HFL Division 1 (Central)

[OnSong]

Sorry for bombing the HFL page, perhaps it needs its own thread on this topic!

What the salary cap will do is destroy competitions like KNTFL, RMFL, GSFL, YPFL etc etc as those clubs will not be able to attract a certain calibre of player for $500 for the travel. Fact. Are they going to reduce the metro competitions to a $200 salary cap to keep the other affiliated leagues at least able to compete in the market for high quality players? why not be smart and have a salary cap geographically focused whilst keeping the points system. Anything over 100km affords extra $300 per 100km. Say Bordertown, 3 hours travel (close to 300km?) attracts $600 giving them $1100 to attract some players within their point allocation.

There is talk of a travel contingency being worked into the player payment cap, yeah?

[barrys antz]

So will echunga stay up or go down. Apparently decision to b made by next week

[grasshopper22]

If Echunga get relegated and another team wins the flag next yr, you can't say you've beaten the best team can you?. Makes a mockery of things doesn't it?

[Look Good In Leather]

If Echunga get relegated and another team wins the flag next yr, you can't say you've beaten the best team can you?. Makes a mockery of things doesn't it?

Country division winner would be the best team

[Yellow & Black]

Legs or LGIL - what's your gut feeling on how the vote will go next week?

[cracka]

There's no guarantee Echunga would win the flag next year so to say they are the best team in the comp is ridiculous. They probably weren't the best team this year but they are the reigning premiers. Big difference in the 2.
I agree it makes a mockery of things if the reigning A grade premier is relegated. The only way this could be avoided is if promotion/relegation is based solely on A grade results which then makes a mockery of clubs with strong numbers across all grades. No easy solution here as this years points table was an anomoly with the premier also being on the bottom of the points table.

[cracka]

Legs or LGIL - what's your gut feeling on how the vote will go next week?

I've got a bad feeling it will go against Echunga. Some people at Onkas think it should be Echunga getting relegated (which I totally disagree with). I cant see why for a 1 off season (due to the unforseen circumstance we are in) we just have an 11 team comp.

[Amateur Footy]

Well I agreed with your first post Cracka but not the 2nd. The premise of the bylaws was to force clubs to build strong foundations and not recruit for A grade flags. By not enforcing them you are rewarding the one thing the rules are there to prevent.

Now in saying that I think Echunga probably got the best value for $ spent last season and were better at recruiting than any other club. However they needed the strength across the whole club before applying to come up and that could have been addressed in prior seasons. Yes it is more difficult to build strength in Country Div with less teams but if your serious about coming up you need to address that over a few years. The delay in the HFL admitting them was based on a concern of depth/numbers so it was an issue. By increasing the Central teams you only make the divide greater and more difficult for clubs to come up.

I don't agree with an 11 team comp but if it happens so be it as we had cracking A grade games against Echunga last year.

[cracka]

Well I agreed with your first post Cracka but not the 2nd. The premise of the bylaws was to force clubs to build strong foundations and not recruit for A grade flags. By not enforcing them you are rewarding the one thing the rules are there to prevent.

Now in saying that I think Echunga probably got the best value for $ spent last season and were better at recruiting than any other club. However they needed the strength across the whole club before applying to come up and that could have been addressed in prior seasons. Yes it is more difficult to build strength in Country Div with less teams but if your serious about coming up you need to address that over a few years. The delay in the HFL admitting them was based on a concern of depth/numbers so it was an issue. By increasing the Central teams you only make the divide greater and more difficult for clubs to come up.

I don't agree with an 11 team comp but if it happens so be it as we had cracking A grade games against Echunga last year.

F*** some good points against an 11 team comp, I thought I had it sorted, good on ya like I said no easy solution. Here's some others I've heard

A one off 19 team comp & regrade at end of the year on whole of club results.

Regrade central div (div 1) based on this years A grade top 8, bottom 2 (which is us & Hahndorf) & all other clubs who can field all teams play in 2nd div & the clubs that cant field all teams play in a 3rd div.

Whats best for the league as a whole, good luck HFL board. One thing I do know is I'd hate to be in their shoes on this coz no matter whats decided it will be wrong.

[Banker]

I still think they are wasting their time lobbying for a 11 team comp. Only 12 months ago the club presidents told Lofty where to go.... And nobody thought for a second they were a premiership threat!

I reckon they should focus on challenging the wording of the constitution and get those 4 A grade final wins included in the 2014 club points.

[chopper7]

Just reading the GSFL thread and they are suggested Adam Grocke linked to a couple of hills clubs..... Big inclusion for any side if true

[chopper7]

Any more recruiting news going around?

Blackwood picking up bricknell and Thompson should improve them significantly, even if they lost their recruits from last year.

Lobey would almost be equal favorites with echunga next year with their pick ups to add onto their local strength.

Surely barker will pick up a few handy players, especially with block in charge and can imagine hahndorf will be much improved next year.

Should make for a really good comp next year once again. Have heard Gordon may be leaving lofty, any truth to that rumor?

Gordon getting on a bit so maybe he thought he couldn't keep up with the central div pace.
Have heard Luke Carey is down at the crows sanfl side training, I would think he would get a run so that would be a big lose for the demons. Also Lindsey has gone down to the MSE comp. Couple of big outs.
Onkas cranking up pre season in 2 weeks, no doubt McGahey will get those boys very fit so Onkas could be a surprise packet if they add to their squad. Any news on Uris? They would only have 3 points to play with if my maths add up.... And providing previous recruits (Delvins and Ivans) go around again.

[Legs Man]

Any more recruiting news going around?

Blackwood picking up bricknell and Thompson should improve them significantly, even if they lost their recruits from last year.

Lobey would almost be equal favorites with echunga next year with their pick ups to add onto their local strength.

Surely barker will pick up a few handy players, especially with block in charge and can imagine hahndorf will be much improved next year.

Should make for a really good comp next year once again. Have heard Gordon may be leaving lofty, any truth to that rumor?

Gordon getting on a bit so maybe he thought he couldn't keep up with the central div pace.
Have heard Luke Carey is down at the crows sanfl side training, I would think he would get a run so that would be a big lose for the demons. Also Lindsey has gone down to the MSE comp. Couple of big outs.
Onkas cranking up pre season in 2 weeks, no doubt McGahey will get those boys very fit so Onkas could be a surprise packet if they add to their squad. Any news on Uris? They would only have 3 points to play with if my maths add up.... And providing previous recruits (Delvins and Ivans) go around again.

Knew Carey was at the Crows - but of course remains an Echunga footballer as a top up player for the Crows SANFL side.
Haven't heard the LIndsay one.
Clint Guy returns and have picked up another couple.

[batmanbegins]

Good to see carey at the crows that guy was the best player in the competition in my opinion, just dominated! Lindsay will be a big loss if true, but no doubt with guy back and those few other recruits Echunga will still be good.

Onkas were quite good when they got their full side on the park in the second half of the year won quite a few games and will no doubt be much improved this year, with Mcgoo in charge who I reckon will make a very good coach.

Well Kluvanek has gone down to sturt so It wouldn't surprise me if Uraidla recruit a key defender or forward to help Oakley out, cos as shown in the GF ebel and co struggle on the good forwards.

Any idea of which clubs Grocke was linked to chopper? Wouldn't surprise if one of those would be Hahndorf or maybe torrens valley.

[chopper7]

Good to see carey at the crows that guy was the best player in the competition in my opinion, just dominated! Lindsay will be a big loss if true, but no doubt with guy back and those few other recruits Echunga will still be good.

Onkas were quite good when they got their full side on the park in the second half of the year won quite a few games and will no doubt be much improved this year, with Mcgoo in charge who I reckon will make a very good coach.

Well Kluvanek has gone down to sturt so It wouldn't surprise me if Uraidla recruit a key defender or forward to help Oakley out, cos as shown in the GF ebel and co struggle on the good forwards.

Any idea of which clubs Grocke was linked to chopper? Wouldn't surprise if one of those would be Hahndorf or maybe torrens valley.

Legs man maybe just double check that he will remain a Echunga player...: I have heard Blackwood are floating around to try snap him up.

G'day batman, no doubt Echunga will still be around the mark, but which other recruits you heard of going there?
I tend to agree with you regarding onkas, I think they could be the big movers next year. They would have 15 points to play with so plenty of room for recruits as well.
Uri- Simon Ebert playing at Kersbrook I believe. Good mates with Miller and Paul James. Ebel has retired, but still they only have 3 points to play with when Delvins and ivans are playing. They seem to get it done no matter what though.
Not sure who Grocke is linked with, it was just mentioned on the other thread. Although it did say he already signed at Goolwa. I think TV could be one purely because of $$$ but maybe Ironbank just because of the Jars affect. TV have suddosely asked for more points again...: surely the HFL can't let that happen once more.

[FannyO'Wilson]

Perhaps if Echunga choose to take legal action and waste the HFL's cash (essentially the clubs/supporters cash) in court the clubs could look to vote them out of the competition all together making any legal action pointless. Could save some cash if the legal talk is more than just a bluff.

[Legs Man]

Perhaps if Echunga choose to take legal action and waste the HFL's cash (essentially the clubs/supporters cash) in court the clubs could look to vote them out of the competition all together making any legal action pointless. Could save some cash if the legal talk is more than just a bluff.

I think Echunga is simply doing what is required to stay in Central after proving themselves this season.

After winning the finals matches they have enough points to be well off the bottom of the table.

No delineation in the constitution regarding minor or major round matches to gain points.

The league can save the competition money by deeming the points count - it's the easiest and most common sense solution.

Effectively Bridgewater are relegated and Echunga stay in Central as they have justifiably earnt the right to.

[cracka]

Good to see carey at the crows that guy was the best player in the competition in my opinion, just dominated! Lindsay will be a big loss if true, but no doubt with guy back and those few other recruits Echunga will still be good.

Onkas were quite good when they got their full side on the park in the second half of the year won quite a few games and will no doubt be much improved this year, with Mcgoo in charge who I reckon will make a very good coach.

Well Kluvanek has gone down to sturt so It wouldn't surprise me if Uraidla recruit a key defender or forward to help Oakley out, cos as shown in the GF ebel and co struggle on the good forwards.

Any idea of which clubs Grocke was linked to chopper? Wouldn't surprise if one of those would be Hahndorf or maybe torrens valley.

Legs man maybe just double check that he will remain a Echunga player...: I have heard Blackwood are floating around to try snap him up.

G'day batman, no doubt Echunga will still be around the mark, but which other recruits you heard of going there?
I tend to agree with you regarding onkas, I think they could be the big movers next year. They would have 15 points to play with so plenty of room for recruits as well.
Uri- Simon Ebert playing at Kersbrook I believe. Good mates with Miller and Paul James. Ebel has retired, but still they only have 3 points to play with when Delvins and ivans are playing. They seem to get it done no matter what though.
Not sure who Grocke is linked with, it was just mentioned on the other thread. Although it did say he already signed at Goolwa. I think TV could be one purely because of $$$ but maybe Ironbank just because of the Jars affect. TV have suddosely asked for more points again...: surely the HFL can't let that happen once more.

Yeah we weren't too bad when we had the full side, was incredible how many injuries we had, at one stage we had 10 players missing that played in the 1st A grade game of the year & 19 total. I think the new APPS rules only give us a maximum of 13 points.

[Look Good In Leather]

Perhaps if Echunga choose to take legal action and waste the HFL's cash (essentially the clubs/supporters cash) in court the clubs could look to vote them out of the competition all together making any legal action pointless. Could save some cash if the legal talk is more than just a bluff.

Echunga have earned their right to a spot in Central for 2015. If the clubs decide to go against the by-laws and relegate them, then they should foot the blame, not Echunga.

[On The Pine]

It will be interesting to see how legal opinion views the shield points debate. I would suggest that where a rule is ambiguous then the interpretation would be taken from how the majority understood the rule. So in this case if the long standing view is that points were only accrued in the minor round by the majority then that is how the rule will stand.