2011- Promotion & relegation

[Mug Punter]

I can never remember Wollongong running out of players before. Disappointing, but I guess years of being on the bottom few of the ladder is taking its toll. It would be a shame for them to go down - they're a well-managed club, they've got a great facility and in an important area for growing the game; but maybe it would be the best option to help them rebuild. As long as there's some way for them to go back up again when they're ready.
I tend to agree with UTSBatman - UTS are probably ready to go up, and would be more than competitive in Premier Division. Trumper Park isn't really up to standard as a Premier Division ground - but with Wests moving back to Picken Oval next year, maybe UTS could look at taking over Henson as their home ground.

UTS clearly have the on-field credentials to go up but there's just something there that doesn't add up. Their home ground isn't up to scratch and they really don't have a strong affiliation with the Uni which is a huge concrete block largely full of Asian foreign fee paying students down there at Broadway. They have no juniors. In reality they are an East Sydney breakaway full of Victorian and South Australian expats who (rightly) felt that being asked to go down to Kensington to get a game of footy was a joke.

I'd go back to the 8 team SFL as clearly there isn't enough talent to sustain a quality 10 team comp. Balmain, UNSW, the Gong and Campbelltown all look very shaky for varying reasons. When you have so-called premier league teams not being able to put three teams on the paddock it just makes the comp a laughing stock.

I'd do it with automatic promotion and relegation though subject to ground and other standards. You'd have a very very strong Div 1 with 2 teams dropping down and over time I reckon that could work. OK, most seasons the promoted team would go back down but not always and it allows clubs like Manly and Mac Uni be able to really see how far they can develop their clubs. Plus there would be a flow on down the league with an extra division being able to get started next season for sure.

[Hard Times]

["UTS ........... really don't have a strong affiliation with the Uni which is a huge concrete block ............down there at Broadway"]

Mug Punter a couple of points in their favour -
* they also have a pretty leafy campus out at Kuringai that has large numbers involved as well as
* the best Ladies Day in the comp.

[Septimus]

Having played Moorebank's 3rd Div side on the weekend I feel that they would be at least competitive in 2nd Div. Whilst it was an improvement on our part, we were still outclassed and out-muscled. Their structure was sound and their skills outstanding. Another point in their favour (from an outsider's point of view) is the fact that their younger plays seem to be the standouts (skills-wise), while the older guys compliment the play with aggressive (and legal) physicality around the contests.

Southern Power must go up to Div 1. They dominated us a few weeks ago by 150-odd points. Alan Fritcsh (sp?) kicked five goals in the first quarter on a fullback who would usually playing in a substantially higher division as well.

[Mug Punter]

Having played Moorebank's 3rd Div side on the weekend I feel that they would be at least competitive in 2nd Div. Whilst it was an improvement on our part, we were still outclassed and out-muscled. Their structure was sound and their skills outstanding. Another point in their favour (from an outsider's point of view) is the fact that their younger plays seem to be the standouts (skills-wise), while the older guys compliment the play with aggressive (and legal) physicality around the contests.

Southern Power must go up to Div 1. They dominated us a few weeks ago by 150-odd points. Alan Fritcsh (sp?) kicked five goals in the first quarter on a fullback who would usually playing in a substantially higher division as well.

I'd go further than that and say that long term you'd really like to see Liverpool established as a team with three sides in Div 1, Div 2 and maybe Div 4. They have a long and proud history and surely if the supposed pay-off from Team GWS takes off they will be a major beneficiary. They've fought the good fight out there pretty much on their pat malone for decades now and I'd love to see them get some on-field success...

No disrespect to tara et al but I do think that their problem in the past (and it's not an uncommon one amongst SFA clubs) is the off-field side. Haven't been out to Rosedale for years now but there used to be a real feral element out there (Rocker and the like) that did the club no favours and negated a lot of the work done by genuine footy people. Seems like that is being addressed and with the young fellas coming through with the structure of U18s in place they really seem to be putting the building blocks in place for the future.

[Mug Punter]

["UTS ........... really don't have a strong affiliation with the Uni which is a huge concrete block ............down there at Broadway"]

Mug Punter a couple of points in their favour -
* they also have a pretty leafy campus out at Kuringai that has large numbers involved as well as
* the best Ladies Day in the comp.

I'd imagine the Kuringai campus would get quite a few guys from the North Shore juniors wanting a game. Correct me if I am wrong but I wouldn't think they'd be real keen about travelling across to Paddington for home games and training...

For young guys on the North Shore it's really only Norths (if you are good enough) and Mac Uni. Can't understand why North Shore don't have at least a third grade. A guy I know out there recklons they always have 30 + guys missing out at the start of the season who just drift off. Is it laziness or an arrogance that they don't want their "great" jumper cheapened by it running around in Div 4? A bit of both I suspect which is really stupid.

Sydney Uni (and UTS and Mac Uni to a lesser degree) show the power of numbers.

Having FIVE senior sides as opposed to two at a North Shore has some enormous advantages. For starters you get huge financial and sponsorship advantages. More importantly players can develop through the grades. Several current first graders at Sydney Uni were playing thirds or even fourths a few years ago - had they gone to an elitist club like North Shore they would have simply been cast adrift.

[Bert]

I think you will find the feral element has long gone from Rosedale.

[ShortHalfHead]

I think you will find the feral element has long gone from Rosedale.

Almost. Pekay's mob were there on Saturday

[Pekay]

Almost. Pekay's mob were there on Saturday

And the award for drawing the longest bow of 2010 is..........

This award proudly sponsored by Westfield Pemriff Single Ladies Auxillary.

[tara]

I'd go further than that and say that long term you'd really like to see Liverpool established as a team with three sides in Div 1, Div 2 and maybe Div 4. They have a long and proud history and surely if the supposed pay-off from Team GWS takes off they will be a major beneficiary. They've fought the good fight out there pretty much on their pat malone for decades now and I'd love to see them get some on-field success...

No disrespect to tara et al but I do think that their problem in the past (and it's not an uncommon one amongst SFA clubs) is the off-field side. Haven't been out to Rosedale for years now but there used to be a real feral element out there (Rocker and the like) that did the club no favours and negated a lot of the work done by genuine footy people. Seems like that is being addressed and with the young fellas coming through with the structure of U18s in place they really seem to be putting the building blocks in place for the future.

I can never remember Rocker deliberately starting anything but everyone new that all you had to do was bait him and you'd get a reaction - I could name all sorts of people in the old SFA from pretty much every club from Manly down to the gong who all had that sort of element so pointing fingers at any one club doesnt really mean that much - I guess the thing people remember the most is who won the fight not who started it. On a side note though Rockers son now plays for me and he had a run with the Swans a couple of weeks ago. To be honest the only thing I find offensive is the constant reference to Liverpool and the dismissal of the Bankstown part of the club.

[ShortHalfHead]

And the award for drawing the longest bow of 2010 is..........

This award proudly sponsored by Westfield Pemriff Single Ladies Auxillary.

Just checking you were alive and well mate.

[mountainsofpain]

I'd go further than that and say that long term you'd really like to see Liverpool established as a team with three sides in Div 1, Div 2 and maybe Div 4. They have a long and proud history and surely if the supposed pay-off from Team GWS takes off they will be a major beneficiary. They've fought the good fight out there pretty much on their pat malone for decades now and I'd love to see them get some on-field success...

What senior club out in the west of Sydney hasn't? I'm not sure why you'd single one club out for special mention in this regard.

[Pekay]

Just checking you were alive and well mate.

Barely.....

[Norris Lurker]

I'd go back to the 8 team SFL as clearly there isn't enough talent to sustain a quality 10 team comp. Balmain, UNSW, the Gong and Campbelltown all look very shaky for varying reasons. When you have so-called premier league teams not being able to put three teams on the paddock it just makes the comp a laughing stock.

I'd do it with automatic promotion and relegation though subject to ground and other standards. You'd have a very very strong Div 1 with 2 teams dropping down and over time I reckon that could work. OK, most seasons the promoted team would go back down but not always and it allows clubs like Manly and Mac Uni be able to really see how far they can develop their clubs. Plus there would be a flow on down the league with an extra division being able to get started next season for sure.

The other complicating factor is if the interstate league competition gets off the ground (it seems that idea is back on the agenda at AFL HQ) and 2-3 Sydney clubs field teams in that. Possibly a promotion and relegation system could be in play there, where the lowest placed Sydney team in the interstate league would play off against the winner of Premier Division for the spot in the interstate league for the next season.

[Mug Punter]

The other complicating factor is if the interstate league competition gets off the ground (it seems that idea is back on the agenda at AFL HQ) and 2-3 Sydney clubs field teams in that. Possibly a promotion and relegation system could be in play there, where the lowest placed Sydney team in the interstate league would play off against the winner of Premier Division for the spot in the interstate league for the next season.

With the possibkle exception of ECE and possibly Sydney Uni if their Sports Assn backs it big time, I don't think any club in Sydney has the long term potential on or off the field to be viable at that level, which will essentially be a semi-pro league. Campbelltown battled away in the ACTAFL for a while but in the end the corporate dollar will not strectch down to that level.

A pathway for 25 - 30 top-UP contracts at Sydney Swans Reserves and GWS Reserves would be sufficient. A Canberra team such as Ainslie could easilly copmpete due to their proximity to the Riverina and the money coming out of their licences clubs but that would leave a 4 team ACTAFL comp (and we think we have issues). This statewide comp needs very very careful thought so it doesn't kill the local comps.

The reality is that most football players in Sydney at SFL level do not want to be heading down to Canberra or Brisbane or Darwin every second weekend unless it opens up a genuine potential pathway to AFL football. How many of the guys running around in Sydney footy at the moment do you genuinely think are second tier league standard (e.g. SANFL, WAFL)? - barely a couple of dozen I reckon.....

[Norris Lurker]

The idea comes up every few years. I can't see it getting off the ground, but it's rumoured to be under discussion.
Unless the AFL's going to pay for the travel, the costs would be prohibitive.