lowest crowd average for any combination of teams at any venue in that timeframe (second only to South v North and South v West).
COUNTRY GAMES SINCE 20033,433 South Adelaide V Sturt @ Encounter Bay Rd 4 2003
2,232 South Adelaide V West Adelaide @ Encounter Bay Rd 3 2006
2,728 South Adelaide V Eagles @ Encounter Bay Rd 1 2007
2,428 West Adelaide V Central District @ Berri Rd 9 2007
2,279 Sturt V South Adelaide @ Murray Bridge Rd 15 2008
2,786 South Adelaide V Norwood @ Encounter Bay Rd 3 2009
2,265 Sturt V West Adelaide @ Waikerie Rd 14 2009
3,063 West Adelaide V Sturt @ Mannum Rd 10 2010
5,312 Adelaide V Port Adelaide @ Clare Rd 5 2014
2,034 Adelaide V Port Adelaide @ Balaklava Rd 7 2015
2,323 Adelaide V Port Adelaide @ Mannum Rd 2 2016
2,059 West Adelaide V Adelaide @ Berri Rd 21 2016
2,357 South Adelaide V Adelaide @ Encounter Bay Rd 2 2017
1,485 Glenelg V Adelaide @ Bordertown Rd 15A 2017 (rain + poor scheduling)
N/A Adelaide V Port Adelaide @ Kadina Rd 14 2018