NEAFL - Thoughts on Year 1?

[Mug Punter]

... if the whole thing were no so absurd

It's a complete joke!!!

How anyone can say the NEAFL is good for Sydney Football is beyond me. I would also say it is not even good for the club's involved - we all saw what happened with C'Town and the ACTAFL and I can see the novelty wearing off pretty quick, especially for the Students.

Even the Pathway argument is a joke. How many players have been drafted from the ACTAFL (the stronger of the leagues) before - NONE because even of best kids struggle to get drafted so our cast offs sure as hell aint. Anyone who thinks AFL clubs are scouting Tuggeranong v Syd Uni for some hidden AFL gem are just delusional....

So, we have a comp that has destroyed the SFL (it wasn't great anyway but it was at least OUR comp) with a comp no-one bar the players, their coaches and possibly mums care about at all. You could have the NEAFL GF and the SFL GF on at the same day and I reckon the SFL GF would get double because NO-ONE cares about the NEAFL.....

[ugg]

Jason Tutt (Bulldogs) was drafted from Ainslie, and Josh Bruce (GWS) from Eastlake

[Carn the Lions]

Jason Tutt (Bulldogs) was drafted from Ainslie, and Josh Bruce (GWS) from Eastlake

In the last how many years?

[BeeEmmAre]

Wasn't one James Hird drafted from Ainslie?

[ugg]

In the last how many years?

Tutt was 2-3 years ago and Bruce as last year. Also Josh's brother Aaron was rookie listed with the Swans in 2007.

[KTigers]

Really, the whole comp was destroyed because two clubs sent one each of their many teams into another league.
You don't think that's a bit of an overstatement. I'm sure the guys playing in the PD Grand Final in 5 weeks time
won't be thinking about NEAFL at all, or thinking they are playing in a "destroyed" comp.
I think a few people posting here forget that for the vast majority of people in Sydney now, Australian Rules footy begins and
ends with the Sydney Swans AFL team. They are never going to be interested in the SFL or NEAFL. I think in 10 or 15 years
when the kids playing junior footy now become adults then interest in the other tiers of footy will pick up.

It's a complete joke!!!

How anyone can say the NEAFL is good for Sydney Football is beyond me. I would also say it is not even good for the club's involved - we all saw what happened with C'Town and the ACTAFL and I can see the novelty wearing off pretty quick, especially for the Students.

Even the Pathway argument is a joke. How many players have been drafted from the ACTAFL (the stronger of the leagues) before - NONE because even of best kids struggle to get drafted so our cast offs sure as hell aint. Anyone who thinks AFL clubs are scouting Tuggeranong v Syd Uni for some hidden AFL gem are just delusional....

So, we have a comp that has destroyed the SFL (it wasn't great anyway but it was at least OUR comp) with a comp no-one bar the players, their coaches and possibly mums care about at all. You could have the NEAFL GF and the SFL GF on at the same day and I reckon the SFL GF would get double because NO-ONE cares about the NEAFL.....

[unconfuseme]

A second elite tier of competition is a great concept, and should be a huge benefit to the code in Sydney, and they should have been doing everything to promote it.

The problem is with the farcical structure and implementation - 2 Sydney "club sides" that attract zero patronage from the wider Sydney market (and little more internally!) get thrown in.

Then there is the Keystone Kops administration - see how many games were NOT played as AFL curtain raisers/moved with virtually no notice, etc ... this Saturday is a superb example.

It is as if they have set it all up with the expectation that absolutely no one who follows AFL will have an interest, and those who do will turn up no matter what rubbish they are served up ... so who cares!?

Hands up who will be cheering if SHE wins the NEAFL ... hands up if you will bother looking up the results?

[Noodle]

I have taken the original question at face value.
From a Uni perspective, it has been a really challenging year but the response from the player group is really positive. The Premier Division has probably suffered the most.
There are definitely things that we will do differently next year but feel we are better for the experience. We are not really driven by third party interest but will continue to attempt to get greater input and involvement from our past players and commercial partners. The competition level is in alignment with the greater University's vision for the institution's involvement in high level sport.
We have never really drawn any great crowds but would like to improve the relationship between our grades as the club continues to expand. It is very challenging particularly given the level of non-player participation is very small.
The drive to NEAFL primarily came from our top level players, we thought it was an opportunity to be undertaken whilst offered. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Certainly not one to regret after one reasonaly unsuccesful year, not really all that different from when we went from the SFA to SFL in 2007 (Actually when you watch the games the similariies are obvious).
The travel, the bounce times and the lack of home games, as pointed out, are a problem with both revenue and attendance but once again matters that can be refined.
I love Oval No.1 but agree it is not up to the requisite standard, there is talk of the University investing money to improve the facility but obviously that won't happen overnight, so other solutions will be examined.
Ultimately, as per all decisions made by our club, we still consider it is in the best interests of our members to play in the NEAFL. The matter was put to a club plebiscite before we proceeded. We continue to hope our club can provide members the opportunity for tertiary study with the highest level sport they can attain. We also aim to provide a program that will see players acheive as much as they can out of their football.
The acid test for the NEAFL will be whether the elite players in Sydney embrace the concept in the long run. The decision to use to existing clubs simple as they already have a player list and some type of administration in place.
The Sydney clubs will survive because people will always love to get together on a Saturday afternoon for a kick. I can assure you footy has been fun at Sydney Uni whether we were in the NEAFL, SFL or SFA and nobody came to watch the SFA.

[tara]

good post noodle

[justabaraker]

Yes Noodle - good reply. You've got me thinking...

Sounds like you are part of the Uni machine and I see that you only just joined RWO today.....the posts here must have spurred you into action !

I thought the original question by "The Lion" sounded quite valid and sincere, and I'd like to hear some other considered opinions now.

[Mug Punter]

Wasn't one James Hird drafted from Ainslie?

Of course he was, and the ACTAFL have a greater darfting record than the Sydney market which is 15+ times its size.

My point is that as a pathway next to no players will get drafted from the NEAFL.

Take the best two teams out of any comp at the top level and that comp is compromised. Sure it will mean everything to the players on the field but dress it up any way you like and they are playing for the title of the third best team in Sydney. Totally cheapens the SFL Premiers tag don't you agree?

Good post by noodle, it may be good for Sydney Uni (I doubt it long term but that remains to be seen) but it sure as hell isn't good for the game in Sydney. Isn't it about time we put Sydney football first and not one or two clubs?

[unconfuseme]

Yep, well said Noodle, and you have very clearly high lighted the problem ... Sydney Uni's involvement at every level is all about Sydney Uni ... no real consideration for improving the code, or the competitions that they have been involved in ... but that can be said for a lot of clubs.

Of course, SU, and similarly SHE, are not to blame for this, they have just taken advantage of the lack of foresight and planning from those who devised the whole concept, that was obvious to most to be flawed from the outset ... OK you have some money, players, coaches, admin, you applied... your in!

The question about "What benefit does this bring to Sydney AFL" was clearly on the last page of the application, and since there were only 2 spots, and 2 applications, nobody ever bothered with the answer.

It will be interesting to see what they do to engage support, since they freely admit that they can't even get it from their own, let alone the rest of the Sydney AFL community, which should have been prerequisite.

I don't think building a new ground in a corn field will do the trick either

I expect that unless there are wholesale changes at the expiration of the 2 year NEAFL Licences, the whole competition will become a drain on AFL funds, which they will not tolerate for ever.

I am sure that a lot of people would love to have some sort of interest in the NEAFL, but like me have zero allegiance with either of the Sydney teams (Swans do not count).

... regardless of what they do on the field, the 2 Sydney entities just cant be sustainable if they are not representative of the whole of Sydney, in some way.

[Shotties]

Re: NEAFL - Thoughts on Year 1?

Unconfuseme, if I may be so bold, what are your current and ongoing actions to improve the code in Sydney and the SFL?

Further, if you were in a position to guide the actions of either NEAFL clubs, what course of action would you have the clubs take to improve the code / SFL at every level?

[Carn the Lions]

I have taken the original question at face value.
From a Uni perspective, it has been a really challenging year but the response from the player group is really positive. The Premier Division has probably suffered the most.
There are definitely things that we will do differently next year but feel we are better for the experience. We are not really driven by third party interest but will continue to attempt to get greater input and involvement from our past players and commercial partners. The competition level is in alignment with the greater University's vision for the institution's involvement in high level sport.
We have never really drawn any great crowds but would like to improve the relationship between our grades as the club continues to expand. It is very challenging particularly given the level of non-player participation is very small.
The drive to NEAFL primarily came from our top level players, we thought it was an opportunity to be undertaken whilst offered. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Certainly not one to regret after one reasonaly unsuccesful year, not really all that different from when we went from the SFA to SFL in 2007 (Actually when you watch the games the similariies are obvious).
The travel, the bounce times and the lack of home games, as pointed out, are a problem with both revenue and attendance but once again matters that can be refined.
I love Oval No.1 but agree it is not up to the requisite standard, there is talk of the University investing money to improve the facility but obviously that won't happen overnight, so other solutions will be examined.
Ultimately, as per all decisions made by our club, we still consider it is in the best interests of our members to play in the NEAFL. The matter was put to a club plebiscite before we proceeded. We continue to hope our club can provide members the opportunity for tertiary study with the highest level sport they can attain. We also aim to provide a program that will see players acheive as much as they can out of their football.
The acid test for the NEAFL will be whether the elite players in Sydney embrace the concept in the long run. The decision to use to existing clubs simple as they already have a player list and some type of administration in place.
The Sydney clubs will survive because people will always love to get together on a Saturday afternoon for a kick. I can assure you footy has been fun at Sydney Uni whether we were in the NEAFL, SFL or SFA and nobody came to watch the SFA.

Great response Noodle and a great insight. Good to get some feedback

[Tim Freedman]

Unsure how the two NEAFL sides can cheapen a Premiership won in the Sydney AFL in 2012? Ask a player on the night after winnning his medal if he feels it is a hollow victory considering he is in the 3rd best Sydney side and you will get a pretty quick response. In fact I'm confident the winning side would be willing to play a game against Syd Uni or the Eagles to see exactly how they measure up.

Absolutely nothing cheapens a premiership medallion IMHO. You can only beat who you are put up against.