Sydney AFL Still not learning!

[Bryan Strauchan]

I cannot believe the current situation regarding the under 18 competition. The league in it's wisdom has decided to split into a Premier Grade and a Challenge Cup (2nd grade). I believe it is fair enough if the ammount of sides warrant it. This is where the circus performers at league head quarters begin to work under their big top (again). Instead of of making sure all Premier League sides have a side in the Premier Cup, they make it a free for all and include sides that don't have any alliance with a Premier club. It should be set up so every club in Premier Division has a u/18 side or has an alliance with a junior club. This is set in stone. So every week the under 18's play followed by the Ressies and then the main game. It cuts down on the cost of an under 18 side playing at a different venue and possibly a different day. It also fosters club spirit by enabling the boys and their parents to watch the main game. The remaining under 18 sides who are left over should then form the Challenge Cup. I would not have thought that this was that hard to organise. If a club has two sides in the comp like North Shore did last year, one plays in the main comp and one plays in the inferior comp. Is it just me or does that sound to simple for the clowns to organise. It would actually be less work and help keep clubs together. If sides without a senior club whinge, tell them to allign themselves with a senior club or play in the inferior comp.

By the way I think we should have a competition to spot the green and gold fuel man. I saw him waving $5.95 Pizza's at the Dominoes at Bondi!!

[YoungKanga]

totally agree Bryan......no where near as much club atmosphere with Under 18s playing either on different days or venues. Need to keep the connection with the under 18's so as to ensure they continue to play when it comes time to play seniors....(create an avenue for them)

[GoEagles]

Re: Sydney AFL Still not learning!

Another example that i was talking about previously. Also the situation with umpires is embarrassing. No Offence to the lower leagues but if i dont see VFL clubs providing there own umpires in reserve grade games because the Essendon & District league need umpires. If SFL premier division is the showcase and state league of NSW surely they get preference of umpires and the lower leagues can provide their won umpires

Common sense i would have thought???

I saw the green and gold man organising the number 9 mardi gras float in coogee last week...

[Norris Lurker]

Not sure whether I totally agree. One of the big problems we had when there was just the one comp was the number of seriously lopsided games - scorelines of 200+ to nil were not uncommon. That doesn't do anyone any good.
Because of that, I tend to favour the current system, using a qualification process so that the stronger teams go into Premier Cup and the remaining teams into Challenge Cup.
The other issue to consider if the U18s competition was to change to the proposed format is what would happen to the Redbacks? Would they play in Challenge Cup? If so, why would any players from a Premier Cup team release their players to play in a lower competition?

[Adroit]

Strauchanie and GoEagles,

Not sure, but I think that the green and gold man is in charge of Sydney traffic ? Same sort of organised chaos, but on a much larger scale.

[Bryan Strauchan]

Norris,

I think you missed my point. If a side in the Premier comp had to have a side in the Premier u/18s they should be using players from these junior clubs. The lesser ones that have no pathway to senior footy should merge into the SAFL Premier comp bolstering numbers and the standard. The Redbacks is a farce. If the junior structure was right in Sydney they wouldn't need to even enter a side.

BP Watch: Spotted getting a spray on tan in Oxford St

[orange_maggot]

It might be a pain for senior clubs but as someone who had umpired some of the 200-nil games it has created a more balanced comp with closer games, which will hopefully improve skill levels of players which was the aim of the afl.

[j s]

Originally posted by Norris Lurker
what would happen to the Redbacks? Would they play in Challenge Cup? If so, why would any players from a Premier Cup team release their players to play in a lower competition?

The Redbacks are U16's aren't they? It's the Junior clubs that lose their best players.

[orange_maggot]

Yeah redbacks are a u/16s side and are the only team certain of being in premier 18s regardless of results during round robin pre-season comp.

[Rafters]

I prefer the system the way it is ... it is a huge incentive for the Premier League clubs to get their u/18s up & running at the start of the year as they won't have to be apart for as many games during the season proper.

It helps to remind the Premier League clubs that they need to nurture & invest in the the future rather than just milk the cream from those putting in the hard effort in the formative years.

I think it is great that there are alot of clubs putting in under 18 sides as it shows the growth of Sydney footy & we should be encouraging as many to play (as well as manage) regardless of which club they are with.

I wouldn't mind seeing an under 20 alternative though (like in the SFA years gone by) - for those that still want to play footy but not at the level physically to play senior footy once they reach 18.

One other thing - I don't believe that clubs should be penalised come finals time for playing their good kids in the higher grades during the season proper. if a 17yo is good enough to play senior footy he shouldn't be disqualified from having a chance of winning an under 18 medal. When clubs mess around & stop them gaining experience in seniors (or even ressies) then I think it is the young fella that misses out.

[Henry]

There is no U16 Redbacks anymore!

[cmon]

Originally posted by Rafters


One other thing - I don't believe that clubs should be penalised come finals time for playing their good kids in the higher grades during the season proper. if a 17yo is good enough to play senior footy he shouldn't be disqualified from having a chance of winning an under 18 medal. When clubs mess around & stop them gaining experience in seniors (or even ressies) then I think it is the young fella that misses out.

How do rules work at the moment ??

[shearer]

Just adding to Rafters point about 18's qualification. At the moment any Rams U/18's games count as Senior games, this rule should also be scrapped.

[Northern_Swan]

Originally posted by shearer
Just adding to Rafters point about 18's qualification. At the moment any Rams U/18's games count as Senior games, this rule should also be scrapped.

That rule had merit when the RAMS were in the TAC Cup. It has no relevance now.

[Norris Lurker]

As it turns out, the Under 18s Premier Cup lineup isn't all that different to Premier Division. 8 of the 10 Premier Division clubs have U18s Premier teams, with North Shore getting 2 clubs up. So in the vast majority of cases, there will be 3 games with the same clubs involved.