Rep round

[saviour01]

10 dragons players in the squad!

[Tom Wills]

How does rep selection work? Do the coaching panel send out invitations of players they want from each club ie they select the best players or do the clubs nominate ie the choose who is available?

[justabaraker]

We seem to get this conversation every year when Rep season comes around. And we always end up deciding that the team is made up of guys with nothing better to do on that particular weekend.
The SFL is not going to invite the top 25 and publish that list in hope, and before acceptances - rather they are going to see who's interested then invite them.
So we get a pretty modest team and, as you can see from the coaching panel, a modest group of coaches too....where's Chris Yard, Tim Freedman, Mudgey, Lee Brain, Roger Moten, Michael Cousens ?

I remember when the Canberra comp was at its peak and they would send a second or third string team, we would be competitive and think we were world beaters !

[Coastal Boy]

Well considering Sydney Uni take the top Sydney based players for their NEAFL team...I call this a Rep 2s team

[Tim Freedman]

We seem to get this conversation every year when Rep season comes around. And we always end up deciding that the team is made up of guys with nothing better to do on that particular weekend.
The SFL is not going to invite the top 25 and publish that list in hope, and before acceptances - rather they are going to see who's interested then invite them.
So we get a pretty modest team and, as you can see from the coaching panel, a modest group of coaches too....where's Chris Yard, Tim Freedman, Mudgey, Lee Brain, Roger Moten, Michael Cousens ?

I remember when the Canberra comp was at its peak and they would send a second or third string team, we would be competitive and think we were world beaters !

Firstly, Tom Morrison is a very impressive football person and I would encourage any club on the lookout for their next coach to get in contact with him and get him on board. IMO Sydney AFL should really have put up an article about him on the website outlining his background and experience. And from what I know, he would have been given a list of names by the AFL of potential assistants to help him out and then he gets to choose who they are. But it can be hard getting them due to the long weekend.

In regards to some of the current coaches not being involved, I can only guess that it also has do with their availability. Same as the players. I know that Chris Yard was the first choice for Rep Coach but he was unable to commit to the time or is away that weekend. More than likely it's the same for the others you mentioned including myself.

From a players perspective, it is very hard to get them all on board especially for that weekend. Majority of ECE nominations made themselves unavailable due to going away that weekend. It would be the same for some of the guns of the competition including Pettersson, Brain, Robertson, Shaw, Gourlay, Ranga, Wright, Breese, Fleming, Robinson, Round, Selby etc.

It would be great to get the best players but it's never going to happen on the Queens Birthday weekend in particular. I personally think it's time for the Sydney AFL to get rid of the wet weather weekends at least at the Premier Division level. I can't remember the last time a round or game was completely called off in Prem Div due to wet weather. At worst, they change the day from Saturday to Sunday or they simply change the venues. We could then use one of these weekends as the Rep weekend. I'm sure Canberra would be happy to change from Queens B'Day weekend also based on the same issues with player availability.

[mrns]

How does rep selection work? Do the coaching panel send out invitations of players they want from each club ie they select the best players or do the clubs nominate ie the choose who is available?

I'm under the impression that there is a selection committee in which they then approach the players, if they arent running around sore or away then the job is theres.

[justabaraker]

......... And from what I know, he would have been given a list of names by the AFL of potential assistants to help him out and then he gets to choose who they are. But it can be hard getting them due to the long weekend.
In regards to some of the current coaches not being involved, I can only guess that it also has do with their availability. Same as the players. I know that Chris Yard was the first choice for Rep Coach but he was unable to commit to the time or is away that weekend. More than likely it's the same for the others you mentioned including myself.
From a players perspective, it is very hard to get them all on board especially for that weekend. Majority of ECE nominations made themselves unavailable due to going away that weekend. It would be the same for some of the guns of the competition including Pettersson, Brain, Robertson, Shaw, Gourlay, Ranga, Wright, Breese, Fleming, Robinson, Round, Selby etc.............

Like I said.....guys with nothing better to do that weekend.
I didn't mean to demean Morrison as coach - if they are looking for enthusiasm and preparation then Tom Morrison looks like he ticks the boxes. But I think you'd agree that he wouldn't be first choice.

[justabaraker]

Well considering Sydney Uni take the top Sydney based players for their NEAFL team...I call this a Rep 2s team

There are maybe 5 Sydney footballers playing NEAFL for Uni, two or three top-ups at the Swans Reserves, add to that the 12 or so unavailables that Tim Freedman set out, plus some others from Penno, Baulko and scattered others, so it's way worse than a Rep 2s team.

[unconfuseme]

THREE (3) from ECE is pretty piss poor if you ask me justa ... unless the others were not considered good enough!?

They obviously didn't offer the other mercenaries enough coin to induce them to represent their adopted competition ... what is the going rate to get them to accept the honour on their day off???

I expect that the culture of the side will be far better for their absence ...

[justabaraker]

THREE (3) from ECE is pretty piss poor if you ask me justa ... unless the others were not considered good enough!?

They obviously didn't offer the other mercenaries enough coin to induce them to represent their adopted competition ... what is the going rate to get them to accept the honour on their day off???

I expect that the culture of the side will be far better for their absence ...

UCM, I think you've been reading too many "Mug Punter" posts and now your sounding like him.

[unconfuseme]

UCM, I think you've been reading too many "Mug Punter" posts and now your sounding like him.

Sorry Champ, no second prizes ...

[Norris Lurker]

I personally think it's time for the Sydney AFL to get rid of the wet weather weekends at least at the Premier Division level. I can't remember the last time a round or game was completely called off in Prem Div due to wet weather. At worst, they change the day from Saturday to Sunday or they simply change the venues. We could then use one of these weekends as the Rep weekend.

Manly v UTS last year was postponed to a wet weather round, but that was the first for a couple of years. Back around 2011-2012 and before there were plenty.
But you raise a valid point. I don't think we need two wet weather weekends for Premier Division. I know we've had a lucky run this year in that we haven't yet had any ground closures, and that won't happen every year - but we could possibly get away with only having one and having the extra weekend for rep games.