SANFL to go back to 8 teams in 2014?

Main sports story on Ten News tonight was that the SANFL and all CEO's have been in serious discussion about the SANFL dropping a club and reverting back to an 8 team club in season 2014...

The report on the news mentioned the Port Magpies as the main club most likely to be released from the competition, although Sturt was also mentioned due to it's current poor on and off field situation...

Very intersting times ahead, indeed...

Port Magpies would be in a difficult situation if the Port AFL licence was handed back to the AFL.

I'd hate to see any club fold. With it, the League loses those supporters probably.

Club finances are a real problem for some.

Flog off the Crows licence and give each club a big cash injection with some oversight to see it used properly.

R&B

You have summed it up perfectly. Iam avery passionate West Supporter and at the age of 52 if my club
went by the way side you wouldn't see me at an SANFL match again

Flog the Crows Licence is a great idea R&B

I'd like to know exactly who wants this to happen and why.

Flag No.9 wrote:I'd like to know exactly who wants this to happen and why.

that was my first thought

from memory isn't this what Port wanted when they joined ?

i can't see why they can't work hard, struggle & take their turn out of finals just like every other club has endured over the years some more than others.....i recall seeing a doco on Al Lewis (Grandpa Munster) & near the end he was on stage with Howerd Stern & as it got political Al just kept repeating ''eff 'em'' & i'm sorry but i want them in our competition because if they were on or near the top this wouldn't even be discussed

Aren't the Port Magpies finances now controlled by the Power?

If true, with the AFL club struggling to attract supporters, members, sponsors, how do they expect to fork out the money for two clubs, let alone one?

The Magpies were in debt before the merger, now with the Power in debt too, it doesn't look like a good sign. I doubt if both arms of Port winning the next 5 flags in each comp would save them.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/all-sanfl-clubs-safe-whicker/story-e6freckc-1226461189857

The SANFL say that all 9 clubs are safe.

SANFL chief executive Leigh Whicker last night threw his iron-clad support behind the nine league clubs amid speculation Port Adelaide's future in the competition is under threat.
Speculation about the shape of the competition has arisen after notes from a chief executives' forum last month were leaked, with one of the talking points being the size of the competition.

A range of issues was raised at the forum: how best to market the competition, what the ideal amount of teams would be and how best to deal with the AFL clubs' wish to have their own reserves teams.

But Whicker said the last thing on the commission's mind was to cut Port Adelaide, one of the clubs facing financial challenges. He said the commission was committed to keeping the SANFL's structure.

"All nine clubs are safe," Whicker told The Advertiser last night. "And cutting a club is not on the commission's agenda. All nine clubs are very important to our supporters." He also cast light on how the speculation came about.

But he said the SA Football Commission was committed to keeping all of the nine clubs afloat, and whether to add another club - possibly a Crows reserves team - was a discussion for the future.

The club-numbers issue was first raised at the CEO's forum, then listed on the agenda for a league directors' meeting held on Tuesday.

"The subject of an eight-team competition was raised at last night's (Tuesday night's) league directors meeting in the context that it was previously discussed at a SANFL CEOs forum," Whicker said.

"I can categorically confirm that this matter is not and has not been on the SA Football Commission's agenda," he said. "The SA Football Commission went through a rigorous process to `One Port Adelaide'.

"In December 2010 the SANFL issued a licence to the Port Adelaide Magpies to participate in the SANFL competition and there are no plans by the SANFL to dismantle this agreement."

8 teams? Hope so. 21 rounds, no byes, and a September finish. Everything we could hope for.

I would love another team in the comp ... Not get rid of any.

Love to see a Northern Terriorty side come in ( dont know it would happen now ) but imagine the great footy trips up to the NT

Love for a 10 team comp as I really don't like the bye and would make things more interesting .

8 teams is too small and think the sanfl would suffer as I believe people would have less interest.

The NT was courted by the SANFL and the WAFL before they decided on AFLQ. I would have thought cost would have had some say in not deciding to join us, but maybe they thought they would be another 'Peel Thunder' (don't mean to disrespect that club) in competing against our clubs.

Having a look at the AFLQ ladder, they sit pretty on top with the Brisbane Lions reserves (as expected sitting second), Southport (biggest club in comp) and Gold Coast Suns reserves making up the top 5.

howthewestwaswon wrote:The NT was courted by the SANFL and the WAFL before they decided on AFLQ. I would have thought cost would have had some say in not deciding to join us.

Why would have cost has anything to do with NT not joining us? Darwin is closer to Adelaide than to anywhere else in Australia including Brisbane.

robranisgod wrote:

howthewestwaswon wrote:The NT was courted by the SANFL and the WAFL before they decided on AFLQ. I would have thought cost would have had some say in not deciding to join us.

Why would have cost has anything to do with NT not joining us? Darwin is closer to Adelaide than to anywhere else in Australia including Brisbane.

Cheaper to fly Darwin-Brisbane then it is Darwin-Adelaide. $200-300 per person compared to $400-1000. Most Darwin to Adelaide flights go via Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne and leave at ridiculous times early in the morning. From Adelaide to Darwin, most flights go via Perth or Melbourne. There aren't any direct flights (with Vrigin, Jetstar/QANTAS has one) from SA to NT and vice-versa. I know, I've flown to Darwin many times.

Would you put your players through that, considering many have life/work outside football? I hope I've satisfied you with my info.

Why don't they meet half way ??

Alice Springs.

Adelaide to Alice /Darwin to Alice

Then every ones a winner

It's all good naming places, but you really need to do your homework. I'm not sure on the cost/flight info to Alice, but just to play Devil's Advocate...

Alice has a population of 25,000. If you're going to use that statistic, then you may as well enter a team from Whyalla or Mt Gambier who have only slightly less people.

I understand people's thinking, but let's face facts - many of our clubs are struggling to afford to cross town a few times a week (and I dare say many players drive themselves to games), how are they supposed to now include flights, accommodation, ground hire etc etc etc. It is more important for the SANFL to stabilise the comp that we already have before looking at other options.

We have seen expansion failure first hand with the A-League because of rush jobs (mainly to beat other codes getting there or taking supporters away from them) and the fact the FFA wasn't going to bankroll them, rather that was lieft to private investors. Don't let the SANFL fall the same way with silly decisions just because it might sound good.