NEAFL

[Background]

I love the passionate banter the NEAFL creates, it lightens up my day.

I admit I am not a follower of the NEAFL and would not know one week to the next what the results are and occasionally will check out the ladder when i think about it and their lies the problem as it seems there are many others like me.

So what is the problem? well there would be differing views I suspect but for me it is what is the purpose of the NEAFL?

Is it to develop talent in a higher tier competition? Personally I would hope so and I do agree it is a higher tier than the SFL and and it is a vehicle the northern based AFL clubs need for their developing talent and it should from a Sydney and Canberra position a vehicle that results in more young NSW and ACT players making it onto AFL club lists.

If my view is correct then the current model is flawed, I have no issue with SU or SHE but if they remain in the NEAFL then I suspect the competition will remain uninteresting and unsupported by the wider Sydney football community, if the AFL stop funding it at whatever the contribution is it would be questionable if either club could sustain it.

Whilst in may be a problem for the AFL to manage the NEAFL team(s) and i suspect it would be then it will be interesting to see what happens with the Sydney sides in this competition but i suspect whilst it remains in its current format it will not result in more Sydney talent being developed and listed at AFL clubs nor will it gain any real support from the wider AFL football community in Sydney.

[unconfuseme]

[Mug Punter]

I love the passionate banter the NEAFL creates, it lightens up my day.

I admit I am not a follower of the NEAFL and would not know one week to the next what the results are and occasionally will check out the ladder when i think about it and their lies the problem as it seems there are many others like me.

So what is the problem? well there would be differing views I suspect but for me it is what is the purpose of the NEAFL?

Is it to develop talent in a higher tier competition? Personally I would hope so and I do agree it is a higher tier than the SFL and and it is a vehicle the northern based AFL clubs need for their developing talent and it should from a Sydney and Canberra position a vehicle that results in more young NSW and ACT players making it onto AFL club lists.

If my view is correct then the current model is flawed, I have no issue with SU or SHE but if they remain in the NEAFL then I suspect the competition will remain uninteresting and unsupported by the wider Sydney football community, if the AFL stop funding it at whatever the contribution is it would be questionable if either club could sustain it.

Whilst in may be a problem for the AFL to manage the NEAFL team(s) and i suspect it would be then it will be interesting to see what happens with the Sydney sides in this competition but i suspect whilst it remains in its current format it will not result in more Sydney talent being developed and listed at AFL clubs nor will it gain any real support from the wider AFL football community in Sydney.

A balanced and well thought out analysis.

The NEAFL may be good for the AFL clubs (though I think they'd be way better of in an expanded SANFL) and it certainly helps SHE and SU but I think from a wider Sydney Football point of view it scores a big fat F.

Any genuine local talent capable of making the step to perhaps AFL rookie list could easily do it as a Swans or GWS top up. And the money SHE and SU spend could be invested equally across the Sydney Football stakeholders not just two clubs...

[Jupiter]

No new stuff here folks, same old. I'm not a fan of NEAFL either, AFL frankenstein comp for AFL frankenstein national comp - help the 4 reserves teams and all that. However in my view you are confused to keep suggesting a rep team for that comp that would be empowered to take from all clubs (unlike now where SHE and SU have to compete in open market for recruits) would either improve pathways or "get support from local footy". You'd be making what is now 2 clubs' problem everyone's problem. No team identity, no home, no club behind it - a true AFL creation - what so many of us seem to agree we hate. The part I can agree with you though is it would probably be better for SHE and SU who in my view get nothing for the privilege of helping the AFL - they'd be better off racking up silverware across the divisions instead of giving the other clubs a chance at flags without beating the two current strongest clubs in Sydney like they are at the moment.

A balanced and well thought out analysis.

The NEAFL may be good for the AFL clubs (though I think they'd be way better of in an expanded SANFL) and it certainly helps SHE and SU but I think from a wider Sydney Football point of view it scores a big fat F.

Any genuine local talent capable of making the step to perhaps AFL rookie list could easily do it as a Swans or GWS top up. And the money SHE and SU spend could be invested equally across the Sydney Football stakeholders not just two clubs...

[unconfuseme]

A balanced and well thought out analysis.

The NEAFL may be good for the AFL clubs (though I think they'd be way better of in an expanded SANFL) and it certainly helps SHE and SU but I think from a wider Sydney Football point of view it scores a big fat F.

Any genuine local talent capable of making the step to perhaps AFL rookie list could easily do it as a Swans or GWS top up. And the money SHE and SU spend could be invested equally across the Sydney Football stakeholders not just two clubs...

Not quite right. Most of the top ups are u/18's and drawn from the respective Academys, so they are already recognised and in the pathway programs.

Once players are beyond draft age, the opportunity for the late developers is mostly gone, and if they seriously want to persevere, they need to go interstate, where it is twice as hard to be recognised, being they are from Sydney, so the perception is they probably can't play anyway ... ask Dane Rampe.

[unconfuseme]

No new stuff here folks, same old. I'm not a fan of NEAFL either, AFL frankenstein comp for AFL frankenstein national comp - help the 4 reserves teams and all that. However in my view you are confused to keep suggesting a rep team for that comp that would be empowered to take from all clubs (unlike now where SHE and SU have to compete in open market for recruits) would either improve pathways or "get support from local footy". You'd be making what is now 2 clubs' problem everyone's problem. No team identity, no home, no club behind it - a true AFL creation - what so many of us seem to agree we hate. The part I can agree with you though is it would probably be better for SHE and SU who in my view get nothing for the privilege of helping the AFL - they'd be better off racking up silverware across the divisions instead of giving the other clubs a chance at flags without beating the two current strongest clubs in Sydney like they are at the moment.

This is the easy option for the AFL - to just do nothing different, so it will most likely be what prevails!

... but really, taking say 3 or 4 promising u/23 players each year form each club in Sydney would hardly damage the comp, and when they return as 24 yo's, surely they enhance their club and the comp with the experience and professionalism they bring ...

As for support, the AFL did something similar not so many years ago with the "Redbacks", who were a selection from each of the Sydney u/16's comps who formed an elite composite team that played in the u/18's Sydney comp and was supported by and large by most clubs.

Somewhat different here, being that the players would mostly be 18 to say 23, but as I suggested before, it would not take much imagination and organisation to use the teams as cross promotional tools for both the NEAFL AND the senior clubs alike ... opportunity that is currently being wasted due to amateur mismanagement ...

... but hey, if it's just a small insular football code that we want in Sydney, then kudos to the people who are doing such a good job achieving that!!!

[Mug Punter]

This is the easy option for the AFL - to just do nothing different, so it will most likely be what prevails!

... but really, taking say 3 or 4 promising u/23 players each year form each club in Sydney would hardly damage the comp, and when they return as 24 yo's, surely they enhance their club and the comp with the experience and professionalism they bring ...

As for support, the AFL did something similar not so many years ago with the "Redbacks", who were a selection from each of the Sydney u/16's comps who formed an elite composite team that played in the u/18's Sydney comp and was supported by and large by most clubs.

Somewhat different here, being that the players would mostly be 18 to say 23, but as I suggested before, it would not take much imagination and organisation to use the teams as cross promotional tools for both the NEAFL AND the senior clubs alike ... opportunity that is currently being wasted due to amateur mismanagement ...

... but hey, if it's just a small insular football code that we want in Sydney, then kudos to the people who are doing such a good job achieving that!!!

Part of the problem is that I don't think that the people running the game know what they want.

At the risk of being labelled negative by the usual Uni suspects I'll give my 20c worth....

I'd like to see a pyramid style system where we have two feeder teams (Swans Reserves and GWS Reserves) playing in a real comp such as the SANFL or VFL. They would be required to have contracted players at that level (i.e. not on the AFL lists in any format) plus the ability to draft top-up players from the SFL as a reward for performances from the local comp as required. This will provide ample opportunities for the few players in Sydney that are above the SFL....

I'd like to see the money currently wasted on the NEAFL teams evenly distributed between the SFL clubs to provide decent money for coaches and admin and perhaps a small allowance for player expenses.

I'd like to see some of the millions wasted on GWS and their wasted money in rebranding Manly and the Goannas spent on building infrastructure for local clubs. Every senior club in Sydney should have an allocated AFL development officer working their patch getting kids and adults down to play AFL

I'd like to see a VAFA structure of automatic relegation and promotion and the term 8-point game being a common term on Sydney footy.

In terms of structure I'd like to see a hybrid system. A return to the traditional Firsts and Reserves Structure for SFL and SFL 2 in 10 team comps. I'd happily accept the Unis having teams in SFL 1 and 2 but if they get relegated in SFL 1 then they cannot have two teams in SFL 2 (highly unlikely due to their strength).

Below that have single division comps like we do with Divisionalisation as this allows weak clubs to rebuild and new clubs to form. In time as new clubs become stronger a SFL 3 could evolve.

Based on the current comp you'd have

SFL 1 - Sydney Uni, Baulko, Manly, Penno , Wests, St George, UNSW-Easts, North Shore, UTS and Campbelltown
SFL 2 - Sydney Uni, Balmain, Wollongong, Sutherland, Holroyd Parramatta, Mac Uni, Penrith, Moorebank, and two of UNSW/Camden/UTS /Hawkesbury/Blacktown/Randwick

Below that you'd have a raft of thirds, fourths and fifths team plus Gosford, Wollondilly and any new teams.

I think the success of Manly shows that promotion-relegation can work and I think we are ready for it....

[Northern_Swan]

I'd like to see the money currently wasted on the NEAFL teams evenly distributed between the SFL clubs to provide decent money for coaches and admin and perhaps a small allowance for player expenses.

I'd like to see some of the millions wasted on GWS and their wasted money in rebranding Manly and the Goannas spent on building infrastructure for local clubs. Every senior club in Sydney should have an allocated AFL development officer working their patch getting kids and adults down to play AFL

AFL Sydney already as an obscene amount of money wasted on it, to the detriment of every other community football league in the state.

[Mug Punter]

AFL Sydney already as an obscene amount of money wasted on it, to the detriment of every other community football league in the state.

And that is a totally fair call when you look at where our AFL talent comes from, if they were fair dinkum then the Gosford Tigers would get similar assistance that the HQ funded muppet teams such as the Blacktown Magix and the (thankfully) defunct Auburn (insert adjective)s got

[Blacktown Magic]

Same old from you. If you went down to the Rouse Hill Cinemas tonight you would have seen a Movie Night being run by the club to raise funds. Like every other club has to do, by hard working volunteers. We raise our own funds. Please refrain from posting false statements online.

[Mug Punter]

Same old from you. If you went down to the Rouse Hill Cinemas tonight you would have seen a Movie Night being run by the club to raise funds. Like every other club has to do, by hard working volunteers. We raise our own funds. Please refrain from posting false statements online.

Hope your movie night went well

How many of your coaching staff and club members are NSWAFL employees?
What level of financial support do you receive from the NSWAFL?
Do you pay club subs to the NSWAFL like other clubs?
What access do you have to NSWAFL development staff? I'd be interested in how that compares to other clubs

There is a general view that your club is the NSWAFL Pet at the moment and one of a long line of clubs where the NSWAFL plays favourites, the worst example of course being that mob from Auburn. Perhaps some honest answers to the above questions can dispel or confirm these views..

I'm a pretty fair and reasonable bloke, happy to be proved wrong

[Blacktown Magic]

One
None
Yes like every other club
None whatsoever.

Hope that allows you to sleep well and to continue growing footy in Sydney.

[Mug Punter]

One
None
Yes like every other club
None whatsoever.

Hope that allows you to sleep well and to continue growing footy in Sydney.

Happy to stand corrected, all the best for the season ahead...

[Northern_Swan]

Hope your movie night went well

How many of your coaching staff and club members are NSWAFL employees?
What level of financial support do you receive from the NSWAFL?
Do you pay club subs to the NSWAFL like other clubs?
What access do you have to NSWAFL development staff? I'd be interested in how that compares to other clubs

There is a general view that your club is the NSWAFL Pet at the moment and one of a long line of clubs where the NSWAFL plays favourites, the worst example of course being that mob from Auburn. Perhaps some honest answers to the above questions can dispel or confirm these views..

I'm a pretty fair and reasonable bloke, happy to be proved wrong

AFL Sydney Clubs, unlike other clubs around the state, don't pay club fees. AFL Sydney charges a per team fee and mandated (bronze) JLT insurance cover. The per team fee and insurance fee are fairly standard across the state.

[ShortHalfHead]

[QUOTE=Blacktown Magic;645679]One

QUOTE]

I've spotted 5 or 6.