What new clubs will Join Sydney AFL in 2012, 2013 and on!

[Mug Punter]

They are also going to raise Under 16s to Under 17s. This initiative has been instigated by the AFL who were the ones who originally wiped out the AFL Under 19 competition and then the Reserves. Now many of the clubs have gone back to running their own reserves teams to keep control of the players they have listed and develop within their own ranks.

I think that this would make sense. U17s effectively takes kids up to Year 12 at high school. U19s worked before and good U17 kids can double up at the SFL clubs if they want. I'd also look at the Div 2 under age group being U20 as this will keep kids in the system longer. It worked before....

[Pekay]

I think that this would make sense. U17s effectively takes kids up to Year 12 at high school. U19s worked before and good U17 kids can double up at the SFL clubs if they want. I'd also look at the Div 2 under age group being U20 as this will keep kids in the system longer. It worked before....

Innovative! Maybe 23s, to keep in line with the development team? (And we're more likely to field numbers in this bracket!)

[Tom Wills]

Mug P... the under 20 idea for Challenge Cup is one of the best ideas I have ever seen on the forum.
Having watched a number of Challenge cup games it is clear that many of the teams have player who will not move into senior football, effectively its their last year of footy.
Giving these kids the chance to keep playing, even to 20 is a great idea.
I hope someone from the AFL reads this forum, even if in 2012 they made it under 19. Great idea.

[tara]

Mug P... the under 20 idea for Challenge Cup is one of the best ideas I have ever seen on the forum.
Having watched a number of Challenge cup games it is clear that many of the teams have player who will not move into senior football, effectively its their last year of footy.
Giving these kids the chance to keep playing, even to 20 is a great idea.
I hope someone from the AFL reads this forum, even if in 2012 they made it under 19. Great idea.

The AFL in Sydney will do exactly what the rest of the country (whatever the Spew determines actually) is doing - if the Heirachy determine under 19's is the way to go we will follow.

As for challenge cup being under 20s that is so open for rorting its not funny. What is to stop a club who has a PD and a CC 18s team and varying senior grades above it playing 20yo's one week in PD seniors or 1st div but when realising they cant make finals dropping them back to win a flag in the under20's comp? Please dont tell me integrity will ensure this scenario doesnt happen.

Anyway if you want to keep those kids who arnt good enough for seniors involved get a div 5 team together, they wont have a problem competing in that div for fun.

[unconfuseme]

I think it is the opposite MP & TW.

by necessity at most clubs, by the second half of the season, a lot of the kids playing CC and even PD u/18's are in fact u/16's, (with a lot of 2nd year 18's playing in the senior sides) ... a good way to intro them to senior footy I would have thought.

But not if they have to front up and get bashed by 20 y.o.'s!

As tara pointed out, the worst 20 y.o. will have fun playing against 40+ y.o.'s in div 5, and learn more about playing the game than they would "monstering" children.

Allowing older players would be detrimental and widen the gap between junior and senior footy.

[The Student]

Not that close really. I think I am right in saying that Maroubra are the fastest growing junior club in the state and could probably accomodate an U18s team. Just a matter if they want to do it. I remember playing juniors that U18s were the oldest junior age group and all junior clubs had an U18s team, albeit with the better players doubling up for U-19 duty at SFL level. It's insane that we don't have more U18 sides, hopefully this will change going forward

It would also be great to see Newtown back in action through their juniors but I doubt that will ever happen as Sydney Uni are pretty tight with the Newtown juniors I believe.

Correct, Newtown are one of our junior pathway clubs - just like the Moore Park Tigers Under 7s and the private sch... oh, they're not on our list anymore.

[Benchwarmer]

Correct, Newtown are one of our junior pathway clubs - just like the Moore Park Tigers Under 7s and the private sch... oh, they're not on our list anymore.

Can someone pass the student a tissue please..?

[ShortHalfHead]

Student, my helpful hint for the day. From the Uni grounds, cross Parramatta Rd (take the footbridge, it's safer). On the other side is a suburb named Glebe. They have a junior footy club. Talk to them. Will get you quicker results than recruiting the Moore Park Under 7's. You may be surprised to find out they are in your pathway.

Alternatively, try junior clubs in Broken Hill, WA, Adelaide etc. They're a little bit further west than Campbelltown, Penrith etc, but it worked for you in 2009.

[Jupiter]

SHH - I know Uni U/18s has Glebe players in it and I think it has been a shared pathway club for Dockers and them for the first time this season. I also know Uni has been down at Glebe regularly for about 5 years now, before and after the club incentive scheme. Central Coast seems to be working for Dockers apparently but your point is poorly made when that whole thing re: 2009 had nought to do with Penrith, C'town or SU / ECE or anyone else local (although it might of from your parochial perspective), it was the Swans crying over the Pies getting innovative in their back yard in a way that messed with their own strategy. Couple that with GWS being in planning phase and the Swans couldn't handle it and AFL Sydney had to placate, thats what that was, AFL politics pure and simple. On that note what Collingwood were onto was obviously effective with 3 of the NSW Scholarship holders that went to Uni U/18s ending up on their list, good result for those kids - it really provided the foundation for the Academy ideas I suppose as based on similar principles. You don't see many AFL clubs taking 3 Sydney youngsters very often, shame the Scholarship scheme has ended - competition brings the best results not closed markets. Nevertheless looking forward to GWS playing - hope they list a bunch of NSW boys over the next few years - great to have the extra $ and promo in the city finally for our great game.

[tara]

Jupitor thats a nice theory and has some truth but tell me did the swans having anything to do the recent changes in the pathways involving private schools or was it due to some creative recuiting drives?

[Jupiter]

Jupitor thats a nice theory and has some truth but tell me did the swans having anything to do the recent changes in the pathways involving private schools or was it due to some creative recuiting drives?

Thanks. I've got no mail on any new changes Tara, sorry. I only had info on the AFL Scholarship scheme's demise and Collingwood's NSW initiatives which was why SHH's post caught my eye. Cheers

[Pekay]

Kids are always going to gravitate to the stronger clubs, or those with better exposure, for lack of a better term. You can't begrudge a junior from say, Penriff juniors, who has the opportunity to play at a higher level, then goes to Penno (Wright), Town (Chivas, Edwards, Shaw) or East Coast (Can't think of any from Riff) We had a talented Hawkesbury junior try his arm at ECE, made his debut against Balmain towards the end of the year and played all the way through to a Premier Division flag, and won their Rising Star award last weekend! Good on him I say.

With GWS requiring top up players for their ressies in the NEAFL, there is a better chance they'll stay at their home clubs and have the higher exposure come to them. Our young gun Josh Cass will be playing Seniors with us again, and has been asked to train with the Giants Academy over summer. Wouldn't have happened 5 years ago.

[Benchwarmer]

From what I am seeing footy in Sydney is going off! Many clubs now have players missing out on their 2nd, 3rd or even 4th team.

But... what new clubs will enter the comp like Auburn and Maroubra of recent time. Still being relatively new to Sydney I would like to hear from those with more knowledge on where the new teams will come from? I have heard about St Clair... will Westbrook and Riverview Start Senior teams....what about the rebirth of St Ives... would love to hear your thoug

ts!

Plenty of fantasy,fiction and fact no doubt but so far we have seen thrown out there as new for 2012.

Penrith , thirds ,womens and additional U 18 team,
Gosford
River view OB
Nor west 18
Maroubra 18
St Clair
Uni WEST SYD
UTS div 5
Wondering if any are real and are there any others.?

[Tom Wills]

Benchwarmer... great names. Where would UWS play out of? They seem to have campuses everywhere.

[Benchwarmer]

Not sure TW, I read it in a thread somewhere. Maybe one for the fiction category though they did have a team in the UNI games this year I believe.