Primus and Sanderson call for Reserves teams

Pg 123 in the Advertiser, Primus and Sanderson are calling for Reserves teams after Steven Salopek was dropped to Glenelg's Reserves last night.

First off I think its pretty obvious why Glenelg made that decision and winners are grinners after last night. As much as it may surprise Sanderson and Primus, form alone is not an indicator of whether or not a player get selected, often players that do show good form are dropped in the modern game because they simply dont suit the game plan that the Senior Coach has in mind. Considering that the Cows and the Smears do this on a regular basis I thought that would have been fairly obvious to them?

Here is the rub, SANFL sides exist to win Premierships and take coaching decisions based on what is best for them, not an AFL club. To expect less from them is a disgrace.

By all means have a Reserves Competition, the VFL will no doubt be more than happy for you to fly your players in and out each week and no doubt to contribute to the costs of flying sides in here to play prematch entertainment before your games. Quite frankly I could not care less what you do and the thought of having the SANFL free of having to babysit your players who don't wish to play in the Finals seems to me to be a win win situation for everyone.

As bitter a pill as it may be to swallow, the SANFL and its representative clubs own both the AFC and the PAFC licenses and these are simply a commercial investment for us. Why they would think that the tail would wag the dog is an interesting observation.

Without trying to be overly smart or smug over it, Primus might do well to get the likes of Robert Walls, John Reid and Kevin Morris to go fully over his coaching and the club in general and present him an honest review of where he is at before he attempts to blame the Senior Coach of Glenelg for his problems in Selection. Some of the views suggest that there are some serious problems in both areas at present, yet again attempting to deflect the blame to the SANFL won't help a great deal.

Well they would now wouldn't they.
They are only committed to their respective sides, not footy in general.
Sort of emulates the AFL's stance too really.

I have said it before, if and when these guys get their way and get a Crows and Power reserves in the sanfl is the day I go and watch netball, SAAFL, or tend my garden instead.

I also said it before, if they want reserves teams, put them in the VFL where the competition is already compromised.

spot on gentlemen, eff 'em

This old chestnut again. Seems to me this issue comes up every time one or both of the clubs have new coaches. If you don't like the way your players are treated in the SANFL then:
1. Stop recruiting players from the SANFL
2. Play your reserves in the amateur league or somewhere else.
3. Shut up about it.

I recall when Neil Craig used to raise the middle finger to the Crows when he coached Norwood in the early 90s, but the moment he became Crows coach, he complained about the lack of cooperation from SANFL clubs

I don't understand sanderson point about symes playing Wednesday. If the crows didn't want symes to play on Anzac day so he would be available For Sundays game . they shouldn't of let him play.

A reserves team just because 1 player is out of form and a club had the "courage" to drop him. Turn it up.

I wonder if they understand the difficulties that would cause for everyone ?

They just want to copy some of the AFL clubs who have reserves as thhey have been sucessful (Collingwood, Geelong) but that sucess is not due to having a reserves team. What happens when these two drop away will they then say that model doesn't work and wannt to ditch the reserves ?

No one seems to have a big picture mentality with footy , it's all just AFL and greed.

If there was a reserve team in the SANFL IMO it would make a complete mockery of the SANFL competition.

They should shut up and stay out of it.

waddayamean wrote:A reserves team just because 1 player is out of form and a club had the "courage" to drop him. Turn it up.

I wonder if they understand the difficulties that would cause for everyone ?

They just want to copy some of the AFL clubs who have reserves as thhey have been sucessful (Collingwood, Geelong) but that sucess is not due to having a reserves team. What happens when these two drop away will they then say that model doesn't work and wannt to ditch the reserves ?

No one seems to have a big picture mentality with footy , it's all just AFL and greed.

Why would the AFL clubs even care about the difficulties? They haven't cared less about the SANFL since day one. The AFL amazes me in that they must realise the value in having a strong competitive SANFL, and yet they continue to bite the hand that feeds them.

The reason the Collingwoods and Geelongs have had success is because they recruited well, Geelong aided by the father/son rule. It has nothing to do with having a reserves team in the VFL. Other clubs have teams in the VFL and they are going nowhere.

I really loathe AFL and their "it's all about us" attitude. My only interest is Hawthorn, and that's because I've followed them since 1968 and it's hard to break habits of a lifetime. Demetriou and his idiots are killing footy, but so long as they can pull in 7 figure salaries, why would they care?

Agree 100%

Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs also have Reserves Teams, clearly helps them a lot also!

And what else would they both like to change with the SANFL that they aren't happy with ?

Simple solution to the Cows and the Power Failure, take all of your players out of the SANFL, I couldn't care less, form your own B Grade sides and play each other each week.

This is the "line in the sand" issue for me.

We are a LEAGUE competition and the major purpose of all 9 SANFL clubs is to win the League premiership.

All social club, membership, sponsorship income is designed to create funds that go towards investing in a football program that can win a flag.

All talent & development squad activities are designed to find the league players of the future to win a flag.
(even with the best being AFL drafted which clubs receive a financial compensation for which funds recruiting of other players).



Into that we are looking at adding teams where winning is not the main priority.

later this year as AFL sides make interesting team and match selections to "earn" a priority pick we will hear a lot about TANKING.

ie about not being 100% focussed on winning and how that affects the integrity of the whole AFL competition.

If a crows an power reserves side enteres the SANFl league comp we will have TANKING on a weekly basis.

One need only look at what happened when the WAFL adopted such a concept back in the 1990's (which was quickly dropped) to see the issues or look at quotes of various AFL / VFL coaches re the affiliation arrangements to see what our comp could become.

It's like adding red cordial to champange, it will totally change the look of the whole competition.

And must be fought against AT ALL COSTS......

.... because if we lose then the SANFL league comp will be forever changed into a reserves division not a league in its own right.

So if the Crows and Power want a reserves side for their own then either

- play in the SANFL reserves

- play in another "reserves" comp (hey play in the VFL and teach the kids about travelling every fortnight).

Just don't play in our league comp ... it's for premiership seekers only.

Lots of talking about this previously and I am still yet to hear a benefit for it. Like I said earlier it is not as simple as having a reserves side . An AFL list has a list of 38 - 40 (I think) so how do you field a team of 21 when 22 play AFL and maybe an emmergency ?

Forget about AFL reserves which the AFL KILLED OFF , raise the draft age to 20(maybe 1 18 year old drafted annually) , the State leagues develop the kids (as now) and when drated they are eady to play .
Everyone wins , cost effective as less development etc for AFL clubs and State leagues get to see the young ones longer , which would mean a stronger comp which means a stronger AFL. Can't anyone see this ? It's a no brainer . A much bigger issue than what the a Crows/Power reserves team.

they tried in perth a few years back and it didnt WORK

blacky wrote:they tried in perth a few years back and it didnt WORK

Is that why "Peel Thunder" was formed over there ?

I used to live in Perth as a kid from 1979 to 1981....barracked for Subiaco. Sort of lost touch as to what is going on over in the WAFL but keep looking at the results.

Millsy wrote:I don't understand sanderson point about symes playing Wednesday. If the crows didn't want symes to play on Anzac day so he would be available For Sundays game . they shouldn't of let him play.

Yeah, it's the same reasoning that saw Brodie Martin picked in the original extended squad, then cut next morning, then held back at the last minute from playing for Sturt on Friday night. With the end result that he didn't play football at all over the weekend. Brilliant!

countrycousin wrote:

Millsy wrote:I don't understand sanderson point about symes playing Wednesday. If the crows didn't want symes to play on Anzac day so he would be available For Sundays game . they shouldn't of let him play.

Yeah, it's the same reasoning that saw Brodie Martin picked in the original extended squad, then cut next morning, then held back at the last minute from playing for Sturt on Friday night. With the end result that he didn't play football at all over the weekend. Brilliant!

Seriously. how the hell is Seamus(and other SANFL coaches) supposed to coach with that crap going on???

countrycousin wrote:

Millsy wrote:I don't understand sanderson point about symes playing Wednesday. If the crows didn't want symes to play on Anzac day so he would be available For Sundays game . they shouldn't of let him play.

Yeah, it's the same reasoning that saw Brodie Martin picked in the original extended squad, then cut next morning, then held back at the last minute from playing for Sturt on Friday night. With the end result that he didn't play football at all over the weekend. Brilliant!

This has happened a few times with other players from other clubs not playing at all, no doubt it will happen again.

As a Norwood supporter, all I can say is if we are inconveniencing the Crows or Power in any way, then I'm happy about that.

Those 2 clubs have screwed us around with pre-match selections time and again, and severely hampered our finals preparations in the past 2 seasons. Yes, I know those players are the property of Crows and Power, but when you think you are going to have a player and they are ripped from you at the last moment, it just sucks.

I recall one match when Rodan was stripped and ready to play for Norwood at 1/2 time of the Reserves, and by 3/4 time he was on his way to play for the Power.

When the AFL clubs start showing some consideration for the SANFL clubs, then maybe I will show a little respect for theirs.

PhilH wrote:So if the Crows and Power want a reserves side for their own then either

- play in the SANFL reserves

- play in another "reserves" comp (hey play in the VFL and teach the kids about travelling every fortnight).

Just don't play in our league comp ... it's for premiership seekers only.

I can live with option #1.

Both clubs will argue the cost factor of playing in the VFL and they already have issues with cash flow.

From what I have gathered over here, I know the former Tassie Devils VFL side were axed by AFL Tas as they believed it would cost less to set up the Statewide League as we have it now, rather than keep the Devils competing in the VFL. Admittedly, there's no money in Tassie footy and the Statewide League may keel over in the next few years anyway. They axed the reserves comp a couple of years ago, because clubs couldn't afford to have that many players on their lists.

This will be another concern that the AFL will have to live with if it happens.
Why we go to Gold Coast and GWS before a footy playing state like TAssie is beyond me.

They clearly want AFL and only get it when Hawthorn come to town.
If the state league falters then I think you kiss goodnight to any chance of having a fully national competition including Tas.

But I guess it will be ok to prop up GWS and GC indefinitely.

Leigh whicker answered the question well on nine news sports report last night.

"would think becoming profitable would be the two clubs main focus at this stage".

"shouldn't be discussed until they are profitable (2014/15) after moving to Adelaide oval".

Sounds like they can't justify the extra expense of a reserves team
reading between the lines.

Millsy wrote:"shouldn't be discussed until they are profitable (2014/15) after moving to Adelaide oval".

Correction ... shouldn't be discussed at all.

We all know what would happen with any "compromise" between AFL and SANFL. The AFL would get exactly what they want, and the SANFL clubs would suffer.

It's actually not directly an issue for the SANFL (as in the SANFL administration), it's in the hands of the clubs, because issues to do with the make-up of the competition, as in who participates in it, are decided by the clubs. And you wouldn't think the clubs would vote for it. But my guess is they will, at some point, be offered large sums of money by the 2 AFL clubs, to allow it, as happened in W.A.