SANFL 2025

[northerner]

Sturt’s flag to lose now, clearly.

Conveniently omits to mention season ending injuries to Crowden and possibly Battersby.

[Hazydog]

“The only long-term answer i can see would be if the SANFL clubs had the money to see a significant rise in the salary cap that would then see blokes willing to play SANFL for the larger money on offer than what country/ammo clubs can offer that makes the extra requirements worth it. How does the SANFL get to a point all clubs can afford that......................i don't think it can.”

That’s the irony. The SANFL was in this position 20 years ago however the AFL systematically bullied/blackmailed it to the point where the salary cap has been decimated…

[northerner]

Clubs are damned whatever they do... we all entice players over with the carrot of being a stepping stone to AFL, which makes us vulnerable when the promise is fulfilled.

Not sure of the answers, but koch-inspired concessions and mid season drafts are definitely not part of an equitable system.
We have lost out in both scenarios... having lost two State Game BOGs within 6 months.

The enjoyment of supporting an sanfl side has yet again been diminished.
I have already cleared the calendar... home games only from hereon. Not a protest, just losing interest rapidly.

[Dogs64]

Clubs are damned whatever they do... we all entice players over with the carrot of being a stepping stone to AFL, which makes us vulnerable when the promise is fulfilled.

Not sure of the answers, but koch-inspired concessions and mid season drafts are definitely not part of an equitable system.
We have lost out in both scenarios... having lost two State Game BOGs within 6 months.

The enjoyment of supporting an sanfl side has yet again been diminished.
I have already cleared the calendar... home games only from hereon. Not a protest, just losing interest rapidly.

Yes, exactly. Zero integrity with this comp as most of us predicted at the time. If we hadn't voted no, I wouldn't go at all.

[gazzamagoo]

Clubs are damned whatever they do... we all entice players over with the carrot of being a stepping stone to AFL, which makes us vulnerable when the promise is fulfilled.

Not sure of the answers, but koch-inspired concessions and mid season drafts are definitely not part of an equitable system.
We have lost out in both scenarios... having lost two State Game BOGs within 6 months.

The enjoyment of supporting an sanfl side has yet again been diminished.
I have already cleared the calendar... home games only from hereon. Not a protest, just losing interest rapidly.

Yes, exactly. Zero integrity with this comp as most of us predicted at the time. If we hadn't voted no, I wouldn't go at all.

Yep, I spend most Saturdays away somewhere nice & relaxing, or at home shagging.

[whufc]

“The only long-term answer i can see would be if the SANFL clubs had the money to see a significant rise in the salary cap that would then see blokes willing to play SANFL for the larger money on offer than what country/ammo clubs can offer that makes the extra requirements worth it. How does the SANFL get to a point all clubs can afford that......................i don't think it can.”

That’s the irony. The SANFL was in this position 20 years ago however the AFL systematically bullied/blackmailed it to the point where the salary cap has been decimated…

Yep!! The AFL has actively ensured there is a massive gap between them and anyone else. Eliminate even the smallest of competition.

[MW]

I understand the frustration around this, but at the end of the day the SANFL is a feeder league to the AFL. You can't hold back players who want to play football professionally for a living. Just part of the game.

Now what Port and Crows do with the SANFL is another matter...

[whufc]

I understand the frustration around this, but at the end of the day the SANFL is a feeder league to the AFL. You can't hold back players who want to play football professionally for a living. Just part of the game.

Now what Port and Crows do with the SANFL is another matter...

I think the hardest/saddest/most frustration whatever you want to call it part is that around the early 2000's 'it felt' that you probably had a 50/50 split of players who were playing SANFL because of their AFL ambition and blokes who were actually childhood supporters of a club they wanted to play for. Keeping in mind 20 year olds in 2000 were born in 1980 so had somewhat an affiliation with an SANFL club prior to the AFL clubs.

Obviously over time that is diluting as the AFL grows and the SANFL dwindles and that split would be nearly almost 90% of players are at the SANFL purely for the ambition of playing AFL. Obviously some do fall in love with their SANFL clubs and forge out great SANFL careers but that is getting rarer and rarer.

[Spargo]

I understand the frustration around this, but at the end of the day the SANFL is a feeder league to the AFL. You can't hold back players who want to play football professionally for a living. Just part of the game.

Now what Port and Crows do with the SANFL is another matter...

I think the hardest/saddest/most frustration whatever you want to call it part is that around the early 2000's 'it felt' that you probably had a 50/50 split of players who were playing SANFL because of their AFL ambition and blokes who were actually childhood supporters of a club they wanted to play for. Keeping in mind 20 year olds in 2000 were born in 1980 so had somewhat an affiliation with an SANFL club prior to the AFL clubs.

Obviously over time that is diluting as the AFL grows and the SANFL dwindles and that split would be nearly almost 90% of players are at the SANFL purely for the ambition of playing AFL. Obviously some do fall in love with their SANFL clubs and forge out great SANFL careers but that is getting rarer and rarer.[/quote]
I haven’t had a close enough look at other clubs but it would be the other way around with Glenelg.
90% of our players in that side hold no AFL ambition & want to stay at The Bay.

[UK Fan]

Sturt’s flag to lose now, clearly.

Conveniently omits to mention season ending injuries to Crowden and possibly Battersby.

Battersby wasnt going to play midfield anyway.

[pmackk]

Sturt’s flag to lose now, clearly.

Conveniently omits to mention season ending injuries to Crowden and possibly Battersby.

Last I heard Battersby was back running so hopefully will be back at some stage.

[Booney]

I haven’t had a close enough look at other clubs but it would be the other way around with Glenelg.
90% of our players in that side hold no AFL ambition & want to stay at The Bay.

90%?

Adams, Bell, Chandler, Parnell and Ramm all nominated for the mid season draft. That's 5 of last weeks side.

[Spargo]

I haven’t had a close enough look at other clubs but it would be the other way around with Glenelg.
90% of our players in that side hold no AFL ambition & want to stay at The Bay.

90%?

Adams, Bell, Chandler, Parnell and Ramm all nominated for the mid season draft. That's 5 of last weeks side.

I was talking this week’s side…

[Booney]

I haven’t had a close enough look at other clubs but it would be the other way around with Glenelg.
90% of our players in that side hold no AFL ambition & want to stay at The Bay.

90%?

Adams, Bell, Chandler, Parnell and Ramm all nominated for the mid season draft. That's 5 of last weeks side.

I was talking this week’s side…

[Backman]

Does the SANFL need to take action to even up the competition, as we are now seeing a competition of the 'haves' and 'have nots'
The top clubs dominate every year, and it's hard to see how bottom clubs can improve
Sturt & Glenelg would average 3,500 to home games, West & South would average 1,000
Glenelg had 8 in State squad, South & West had zero
Sturt & Glenelg have each played in 7 of last 9 finals series, West have played in zero
The last 9 wooden spoons won by West 6, Port 1, North 1, Adelaide 1
Pre the AFL clubs entering the SANFL drafted players were allocated to the SANFL clubs, with the bottom clubs getting first choice and usually additional picks over top clubs, helping even up the competition
Currently the salary cap is less for the struggling clubs
Glenelg had $1million of debt wiped off by the Holdfast Bay Council, effectively a $1m donation, while the struggling clubs struggle to make ends meet
The top teams recruit proven senior players, the struggling clubs recruit up and coming kids
I do think South have improved their list this year, and may be on the right track, but like West they could do with a leg up such as has happened with Port & Adelaide
Action was taken to help Port & Adelaide, without action to help clubs struggling financially, and to even up of the competition we may see some clubs lost to the SANFL, something no one wants
Other clubs eg Sturt did struggle over the years, but it is harder now for struggling clubs to rebound with the dominance of the AFL
The SANFL is not necessarily the top State League any more, losing both State games this year, we badly need an even competition to attract interest more broadly
Any thoughts?

[am Bays]

I think it is an industry wide problem

Currently there two game and percentage split between the 5&6th teams in the WAFL, same as the SANFL.

In the large Community leagues the same issue is occurring (BL&G and GSFL) and even in the lower standard leagues like the SFL et al the same issue is there with the bottoms teams being really uncompetitive (percentages atound 30%)

[whufc]

I think it is an industry wide problem

Currently there two game and percentage split between the 5&6th teams in the WAFL, same as the SANFL.

In the large Community leagues the same issue is occurring (BL&G and GSFL) and even in the lower standard leagues like the SFL et al the same issue is there with the bottoms teams being really uncompetitive (percentages atound 30%)

Yeah any competition where there is a salary cap this seems to be an issue. The rich 'get richer' and the poor 'get poorer'

The points in amateur sport have tried to rectify this but I'm not sure it does a whole lot even when points are evenly spread. Ultimately the bottom sides still need to pay top $$$$ to get their recruits and the top sides find it easier to attract players. Especially given every score from every round is easily accessible by any player in Australia, you can't bluff blokes with 'we are a team on the rise' whilst getting pumped by 80 pts every week.

Even at the AFL where there is a draft, we often see teams spend long periods down the bottom whilst other find it easier to remain around the top 8 longer. We also see the gap between the top 4 and bottom 4 generally being extremely large.

It going to be hard for any comp not to have big gaps between 1st and bottom each season, i guess what you can try and achieve is that the cycle teams are at the top to bottom rotates as quick as possible, but it is getting harder.

[MW]

Unless West are somehow bailed out not just financially, but also operationally, and a program put in place to upgrade the facilities, and give them access to more talent, then the doors will shut in the next couple of years.

[dedja]

Glenelg are by no means rich, there still is some debt when in reality the proceeds of the footy park sale should have removed that … that’s also after the Council forgave the debt to them.

Sturt, like Glenelg, were in dire straights not that long ago, but both have been able to manage by generating a sustainable cash flow.

As stated many times before, this is West’s real issue, they are not generating anywhere near enough revenue to being close to sustainable. To make matters worse, they effectively dont have any assets.

Once finances are stabilised, then other aspects follow, and subsequent on field success then brings the benefits of players actually wanting to go to the club.

Unfortunately, West doesn't have any of this, and unless a sustainable revenue model can be found, no amount of assistance will save them and shutting it down will be the only option.

South seem to fly under the radar here, whilst not at West’s level of despair, they are not travelling well at all financially, but there is much more opportunity for them to turn things around, when compared to West.

With regards to it being harder now due to the AFL than ever before, it's been hard ever since 1991 when the Crows were born. Glenelg were absolutely decimated back then, not only losing lots of players but the coach and support staff.

Port’s entry in 1997 just made things worse, but that was nearly 30 years ago now, so SANFL clubs have had a long time to try to live with the new world.

As mentioned before, Port and the Crows can GTFO, but if West fold then the SANFL would find it difficult to have relevance with only 7 teams, so solving West’s problems is critical.

[MW]

If West closing its doors mattered to the SANFL then they would have been supported by the SANFL by now.
I think the league would not care if they fold.