Are the lower divisions broken?

[The Runner]

Judging by SportingPulse, there are 3 forfeits by Moorebank (Women's Div 1 & Div 4) and Parra (Div5).

All a shame. I'm sure scheduling doesn't help - looks like Parra were on a Sunday so can't have players doubling. Wonder what the League is doing to assist clubs in need of some help?

[saviour01]

Sounds like parra are struggling

Hi guys, Div1 and the Ressies have that many blokes out that we are going to have to forfeit this match. Believe me when I say I don't even have 10 players confirmed. It's a combination of the match being on Sunday, general unvailabilities because we don't have a solid core of blokes who are able to commit every week, along with an unprecedented number of injuries and unvailabilities in 1st grade and reserves. Reserve grade still needs players so let me or Phil know if you are available to play midday Saturday at Mahoney.

Not good about moorebank in div 4, round 8 and have 3 forfeits.

Its funny how a few years ago the sydney afl was ramming down everyones throats that all clubs should be community clubs first and not to worry about talent as the NEAFL will look after that while they gifted millions of dollars to 2 clubs. 4 or 5 years later one club was so poorly run they had to take a loan from the afl to stay alive the other makes up rules whilst they travel along still putting their hand out for more dollars and talent.

Interestingly the 1 left still receives more money than before when 2 clubs were at the 2nd tier level. Whats this got to do with lower grades? I just wonder how much better off the whole sydney afl would be if those funds were diverted to clubs like nor west, camden, penrith etc who are sitting on a gold mine in future years. We all have read how much help PK says they get from the league. Community clubs should be saying enough is enough. Penno have gone from 3 teams to 7, community spirit being built not bought. Yet clubs rack up hundreds of thousands of debt, the league bails them out and lets them win flags in prems while their other two sides go winless.

Good to see both still struggling while down a division and their prems losing more than they win. No doubt the league will give them more cash though.

[mrns]

A perfect example for 1-2 teams in each grade shifting based on first months performance. Beatings of 100+ to zero aren't fun for anyone.

AFL Sydney Match Centre - SportsTG

Another thrashing for bombers, they've only conceded 186 points this season with 4 teams kept goalless

[bomber.]

AFL Sydney Match Centre - SportsTG

Another thrashing for bombers, they've only conceded 186 points this season with 4 teams kept goalless

This is a new team for us that's been added in behind what was a div 4 team m 2016, so no real option but for them to be in div 5. Pretty clear now that they're too strong for the bottom half of that comp.

What about if the AFL added a division or two by cutting the number of teams in each division. Say make 3 divisions out of div 4 and div 5. It would reduce the gap between the top of each division and the bottom.

It seems the AFL in Sydney prefers 10 team comps for 18 rounds. 18 rounds with 8 teams would throw up some anomalies, but we could play more rounds to reduce those issues - or just put up with the anomalies in the interests of more even competition?

[saviour01]

Lower divs are 17 rounds anyway.

[bomber.]

Lower divs are 17 rounds anyway.

Good point, so the anomalies would be smaller anyway.

8 teams in the lower divisions would be worth thinking about. All other things being equal you'd reckon the difference between the top and bottom of an 8 team comp would have to be less than what you'd get in a 12 or 14 team comp?

[saviour01]

For sure. But more and more talk of going back to the old sfl structure. They wont change anything if that is on the cards.

[Pmcc2911]

Interesting to note that the top 4 in Div 1 are all Prems clubs and 7 of the top 8 (apart from Penrith in 3rd) in Div 2 are all Prems clubs as well.
Maybe there is an argument to go an hybrid structure:
Prems
Prems reserve grade
(insert name here) division
(insert name here) division reserves
Then Div 3, 4 and 5 as per capabilities.

[ShortHalfHead]

The league is lining up a dual competition format. They want Prem Div, Prem Reserves, Prem 19's and Prem Womens.

Despite denying it, pretty sure it will happen. The survey sent to clubs was structured in a way for responses to "agree" with the above. No real questions about benefits of divisionalisation.

It's again a pity that AFL resources (staffing, recruitment, funding etc) are all aimed at the PD clubs

[mrns]

Interesting to note that the top 4 in Div 1 are all Prems clubs and 7 of the top 8 (apart from Penrith in 3rd) in Div 2 are all Prems clubs as well.
Maybe there is an argument to go an hybrid structure:
Prems
Prems reserve grade
(insert name here) division
(insert name here) division reserves
Then Div 3, 4 and 5 as per capabilities.

I'd love to see clubs in prems fielding three teams as a bare minimum.

Prems
Reserves
19s Prems

Being the requirement of the premier division clubs, it will put pressure on clubs to develop better players. The effect of that would see a greater playing standard in premier division. To have a good prems team you're going to need to have good reserves and good 19s coming through and able to rise to the occasion.

From there, you have have division football including womens & another 19s division.

[bomber.]

The league is lining up a dual competition format. They want Prem Div, Prem Reserves, Prem 19's and Prem Womens.

Despite denying it, pretty sure it will happen.

Not denying there might be some benefits to something like this, but it won't have much effect on blowout scorelines in the lower divisions.

More divisions and fewer teams per division would have to help.

Reducing average winning margins must make footy more enjoyable for everyone, which has to help retain players and develop clubs.

[Tom Wills]

Why try and change something that is more than not broken, but working exceptionally well.

Division 1 is the best example, there are no easy games, as Southern Power showed beating the Cats. Again a good example for supporting divisions is the percentage of the top 3 teams in Div 1 (St George 169%. Penno 139% and Syd Uni 123%), compare this to the reserve comp in the O&M and its Albury 287%, Raiders 339% and Wodonga 304%). While the top teams are from Premier division clubs they are not having easy wins. The same is the case with the bottom teams from Prems to Div 3 - they are scoring goals and not getting smashed.

There are some teams in the wrong division, (St George Div 4 to 3 or 2, North Shore lower grades to all go up a division) but that will be sorted out next season through promotion and relegation.

Compare our ladders to other competitions around Australia and it is amazingly competitive.

Finally there are only 3 leagues in Country Vic (out of 45) where all teams have had a win, we have this is in Prems, Divi 1, Div 2 and Div 3!
NCFL?s unique ladder | Bendigo Advertiser

[Pekay]

There are some teams in the wrong division, (St George Div 4 to 3 or 2, North Shore lower grades to all go up a division) but that will be sorted out next season through promotion and relegation.

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Unless you are UTS Div 4.

[The Runner]

Unless you are UTS Div 4.

Placing themselves nicely in 4-5th for the annual underdog flag