Preliminary Final: Port v South - Sunday 14 September @ Adelaide Oval

If ever a mob gives me the ***** it is the SPAM.

Had to get all their AFL professionals squeezed in together to defeat a true SANFL Club, a traditional club in the true sense of the word dating back to the late 1800's. A club that has had to endure more hardships than every other club since the inception of Glenelg back in 1925, but has always fought its way back into the competition.

This heap of **** that another proud SANFL club will have to compete against next week in our Grand Final will further disgrace what the SANFL has strived to build over the past one and a quarter centuries.

The SANFL Commission sold out the other 8 clubs, I hope those members are rightly proud of the demise of a truly great football competition.

This was my post from Facebook,

"So South Adelaide lost today in the Preliminary final, the last time that we made a Preliminary Final was in 1991, our last Grand Final appearance was 1979 and the last time we won the Premiership was in 1964, some 10 years before I was born.
Today I saw a Port Adelaide side made up largely of full time professional AFL listed Players and the best of the Port Adelaide Magpies who are trained and coached in the Port Adelaide Power facilities roll through our club made up of semi professional players who hold down jobs to support themselves, three of Ports players earn more than our whole clubs salary cap.
Personally I think it is bitterly unfair that an AFL side was allowed use their resources to deny our club the right to play in the SANFL Grand Final. Clearly nothing is going to change next season and this is how it is going to be. I have grown to hate the Adelaide Crows for destroying the SANFL competition and now my view is that the leadership of the SANFL are just as rotten to the core also.
The reality has finally hit home that the SANFL that I was so passionate about for so many years is nothing more than a farce. No doubt this week we will all hear about how great it is that traditional rivals Port and Norwood are playing each other, good luck with that as I genuinely could no longer care less. It was fun while it lasted, but its time to move on".

Shattered tonight.

Numb, speechless and really no words can describe the feeling I have right now .

I feel like my guts and heart have been ripped apart.  

Can not be prouder of the boys tonight - gave it all !

I need to sleep as right now I am completely emotionally shattered .....so will be back when I get my head together again.

I had a few tears in the car tonight.

Great to see a lot of South support out there today .

I clearly understand the feelings of the South supporters. I'd feel the same way in their place. I'm sorry Booney, but I have to say this. A traditional SANFL club's league team, up against a nearly complete team of full time professional AFL players is simply unfair. It's not what I and the vast majority of long time, faithful supporters of this competition want. Traditional rivals next week? Come on - I doubt even you really believe that.

Stop deluding yourself Booney and the rest of your mob, this is the first time your mob will have challenged any one in a SANFL Grand Final. Your Grand Poo Bah made sure of that when he sold your once proud Port Adelaide Football Club out from underneath it's supporters. From that day onwards you became the Power Reserves and will stay that way until the end of time.

Thanks for your opinion piece prowler, it's good to get feedback from other supporters.

Nothing like getting Grand Final advice from a South fan. Enjoy your Mad Monday.

A bit harsh there Booney, and a bit out of line displaying that sort of arrogance in victory when the rules have afforded the PAFC a clear advantage in the SANFL this year.

I can certainly understand some of the raw emotion on here from the diehard Southees after witnessing the game first hand yesterday.

Some of these supporters have been through almost a lifetime of hard yards supporting the SAFC. To see them finally make a preliminary final for the first time in 20 years, only to be stonewalled by a side made up of a majority of professional footballers is a pretty bitter pill to swallow.

Life has been pretty easy for Port fans over the journey in comparison, as evidenced by the mass exodus from both the Power & Magpies during their most recent lean patches. It’s easy to support your team when they are winning.

I didn’t like what I saw yesterday, it didn’t sit well with me at all – and I mean that as a predominantly Adelaide fan. I know Adelaide & Port Adelaide need reserves teams and playing in the SANFL is the only viable option at the moment – but I don’t think either should be eligible to compete in September. It just ain’t right.

Harsh?

When my "mob" get called sell outs, I get told my once proud club no longer exists that I'm a mindless sheep, that we're interlopers, have no right to be in this competition etc etc I hardly think my comments are too bloody harsh. What has happened to the SANFL IS NOT MY FAULT and my club is still my club, they always will be. If people want to change the club they support, not support the competition at all that's up to them, but to stand and **** and moan for 6 months about something you can't change? Makes me really wonder who the mindless are.

I accept there is an advantage to the Magpies, I accept the SANFL is no longer and will never be the same, I accept that supporters of the other SANFL teams aren't happy, you'd have to be a ****** idiot not too.....I've commented on the dull lifeless affairs I witnessed this year, lacking atmosphere and genuine interaction between supporters.

Harsh? HARSH?

*Edit - Also it seems my club, the one I love, can also be referred to as a "heap of ****".

I'll try not to be so harsh in the future.

Either way it just shows the competition is a farce.

My interest in it has almost deteriorated to zero.

If the inequities remain, it may be Mad Monday from April to September in coming years.

Booney wrote:I accept there is an advantage to the Magpies, I accept the SANFL is no longer and will never be the same, I accept that supporters of the other SANFL teams aren't happy, you'd have to be a ****** idiot not too.....I've commented on the dull lifeless affairs I witnessed this year, lacking atmosphere and genuine interaction between supporters.

To be honest, I think this bit is really all that non-Port supporters have probably been looking for, because most Port people whilst knowing they have an advantage won't acknowledge it.

I think your stance is very fair Booney, and not a lot different to how supporters of other SANFL clubs would feel, particularly those that voted the Crows in - Not always in agreement with what the club has done at times, but it's my club, they wear the guernsey I love, and I'm still gonna support them. The choices you listed above are realistically the only 3, and it's an individual choice as to which option is taken. Noone should be derided for their choice, and that includes you opting to stick by your Magpies.

Scrunch wrote:

Booney wrote:I accept there is an advantage to the Magpies, I accept the SANFL is no longer and will never be the same, I accept that supporters of the other SANFL teams aren't happy, you'd have to be a ****** idiot not too.....I've commented on the dull lifeless affairs I witnessed this year, lacking atmosphere and genuine interaction between supporters.

To be honest, I think this bit is really all that non-Port supporters have probably been looking for, because most Port people whilst knowing they have an advantage won't acknowledge it.

I think your stance is very fair Booney, and not a lot different to how supporters of other SANFL clubs would feel, particularly those that voted the Crows in - Not always in agreement with what the club has done at times, but it's my club, they wear the guernsey I love, and I'm still gonna support them. The choices you listed above are realistically the only 3, and it's an individual choice as to which option is taken. Noone should be derided for their choice, and that includes you opting to stick by your Magpies.

One thing I will not accept criticism for is choosing to stick by my club.Never, ever. Those that I know have walked away or simply changed the team they support have made their choice, not one I agree with, but that's their choice.

So by (again) stating I ( and others ) see the advantages, is this some sort of cold comfort for the other SANFL fans out there? How does that change anything?

Booney wrote:Harsh?

When my "mob" get called sell outs, I get told my once proud club no longer exists that I'm a mindless sheep, that we're interlopers, have no right to be in this competition etc etc I hardly think my comments are too bloody harsh. What has happened to the SANFL IS NOT MY FAULT and my club is still my club, they always will be. If people want to change the club they support, not support the competition at all that's up to them, but to stand and **** and moan for 6 months about something you can't change? Makes me really wonder who the mindless are.

I accept there is an advantage to the Magpies, I accept the SANFL is no longer and will never be the same, I accept that supporters of the other SANFL teams aren't happy, you'd have to be a ****** idiot not too.....I've commented on the dull lifeless affairs I witnessed this year, lacking atmosphere and genuine interaction between supporters.

Harsh? HARSH?

*Edit - Also it seems my club, the one I love, can also be referred to as a "heap of ****".

I'll try not to be so harsh in the future.

None of that is acceptable either Booney.

An eye for an eye just makes the whole world blind though.

South were 1 week away from a grand final and a shot at their first premiership in 50 years - 50 years - and that was dream was crushed yesterday by a team that was afforded a clear advantage by the way the rules have been structured this year.

That is as traumatic as it gets in football, and there would be few that were involved in the decision to allow reserves sides that would be happy with how this year has turned out IMO.

I'm not going to tell you what path to tread Booney, if you want to soak up your present situation and deliver some retribution on those who have wronged you over the past few years then go for it.

All I can say is that personally I would be very uncomfortable with Adelaide winning the SANFL flag if that ever eventuated. It would be a hollow victory, and I would be very happy if the SANFL changed the rules so that Adelaide were in ineligible to play finals next year.

I'll tell you what isn't acceptable to me and that is someone, anyone in fact, calling my club a heap of ****.

Retribution? Lifes too short.

It's a question with no correct answer, IMO.

I don't think you can have a team in a competition which is ineligible to make the finals.

You can't criticise any supporter for continuing to follow their team, no matter how it has changed.

Overall, Adelaide finished about 8th and no-one is complaining about them. Port finished top and the advantages have become obvious.

I actually support the two AFL teams in the comp, as I think the SANFL would have withered away otherwise, but the problem is that the two teams are playing under different conditions and one team has attempted to subvert the intent of the rules. That's another debate though.

The strength of the AFL teams depends totally on injuries and that's where Port haven't been affected as much. The problem is that the conditions have allowed Port to top up a heap of professional footballers with the likes of Steven Summerton, Nathan Krakouer, etc. They strengthen an alreadyn strong team, whereas Adelaide have topped up with lesser players, which evens things out a bit.

That's the problem, IMO.

I also recognise the difficult position it places genuine Port Magpies supporters. A premiership win won't be valued by the rest of the SANFL and it's a fine line for Magpies supporters now between arrogance and celebration.

It is, however, a topic which can't be ignored in any discussion about the SANFL.

PS: I checked your 'Edit' and you're right, your club shouldn't be referred to as a 'heap of ....'

We can edit that out if you wish, but I wonder if this acknowledgement might suffice, given the understandable vent from a long-time South supporter after his team has lost?

No need to edit it Lee, it's not the site that made the comments but one poster. I've got a long memory and things like this get remembered.

Fine line between arrogance and celebration indeed, if indeed one chooses to celebrate at all.

Lee wrote:It's a question with no correct answer, IMO.

I don't think you can have a team in a competition which is ineligible to make the finals.

You can't criticise any supporter for continuing to follow their team, no matter how it has changed.

Overall, Adelaide finished about 8th and no-one is complaining about them.  Port finished top and the advantages have become obvious.

I actually support the two AFL teams in the comp, as I think the SANFL would have withered away otherwise, but the problem is that the two teams are playing under different conditions and one team has attempted to subvert the intent of the rules.  That's another debate though.

The strength of the AFL teams depends totally on injuries and that's where Port haven't been affected as much.  The problem is that the conditions have allowed Port to top up a heap of professional footballers with the likes of Steven Summerton, Nathan Krakouer, etc. They strengthen an alreadyn strong team, whereas Adelaide have topped up with lesser players, which evens things out a bit.

That's the problem, IMO.

I also recognise the difficult position it places genuine Port Magpies supporters.  A premiership win won't be valued by the rest of the SANFL and it's a fine line for Magpies supporters now between arrogance and celebration.

It is, however, a topic which can't be ignored in any discussion about the SANFL.

Lee,

have to say Im pretty surprised by your comments.
Can you please explain what benefits the SANFL have gained or will gain in the future from the decision to allow 2 AFL reserves teams to enter the SANFL this year. Given that almost all SANFL clubs are broke and have lost complete faith in the hierachy of the SANFL?

Booney wrote:I'll tell you what isn't acceptable to me and that is someone, anyone in fact, calling my club a heap of ****.

Retribution? Lifes too short.

As Lee said, I agree that that is unacceptable.

I also believe that arguments around the identity of the PAFC are just semantics born out of spite, and Port Adelaide is Port Adelaide, end of story.

I guess what I'm trying to convey in my posts is that I can understand all points in this affair, the pain of South Adelaide fans and also your resentment at the treatment you and your Club has received.

The bottom line is though that after witnessing what I witnessed yesterday, there can be no denying that the rules need further revision at seasons conclusion.

Unfortunately this will provide little comfort to those down South today as they drown their sorrows after seeing their best chance at a flag in 20 years get crushed because of a loophole.

B & W, I don't think there are any advantages to the new concept. I haven't said there were. I've seen the SANFL become less relevant over many years and I just accepted that would continue even more quickly if we rejected the AFL teams.

I don't think there's much advantage for the AFL clubs either. Port may say there is this year, but wait for an injury struck year. Adelaide certainly didn't seem to benefit.

This became even more farcical when Impey, an AFL player who had played a total of 3 games for Port Adelaide during the year, can now be playing in a SANFL Grand Final. He couldn't play for South Adelaide with that few games.

Lee wrote: I don't think there's much advantage for the AFL clubs either.  Port may say there is this year, but wait for an injury struck year.  Adelaide certainly didn't seem to benefit.

We're going over old ground here, but I disagree with this.

It has to be of benefit having your squad play together, just has to be.

To come into line with all the other AFL clubs the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs wanted their whole playing list playing under one structure and one coaching group.

If one AFL club did it, it might be wrong, these are the last two of 18 clubs to complete this and it isn't for giggles that they've done it.

It is impossible to argue there is no benefit in doing so, simply impossible when compared to the previous system.

( This is not the same debate as the rights of the AFL clubs to have sides in the SANFL, however. )

Booney wrote:

It is impossible to argue there is no benefit in doing so, simply impossible when compared to the previous system.

I don't know about 'impossible'. How do you prove there's been a benefit? How do you measure that? Adelaide won 2 Premierships in about 22 years with their players spread through the SANFL, does that mean that to prove this new system is of benefit (compared to the previous system) they would have to win 3 or more in the next 22 years? I'm just wondering how you measure what the benefit is.

Flag No.9 wrote:

Booney wrote:

It is impossible to argue there is no benefit in doing so, simply impossible when compared to the previous system.

I don't know about 'impossible'. How do you prove there's been a benefit? How do you measure that? Adelaide won 2 Premierships in about 22 years with their players spread through the SANFL, does that mean that to prove this new system is of benefit (compared to the previous system) they would have to win 3 or more in the next 22 years? I'm just wondering how you measure what the benefit is.

Well there's no quantitative measure you could apply to it really.

Surely though, having a list of players playing together, building rapor, and knowing each other's games intimately can only be positive. I just can't see how you can argue against that. Again, I think we've been here in this discussion before though.

Yeah we have been here before, but I guess the real question is how much benefit is it, (that is, to warrant this disruption) and ultimately the way to judge that is to look at results. Because surely if results don't improve (compared to the previous system) over time, then any benefit is dubious.