SANFL 2025

[mots02]

No one wants 5th spot

[dedja]

No one wants 5th spot

Bradbury to steal it ... maybe time to go back to a final 4.

[rd]

When was the last time South and West both won games in the same round of footy?

[UK Fan]

Eagles and BAYS struggled mid season last year.

It can turn around

[dedja]

Eagles

2024: won 6 of their first 9, then 2 of their last 9 - round 13 W7/L6
2025: won 6 of their first 9, then 0 of the next 4 of 9 - round 13 W6/L7

[Brucetiki]

Eagles

2024: won 6 of their first 9, then 2 of their last 9
2025: won 6 of their first 9, then 0 of the next 4 of 9

They fell in a heap in 2023 as well from memory.

[dedja]

Eagles

2024: won 6 of their first 9, then 2 of their last 9
2025: won 6 of their first 9, then 0 of the next 4 of 9

They fell in a heap in 2023 as well from memory.

2023 - won 4 of their first 9, then 2 of the last 9

[dedja]

Eagles and BAYS struggled mid season last year.

It can turn around

Bays were in good shape this time last year, W9/L4, then only won 1 of the next 5, before winning the last 5 for a flag.

Eagles had already dug half their hole by now, and just got deeper after each week.

No comparison.

[another grub]

can someone post this story for me TIA

https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscrib ... -1-NOSCORE

[Mr Beefy]

Most SANFL footballers are being paid only $8 an hour to play in Australia’s best state league competition, it has been revealed.

In an eye-opening report released by the SANFL Players’ Association, the staggeringly low money South Australia’s top suburban footballers are earning illustrates they are primarily playing for the love of the game, while also trying to achieve team success at a high level.

While many SANFL teenagers - and some mature-age prospects - are dreaming big and aspiring to play in the AFL, the majority of state league players are doing it tough as they combine their passion for the competition with full-time work.

The report - the brainchild of SANFLPA president and dual Sturt premiership player Matt Crocker - was compiled following a comprehensive, competition-wide survey conducted in April, with players from all eight standalone clubs invited to participate.

It revealed the typical SANFL player who played at least 18 games in 2024 was paid between $3001 and $5000 (including superannuation and before tax).

This is despite SANFL players committing an average of 16 hours a week, for 39 weeks a year (624 hours total), to their clubs to play in the league.

Their time commitment includes games, training, team meetings, gym and medical/physio appointments.

For a player paid $5000, his hourly pay is just $8.
The figure is even less for 35 percent of SANFL players, with that group earning between $1001 and $3000 last season.

While the very best or ‘marquee’ players at SANFL clubs can make up to $30,000 a year (15 players earned more than $15,000 in 2024), clubs have to spread their $335,000 in salary cap money among their entire playing list.

That is way less than the average AFL player, who played at least one game in 2024, earned ($493,592).

In the past 20 years, total player payments for AFL players has risen by 50 per cent (this year’s AFL salary cap is $17.7 million), while SANFL players’ pay has fallen (in real terms) by 50 per cent.

The SANFL salary cap sat at $400,000 from 2005-19 before being slashed completely during Covid in 2020 and slowly rising again since as the league recovers from the pandemic.

The SANFL, however, made a move three years ago to try to better reward its players by introducing a milestone payments system.

This started at $2500 for a player reaching 50 games and rising to $15,000 for 250 games.

The money, paid by the SANFL, sits outside clubs’ salary caps.

The report stated that while as many as 70 percent of SANFL players harboured dreams of being drafted to the AFL, retaining the best talent in the state league competition was challenging because of the greater money - and less time commitment - on offer in community and country leagues.
Of the players who replied to the survey, 80 percent had been approached to play in other competitions this season.

Crocker, who helped re-establish the SANFLPA in 2021, said the comprehensive report aimed to provide the league and public with an insight into the SANFL competition from the players’ perspective.

The findings revealed that 93 percent of players found it stressful to ask for time off for work or study to meet their SANFL commitments, while they also self-reported lower wellbeing than their AFL peers.

“These findings are of particular concern to the SANFPA and reflect the players’ calls over a number of years for a dedicated program to support players’ wellbeing,’’ Crocker said.

“At the SANFLPA’s AGM, the players identified wellbeing support as their top priority.’’

In February this year, the players voted in favour of pursuing a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the SANFL to work through their concerns.

Crocker, who played in Sturt’s 2016-17 premiership teams, said the report outlined the opportunity that a CBA presented.

He said it demonstrated that by including the players and giving them a stake in the competition it would foster collaboration and strengthen the league, helping it to remain the best competition outside the AFL.
“We’re focused on working with the SANFL to find opportunities to best support players’ workplace conditions and mental health and wellbeing,’’ Crocker said.

“At our AGM earlier this year, the players voted in favour of pursuing a Collective Bargaining Agreement with the SANFL and identified the need to establish a wellbeing program as their top priority.

“This report shows that there’s room to improve the players’ workplace and wellbeing and the SANFLPA will champion that cause for our members.

“All players, clubs and the league want a thriving SANFL as the best second-tier Australian football competition in the country.

“The players’ engagement and forthright responses through our surveying shows how deeply they care about the competition.

“This is a critical moment in time for the SANFL to harness the players’ enthusiasm and passion and to forge a genuine partnership, develop a shared vision for the future of the competition and guarantee the SANFL’s standing as the best state league in Australia.”

North Adelaide 209-game veteran Mitch Harvey - a 2018 SANFL premiership player and reigning Ken Farmer Medallist as league leading goalkicker - is one of the key players backing the SANFLPA’S push for better playing conditions.
A SANFLPA board member, he said the report highlighted the need for change.

“I’ve played in the competition for such a long time and over the years I’ve seen a lot of things change and a lot of players come and go and I want to make sure the SANFL continues to be the best competition outside the AFL,’’ said Harvey, 29, who was on Port Adelaide’s AFL list in 2014-15.

“Reading the report and looking at some of the numbers, which gives everyone some really good information, we have to make sure the competition remains sustainable for the players because it is a big commitment and I think at the moment the SANFL and all key stakeholders would probably acknowledge that the players aren’t paid well enough.

“The best players at each club are probably getting paid what they’re worth, but there is a list of 50-to-60 players at most clubs and the money drops off pretty quickly but the commitment doesn’t change.

“We need to keep encouraging good players to want to play in the SANFL, it’s something I’m really passionate about because I love the competition and want to make sure it remains sustainable, so hopefully we can work with the league to get a good outcome.’’

[another grub]

Crocker sh1t

[Bluedemon]

the salary cap would have risen to what it was pre-covid but due to some clubs struggling financially, it hasn't happened yet

[MW]

World worst kept secret. Everyone knows if you want to get paid you go to Ammos or country leagues otherwise the only benefit is to play in SANFL to get drafted or purely for the love of the club.

[Booney]

What bargaining chips would the SANFLPA have to hold against the SANFL in any CBA?

[wenchbarwer]

Nothing article, all they did was work out the hours you put in at that level and the dollars the SANFL clubs pay (or don't pay).

Some blokes like the challenge of playing at the highest level they can get to. Others like a bit of folding in the pocket, horses for courses.

[wenchbarwer]

What bargaining chips would the SANFLPA have to hold against the SANFL in any CBA?

I can't see how you're going to be able to pay Reserves players the same coin they can get in the amateurs or country footy.

Seeing how the salary cap is still under what it was pre-Covid, I'll assume you still only get about a hundred bucks or so for a magoos game, if that. Is it still mandatory for players to have their own private health cover, too?

[mal]

Norwood and Sturt have something in common after 13 rounds
Neither team has beaten a side above them on the Premiership ladder

[whufc]

We all get the paying rate is massive unders.

Surely the SANFL PA understand that for players to be paid more money all clubs need to be able to afford this or be subsided by the SANFL for the eternity.

Knowing the players they would end up getting more then complain they lose their 'hobby income' status at tax time.

[stampy]

remember cupido being on 80k back in 2006, equivalent to nearly 130k in todays money

[UK Fan]

We all get the paying rate is massive unders.

Surely the SANFL PA understand that for players to be paid more money all clubs need to be able to afford this or be subsided by the SANFL for the eternity.

Knowing the players they would end up getting more then complain they lose their 'hobby income' status at tax time.

SANFl is loaded and should be able to subsidise.

I cant think of a club in the SANFL that couldnt handle an increase in salary cap.

An extra $50K a year isnt going to put anyone into liquidation