The never ending No AFL in the SANFL whinge thread

[Wedgie]

Yep to that too

Plus I'd start spending hundreds of dollars more on the club like I used to.

[mighty_tiger_79]

I dont care about what the standard is like.

If my favourite football team plays in a comp with integrity ill be there every week.

Great post.

I go expecting a tough hard scrappy contest and when I go in winter I expect that the ovals will be chopped up and a big pig sty.

The big issue now going forward is getting back the fans who are disenchanted with the comp and hope they havent found something else.....

[CENTURION]

yep, get back to a more family-orientated club, less emphasis on the big dollar, more emphasis on the supporters, more chook raffles & meat tray raffles, downsize the size of the clubs, make it cheaper to get in to the footy. You get my drift.

[Spargo]

yep, get back to a more family-orientated club, less emphasis on the big dollar, more emphasis on the supporters, more chook raffles & meat tray raffles, downsize the size of the clubs, make it cheaper to get in to the footy. You get my drift.

This will require the exiting of some club presidents/board members who are far too buddy-buddy with, or looking to advance their careers with Adel/Port.
Once this is done there is no reason why your thoughts can't gather momentum Centurion.

[FlyingHigh]

[quote="bennymacca"
removing all AFL involvement and implementing an AFL reserves comp will certainly lower the standard imo.

Im making an assumption here but the rules for topup players would change, and they would be allowed to sign a few players. Some of these players may then have an sanfl club.

What will happen though is that players looking to get back into the AFL somehow will almost certainly play in the AFL reserves instead of the SANFL, and the SANFL would then be the third tier rather than the second.

Seems logical to me that this would lower the standard.[/quote]

If it was done right for the good of football it would lead to a very minor drop in standard in second-tier football. Amongst other accompany changes, top-ups being undrafted players coming out of u/18's, two years, so rotate 6 a year, to give players like Goldsworthy and Rowntree a second chance, so they wouldn't be in the SANFL as 19 or 20 year olds.
Of course, I wouldn't have any faith in the AFL or it's clubs to do this, and think they would push for close to open slather on non-listed players, which would severely diminish the second-tier standard.

[UK Fan]

Yep to that too

Plus I'd start spending hundreds of dollars more on the club like I used to.

I'd happily pump thousands back into the club no matter what the standard.

As long as the AFL clubs have nothing to do with the league comp.


Good to see that even the most naive AFL apologists are finally learning what we already knew 180 odd pages ago about OUR comp.

Only taken them 16 months to finally understand just how wrong they were.

[wild dog]

Integrity is what most of us want because we are all quick to denigrate some other club if we believe they have an unfair advantage. Every supporter is attuned to it, and no matter what we say its annoying to hear the opposition downplay your clubs achievements.

While we are all interested in seeing an individual develop, we are not going to watch a game for that purpose. Im glad Shannon Hurn is West Coasts captain, but the joy and memories of winning that Grand Final and beyond far eclipse anything else that he or any other Centrals player does in the AFL.

[wild dog]

In regards to players leaving SANFL to chase cash, my understanding is that the league in conjunction with the community leagues had investigated and determined that as of 2016 a salary cap was going to be imposed.

Under the new rules, which are due to come into effect from the start of the 2016 season, match-day payments will be limited to $500 per player and clubs will have an overall limit of $3000 for match payments per game. Country clubs will be permitted to pay a "marquee player" as much as $1000 a game as long as overall payments remain within the $3000 limit.

Post-match awards will be limited to $250, with no individual player to receive more than $150 in performance awards. Sign-on payments will also be banned, while regional clubs will be allowed to pay players a mileage allowance on top of match fees at 50 cents a kilometre for return trips of more than 100km.

My only source from a quick google search is here http://www.naracoorteherald.com.au/story/3197090/football-salary-cap-changes-coming/

I gather "a marquee player" means "one" marquee player. If he is getting $1000 per game and the other 20 are sharing $2k, he would want to be doing a fair bit of work.

[Harry the Horse]

I dont care about what the standard is like.

If my favourite football team plays in a comp with integrity ill be there every week.

100%. Just want to be able to support my team in a pure competition that is not compromised by two self-serving clubs who can't see past their own noses.
The standard will never return to the glory days ... but give us an even playing field and we'll all come back.
Great post to by JK regarding age of top up players.
There would be hope still for the League, if it were not for the deaf and blind men still running the competition and many of its clubs.

[UK Fan]

I dont care about what the standard is like.

If my favourite football team plays in a comp with integrity ill be there every week.

100%. Just want to be able to support my team in a pure competition that is not compromised by two self-serving clubs who can't see past their own noses.
The standard will never return to the glory days ... but give us an even playing field and we'll all come back.
Great post to by JK regarding age of top up players.
There would be hope still for the League, if it were not for the deaf and blind men still running the competition and many of its clubs.

[topsywaldron]

yep, get back to a more family-orientated club, less emphasis on the big dollar, more emphasis on the supporters, more chook raffles & meat tray raffles, downsize the size of the clubs, make it cheaper to get in to the footy. You get my drift.

Why can we all see this but the numpties at the SANFL, the clubs and some supporters not understand that this is the only future path for success of the SANFL?

Too busy shoring up the chance of freebie corporate tickets at the Adelaide Oval I guess.

[bennymacca]

yep, get back to a more family-orientated club, less emphasis on the big dollar, more emphasis on the supporters, more chook raffles & meat tray raffles, downsize the size of the clubs, make it cheaper to get in to the footy. You get my drift.

Why can we all see this but the numpties at the SANFL, the clubs and some supporters not understand that this is the only future path for success of the SANFL?

Too busy shoring up the chance of freebie corporate tickets at the Adelaide Oval I guess.

Once again though, how do you expect this to happen whilst simultaneously keeping a whole bunch of ex afl players in the system?

I think that is actually a fundamental problem here - the SANFL doesn't really know what it wants to be - the top of the amateur footy tree, or a lower professional league.

It is kind of both at the moment, and the addition of the reserves teams just further complicates that.

Players are expected to be at almost afl standard in terms of their professionalism but aren't paid to that level. And most SANFL first fans love it over the afl because it is less professional and therefore more relatable to the average punter.

I think the SANFL has to sit down and work out what it wants to be

[UK Fan]

Once again though, how do you expect this to happen whilst simultaneously keeping a whole bunch of ex afl players in the system?

WTF Are you honestly talking about ???

Why would AFL players runaway from the above scenario.

[wild dog]

I think the aspect of someone trying to get the best out of themselves is being discounted. The majority of guys running around the SANFL know they are not going to get an AFL gig, and are playing in the comp to be the best they can be. Not everyone does something for maximum dollar or advantage. Im sure a lot of comments about the SANFL are either from someone who hasn't played football, or have totally forgotten. The feeling of group success and reward for effort is extremely strong. I can see it in my kids just starting out in sport, its heady stuff.

Maybe its the last of the socialist in me, but I get depressed reading about the dollar side of players motivations, and the trade talk stuff. The whole cattle auction side of the AFL draft and trade underlies the reason why the AFL exists - Money. That this system thrives and is commonly expected at lower grades including amateur levels is disturbing. Surely making the SANFL a community driven competition and something alternative, where character and deeds are rewarded by something other than immediate financial gain will ensure the SANFL's success.

[bennymacca]

Once again though, how do you expect this to happen whilst simultaneously keeping a whole bunch of ex afl players in the system?

WTF Are you honestly talking about ???

Why would AFL players runaway from the above scenario.

Maybe read the comments

some people want to increase player wages to keep the best talent playing SANFL for longer instead of going to the country, and some want the SANFL to become more of a low key lower budget family type club. Both points are valid, but they are also incompatible.

[UK Fan]

Once again though, how do you expect this to happen whilst simultaneously keeping a whole bunch of ex afl players in the system?

WTF Are you honestly talking about ???

Why would AFL players runaway from the above scenario.

Maybe read the comments

some people want to increase player wages to keep the best talent playing SANFL for longer instead of going to the country, and some want the SANFL to become more of a low key lower budget family type club. Both points are valid, but they are also incompatible.

So to clarify in your opinion no AFL player will consider the SANFL if we focus marketing to our local communities. ????

Do you think AFL players come to SANFL because thats how the earn the big $$$$$ now.

[bennymacca]

No they come here because the standard is considered the second best behind the afl, but if it goes back to a more local type club, even making it part of the ammos as some have suggested, that clearly won't continue to be the case anymore, they will go to Victoria or if it gets up, an afl reserves comp.

That's not in itself a bad thing, but it will just have to be considered.

[UK Fan]

No they come here because the standard is considered the second best behind the afl, but if it goes back to a more local type club, even making it part of the ammos as some have suggested, that clearly won't continue to be the case anymore, they will go to Victoria or if it gets up, an afl reserves comp.

That's not in itself a bad thing, but it will just have to be considered.

Yet again. how would SANFL's standard drop by clubs focusing their marketing on the local community and dropping admission price as has been mentioned.

By having no AFL players in our comp we will be the undeniable second best comp in Australia and the envy of every other state league in Oz. And this will detract players from our comp because ????


What are you so scared of by the SANFL standing on its own two feet AFL fan ???

[Booney]

No they come here because the standard is considered the second best behind the afl, but if it goes back to a more local type club, even making it part of the ammos as some have suggested, that clearly won't continue to be the case anymore, they will go to Victoria or if it gets up, an afl reserves comp.

That's not in itself a bad thing, but it will just have to be considered.

There's no denying that players ex-AFL, be it young guys listed and delisted who return to SA ( say Ben Nason ) or older players who still have something to offer ( Jason Porplyzia ) at SANFL level may be easily courted by amateur and country clubs for a nice little cash cow to finish their careers. Buy the Mrs a new Jeep with the funds they get.....go on a nice holiday or something. Or, they could play SANFL for a lesser amount. ( Which could become lesser if clubs head down the community based path )

I think though the measures being put in place regarding total player payments in amateur and country leagues might help this though.

Ultimately though it is about playing on an even playing field, but it wouldn't be, the richer community clubs would be better resourced than the poorer community clubs and then the whole thing is funded by pokies and chook raffles.....

[wild dog]

I think though the measures being put in place regarding total player payments in amateur and country leagues might help this though.

Ultimately though it is about playing on an even playing field, but it wouldn't be, the richer community clubs would be better resourced than the poorer community clubs and then the whole thing is funded by pokies and chook raffles.....

Yes the salary cap hopefully will be a game changer, and get some common sense back into the club boards at country and amateur level.