silent hour wrote:what do you think is the solution CC?
plenty of clubs have merged over the years and more have folded.
juniors will help but is not the answer. more often then not when players come out of their junior grades the majority find other interests or start work and don't have the time to train or play.
Mate if I knew that I would become an instant hero, probably also a millionaire.
Sooner rather than later for the good of the sport, clubs will need to look at the bigger picture and start talking to the clubs around them with a view to amalgamation. Not many people like the idea but it's happened before with success providing egos and past history don't get in the way. Rationilization of clubs would make the whole comp stronger but noone's got the balls to make the first move. Some sporting grounds would make prime real estate, so councils would love to be able to pinch some from clubs and sell them off to recoup some $$$$'s
Look at every major sport in Aust, how many leagues have byes, yet in SA, the SANFL and SACA , the top leagues we have tolerate a bye in their programs, absolute crap. no wonder the standards are slipping. SACA put up around $400K for 2 clubs to join up, it almost happened but ego's held it back.
Don't know the answer but i do know the problem!