ANZAC Day match and traditional rivals

[Blue Boy]

For me the GF replay on Anzac day has always been a good day no matter who is playin.

Why dont we try and play a night game the night before Anzac Day as well.

[MUNGO JERRY]

For me the GF replay on Anzac day has always been a good day no matter who is playin.

Why dont we try and play a night game the night before Anzac Day as well.

Why dont we just call ourselves the AFL and be done with it!

[spell_check]

I am privileged enough to have seen games played at Adelaide Oval and in the late 1960's.

There were 4600 in the ground by 1/4 time in the Seconds Match. (ON Anzac Day)

Noone can blame the SANFL for this. It's a fact of life that due to the emergence of the AFL in Adelaide, people care more about wasting their hard earned going to AAMI then seeing our great League.

The Replay of the GF is NOT the answer, however, now, weather etc plays such a huge part in determining the attendance

Maybe we should let the teams who attract higher crowds play on this sacred day. It may not be right according to tradition, but it would sure make for a larger crowd to witness Football on this great day in our history.

I remember Sturt vs Woodville attracting bigger crowds in the late 60's and early 70's than we saw today.

Why can't you blame the SANFL for this?

When they just sit back and watch it slide, how about promoting the competiton for once? Instead they just now and again show a commercial starring someone who has f***ing nothing to do with the games and little in the newspapers. They've got the money, how about using it.

It's left up to people like 5RPH in particular Phil Herden and well as this website and FootySA.com to do all the dirty work and all of them and us are volunteers No-one makes any cash out of what is done.

[spell_check]

Adelaide Hawk, the crowd for the 1997 Anzac Day match was 18,961.

[Dog_ger]

Unfortunately, SANFL is dying. Check out the attendance figures over the past 10 years. Only when the general public that

love SANFL make an effort to come to the game, things will change. Unfortunately there is only 4 700 of us....? AFL on TV has

stripped the game of its patronage. In the luxury of your own home, with all your wants at your fingertips, heater on a raining

day, beer in the fridge, BBQ going, girlfriend/wife sitting on your lap, etc etc etc.....

Spelly's right.......! Where is the advertising...? We have to sell ice to the eskimo's... Why doesn't this happen..?

[giffo]

Keep the tradition as it is. Yesterdays game was the 40th GF rematch since 1948 (yes some years it wasnt the finalists playing). How long does the AFL's "tradition" date back? Everyone can only remember Port-Norwood games because during the 70's they where the two strongest clubs. In fact during the period 1975-1986 all Anzac Day games where played at Footy Park, a bit hard for the diggers to get there! Does the SANFL still promote free admission for people wearing service medals or current personnel in uniform?

[cd]

I can see no problems with the 2 teams from the GF playing on Anzac Day - they have earned that. It gives all teams an opportunity to play and doesn't allow Anzac day to be hijacked by just 2 clubs.

Issue of promotion and timing is a different topic.

As the Anzac day march concludes around 11:00am then there is the Service at the Cross of Sacrifice why not have the gates opening at 11:00am - with no music or announcements until the service concludes then say 12:30 have the ceremonies with the game to start at 1:00pm.

Dont play the ressies - make it a $5 entry with proceeds to Legacy or Veterans Hospital (The Repat at Daws Rd.) Profit from food/drinks pay costs.

Just some personal thoughts
Col D

[mal]

Dog_ger.

Good post.

I go to as many SANFL games as possible.

The one disapointment I have is how some clubs
do not have foxtel in the clubroms.
I like getting to the ovals at about 1-30 to watch the AFL
games for a quarter and a bit before the SANFL starts.

I ventured out t Richmond oval last saturday but could
not find the AFL coverage on anywhere.

[Mickyj]

Unfortunately, SANFL is dying. Check out the attendance figures over the past 10 years. Only when the general public that

love SANFL make an effort to come to the game, things will change. Unfortunately there is only 4 700 of us....? AFL on TV has

stripped the game of its patronage. In the luxury of your own home, with all your wants at your fingertips, heater on a raining

day, beer in the fridge, BBQ going, girlfriend/wife sitting on your lap, etc etc etc.....

Spelly's right.......! Where is the advertising...? We have to sell ice to the eskimo's... Why doesn't this happen..?

I never thought I would see myself type this but a dogs fan has got it right
For those fans of other teams maybe your teams could pull their fingers out and play in a GF to make it to the Anzac Day rematch ,funny how its the old powerhouse clubs fans complaining the most,what has happened to your teams for the last 5 to 7 years .
spelly is correct no advertising once again without sites like this and footy sa there would be no infomation for the fans .Could someone get the SANFL or the SACA to do something re the car parking ,its all well and good to have people directing where to park but after the game 4000 odd cars trying to get out at the same time is a nightmare.!!

[JK]

Micky .. Why are you always the first to jump on the backs of the supposed "powerhouse" clubs fans as you put it ... Me thinks you'll find in the main, most people support the idea of a GF re-match on Anzac Day .. Sheesh .. Starting to sound like little man syndrome!

[Mickyj]

Micky .. Why are you always the first to jump on the backs of the supposed "powerhouse" clubs fans as you put it ... Me thinks you'll find in the main, most people support the idea of a GF re-match on Anzac Day .. Sheesh .. Starting to sound like little man syndrome!

Sorry CP must be getting touchy in my old age ,it just appeared that is those teams fans complaining or is it from hearing comments on the radio from the so called experts.
once again I wasnt meaning to provoke a fight .

[JK]

LOL .. Ur cool mate, my response was written in a rush so apologies if it came across as confrontational .. Just haven't heard too many on either site that followed a Port, Norwood, Glenelg, North etc suggest it should be different

[Mickyj]

LOL .. Ur cool mate, my response was written in a rush so apologies if it came across as confrontational .. Just haven't heard too many on either site that followed a Port, Norwood, Glenelg, North etc suggest it should be different

I must've had a rush of blood CP its been one of those days I hate short weeks at work due to P/H my boss'es have not worked out Im off friday yet

[Dissident]

One big thing I've noticed is the news on TV. These days the first part of the sports news is about Adelaide and Port, both their games and injuries.

That's fair enough.

But what I don't like is the next thing. Victorian clubs, interstate clubs, their injuries, news, etc. To me, the television media dismiss the SANFL when I think they should be promoting it more. When I hear them tell the scores (And a bit of token footage) it's almost because they have to.

I don't think the SANFL is "dying". IT won't die, and will never die. It's nothing like it was in the decades gone by, but it is what it is because of so many factors that can't, and won't, change.

[high flying flag]

I think crowds are actually going up arent they? Unfortunately the ANZAC day game seems to be underperforming. Centrals would have attracted almost that many up at Elizabeth and IIRC the Diggers get in for free at Adelaide Oval which should inflate attendance. I think the grand final rematch attendance is always going to depend on current form which is often down due to premiership hangover. I just dont think a GF rematch is very interseting anyway. The GF has already been played and won the year before.

I agree with comments about starting earlier to fit in with the parade and services.

What if there was a series of SANFL blockbuster games (what I was trying to suggest)? How about using Adelaide Cup Day - there is no AFL to compete. Who the hell goes to that horse race anyway? Queens Birthday and Easter are other options. There are a lot of public holidays this time of year and the weather is generally good. (Its a pity Labour day is the GF weekend becuase that woudl be perfect for a planned Port Centrals grudge match (which might happen anyway I suppose)).

I'm not complaining about Norwood not being involved on ANZAC Day, just trying to stimulate debate on how the SANFL can promote itself better and increase attendances. Each club should have a blockbuster game. I dont think we should copy the AFL, but you have to admit they are succesful and we should at least look at whether predictable annual blockbusters are good for our league.

[am Bays]

In my youth I recall the SANFL fixture always had Glenelg v Sturt and Port v Norwood always on the same weekend and combinations about that e.g. Gl v N and PA v S, G v PA & N v S. The other clubs would be fixtured around that and the crowds would be huge. You could virtually guarantee the total crowd for the round would be over 40 000, 50-60 000 in the late 70s when crowds were at their peak.

I susppose it would need my club and Sturt to get off their arses and be continuously successful again and Port and Norwood to maintain their relative strength to bring the crowds back to the SANFL especially if we were going to promote those four clubs as the traditional strength of the SANFL.

Not saying this is right but the traditional blockbusters in the SANFL were those four clubs, cue spell check to confirm....

[drebin]

I think a live or near live against the gate telecast by the ABC is hurting attendances - although it is only one game generally a week - 2 this round with the Anzac Day class. I was half thinking about going yesterday but in the end thought no - stay at home and flick between the AFL and the SANFL.

I did go along with other North supporters to the recent double header as we had the bye and we could use our season's tickets to get in. I know a lot of the sick and elderly etc can't make the footy so watch it on the TV but I think that hurts - especially when it is on live on TV. The ABC could consider a replay time slot instead but I think they are dictated to by a National Broadcast schedule so where to replay it would be an issue.

I know a lot of football lovers who never go to either the SANFL or the AFL but love watching it on TV. If it is too easy to access through modern media means then those half-hearted or just general football lovers will stay at home and watch on the TV.

[spell_check]

In my youth I recall the SANFL fixture always had Glenelg v Sturt and Port v Norwood always on the same weekend and combinations about that e.g. Gl v N and PA v S, G v PA & N v S. The other clubs would be fixtured around that and the crowds would be huge. You could virtually guarantee the total crowd for the round would be over 40 000, 50-60 000 in the late 70s when crowds were at their peak.

I susppose it would need my club and Sturt to get off their arses and be continuously successful again and Port and Norwood to maintain their relative strength to bring the crowds back to the SANFL especially if we were going to promote those four clubs as the traditional strength of the SANFL.

Not saying this is right but the traditional blockbusters in the SANFL were those four clubs, cue spell check to confirm....

I would say that's correct, though it would take me quite a while to confirm it. The best year according to attendance in the 1970s' was in 1972.

Yes, the four clubs you mentioned have not been performing that well over the past few years - 1 premiership between them over the past 6 years and 1 grand final appearance, but the writing was probably on the wall for the SANFL in the 1999 finals series. Port, Glenelg, Sturt and Norwood were all in the finals, and although the crowds were ok, they were nothing flash at the time. Then come GF day, with Port and Norwood in there, they didn't even make it to 40,000 (39,135). That is where it all started for the SANFL attendances to start dropping in the finals and to a lesser extent the minor round series, but IMO that's where the slide started.

[am Bays]

I was hoping you'd be able to give some feedback on the 99 series, being the last one where the "big 4" (of the 70s and 80s) were all involved.

I remember flicking through the old Football Times year books as a kid and looking at the attendances in the early to mid 70s where the SANFL would consistantly get over 50 000 to a round of footy, over 60 000 when the big four played against each other. Hell any crowd below 3000 was considered very poor. When I'm home this weekend I should try and find my old footy budgets from 1977 - 1982 and check out the crowd figures.......

It starting dropping off in the late 70s and early 80s and by 1990 I think the average crowd for a round of footy was about 35 000.

[spell_check]

Well I have got this table, some of the years before 1976 aren't complete and some of the 1990s' have curtain raisers so the minor round games don't total 90 or 99:

Code: Select all

   Minor Round         Major Round      
Year   Games   Total   Avg.   Games   Total   Avg.
1947   43   337878   7857.63   4   143644   35911.00
1948   61   418729   6864.41   4   132122   33030.50
1949   48   376522   7844.21   4   133252   33313.00
1950   61   478305   7841.07   4   153542   38385.50
1951   36   262850   7301.39   4   127405   31851.25
1952   64   525768   8215.13   4   165831   41457.75
1953   72   610870   8484.31   4   127833   31958.25
1954   72   646181   8974.74   4   136849   34212.25
1955   64   623882   9748.16   4   150685   37671.25
1956   72   637659   8856.38   4   128068   32017.00
1957   72   708630   9842.08   4   147093   36773.25
1958   71   686090   9663.24   4   155056   38764.00
1959   72   715800   9941.67   4   145272   36318.00
1960   72   681913   9471.01   4   146964   36741.00
1961   76   717177   9436.54   4   147121   36780.25
1962   72   681927   9471.21   4   138459   34614.75
1963   80   717846   8973.08   4   151432   37858.00
1964   100   757387   7573.87   4   148059   37014.75
1965   100   834118   8341.18   4   176458   44114.50
1966   100   847265   8472.65   4   169926   42481.50
1967   100   916051   9160.51   4   174113   43528.25
1968   100   860889   8608.89   4   167891   41972.75
1969   100   850089   8500.89   5   186854   37370.80
1970   99   814749   8229.79   4   156018   39004.50
1971   105   856737   8159.40   4   166696   41674.00
1972   105   984006   9371.49   4   166508   41627.00
1973   105   943841   8988.96   6   187446   31241.00
1974   91   754484   8291.03   6   202696   33782.67
1975   77   561923   7297.70   6   190502   31750.33
1976   105   791218   7535.41   6   205838   34306.33
1977   110   880087   8000.79   6   180956   30159.33
1978   110   851475   7740.68   6   197396   32899.33
1979   110   857511   7795.55   6   184743   30790.50
1980   110   900441   8185.83   6   199743   33290.50
1981   110   894447   8131.34   6   189504   31584.00
1982   110   807539   7341.26   6   194888   32481.33
1983   110   798222   7256.56   6   178333   29722.17
1984   110   722690   6569.91   6   176204   29367.33
1985   110   817079   7427.99   6   175029   29171.50
1986   110   769146   6992.24   6   194501   32416.83
1987   110   759227   6902.06   6   175993   29332.17
1988   110   801258   7284.16   6   166337   27722.83
1989   110   719053   6536.85   6   182598   30433.00
1990   100   653582   6535.82   6   153600   25600.00
1991   99   438522   4429.52   6   121592   20265.33
1992   98   408350   4166.84   6   106949   17824.83
1993   90   339853   3776.14   6   106273   17712.17
1994   94   371765   3954.95   6   115859   19309.83
1995   93   387953   4171.54   6   119289   19881.50
1996   85   318489   3746.93   6   127307   21217.83
1997   82   263950   3218.90   6   92618   15436.33
1998   87   320912   3688.64   6   93910   15651.67
1999   88   281168   3195.09   6   85082   14180.33
2000   90   266982   2966.47   6   82106   13684.33
2001   90   279570   3106.33   6   65339   10889.83
2002   90   279113   3101.26   6   72946   12157.67
2003   90   260137   2890.41   4   53075   13268.75
2004   90   253097   2812.19   6   59263   9877.17
2005   90   246910   2743.44   6   56116   9352.67
   5281   36549312   6920.91   295   8637182   29278.58