EP Sport - back with a vengeance

[rangerbob]

if any merges of leagues will happen, there will be a whole restructure of EP footy, not just PLFL and GFFL. Every league has been talking about if for years, the talk up EEFL is that they think lincoln is holding it up by not having netball following, this coming from an EEFL official. But it is all just talk, just what is happenin down in lincoln.

[Justquietly]

What if criteria was set in place, to determine who could and should merge?
Along the lines of $$ raised on average thru the club, over X amount of years.
No. of qualified seniors and juniors.
Quality of facilities.
Perhaps if a club presents a strong enough case to survive on their own, or get to the relevant quota with a specific other team, that could be a basis?
Just throwing stuff around. No doubt the above stuff would be looked at anyway.
And it would be a better day out with corresponding netball and football at the same place, same day.
How big a day would it be if say the merged (for example) Souths and bostons footy lads bussed it up to Wangary to Play MR. And the netballers did the same. You couldn't fit in the clubrooms after. huge. And vice versa.

[westcoastpanther]

Netball is the big issue. In GF the whole family go to footy and netball, there aren't many other choices and this has been the way for 50 years. Family plays sport, stays at club for tea then get home late. This is the standard Saturday for most up in GF.

Lincoln is a lot different. A lot of Husbands and Wifes do separate things on a Saturday. There is a broader social population down here obviously due to the numbers. Some Wifes/Girlfriends hate sport and don't even go, some play netball for clubs not aligned to the blokes footy club (my wife plays for Imperials which is more Tasmans) and most are probably netballers who have nothing to do with a male at a footy club. It's not a fault of the Pt Lincoln FL or Netball Assoc, more the fact that socially down here it just doesn't fit!!

I thought we could try and form two Netball sides for each Lincoln club (A & B Grade) who would follow the footy and be the main netball league with two local competitions still existing. This won't work as all the GF netball sides (from bottom to top)need to be at the main venue for footy so Dad's not heading down to Lincoln for footy and Mum somewhere else to take the juniors to the local league. Just an idea and maybe someone can somehow expand on that to make it fit.

Ultimately the Lincoln clubs would probably need to align with a netball side and all grades play at the same venue. Lincolnites won't travel so I'm really getting stumped. Help.....

[bluestheboy]

Personally I don't think we will see a merger of any sorts within the next 5 or so years minimum. Too many egos, too many peripheral issues just too much water to go under the bridge to allow that to happen short term I agree that mergers in some shape or form need to occur, but believe that a review of all leagues needs to be made, with possible re-distribution of clubs to achieve an ultimate goal.

SO..what can we do to help the PLFL in the short/medium term? Firstly identify the problems:
Three that come to mind quickly:
1) Boston FC A grade uncompetitive...need to arrest this asap...
2) Mallee Park..as above plus many other issues.
3) reducing crowd numbers.

How can we fix these:
1) BFC need 5-6 quality A grade footballers in a hurry. How does this happen? Firstly they need to get their head out of their collective a##es, and accept that to be successful in modern footy you need to spend $$$'s. Drop the chip on the shoulder poor old tiger s##t and get real. And don't tell me that you don't have any money, can guarantee that you have as much as us, but thats not what I am talking about. Got enough business people involved to set up a fighting fund for starters.
The Ramsey factor will fit nicely in with this, and I think we are already seeing some improvement in attitude and behaviour even at this early stage. Throw 5-6 good players into the A grade, suddenly the 2's are OK and hey presto things are on the way up.
The rebel 5 were probably onto something here, and while I think the motives were honourable, the result hurt the BFC more than they can imagine...maybe next year, but don't float it if it is not going to happen!!
BFC juniors are all OK, they just need a senior club to aspire to.
2) Mallee Park...I have no idea what to do here. They are a law unto themselves, and I don't believe that they would accept or embrace any assistance we could wish to give them..One thing is certain, they are not going anywhere in a hurry and will be a pain in our collective back sides for a number of years yet. In a lull at the moment, but they will strike back no doubt. The PL:FL just need to keep the blow torch on them to keep them on track.
3) Crowd numbers are dropping a bit, but this is the case in most regional parts of SA, given the saturation of AFL footy. Wouldn't it be gr8 if the AFL deemed Saturday a grass roots day, with no AFL footy scheduled...The PLFL needs to get moving on upgrading facilities at Centenary, and we need to get playing footy at Ravendale ASAP. Can't wait to see the impact of footy/netty at the same venue...bigger crowds for sure...also if the BFC suddenly start improving, more people to see their game every week is assured. They have pretty reasonable support, just no reason to go to the footy.

So there, thats my say.

open up with all guns blazing guys.

[biggles]

the merger ideas for PLFL footy clubs are not going to work boys. We have a very talented 6 team comp here in port lincoln and if you dont have a number of very talented footballers playing for you then it will be a struggle for your team to be succesful. The Tigers are not yet compettetive on the scoreboard but they are comp-ettetive on the field just ask A Ryan. 30 odd years ago when Bostons first submitted an A Grade side they were being pumped byn 30 goals every week. 10 years later those guys who stuck it out every week were rewarded when they won the flag. This will happen again. Bostons are a proud club and they will never fold or give up. With the junior talent we now have you will see the club turn around over the next 3 years and it will be someone else on the bottom of the ladder.

[westcoastpanther]

Didn't A Ryan kick 11 goals???????? Biggles, Bostons just haven't been uncompetitive, they haven't even come close to winning a game for the last 4 years. 4 spoons with a couple of wins each year might not be so bad, but to not even be able to scratch out one lousy win is deplorable!! Also Lincoln has a 'reasonably' talented 4 team comp, with Mallee's currently an unknown and a bye. That's harsh.........but fact

[rangerbob]

boston people have been saying that they'll turn the club around for the last 3 years, why is now any different?

[biggles]

We now have a solid off field team with long term goals and a different attitude to past years. Also most of the juniors we have now are sons of the grand final team and have more reasons to stay at the club. Off field sucess will move to on field success and our committed team will make sure of that.

[biggles]

Steiger, you raise some very interesting points regarding mergers...one thing we all need to be conscious of with these sorts of discussions is the extreme difficulties and barriers that are associated with the integration of cultures from different clubs. Take your example the merging of Waybacks and Bostons - quite a few cultural differences there, many I'm sure Waybacks would not want inherit (and maybe vice versa!?!) The merger approach is almost an impossible task and certainly one that is fraught with danger...

Saw a fantastic game at wangary on sat, grand final preview, no doubt about that. Same old same old with bostons. Grub what happened at centenary? Are mallees that bad or are souths a lot better than expected?

what cultural differences are you talking about you wingnut

[bluestheboy]

We now have a solid off field team with long term goals and a different attitude to past years. Also most of the juniors we have now are sons of the grand final team and have more reasons to stay at the club. Off field sucess will move to on field success and our committed team will make sure of that.

Like Brett Watherston?

[our_longreach]

what cultural differences are you talking about you wingnut

Biggles are you trying to say that you have the same culture as Waybacks??
If you seriously think that you have a positive culture at your club then I suggest you look at how many games you have won in the last four years my friend as performance is the best indicator of a strong positive culture....
All we hear from you is motherhood statements of your club will do this and do that but how, what, where and when are you doing biggles?
Perhaps you are the wingnut...

[biggles]

what cultural differences are you talking about you wingnut

Biggles are you trying to say that you have the same culture as Waybacks??
If you seriously think that you have a positive culture at your club then I suggest you look at how many games you have won in the last four years my friend as performance is the best indicator of a strong positive culture....
All we hear from you is motherhood statements of your club will do this and do that but how, what where and when are you doing it biggles?
Perhaps you are the wingnut...

idiot comments from wingnuts who hide behind a secret identity like you have no bearing here. You could not possibly have any idea of the internal club culture at Bostons or at any other club unless you are there. We have a vibrant and die hard culture at Tigerland and although we face all kinds of adversity the people here have unquestionable heart and courage. Obviously you have none of these qualities otherwise you would be able to recognise it.


YOU IDIOT

its not all about winning games why dont you come out from under your rock and reveal your identity you coward and if you have the balls tell us all about the negative culture at the Boston Football Club

[bluestheboy]

o l ?

[Scooby]

Hey Biggles, " Rome wasn't built in a day" but I caught up with a few of the "Old Tigers" from the glory year and they just shook their heads and couldn't believe how bad the situation is.. One said that he couldn't see the club lasting much longer but if they all have the attitude of yourself then who knows, you may just be able to survive and eventually prosper..

[our_longreach]

You're getting very emotional biggles which I admire...your club needs more passionate people like you. Let me ask you this, are you content with the culture at your club or do you think it could be improved?

btb, you must be running out of pictures soon surely? That one actually looks a bit like you - is it a self portait?

[biggles]

the attitude here is the best its been for a long time of course you always look to improve but as scoob said about rome gotta go train then kids catch ya all later

[bluestheboy]

A recent photo of me leaving the club:

[our_longreach]

see you've lost a bit of weight btb, have you been working out?

[bluestheboy]

nah...just a good angle.

[Justquietly]

i do admire your passion, biggles. I think passion is a GREAT foundation.
But merely a foundation. Sadly, either good players come back and/or cheque books get opened to an extent. I have been a part of teams that have been whipping boys for a while, but have had a fantastic culture. That can pay off, or dishearten the guys that hung around.
As for a talented 6 team comp, no. It's Not. There are definitely quite a few talented players from all clubs, but the league as a whole....