southernbulldog wrote:Jim 05 after the last few games are you back on the Cotton bandwagon

Never was on it. No offence to West and Centrals but they were always going to be bottom 2 and as such we shouldn’t be losing to either. We still haven’t beaten a decent side yet

Don't watch a lot of SANFL. Just highlights these days. Is Norwood a good side and Cotton needs a boot up the ar5e or are we just a midtable side playing to our capabilities?

Kindest,

REB We are a better side than we have been showing but we have a horrid game style and are coached poorly IMO.
Good forward targets and we are more interested in playing keep offs and chipping it around than actually trying to get in to the forwards 1 on 1.

Does it concern anyone else the lack of goals in the SANFL in recent years. The tally of goals to win a Ken Farmer over the past 9 or 10 years has been about 50 goals? Not knocking the respective recipients but doesn't it say something about the look of the game and its entertainment value. Is it easier to coach a defensive game plan with the players available?

I watch a lot of footy with my 6yo son these days, and do occasionally ponder what the highlights and drawcards of Aussie rules footy might be for newcomers compared to say the 90s when I was growing up watching it. Certainly less scoring, high/contested marking and physical clashes (for better or worse).

10 minutes of number crunching suggests SANFL scoring has plateaued in recent years at around 70 points per team per game..

2024- 70.9
2023- 68.4
2022- 71.3
2021- 72.5
2020- 71.5 (shortened season)
2019 – 77.5
…
2016- 82.1 (first year of the 'last touch' rule saw a spike)
2015- 76.0
…
2006- 103.8 (cherry picked this season, as I recall it was high scoring and fun to watch)

Definitely easier to coach a defensive game plan with the players available and the (lack of) quality of playing surfaces. The players are fit and committed and the coaches prioritise defence first. Most players who are fit and committed and have the skill set required to consistently hit targets to thread through a modern zone, are filling one of the 800 plus list spots on an AFL list. Those not fit and committed, even if highly skilled, won't keep up at SANFL level.

That mid-2000's period had a number of attacking minded coaches - Jarman, Phillips, Fuller - and the footy was high scoring compared to the AFL at the time. Now it is the opposite.

It will be interesting if the SANFL moves on from the low scoring trend it has found itself in since around 2010. Perhaps if the AFL sides leave and the level of professionalism drops, it may turn in to better football to watch? Perhaps Queensland and NSW will produce more players with the growth of the game and the player depth will return - given for the last 15 years SA and WA have had to help fill Gold Coast and GWS squads on top of their own.

As for the Ken Farmer and Coleman Medallists - those days of 100 goals in a season seem long gone and have been missing since the turn of the century unfortunately. Thankfully we still get glimpses of the forwards having their day and it is still great to watch when it happens.

Massive respect for Matthew Panos. What a comeback.

SANFL Story of the year

Spargo wrote:Good on you for posting after the event.

On this forum yes, but on other social media sites I mentioned halfway through the season that something special is brewing with this group. I'm saying that I'm still surprised that many,including Norwood fans, didn't rate Norwood.

Friday 3rd March
Sturt v Glenelg (Thebarton Oval)
• Reserves – TBA. League - TBA
Saturday 4th March
South Adelaide v West Adelaide (Flinders University Stadium)
• Reserves – 11:00am. League – 1:30pm
Woodville-West Torrens v North Adelaide (Thebarton Oval)
• Reserves – TBA. League – TBA
Norwood v Central District (Coopers Stadium)
• Reserves – 11:00am. League – 1:30pm.


Friday 10th March
Glenelg v Central District (Thebarton Oval)
• Reserves – 5:00pm. League – 7:40pm
Saturday 11th March
North Adelaide v South Adelaide (Thebarton Oval)
• Reserves – 10:00am. League – 12:20pm
Norwood v Sturt (Coopers Stadium)
• Reserves – 10:00am. League – 12:30pm
West Adelaide v Woodville-West Torrens (Hisense Stadium)
• Reserves – 10:00am. League – 12:30pm.


Friday 17th March
West Adelaide v Sturt (Hisense Stadium)
• Reserves – TBA. League – 5:00pm
Saturday 18th March
Central District v South Adelaide (X-Convenience Oval)
• Reserves – 5:00pm. League – 2:20pm
Glenelg v Adelaide (Thebarton Oval)
• League – 4:00pm
Norwood v Woodville-West Torrens (Coopers Stadium)
• Reserves - . League - .
North Adelaide v Port Adelaide (Thebarton Oval)
• League – 11:00am


Sunday 26th March
Port Adelaide v Adelaide (Alberton Oval)
• League – 10:00am

The Norwood Football Club is excited to announce the recruitment of Goy Lok for the 2023 SANFL Season.

Born in Ethiopia, Goy moved to Australia when he was seven years old.

The 25-year-old creative, hard running forward/midfielder has spent his recent seasons playing in the VFL with the Casey Demons, Frankston and Sandringham.

With Sandringham in 2021 and 2022 he kicked 16 goals from 25 matches.

Goy is a quality individual with an excellent work ethic – he has been working with St Kilda Football Club in its NGA Multicultural diversity programs.

Very good win on their dung heap and deserve the week off.
Let’s hope Sturt and the Dogs beat the hell out of each other now ;)

Whilst we looked good I did think a few efforts from the Eagles lads were quite poor and they almost looked to be giving up at times. Glenelg will make an absolute mess of them IMO

Yep, that lack of effort has been consistent since the West game. When the game was reasonably even on the scoreboard for the first 40 minutes, it was still Norwood who were getting numbers to the contest and then carrying the ball in numbers forward through sheer determination to be there for their team mate. Then the bigs up forward started clunking some marks and Norwood couldn't miss. An absolute demolition. I suspect much the same next week against Glenelg. The Eagles simply aren't playing for each other and aren't up for it. You can't change those habits formed over the last month or so in a week. Norwood were sharp and deserving of the big cheer they got from the faithful for clinching the minor premiership.

There were some positive signs from Cooke and Wheare up forward. Wheare continued where he left off in the close loss to Sturt back in Round 14 and I'm still mystified how he was dropped after that. I thought Hansen also showed some good signs on the back flank. A few players who have played less than 10 games worth persisting with and will benefit from playing in a final at Adelaide Oval.

Having said all of the above, the Eagles have made the finals (thanks Sturt). They aren't easy to make and playing them, or watching your team play them, shouldn't be taken for granted. Whilst there's a pulse...

Not sure this post fits here, but as good a place as any....
The 2042 Magarey Medallist has just been born
King Matt and Viv Panos have had a baby son, Prince Oscar.

Another great team effort, everyone buying into the game plan. Really enjoyed the Boyd/Redden duel, both match up well against each other.
Promises to be a fantastic finals series, can't wait for this weeks' games as a neutral.

It does so it may mean the season or it may be right to play this week.

Just a note to compliment whomever on the turf at Norwood - brilliant, like the lights.

Also brilliant in the lights is the Eagles uniform with the white shorts!

Great to see new facilities at SANFL grounds. A Sturt workmate of mine had a tour of the new JO stand - outstanding apparently. Proud of the past, confident of the future, as a former SANFL club used to say.

Before 2014, Crows and Power claimed that having reserves sides was integral to the development of their players, and that the AFL sides who had reserves sides had an advantage over them.
It only took Crows 8 years to win 2 premierships, and Power 8 years to win 1, while they both had their 'reserves players' spread amongst the SANFL clubs.
In the 9 seasons since they have have their own separate reserves teams in the SANFL, Crows have only had 1 AFL GF appearance and Power have had no AFL GF appearances.

Luke Habel, Justin Hoskin and Dylan Weaver all have officially retired. All great club men, and fantastic blokes.

Luke Habel is hands down one of the most genuinely nicest blokes I have ever met in SANFL footy.

Early in the COVID period each club sought to raise funds to keep afloat via the Australian Sports Foundation. At the time a list of donors for each club was displayed and Luke Habel had donated to every SANFL league club. I have never met the man, but what a wonderful gesture and also how much the SANFL meant to him.

Congrats the Bays, best team all year and better team today.

Credit to the Blues for playing it out, could have easily turned into a 119 scenario.

Well done Glenelg, clearly the dominant side all season long. Well done to Sturt also for having a dip. Congrats to all the Bays lads on here, enjoy!!

Spargo wrote:Soooo good, so proud of the boys.

Enjoy, best team all year and better team today - doesn’t always fall that way in the GF though. Enjoy tiggers!

Last night’s AFL Draft goes to show how far the SANFL Under 16’s and Under 18’s competitions are falling behind.
Our SANFL teams would get embarrassed if we had to play against any Coates Talent League clubs (Under 18’s National League with Murray Bushrangers etc).

SALARY CAP:
Read a great article in the paper on the weekend and I would have to agree…
The SANFL would have to be the only sport competition in the World that hasn’t put their Salary Cap back to Pre-Covid level, in fact it should actually be higher now than it was before COVID due to inflation.

Love this quote from Duncanson…

““Get a new stadium deal at Football Park – a negotiation that confirmed we needed a new stadium. If we’re not getting 22,000 to Football Park, we were writing a cheque (to the SANFL). We were at a stadium our people did not want to go, even when we were winning.”

They never had a problem filling it when they were winning GF’s in the SANFL days…what a cop out statement .. Port supporters (like all other clubs) just didn’t turn up when the team was average.

Gobsmacked at this: "We were at a stadium our people did not want to go, even when we were winning.”

Try driving there from the other side of town

When will these sides join the VFL??? I think it will benefit them alot.

It's a level playing field if they're all in the one comp. Everyone will have kids and top-ups.

The comp will look nothing like a level playing field

It will be as level as the AFL.

Their gone. This is what we want. Off you go and we can return to an 8 team comp, 21 rounds, piss off the byes, play either the WAFL or the what will be the new VFA each alternate year, perhaps have 4 games all on Saturday at 2-10 and stop pandering to what everyone else wants.

Norwood to kick their highest score for the year and win by 46 points

There will be no neutral games. One year you’ll have 10 home games, the next year 11.

For the likes of North, Norwood, Sturt and us that will be good given our entrenched support.

It will be the same principle as 20 years ago where over two years you played every team five times

Absolute farce by the Bays with the jumper clash and wearing black shorts in an away game. Eagles now wearing white shorts after half time.

SANFL have to work out fixturing during first nations round to ensure teams won't have guernsey clashes, or have rules on the designs, given that clubs know who they are playing well in advance.

Spot on, at the very least they should guarantee a minimum 18 month contract so they can have a good run of staying on the list.

Very encouraging news that Sam May was at Richmond today.

Well done to supporters of both sides to get a crowd of just over 6900.

What a great day for SANFL footy yesterday

two ripping games, decent crowds at both grounds.

I'm biased but hands down its the best footy in the country

Yep, time for the SANFL to willingly bend over again.

Had the displeasure of listening to Caroline Wilson (who wouldn’t know the Pondarosa from the Parade) and Chris Davies discuss this topic on radio in the past 24 hours. Perhaps if Davies wants their younger players developing around better quality teammates they can farm them out to SANFL clubs per the old structure :lol:

A lot of people seem to have short memories currently, given the Ravens have played in the past two prelims and the Power were finalists last season (with 3 GF appearances in past 9 seasons)

As Dutchy and others have mentioned, the top-up debate offers the AFL clubs a convenient distraction/excuse as to why their premiership droughts are now 20+ years.

Meanwhile SANFL clubs continue to operate within a $345K salary cap, less than what an average AFL player earns. And despite what some might think, they actually cop injuries too and have their depth tested..

In recent weeks, the North Adelaide Football Club has had some incidents to key players that will see them miss the rest of the 2024 season.

Sam Mayes unfortunately had an incident at training on the Saturday morning before the Round 9 King’s Birthday Glenelg game which caused concussion symptoms. Sam will sit out the rest of the 2024 season due to this latest incident, but will stay involved in a coaching capacity, helping the defensive unit on game day and during the week.

Reed van Huisstede suffered a minor stroke while working a few weeks back and is currently working through his recovery.

Reed is travelling very well and is making great strides in his return to full health.
Unfortunately, football needs to be put aside for the moment (at least to the end of season 2024) as his 100% focus needs to be put into his recovery. Reed will still be around the club supporting his teammates and club when he can.

"I appreciate all the support the club has and is giving me in my return to full health, with support from both internal and external experts." Reed van Huisstede

We will support both Sam and Reed with their personal recovery, and they will both stay involved at the football club for the rest of the season.

See below for an update on other players that are currently on the sidelines.

Kym LeBois – Ankle. Expected return to play (Round 15-16)
Cody Raak – Ankle. Expected return to play (Round 17)
Karl Finlay – Ankle. Expected return to play (Round 17-18)
Lachie Wilsdon – Neck. Expected return to play is indefinite. Lachie injured his neck/shoulder in the round 3 game against Sturt earlier in the season. Lachie has returned to modified physical activity and will be monitored closely as he returns to full health.
Jake Patmore – Ankle. Expected return to play to be confirmed. Jake returned to the field of play against Sturt last weekend after some time away from the club. Unfortunately, Jake injured his ankle and will get a scan on Friday to determine the damage.

We look forward to seeing you all at Prospect Oval this Saturday when we face the WWT Eagles.

Go Roosters!

Power and the Crows have little leverage IMO, they clearly want to leave but the AFL don't want them to yet. They won't go to the SAAFL, once again the AFL won't allow it. I wouldn't compromise the competition for the sake of a couple of years before they finally leave, it would be a complete disaster for the competition if they bent over backwards and made them stupidly dominant and allowed them to win flags easily over the next couple of seasons. We've already seen what happens when they have minimal injuries and can play with a full list already, the Crows and Power have been consistent finalists and the Power have played in three grand finals. They are using injuries and poor list management this season to try to and fool the SANFL into giving them a ridiculous advantage in our league. If the SANFL really want to destroy the standing of our league they will give in to the demands of a couple of ungrateful franchises that will leave as soon as they are allowed to and leave our competition in shambles. DON'T DO IT!

I see it's just the Power complaining again. It's nobody else's fault that you're about to slide down the ladder in the AFL over the next few years. You can't keep giving in to them, they will just take take take. Total joke talking about what's best for SA football, they've never cared about anything but themselves. Talking about they'll only continue playing in the SANFL if we give them more concessions, NO you'll keep playing in the SANFL regardless because the AFL said no. It's not even a good bluff anymore, even when they leave to go play in the AFL reserves they should be stopped from recruiting directly from SANFL clubs IMO. They should get used to it now instead of in two years time when they leave. That's not even discussing what will happen to the SANFL if you allow them to. The least thing the league needs is the Power and Crows franchises going undefeated and completely destroying the standing of the competition for them to turn around and leave it in a shambles. Supporters will leave and might never come back. We've seen even recently what happens now when they have no injuries, they are both pretty dominant sides that need no extra allowances. I really hope they don't give in at all on this, it's a dangerous time for the league IMO.

Quite gobsmacking that they think everbody else's interests are aligned with theirs

What that does is it drives the economy at Adelaide Oval because if they’re both performing, more people turn up and that money flows back into community support and the SANFL.

Crazy.

Stop blaming SANFL because both AFL clubs have won **** all for 20 years.

No shit it would drive more income, but they compete in a comp that the chances for success are minimal. Winning the lottery would drive extra income for the state.but guess what ?

Hasn’t gather round driven more income without sacrificing SANFL. Still not enough ??

Whats next we shut down all ammo and country leagues so the sole focus is you. Start to tax any profitable non-afl club so you get more income to win a flag.


Taking away SANFL players from their clubs doesn’t solve a thing. The Best thing for the SANFL is when port/crows don’t make the finals.
We get full coverage and better crowds at our finals series.

Do we go out and sabotage due to this ???? Self indulgent ****.

They should have nothing to do with the league

Dear Matthew

I 100% agree the current model is not working with respect to your players and the broader interest of SA Football should be paramount.

If it’s success you want for your AFL franchises (and greater $$$ returns for SA football) I know of a model that worked and resulted in four GF appearances, three Premierships four additional preliminary final appearances and two preseason competition finals.

Regards

Am Bays

Ps you know it makes sense! And it gives Port a better connection to their community….

PPS your AFL players will learn how to compete

From a Glenelg point of view, Go Norwood!

Yes we had more inside 50s, but I cannot think of one that was delivered with precision. Credit to Norwoods pressure on the ball carrier.
Harvey Howe deserves credit for being competitive against the Boyd Beast. He was thrashed at the Parade but showed how quickly he is learning.
Sharpes first quarter was outstanding but he burnt some energy. Thomas, Presbury, Barry and Chisholm had some good moments and Kendall on Callow did well.
Norwood have so many weapons, it's hard to know where the next danger will arrive from. Also, a very astute and calm coach.

Tonight on 7mate

Cmon Harry Boyd

This i dragging on for too long. Very poor

A very worthy result, would be a stinker to poll that well and miss it…. Congrats to both

Two worthy winners and based on the way they talk two quality individuals

The SANFZl has great people in it.

Norwood favourite and deservedly so - but $3.25 for Glenelg is indeed ridiculous.

My dad's great uncle commenced with North Adelaide in 1899 and played centre in the 1900 premiership. Thus my grandfather was 13 when he saw his uncle play in a premiership. He took my dad to the footy and in turn dad took me from the age of 4. As a 5 year old I still remember the 1960 North Adelaide premiership and the celebrations at my home with aged aunties waving red and white towels as we got home.
In 2018 my brother took his grandson and granddaughter to the Grand Final and they are now members, thus we now are up to six generation North supporters.
Having said all of that, as much as my dad loved North Adelaide, he loved football more and if North weren't playing we went to another game and always went to all finals. I have tried to follow my father's lead and still annoy my fellow supporters by applauding good marks by opposition players.

My Grandfather picked Sturt in the late 40's after staying in Adelaide after a posting here from Mildura during WWII.

He was a regular attendant at games and a later a long time club sponsor through his business.

My Dad was a regular attendee with him as a kid and later became an assistant coach of the u19's in 1980. Dad coached through the early to mid 80's and later did some work through to the mid 90's as one of the junior coordinators and recruiters. Being a bit of a history buff, he later joined the historians group (at Sturt and a couple of other clubs too) and was a selector of the inaugural Sturt Hall of Fame (and SANFL Hall of Fame).

As a kid, I followed Dad to home and away games every week with the u17's and U19's, doing the scoreboard with a group of other kids at Unley home games for over a decade and running through the opposition changerooms at every other ground for years kicking the footy and getting in the way.

A lot of my strongest memories are of spending time at the club as a kid - having Rick Davies stop me as I was walking into the changerooms with a footy under my arm after training in 1983 (aged 7) and asking me if I wanted to 'have a kick'. He proceeded to then clear the middle of the changerooms and kick drop kicks with me for 10 minutes, encouraging other players to join in too as they sat and watched.

Through circumstances over the years I've spent time away from the Club but keep being drawn back.

Dad passed away earlier this week, so it's a nice time to add other people's personal reflections on what an SANFL Club means to them as well as reflecting on my own.

Go the blues.

After 255 SANFL League games and 3 Norm Russell Medals, club Co-Captain Jarrod Schiller has called time on his illustrious career.

Known for his tough approach and fierce competitive nature, Jarrod has put together an extremely impressive CV since debuting in 2010 (Round 17 vs. Norwood).

• Captain: 2021-2024
• Vice Captain: 2015-2020
• 3 x Norm Russell Medallist
• 6 x Daniel Hulm Trophy - Most Courageous Player
• 2 x B&F Runner-Up
• 2014 & 2019 Most Consistent League Player
• 2023 SANFL Goal of the Year

While Jarrod will deeply missed on and off the field, his incredible contributions will forever be remembered at our Club.

Thank you for everything Jarrod, and we look forward to watching you in your journey after footy!

What a ripper career!
And such a quiet, unassuming bloke too,
not many players play 250 games in the SANFL anymore,
he WILL be missed!

A loyal one club player and a great one at that.

15 seasons at league level is quite some achievement.

Booney wrote:Cracking morning.

Of course it is, it is SANFL GF Day!!

SANFL the winner.

Watching games like this makes me miss the sanfl and a real team to support.

Disappointed but what a great game.

It was a fantastic day on the scoreboard hill.
It would have been 50/50 support & the banter was incisive but friendly.
I didn’t see any angst all day

After the final siren there was warm congratulations between the supporters
Maybe Koch should spend some time with us

Fantastic game. Great crowd. A brilliant spectacle for the SANFL. Both teams gave their all and no disgrace to Norwood going down to this Glenelg team, who have been the dominant team of the modern era. Glenelg looked strong and powerful. Norwood small and zippy. Contrasting styles but equally effective. A day out by McBean the difference. Enjoy Glenelg fans. That was one for the ages.