The State Of Football

Really ? Go back and read the forums , plenty of ideas have been expressed over the years. It's nothing new mate , has been like that since 1991.

A tad more than 50 voices may have been expressed I think.

Contact the SANFL and organise a think tank ?

Think tank? Oh, please.

This is the type of corporate speak that has no doubt been a part of the reason the SANFL is where it is. I have no doubt Chandler would have been one for "think tank" sessions.

Anyone who has ever been involved in an open session of 10 or more people contributing ideas knows its time in your life you never get back.

The senior members of the SANFL ( I would imagine ) get paid handsomly for their positions, time they earnt their money or moved on.

I like the appoinment of Davies, he did a good job at the Eagles and I understand he is a good, realistic operator.

So throwing ideas around is not a good idea Booney? I can't see how it can be a bad idea when people get together and express their ideas and strategies to get the game back to where it should be. Maybe they need to strip it back and crictically ask why was it so good back in the 'good ole days' prior to the inception of the AFL to SA.

I feel the game at SANFL lacks personalities, and hence the media attention it deserves.

Clubs also need to make - renew the connections back with there communities - have a more visible role in things outside of footy. How do you get kids through the gates? School visit, family days, training days etc.

bigclock wrote:Maybe they need to strip it back and crictically ask why was it so good back in the 'good ole days' prior to the inception of the AFL to SA.

Because there was no perceived "big league" as there is with the AFL these days, and the latter years of the VFL .. The world was a bigger place back then too - there wasn't a heap of TV coverage and there wasn't any internet. The choices for entertainment back then weren't as great either.

I don't have the answers, but I do have faith that the SANFL has some good idea's among its community, and many who are willing to contribute their time for the betterment of their team or competition.

Scrunch wrote:

bigclock wrote:Maybe they need to strip it back and crictically ask why was it so good back in the 'good ole days' prior to the inception of the AFL to SA.

Because there was no perceived "big league" as there is with the AFL these days, and the latter years of the VFL .. The world was a bigger place back then too - there wasn't a heap of TV coverage and there wasn't any internet. The choices for entertainment back then weren't as great either.

I don't have the answers, but I do have faith that the SANFL has some good idea's among its community, and many who are willing to contribute their time for the betterment of their team or competition.

I think that is the easiest answer/conclusion to draw. But I can't help feeling that the SANFL has let it happen in a way - they have let the Crows and Power take over the football landscape in SA. I think they need to promote their game better and as I said early connect back with the communities they represent (I believe CDFC do this well).

I probably won't make too many fans with this post, but.......

As someone who has only existed in the post-AFL football world, I and constantly baffled by the us (SANFL) vs them (AFL) mentality. On top of that the continued lament of better days gone by, while wonderfully nostalgic, is not conducive to moving the SANFL forward. You will not find answers to today’s problems in the SANFL competition of the 70’s & 80’s.

The battle has been fought and lost I’m afraid. The SANFL will never compete with the AFL, they knew that 23 years ago hence the inception of the Crows (i.e. can’t beat them, join them). They didn’t let anyone do anything IMO, they foresaw a grim future and bought in before it was too late.

Focus now needs to turn to working on providing an environment where a 3 tier football system (local, state, national) can currently exist constructively together for each other’s benefit.

At the moment this is not happening. The AFL is trying to impose their will and self interests on the SANFL from above, and the local competitions are pillaging the talent pool of the SANFL from below with the lure of superior pay packets for less commitment.

The SANFL competition is losing its meaning and relevance with the wider football community. Financially it exists almost solely on the profits of its AFL licences, with most of its member clubs existing on gaming revenue, or struggling to exist full stop. Club supporter bases basically consist of the diehard who have grown up following the competition during its halcyon days of the 70’s & 80’s.

How can this slide be arrested? I’m not sure it can to be honest. That said, I think a good start though would be to focus on the relationship between the SANFL and the local leagues. Strengthen that relationship, and then you can deal with the AFL with at least one bargaining chip (i.e. support of the grassroots level of the game).

The root of the problem these days is that people identify themselves as crows or power supporters first and foremost before an SANFL side. Whereas in days gone by they would be a Glenelg fan who supports the Crows. Hence my opinion that the local clubs need to put more effort into galvanising their support from their respective districts - Maybe start branding it as REAL football, where football began...

I think they need to make SANFL more attractive to players also. At the moment the motivation for 2nd & 3rd tier players is nix.

They bust their chops getting through full professional pre-seasons and devote most of what would be their leisure time to training and playing, and yet unless they are one of the top 5 or 6 at an SANFL club they get little reward for that.

For most young players with reasonable talent, once the prospect of playing AFL disappears they might as well go back to their local club and get payed more for doing less - not to mention doing it for fun with their mates.

I'm with you Ginge, looking to hark back to the good 'ole days simply wont work. As noted, the SANFL does not consist of the personalities either playing or coaching that draw any interest.

We dont need clowns ( A.Jarman ) to make the comp interesting, we need a point of difference from the AFL.

I like the "Your tribe is calling" marketing exercise but that would only work if the "tribe" was there to call on.

As also noted "Crows then Glenelg" ( or whoever and whoever ) shows where peoples interest ( I mean $$ ) lies.

Big Clock, I dont mind people throwing up ideas, it is needed, but many people with many self interests ( which we all have, undeniably ) trying to work to a common goal is simply a recipe for disaster IMO.

I dont know the answers, but I dont do the research or studies required to find them. Make the people who get paid to do it, do it.

The AFL and Adelaide Oval issues have taken up so much time and effort from SANFL head office I feel the SANFL competition has been overlooked.

Take out quality players like Allan, Bennett, Sheedy, Gowans (x2), Clayton etc from our comp and out star power attractions are down.

Agreed - that is an issue, but a high standard of players will not secure the future of the SANFL it will be the supporters.

Supporters need to be No 1. priority for the league and all clubs. They must make it easy, affordable and enjoyable to go and see a local game - that is where they have a major advantage over the AFL.

This has been something I have been battling with over recent years at the Eagles, in a nutshell working on developing a new supporter base for the club in my part time Community Relations role.

Our membership & home crowd figures indicate that some level of success is being achieved ... although this is a long term project that will take many years to see full benefit realised.

Given Chris Davies as Eagles CEO appointed me to the role and worked through a lot of the planning for it with me. now that that he has gone onto the SANFL hopefully some of this focus will go league wide.

PhilH wrote:This has been something I have been battling with over recent years at the Eagles, in a nutshell working on developing a new supporter base for the club in my part time Community Relations role.

Our membership & home crowd figures indicate that some level of success is being achieved ... although this is a long term project that will take many years to see full benefit realised.

Given Chris Davies as Eagles CEO appointed me to the role and worked through a lot of the planning for it with me. now that that he has gone onto the SANFL hopefully some of this focus will go league wide.

Great work PhilH... Its great to see/hear something is being done. Would love to hear about how you are going about this and the strategies you are using to entice new memberships - especially the younger generations. Accessibilty to the actual game from a viewing perspective has to be another major advantage over the AFL.

Totally agree with your hopes the CD will take on at SANFL level.

I dont think its a bad idea that the SANFL needs to work closer with the SAAFL / SFL and other competitions.

Having said that I am not sure though what could be done to promote both, nor if the other competitions even want to work with the SANFL on such a project.

Perhaps its a good opportunity for Chris Davies to sit down with the CEO's of some of these leagues for a chat on what might be able to be achieved by such an idea?

Gingernuts wrote:I probably won't make too many fans with this post, but.......

As someone who has only existed in the post-AFL football world, I and constantly baffled by the us (SANFL) vs them (AFL) mentality.

i can answer this part of your statement, the VFL (which is now the AFL in disguise) had scant regard & little or no respect for the other states league footy & would buy players mainly from here, W.A & Tasmania with at times astrological amounts, some players got $10,000.00 in the 1970's just to sign a ''form four'' & i know a former league player who took the money & had no intention of going, this is one of the reasons why it is a us versus them mentality, it is also a major reasons Victorian clubs were going broke & why the ''AFL'' was invented, it had nothing to do for the betterment of AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL BUT ONLY TO KEEP VICTORIAN CLUBS ALIVE

Maybe do we accept that the 3 tiers of football are not working in sync together.

Unfortunately the sanfl being in the middle is directly squeezed by forces from both ends.

Was it Booney who said above that you won't get different entities talking to each other about a cohesive model for footy. Well if that prevails, we should expect some dark days ahead, with all tiers struggling.

The sleeping giant has been awoken in the AFL with these references to unsavoury practices (drugs, match fixing, illegal activity etc). As much as King Andy downplays it, the brand's lustre is tarnishing and in recent times, much more quickly.

I had to agree with Jeff Kennett's statements last night on Footy Classified about this. His comments are as always, frank and to the point, however, now that he isn't Hawks Pres, they are less slanted toward his club. Maybe without that baggage he can be less guarded about what he says. I found his opinions were refreshing.

Our program of engagement with the community being lead by Phil is having an effect and with our upgraded facilities we are looking to continue on our membership drive and attendances. Phil H is outstanding for us.

Col D

Chambo Off To Work We Go wrote: I had to agree with Jeff Kennett's statements last night on Footy Classified about this. His comments are as always, frank and to the point, however, now that he isn't Hawks Pres, they are less slanted toward his club. Maybe without that baggage he can be less guarded about what he says. I found his opinions were refreshing.

Yea Chambo, I read those comments the next day in the paper and found them to be spot on. Kennett is one of those public figures that can get a bit carried away - but every now and then he really hits the mark.

His comments about change being needed at the top were spot on. Executive level appointments should be regularly turned over for the good of any organisation. Andy D has been at the top far too long, it's time for a fresh face in charge and a new administration.

col d wrote:Our program of engagement with the community being lead by Phil is having an effect and with our upgraded facilities we are looking to continue on our membership drive and attendances. Phil H is outstanding for us.

Col D

A big plus for our club CD and we are living within our means

bigclock wrote:Agreed - that is an issue, but a high standard of players will not secure the future of the SANFL it will be the supporters.

Supporters need to be No 1. priority for the league and all clubs. They must make it easy, affordable and enjoyable to go and see a local game - that is where they have a major advantage over the AFL.

You have nailed it. I went to the Norwood AGM the other night and looked around the room. I'm in my 50s and would have been in the 20% youngest people in the room. It just got me wondering what an AGM would be like in 10-15 years time, if football was still going.

The biggest problem local footy has is inventing ways to create a new wave of football supporter, and this is not going to be easy with the AFL convincing people that grass roots footy doesn't really matter. Funnily enough, when the Crows are doing poorly, we see a slight growth in attendances at SANFL level.

Some great views in this thread being noticed by some interested stakeholders.