Tracking your Team - Central

Lots of outs, Kris Grant says recruiting is difficult, but did the Doggies need a sea change anyway and will they be better for it?

Dogs make a loss.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/central-district-football-club-posts-110k-loss-for-2012-season/story-e6frea83-1226549492733

is a ruckman seeking Central to be his third club at SANFL level ?

Central's situation is concerning on many levels. Attendances and membership falling, despite their long term success in recent past, and another senior player strongly rumoured to be about to depart also.

bayman wrote:is a ruckman seeking Central to be his third club at SANFL level ?

Ryan Willits??

eartotheground wrote:Central's situation is concerning on many levels. Attendances and membership falling, despite their long term success in recent past, and another senior player strongly rumoured to be about to depart also.

It's not surprising however.

It's a battle most clubs have, on varying levels. Why is it not surprising, W?

bayman wrote:is a ruckman seeking Central to be his third club at SANFL level ?

Is said ruckman seeking Central or are Central seeking him? The Dogs do need a ruckman, badly, after losing Hannath...

eartotheground wrote:Central's situation is concerning on many levels. Attendances and membership falling, despite their long term success in recent past, and another senior player strongly rumoured to be about to depart also.

The club is fully aware, and disappointed, with their situation and are doing everything in their power to rectify this situation, especially with the attendances. The poor home crowd attendances also has a lot to do with less opposition supporters travelling to Elizabeth, which the club addressed at the recent AGM as an area they want to target on in 2013. Who is said senior player, ettg? Jay Nash? The players at back to tranining tomorrow night, perhaps he may not show up and all will be revealed?

Big Phil wrote:

bayman wrote:is a ruckman seeking Central to be his third club at SANFL level ?

Is said ruckman seeking Central or are Central seeking him? The Dogs do need a ruckman, badly, after losing Hannath...

perhaps a bit of both

Big Phil wrote:It's a battle most clubs have, on varying levels. Why is it not surprising, W?

Because I think Central suporters are "non traditional" footy followers .Because of their terrfic success they will /have become a victim of it. They attracted many young supporters and they just thouught that is how it is. Now that the day is getting a bit closer to being an average team they will drop off. They already have and they are still a good team. Footy goes in cycles but I think Central may be in for some tough times if they slide.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/dogs-night-delight/story-e6freckc-1226549585067

Maybe Centrals should stop the blame game on opposition supporters ? I'm tiring of this reason from Kris Grant about travelling supporters. Maybe he needs to idenntify why they don't travel there ? Pop.............head out of sand.

Oh , just a thought . This will stagger . Maybe the lights are not bright enough ? Heads up all except Norwood.

Central aren't solely blaming lack of opposition supporters, the club is aware that their own fans have dropped off a little bit. They are doing everything in their powers to address this situation, trust me. Tell me why you think they don't travel, W, I'll pass this information on to the club. IN regards to the lights, yes, they are not the best, but the League has approved them for play so they must be okay.

What does it say when a club that dominates the competition for a decade like no other team ever has, can't record a profit at the end of it?

if central want to know one reason why opposition fans dont travel, get your officials to stand in civvies in the outer one night and listen to how some of your fans react to the opposition barracking. some of em get a bit sick of being threatened for supporting the opposition, boys.

Too far away is what I hear from most people in regards to Elizabeth and Noarlunga. Must be an issue for the Metro supporters - as a country bloke, no distance is too far - but in the same breath, I understand with cost of petrol etc it might get a little expensive.

I've also heard many complaints from opposition supporters about security issues at Elizabeth too. Whilst night games might be great for the locals, those who hardly venture into the northern suburbs in broad daylight certainly wouldn't go there at night. Please understand I do not abide by this unfortunate stereotype, as I have many friends in the north, but there are some people out there that do not help themselves to enhance their reputation - stereotypical or not.

Yes of course Central have bandwagon supporters, just like the rest of our clubs. They will need to deal with it, just as the rest of us do.

Big Phil wrote:Central aren't solely blaming lack of opposition supporters, the club is aware that their own fans have dropped off a little bit. They are doing everything in their powers to address this situation, trust me. Tell me why you think they don't travel, W, I'll pass this information on to the club. IN regards to the lights, yes, they are not the best, but the League has approved them for play so they must be okay.

Just my opinion mate.Hatchet makes a good point and I think the lights are extremely poor . Just because they have been approved by thhe SANFL doesn't mean they are bright enough for supporters .
Why have your fans dropped off ?

From The Advertiser:

CENTRAL District coach Roy Laird says players and fans need to embrace the challenge of being underdogs if the club is to recapture its run of premierships.

"Supporters should get back and see us become the hunter again," Laird said.

"For a long time we saw sides come after us.

"Clearly we are not the top dog at the moment and we want to become that again.

"We are going to be really competitive (this year)."

The club held its first training session of the year at Elizabeth Oval last night (Wednesday, January 9).

Laird said it was time for his senior players to step up to ease the loss of experienced players such as James and Chris Gowans, Andrew Hayes and Eddie Sansbury.

"With young blokes coming in, the senior players are now going to step up and take some responsibility," Laird said.

"It's a real exciting time."

"Prior to Christmas everyone has embraced something new because there are a lot of fresh faces."

The club has welcomed interstate youngsters Sam Milne, 19, Tim Meulindykes, 18, Dylan Hewitt, 21, Jack Osborn, 22, and former Sydney Swans scholarship player Jackson Potter, 19.

Laird said he had seen some positive signs from the new recruits.

"Jackson Potter looks like a really hard on-baller, good deliverer of the footy and he should be a good player in this competition.

"Tim Meulindykes from Hamilton and Sam Milne from Albury look like good types but they have to get themselves fit enough for our level of competition.

"But based on the early stuff I've seen they could be good players."

Laird said pre-season training would focus on fitness and preparing the new recruits for the increased expectations of league footy.

"It's a matter of identifying new talent and educating them on the fitness expectations of what we want out of the group and developing an understanding of what has been some subtle changes to our game plan."

Laird said he still had the players to remain competitive this season.

"We want to finish top three and I think we have the squad to do that - there is opportunity for players."

I can't remember Laird talking Centrals up in pre-season before.

The Hatchet wrote:if central want to know one reason why opposition fans dont travel, get your officials to stand in civvies in the outer one night and listen to how some of your fans react to the opposition barracking. some of em get a bit sick of being threatened for supporting the opposition, boys.

Every club have 'those' type of supporters, Hatchet, every club.

Phil, you often ask "why" when people post , when they respond that is there answer obviously. It's what people feel , no one is saying it's right or wrong.

Flag No.9 wrote:I can't remember Laird talking Centrals up in pre-season before.

It's all abouut trying to get their supporters back , a calling of troops . They are rightfully concerned about the drop in numbers of support. I think it may continue to slide.

perception is the word, 30 years ago it was the perception of Port supporters......the bottom line is every club has the 'feral element' & its only recently (the last 10-15 years or so) that this behavior has been widely aired in the media & on these types of forums, there was a bloke who kicked an old man in the face at Alberton, hell back in 1969 the goal umpire got hit in the head with a 'sand bag' & didn't see a Glenelg goal which cost us victory, so while Central have feral idiots i'm afraid we all do & every club would be ashamed of them....there are many examples over the years & we all know them but remember it can't be that bad or the barb wire would be up & we'd be on separate sides of the ground & fortuneately that hasn't had to happen yet

Centrals have recruited some younger players this yr.

Laird talking them up would be at the request of the club due to their
Downturn in attendance and the loss the club made and perhaps the number
of players they have lost this yr

And the fact that what Roy is saying is actually the case and he always calls it as it is.