Southern Football League

[GO THE PUNT]

Some good ideas put forward. Maybe the clubs bosses need to get together and sort somethink out then go to the sfl with an idea. think the clubs will be putting pressure on them to do somethink. Also you will find that the sfl does'nt have the power to evict any club that is finacial whether they have a full junior programme or not. The other question is why would you want kangies back in the comp when they cant fill a b grade side not only would we have poor junior set up but the b grade comp would be a mess.

[Esteban Vihaio]

Some good ideas put forward. Maybe the clubs bosses need to get together and sort somethink out then go to the sfl with an idea. think the clubs will be putting pressure on them to do somethink. Also you will find that the sfl does'nt have the power to evict any club that is finacial whether they have a full junior programme or not. The other question is why would you want kangies back in the comp when they cant fill a b grade side not only would we have poor junior set up but the b grade comp would be a mess.

According to the hills website, kangy's b grade are 2 wins and 3 losses. If they are playing without a full side, they must not be that bad?

[Dazza44]

According to the hills website, kangy's b grade are 2 wins and 3 losses. If they are playing without a full side, they must not be that bad?

Well,you could say that ... but it depends who they've played !!

For example, in the B's in last 2 weeks Flaggies have played Aldinga (had won 3 lost 1) and Marion (had won 2 lost 3) and beat both by close to 20 goals .....

Yes, they can be that bad - maybe the opposition has been worse

[Bully]

all this talk about diff DIVs and 2 DIVs in SFL. Has anyone ever approached the SFL with the proposal or other ideas on here.....Everyone says it will never happen but has it been put in writing to the SFL?

[vics01]

BULLDOG

all this talk about diff DIVs and 2 DIVs in SFL. Has anyone ever approached the SFL with the proposal or other ideas on here.....Everyone says it will never happen but has it been put in writing to the SFL?

The SFL Board is discussing possibility of a 2 conference set up if can attract a couple of more teams

[Esteban Vihaio]

BULLDOG

all this talk about diff DIVs and 2 DIVs in SFL. Has anyone ever approached the SFL with the proposal or other ideas on here.....Everyone says it will never happen but has it been put in writing to the SFL?

The SFL Board is discussing possibility of a 2 conference set up if can attract a couple of more teams

A standard format, two division league was put to the board and rejected a few years ago, 8 - 7 from memory. Also, on offer was a radical draw proposal, can't remember the exact details, but it ensured the top three teams would not play the bottom three teams from the previous season (to avoid the 40 - 60 goal blowouts), and so on, but still with only one division.

[pale ale]

Spanner and Co. below is an earlier post by me that got swamped amongst other topics of the day. The recent suggestion just takes us back to where we were pre-2002 and after the few years see us thinking about going back to one div again.

Some of you guys are still missing the point with 2 divs. We've just applauded Flaggy for their work with their juniors but by putting them in Div 2 based on Senior form of recent, they will just all nick off to Happy Valley in the stronger comp. As I've said many times before, this just widens the gap between the 2 divs. It would become more like Div 1 and Div 4 with nothing in between. The above mentioned Div 2 would only see 5 or at best 6 sides in each junior age group which is mickey mouse. You can't integrate juniors as one div because programming of 5 matches per game day would be impossible. It just aint gonna work.

2 Conferences of 8 if done correctly can mean you can still play every one once from both conferences and then play 3 teams from your own conference twice. This can be done from who makes the bottom 4 or top 4 of your conference each year. eg. If Brighton, Cove, Flaggies and Morphy Park make the top 4 of North Conf. they then play each other twice the next season, likewise bottom 4 of North, top 4 south, bottom 4 south. This way regional rivalries are maintained without truly splitting the league in 2. This will mean that the Premiership Tables may not be symmetrical but they aren't in the US sports either. The question will be do we have a straight top 4 for each conf. or have Top 3 guaranteed and Wild Cards for the next 2 best win/loss/percent records across both zones. This would likely be 4th in both conf. but not always.

This still all means juniors can be a problem when playing clubs that don't have a full set but we all know what the alternative is for those clubs who will continue to struggle fielding junior teams.

Isnt that the case now

[shoe boy]

Obviosuly there is no overnight fix but its been the same teams (exception of E'Town) that have been challenging for the past 5 years. This year looks more of the same....

Your point being? In the AFL has it changed around that much? Not really i say, same 4-6 teams have been up for the last 4 or so years, with the exception of Hawthorn jumping into that group (Who will now stay at the top or around that mark for a few seasons yet).

All competitions are yo-yo's, teams will be good for periods and bad for periods. And unless clubs go out and buy a team, then these periods are normally quite a stretch, say 3-5 years. Whos to say that Brighton, M.Vale wont be bottom of the ladder again in a few seasons time? (highly doubt it, but things change, people leave clubs and other clubs improve)

Not having a crack at you swooper, i just think the whole argument of it being the same teams isn't quite fair. I agree that the margins of victories are a worry, but over a length of 10-15 years im sure results have changed (i.e Morphett Vale were not always the powerhouse they are now).

So true.
Take us for an example,in the early 2000 we were the team to beat winning GF or playing in them and in the early 90 and 80 and 70 we were doing the same.

[Look Good In Leather]

LGIN LEATHER

Promotion only granted with the full set of 3 junior teams + senior performance
No. junior sides reduced in Div 2 to allow struggling clubs to build base
Gaps in Div 2 comp to be filled by Div 1 teams additional teams

May be the option that a performing club in Div 2 could be allowed promotion without full set of junior teams if they use another club to fill those spots with 2nd sides.


Looks a pretty good comp - with room to allow additional teams to enter + establish their junior setup

Some good suggestions, but why would you play 14/16/18 in division 1 and 15/17 in division 2 ??

that would mean that a club coming into Div 1 from Div 2 would have to restructure it's entire junior program, and how would they fit with mini's which look like going to 8/10/12 from next year.

By the way your assertion that the Sunday Juniors is a kick and catch comp. is a slap in the face to to kids that go and have a go each week.

One of the main reasons to split the sides was due to the inability to field all sides, by reducing the amount of junior teams in Div2, this will reduce the strain on those clubs and hopefully will help them build accordingly.

[Look Good In Leather]

Would never happen, period.

...and your reasoning behind this?

[Swooper16]

Obviosuly there is no overnight fix but its been the same teams (exception of E'Town) that have been challenging for the past 5 years. This year looks more of the same....

Your point being? In the AFL has it changed around that much? Not really i say, same 4-6 teams have been up for the last 4 or so years, with the exception of Hawthorn jumping into that group (Who will now stay at the top or around that mark for a few seasons yet).

All competitions are yo-yo's, teams will be good for periods and bad for periods. And unless clubs go out and buy a team, then these periods are normally quite a stretch, say 3-5 years. Whos to say that Brighton, M.Vale wont be bottom of the ladder again in a few seasons time? (highly doubt it, but things change, people leave clubs and other clubs improve)

Not having a crack at you swooper, i just think the whole argument of it being the same teams isn't quite fair. I agree that the margins of victories are a worry, but over a length of 10-15 years im sure results have changed (i.e Morphett Vale were not always the powerhouse they are now).

I dont think the comp has changed that much in the past 10+ years. Occasionally you will get a club with an injection of ca$h that will have a strong couple of seasons (Marion late 90's & Shoes early 2000's) but other then that come the business end its always been the same teams contesting.

Even when the emus were struggling in the late 90's the games werent that lopsided and there were always a few shock results where the bottom sides would knock off a top one. Other then the twisties beating Reynella last year i cant remember the last time there was a genuine shock result.

I dont mind some of the ideas being floated on here to shake up the competition especially if they will create more even fixtures..!!

[Panther32]

On a different topic people, what have the past results been in these "exhibition" matches between the SFL and the under 23 SAAFL team? I believe they have only been going for a couple of years as before it was the Lovelock shield, is that correct. At the moment on the SFL website you can actually vote as to what you think is better.

[Zelezny Chucks]

Obviosuly there is no overnight fix but its been the same teams (exception of E'Town) that have been challenging for the past 5 years. This year looks more of the same....

Your point being? In the AFL has it changed around that much? Not really i say, same 4-6 teams have been up for the last 4 or so years, with the exception of Hawthorn jumping into that group (Who will now stay at the top or around that mark for a few seasons yet).

All competitions are yo-yo's, teams will be good for periods and bad for periods. And unless clubs go out and buy a team, then these periods are normally quite a stretch, say 3-5 years. Whos to say that Brighton, M.Vale wont be bottom of the ladder again in a few seasons time? (highly doubt it, but things change, people leave clubs and other clubs improve)

Not having a crack at you swooper, i just think the whole argument of it being the same teams isn't quite fair. I agree that the margins of victories are a worry, but over a length of 10-15 years im sure results have changed (i.e Morphett Vale were not always the powerhouse they are now).

So true.
Take us for an example,in the early 2000 we were the team to beat winning GF or playing in them and in the early 90 and 80 and 70 we were doing the same.

Difference between your lot and Morphett Vale, Cove etc. was that your team at the turn of the century was bought from Hackham. The current strong clubs have relied on strong junior development.

[Look Good In Leather]

looks good in leather your comment about junior teams is very ignorant. i also notice your team fields niether side on a sunday. maybe your mind would change if your lad missed out on a game cos your club has 15 players missing out each week. it is a great concept the kids will only get better skills from a full game rather than rotations and bench time cos they arent in the top so many of the team. this would mean c grade is in your eyes a waste of time. i would think getting more people involved the better

I have no issue with second sides, in fact our club was one of the pioneers of multiple junior teams in grades - what I disagree with is running a separate competition when we cannot even fill the main competition.

C-grade is different, it is the thirds competition and however much I dislike the current setup of the competition - it is still an important component of our league.

Just off topic for a moment, someone mentioned that having a C-Grade destroys the culture of the club... Since teams started entering Third sides in 1977, in the 32 seasons since, on only 6 occasions has a club won an A-grade premiership without a C-Grade side (Marion 2000, Happy Valley 98, Noarlunga 91, 86 & Willunga 84, 82). From that you would suggest that there is an 81.25% chance that this years Premiers will come from one of those current 7 C-Grade clubs.

[Esteban Vihaio]

Would never happen, period.

...and your reasoning behind this?

off the top of my head.

1. Hackham will more than likely have all three junior sides next year, under these rules, they will be a div 1 side and that would result in their seniors regression facing a higher standard, week in, week out.

2. The player drop off for U/18 sides is considerable as players chase jobs, girls, and play senior footy. If one year out of 10, a side, say Port Noarlunga can not field a side, you plan to drop them to division 2?

3. You will have teams in division 2 who are better than division 1!!!

4. Division 2 will be even less even than today. Edwardstown would likely win the next five premierships.

5. The division 2 clubs are not geographically close. Why would Aldinga and Hackham want to travel DTH every second week.

6. There are no benefits for the division 2 clubs. The end results would be more league departures and the inevitable merger of division 1 and division 2. Back to square 1!!

Why don't you just come out and say what you think about the clubs who don't have a full compliment of juniors sides, it would save time than coming up with these sorts of proposals.

Think globally, not locally.

[cyclops]

i would like to acknowledge and congratulate shane fishlock on playing his 300th a-grade game tomorrow at m/vale.in my eyes the best footballer ive seen pull on the red and black guernsey,well done fish and hope you enjoy the day.

[BJ Ernest]

i would like to acknowledge and congratulate shane fishlock on playing his 300th a-grade game tomorrow at m/vale.in my eyes the best footballer ive seen pull on the red and black guernsey,well done fish and hope you enjoy the day.

Super effort from Fish. As hard and tough as they come and a good bloke to boot!!

[lion heart]

i would like to acknowledge and congratulate shane fishlock on playing his 300th a-grade game tomorrow at m/vale.in my eyes the best footballer ive seen pull on the red and black guernsey,well done fish and hope you enjoy the day.

That is a staggering feat and would have to be close to a league record? Thats 15 injury free seasons of A grade footy. What is his total games record (im guessing hasnt played many if any B grade) including juniors?

[Look Good In Leather]

off the top of my head.

1. Hackham will more than likely have all three junior sides next year, under these rules, they will be a div 1 side and that would result in their seniors regression facing a higher standard, week in, week out.

2. The player drop off for U/18 sides is considerable as players chase jobs, girls, and play senior footy. If one year out of 10, a side, say Port Noarlunga can not field a side, you plan to drop them to division 2?

3. You will have teams in division 2 who are better than division 1!!!

4. Division 2 will be even less even than today. Edwardstown would likely win the next five premierships.

5. The division 2 clubs are not geographically close. Why would Aldinga and Hackham want to travel DTH every second week.

6. There are no benefits for the division 2 clubs. The end results would be more league departures and the inevitable merger of division 1 and division 2. Back to square 1!!

Why don't you just come out and say what you think about the clubs who don't have a full compliment of juniors sides, it would save time than coming up with these sorts of proposals.

Think globally, not locally.

1 - You may notice I made Div1 10 teams, this would be set - performance would be a component of promotion - ideally eventually you would have 2 divisions of all grades

2 - A condition of playing Div1 would be a full complement of juniors - the team would be entered automatically, failure to field a side will result in a forfeit with the resulting fine etc. An away forfeit should result in an additional $50 charge to go to the host club to compensate for lost revenue.

3 - This would sort itself out as by natural progression clubs developing their juniors are going to be stronger

4 - I would suggest that Edwardstown would not hang around in a Div2 competition or it would force their hand to find junior sides - alternatively they could team with another stronger club to use their second sides to fill their quota.

5 - These are the same clubs that currently play these teams - 30km is not a long distance now that we have cars and do not rely on horses.

6 - A lower division allows teams to find their level, rebuild, all those things - what do you want it to offer?

As for what I think of clubs without a full complement of juniors - I think this proposal would make it easier for them (ie the requirement for less sides), the only issue I have is admitting teams that have juniors but do not bring them with them.

[cyclops]

i would like to acknowledge and congratulate shane fishlock on playing his 300th a-grade game tomorrow at m/vale.in my eyes the best footballer ive seen pull on the red and black guernsey,well done fish and hope you enjoy the day.

That is a staggering feat and would have to be close to a league record? Thats 15 injury free seasons of A grade footy. What is his total games record (im guessing hasnt played many if any B grade) including juniors?

not sure mate,i know he played his first a grade game in 1986,now thats astonishing.