Murray, Mallee & Riverland Football League mess

[Information HWY]

An absolute mess - the demise of the Mallee League, the lack of netball following footy in the Riverland League and the lack of reserves and juniors in the new Murray Valley League are all huge issues which will slowly kill country sport in these regional towns in the far East of SA.

What’s is the SANFL doing?!

[Mr Beefy]

What do you want them to do - move some families there?

[Information HWY]

What do you want them to do - move some families there?

Maybe make an educated decision to strategically plan in West Adelaide’s SANFL country zone?

Maybe not approve the merger and relocation of one club without putting plans and safeguards in place?

It’s a whole lot more than just number for junior footy and netball, and a bit of compassion wouldn’t go astray!

[Mythical Creature]

Restriction on recruiting - APPS - and Salary cap would be partly to blame.
Lack of numbers means they need to recruit not for the football club but for the whole communities.
CFL can take some responsibility for making decisions that suit metro clubs and applying it state wide.
The furtherest communities suffer first (Mallee, EP) then smaller communities closer to Adelaide will eventually follow the same fate.
Sad days ahead

[LaughingKookaburra]

That entire space both sides of the Vic/SA border has been a complete mess for longer than just recently. It’s required a thorough review for years now and numerous leagues are suffering along a 400km stretch.

[carey]

That entire space both sides of the Vic/SA border has been a complete mess for longer than just recently. It’s required a thorough review for years now and numerous leagues are suffering along a 400km stretch.

The SANFL/AFL have only cared about womans footy in recent years trying to grow AFLW, IMO at the expense of grassroots football. Plenty more clubs very close to folding.

[sesaint]

The myth is clubs fold due to money, which is wrong. Country communities are very resilient and will make it happen to keep their footy clubs going.
The reality is clubs will fold due to a lack of playing numbers and volunteer numbers. The rules and regulations imposed by Community Footy and AFL's desire to promote Womens Footy has had a major impact on both these things. As long as metro footy is flourishing they think everything is fine. People from Community Footy/SANFL have no idea the importance of Country Footy/Netball to communities and the effect their decisions have on it.
I've seen the surveys they send out and speak to a lot of people and I can assure you the outcomes they release from these surveys definitely dont reflect the sentiments of most country footy clubs.

[Jimmy_041]

Restriction on recruiting - APPS - and Salary cap would be partly to blame.
Lack of numbers means they need to recruit not for the football club but for the whole communities.
CFL can take some responsibility for making decisions that suit metro clubs and applying it state wide.
The furtherest communities suffer first (Mallee, EP) then smaller communities closer to Adelaide will eventually follow the same fate.
Sad days ahead

The APPS and salary cap was brought in at the instigation of the country leagues to stop their clubs going broke
The SAAFL (ADFL) was one of the very last competitions to agree.
They did so because they were threatened in a meeting of clubs, by Glen Rosser and some bloke from BL&G League, that if they didn't, all SAAFL would be zero pointers for every other league. I was at that meeting as was many others on this site.

[Mythical Creature]

Restriction on recruiting - APPS - and Salary cap would be partly to blame.
Lack of numbers means they need to recruit not for the football club but for the whole communities.
CFL can take some responsibility for making decisions that suit metro clubs and applying it state wide.
The furtherest communities suffer first (Mallee, EP) then smaller communities closer to Adelaide will eventually follow the same fate.
Sad days ahead

The APPS and salary cap was brought in at the instigation of the country leagues to stop their clubs going broke
The SAAFL (ADFL) was one of the very last competitions to agree.
They did so because they were threatened in a meeting of clubs, by Glen Rosser and some bloke from BL&G League, that if they didn't, all SAAFL would be zero pointers for every other league. I was at that meeting as was many others on this site.

The APPS was in before the salary cap was. The problem is there is a restriction on both.
Should only ever be 1 or the other

[Jimmy_041]

Restriction on recruiting - APPS - and Salary cap would be partly to blame.
Lack of numbers means they need to recruit not for the football club but for the whole communities.
CFL can take some responsibility for making decisions that suit metro clubs and applying it state wide.
The furtherest communities suffer first (Mallee, EP) then smaller communities closer to Adelaide will eventually follow the same fate.
Sad days ahead

The APPS and salary cap was brought in at the instigation of the country leagues to stop their clubs going broke

The SAAFL (ADFL) was one of the very last competitions to agree to the APPS.
They did so because they were threatened in a meeting of clubs, by Glen Rosser and some bloke from BL&G League, that if they didn't, all SAAFL would be zero pointers for every other league. I was at that meeting as was many others on this site.

The APPS was in before the salary cap was. The problem is there is a restriction on both.
Should only ever be 1 or the other

Sorry - yes - the 2nd part is about the APPS - amended above

But the salary cap was also at the instigation of many of the country leagues to stop their clubs going broke + one, or more, clubs dominating because they had the $$$

Having been through the "amateur" days of the 70's - 10's, the SAAFL always knew the salary cap was a fairy tale

[oldbomber]

Also who has let Murrayville into this new league without consultation? They are still trying to fill board positions so who has allowed this if they are not even fully set up yet? Murrayville could have looked at victorian options or kept mallee going. Now they will drive past pinnaroo and lameroo to play other teams. Im sure there is more to it but seems silly.

My concern is have they even spoke to all MVFL clubs yet? Sedan Cambrai and BSR have quite a lot of locals who live in gawler and barossa areas. Reckon they wanna travel an hour to their home club then 3 hrs to murrayville? Its a big big ask to do 8-9 hrs in the car for a game of footy.

Mallee league was the most even last year it has been in the last 20. It should definately have tried a 4 or 5 team comp first. Now looks like lameroo and pinnaroo have been absolutely shafted. Complex and different issues facing each club in the mallee has made it all a mess for sure.

[Aerie]

Seems a pretty good result for Karoonda/Peake to join the RMFL. I imagine it will be a big challenge, but a sustainable outcome if they can make it work.

Is the new Murray Valley League going to have juniors?

I presume Lameroo & Pinnaroo will either go it alone in the new Murray Valley League or combine and join either the RMFL or Riverland League? I feel for these two communities being a bit further away. Strong footy towns who would be an asset to whichever league they join.

I guess the important thing is having opportunities to play football in these towns/regions and hopefully it works out best for all involved.