SA Footy

Totally concur re a total restructure of our competition.

It seems more obvious that a 2 division 8 + 8 main comp would be a good solution with the remainder making up a C grade across all divisions.

That enables Sedan and Milang a decent go and caters to the other first tier clubs to have a 3rd senior side.

Keep a strict points allocation working from sides allocated in pairs - top to bottom e.g. 12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points.

Settle the league for 3 years with no relegation / promotion and reassess after 2 years.

2 relatively even competitions will see footballers enjoying the game and clubs can plan moving forward.

How the 2 main comps are structured is anyone's guess but a geographical slant should be considered to keep families attending with ease of going to the local footy.

Travelling from Kersbrook to Blackwood or Kangarilla just wont work. (and it certainly aint local)

My initial thoughts are North and South.

Legsman FYI Ironbank where the last side that made A Grade finals - Think it was 1996 - and was relegated the next year due to having crappy other grades. Rod Campbell bought a team of players as per Echunga have this year but his problem was he could not coach on match day. Some one had to then come in the following year and clean the mess up as he walked out with the imported players so it can be done. From recollection similar to your B Grade that year the Ironbank B grade won only 1 game too so it can be done. I think they then won the country flags in 98 and 99 by rebuilding and had a really good coach who had great people skills and was a good teacher. He got some good players as well.

Legs Man wrote:Totally concur re a total restructure of our competition.

It seems more obvious that a 2 division 8 + 8 main comp would be a good solution with the remainder making up a C grade across all divisions.

That enables Sedan and Milang a decent go and caters to the other first tier clubs to have a 3rd senior side.

Keep a strict points allocation working from sides allocated in pairs - top to bottom e.g. 12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points.

Settle the league for 3 years with no relegation / promotion and reassess after 2 years.

2 relatively even competitions will see footballers enjoying the game and clubs can plan moving forward.

How the 2 main comps are structured is anyone's guess but a geographical slant should be considered to keep families attending with ease of going to the local footy.

Travelling from Kersbrook to Blackwood or Kangarilla just wont work. (and it certai nly aint local)

My initial thoughts are North and South.

2 even comps based on geographical slant won't work without some mergers of the smaller clubs. Uraidla vs Gumeracha in the north & Mt Barker vs Kangarilla in the south will be slaughters.
I would prefer 2 x 8 team divisions over a 12 or 14 team central division & the rest in country.
I think the points situation needs reviewing across the whole state, not just the HFL.

supercoach wrote:Legsman FYI Ironbank where the last side that made A Grade finals - Think it was 1996 - and was relegated the next year due to having crappy other grades. Rod Campbell bought a team of players as per Echunga have this year but his problem was he could not coach on match day. Some one had to then come in the following year and clean the mess up as he walked out with the imported players so it can be done. From recollection similar to your B Grade that year the Ironbank B grade won only 1 game too so it can be done. I think they then won the country flags in 98 and 99 by rebuilding and had a really good coach who had great people skills and was a good teacher. He got some good players as well.

Were you there SC?

supercoach wrote:Legsman FYI Ironbank where the last side that made A Grade finals - Think it was 1996 - and was relegated the next year due to having crappy other grades. Rod Campbell bought a team of players as per Echunga have this year but his problem was he could not coach on match day. Some one had to then come in the following year and clean the mess up as he walked out with the imported players so it can be done. From recollection similar to your B Grade that year the Ironbank B grade won only 1 game too so it can be done. I think they then won the country flags in 98 and 99 by rebuilding and had a really good coach who had great people skills and was a good teacher. He got some good players as well.

I'm sure Ironbank were still up in 1997 as my first game at Onkas was against them at Thunder Park

Keefy my mistake it was 1997. I must be getting old and yes Banker I was there. I also stayed when the rest walked at the end of that year and helped pick up the pieces so I know full well what was done. And Ironbank did it well back then. How IB did not succeed that year with the side they had is a shame. I know Campbell brought the players there but that is one thing - to coach them successfully is another. He was a good bloke though in other ways.

What a load of toss you blokes are primarily speaking!
If the club shield system is stuck to then the demons head to country, do a lofty and return again in 2016.

Truly, one minute Echunga won't win a game, then they won't win another game, then their clubs got a crap b'grade, then they've bought a side. Just let up, they're a very good side predominately made up of players who played in the country division other than Aish and Lindsay from first look.
The club as a whole we're always going to struggle coming up in its first year when you consider their senior colts are primarily players turned away from other clubs because they weren't 'good enough' and their reserves have had to leap from country reserves to central - arguably the central div b'grade should be able to match most country div a grade sides. So you blokes pull up and give credit where's it's due for once, the club came up and might have to yoyo for a season or two - so what! It just makes for some nervous clubs at the end of 2015...
Legs man I think you're incorrect about Echunga playing a senior colt every week as looking at sporting pulse it tells a slight different story?

Now any chance we can get of next season and start talking finals this season?

Legs Man wrote:Totally concur re a total restructure of our competition.

It seems more obvious that a 2 division 8 + 8 main comp would be a good solution with the remainder making up a C grade across all divisions.

That enables Sedan and Milang a decent go and caters to the other first tier clubs to have a 3rd senior side.

Keep a strict points allocation working from sides allocated in pairs - top to bottom e.g. 12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points.

Settle the league for 3 years with no relegation / promotion and reassess after 2 years.

2 relatively even competitions will see footballers enjoying the game and clubs can plan moving forward.

How the 2 main comps are structured is anyone's guess but a geographical slant should be considered to keep families attending with ease of going to the local footy.

Travelling from Kersbrook to Blackwood or Kangarilla just wont work. (and it certainly aint local)

My initial thoughts are North and South.

Over your sooking Legs and your general other comments as above. Appreciate your plight but don't need to hear your opinion on everything every 5 minutes.

All the talk on here is how unfair it is for Echunga getting relegated but the same could be said for MtLofty getting promoted if on grand final day this year they lose their first match of the season and then the premier decides to go up even if MtLofty win every other premiership on the day.

Champ wrote:What a load of toss you blokes are primarily speaking!
If the club shield system is stuck to then the demons head to country, do a lofty and return again in 2016.

Truly, one minute Echunga won't win a game, then they won't win another game, then their clubs got a crap b'grade, then they've bought a side. Just let up, they're a very good side predominately made up of players who played in the country division other than Aish and Lindsay from first look.
The club as a whole we're always going to struggle coming up in its first year when you consider their senior colts are primarily players turned away from other clubs because they weren't 'good enough' and their reserves have had to leap from country reserves to central - arguably the central div b'grade should be able to match most country div a grade sides. So you blokes pull up and give credit where's it's due for once, the club came up and might have to yoyo for a season or two - so what! It just makes for some nervous clubs at the end of 2015...
Legs man I think you're incorrect about Echunga playing a senior colt every week as looking at sporting pulse it tells a slight different story?

Now any chance we can get of next season and start talking finals this season?

100k a year isn't buying a side.

Yes the A Grade deserve credit where it is due as the will front up in the finals this year, but the club as a whole shouldn't get credit and just accept the rules. Every man and his dog knew the by laws before that ball was thrown up round 1, so unfortunately those involved at Echunga have to just suck it up and do what Mt Lofty have done.

Finals Talk:
I see the qualifying final is at Uriadla
Not sure on the Sunday game.... Maybe Mt Barker
2nd semi at a Echunga
1st Semi at Lobethal
Prelim at Callington
GF Balhannah

Now some of these might change depending on results, business time of the year.

Think you'll find it goes:
Qualifying final is at Uriadla
Elimination @ Mt Barker
2nd semi at a Echunga
1st Semi at Lobethal
Prelim at Balhannah
GF Hahndorf

Would Ironbank be disappointed with their A grade results this year? And will anyone beat Uraidla in the finals, I think not!

Happy to see how it all pans out - and I make comments and input as this is what a forum is for!

Local footy certainly isn't life or death (although ones passion can give that impression) - it is however a very important component of a small towns makeup and the central point for families and supporters alike.

I know our crowds are substantially better this year and we have seen better support in our club after games.

We have also made a concerted effort to support the club we are visiting as I am sure you have all seen.

It has been a good learning curve for us - just wish we had a second year to prove that with time our B grade and Juniors would definitely improve. (our Senior colts have been competitive)

I reckon the B grade is the biggest jump in standard when going up - some handy players running around - and yes the top B teams would likely beat the bottom A teams in Country div.

Our A grade is predominantly made up with local players and others who have been at the club for some time - with Aish, LIndsay,Wilson added plus Harland coming back. (BTW Aish was a junior footballer at Echunga)

We certainly haven't spent anywhere near the money quoted by some - and I do know!

Uraidla are a class act with good players and a superior game plan - undoubtedly short priced favourites (7-10 on)

Reckon Hahndorf has the GF and we get a final - but not sure of other grounds allocated.

Maybe give TV a final as a a way of thanking them for presenting such a good facility.

Disappointed we are looking down the barrel of relegation after not being as good as Torrens Valley at mud wrestling but i guess that is the way the cookie crumbles. Lofty took their medicine and it looks as though we may have to do the same. Ive been proud of the way we have gone about it this year and think we have certainly added something to the competition.
I could be wrong but i think this has been one of the more even years of central division across all the grades (aside from the Junior powerhouse clubs Blackwood, Barker and Hahndorf) of recent memory and probably the hardest part to accept is the fact we are stronger than Torrens Valley in 3 out of the 4 grades but will be left to lament our poor B grade performance.

Just gotta hope for a Kersbrook v Macclesfield GF theres still hope!

If Mt. Barker get rewarded with a final considering the condition of their oval and their horrendous away changerooms they offer that is a joke! It's about time the richest club in the competition is forced to do something about one of the worst surfaces and away changerooms going around.

Also, i cannot understand why the points system is under fire from everyone... It is only just starting to take effect and the competition in central is probably the most even it has ever been. I think if you see a couple of retirements out of Uraidla next season that you will see an even closer competition next year! The only thing that needs to be fixed is the allocation of extra points (there shouldn't be any) and maybe a fine tuning of the scaling.

Junior weighting is too heavy and should be brought down to 3 & 2 - considering senior footy is the pinnacle.
Keep a strict points allocation working from sides allocated in pairs - top to bottom e.g. 11,12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points. (10 team comp)
12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points.(8 team comp)
NO EXTRA POINTS!!!

Legs Man wrote:Junior weighting is too heavy and should be brought down to 3 & 2 - considering senior footy is the pinnacle.
Keep a strict points allocation working from sides allocated in pairs - top to bottom e.g. 11,12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points. (10 team comp)
12,13,14,15 - with bottom 2 sides getting 15 points.(8 team comp)
NO EXTRA POINTS!!!

Hmmm..... not sure I agree with your junior points issue. For me, the senor colts are a more relevant barometer as to the strength of a club than the B grade is. Some clubs have strong B grade teams as a result of bringing in so many external players, but there's nothing below that to support the club long term should the cheque book dry up (e.g. TV, Uraidla).

10,3,5,2 maybe

That will give SC more importance and take away the temptation to load a B grade come relegation time?

The points system is silly. How a side like Uraidla can win the flag and then go out a recruit Tim Delvins and Luke Ivens just makes the whole thing pointless.
Should be:
1st = 7
2nd=8
3rd = 9
4th = 9
5th = 10
6th = 10
7th = 11
8th = 11
9th = 12
10th = 12

This would also help the SANFL's issue with losing all there players. If SANFL players are worth 4 points it makes it harder to just pillage league sides when your sitting 8th after round 11.
Example - If Aish wants to leave Echunga next year it should cost another club 4 points for him as he played SANFL in 2014

lovethefooty wrote:I am no expert on the points system, and am not particularly experienced in the hfl, but it seems very strange to me that a team that could conceivably win the A grade premiership (Echunga could...Uraidla probably will though) will be relegated. Forgetting all the associated issues it just strikes me as very strange..

Nothing has changed in 20 years, this happened to Ironbank in 97/98. Ironbank played in an Elimination final on the 31st of August 1997 against Bridgewater at Blackwood. We lost that day and being realistic we were never really going to win the flag BUT we were in the five and therefore had a chance.

We were relegated to Division 2 for the 1998 season due to the poor results of the B grade and Junior sides.

We won the Division 2 premiership in A grade 1998 and 1999. B grade in 1998 and 2001. The Under 14's in 2000.

There were positive and negative for everyone out of that.

We as a CLUB regrouped, rebuilt. Constant on ground success from the A grade brought people to the club. The standard in the B grade comp enabled our B grade to be competitive weekly. We developed our juniors.

What it meant for the Div 2 comp though was a club that played in the Grand Final for 4 years straight. I am not sure that is healthy for any comp.