A new competition

bayman wrote:

blacky wrote:

Flag No.9 wrote:The SANFL's new security firm are going to have to be on their game from the start because I think it's fair to suggest there's going to be a bit of hostility towards the AFC on the terraces, and those AFC fans aren't used to being near people supporting the opposition.
It should calm down early in the game though when the AFC fans realise they face standing up for a whole match, not just at the breaks in play, and head home.

plus also people with a beer in their hand

plus people with smart, humorous & other types of banter  

Hooray, another site perpetuating the usual 'Adelaide fan' stereotypes.  

I guess we can't expect any more from angry old men desperately trying to recapture their glory days (stereotypes ahoy!).

I you want to have a sook, there's a dozen other threads to do it in. I'm guessing this one is supposed to be a bit more of a constructive look at how season 2014 will work.

Because I live near Tea Tree Gully I find it hard to get to South Adelaide matches, so I normally go along to Friday night matches at the Parade or to the Friday night games at Richmond, yet I seriously doubt I will bother next season. That said if they program some Central District matches early in the season at night at the Ponderosa, I might well head down there instead as I have a massive amount of respect for the Doggies after this last week.

My expectation is that the AFC will have a strong side initially, then rely more and more on top up players as the season goes on. I suspect there may be some minor interest in it initially from AFC people, yet as the season wears on and it becomes more of the names of players that cant make the senior list or who are juniors that the interest from AFC people will probably diminish also.

I think the major problem the Crows will have is protecting 18yo rookie listed players when they come up against big-bodied SANFL players.

You only need a few weak links in a side for it all to fall apart. Many of these rookie players take some time to reach League standard.

In the VFL, Geelong are able to supplement their list by actively recruiting mature, good VFL players. That can't happen here, unless the SANFL give in to a future request.

Have they stated what happens if a young rookie player does a knee or other injury - are the AFC going to cover their medical costs and loss of income and so on? Fact is that SANFL clubs exist to win and go in hard at every contest, so its not out of the question that there are going to be some injuries like that!

The other observation that I have is that its pretty hard for an AFC player to hide what body part it is that has been injured from the media. If an AFC player returns to the Reserves team from a shoulder injury, where do you think his opponents are going to repeatedly strike him? - Will be interesting to see how the umps deal with that next season!

Players on the Crows rookie list are contracted to the Crows under the relevant AFL rules. So if they get injured the expenses are the Crows problem. So far as so called "Top up" players are concerned I'm afraid I have no idea.

I honestly hope that the SANFL, the AFC and the PAFC continue to work together to co-exist from this point onwards for the best outcomes for footy in this state.

Working against each other will only bring harm to all parties.

I've said it before and I say it again, just because I primarily support an AFL side, doesn't mean I as a supporter disregard or wish any ill will on the SANFL as a competition. I genuinely hope all parties keep an open dialogue from this point onward, and that we see the SA footy landscape finally move beyond the legacy of 1990.

Strength at all levels is essential for the health of SA football, and for the preservation of it's interests in today's national football environment.

redandblack wrote:I think the major problem the Crows will have is protecting 18yo rookie listed players when they come up against big-bodied SANFL players.

You only need a few weak links in a side for it all to fall apart.  Many of these rookie players take some time to reach League standard.

In the VFL, Geelong are able to supplement their list by actively recruiting mature, good VFL players.  That can't happen here, unless the SANFL give in to a future request.

I have been saying this about the rookie listed players all along !!!
And my lad worked out if the crows seconds team had played last week . They would have had to find spots for four Ruckman . How is that going to work out  

Me thinks some of the better SANFL teams are going to have a field day !!!

That raises another interesting question.

Given that the AFL rest players from time to time.

Will they be allowed to do that with the AFL Reserves players too, thereby requiring more top up players. It may not be a lot, but still may occur.

Which further leads to the question of what circumstances are ok to rest a player or players that are not injured per se.

For example, would they rest a ruckman or two (if they have 4 available) to promote team balance and thereby a better look at how players perform as a unit in say a traditional 6 person backline.

This Reserves deal may not just be about developing individual players, but a game style involving the mids, forwards, backs etc. If the side is not balanced in those areas, then maybe they are not going to achieve what they are looking for with a Reserves team.

It will be interesting to see how the rules take shape on this and the top up player idea. It is well-flawed at the moment as presented.