Will there be a home for the SANFL

[dedja]

Not to mention this as well ...

[CUTTERMAN]

Personally I think that we need a neutral ground that can hold 20,000+. There are issues with some suburban grounds and crowd capacities that just wouldn't allow a crowd of 10-15,000+ for a "home final". I think Thebby is an option if it can be made viable with the SAAFL. Possibly a slightly smaller sized playing field that may suit soccer also.

[Sojourner]

Who said the pubs for sale ? Do you have a vested interest in Thebby as you always seem to raise it. Thebby is not for sale so how can it be purchased.

Everything has its price, as I said before we can lease the ground it if we wish too. As for the hotel, consdiering the SANFL will be flush with cash from the selling off of the land from Football Park I am fairly certain they can make them an offer that would be accepted if they did actually want the venue.

The issue of Suburban grounds being used is the possibility of lower crowds, its not unreasonable to expect the SANFL to continue to grow in its crowd numbers if the clubs and the administration are prepared to continue the hard work being done to increase interest in the SANFL in the community. Westies have seen a very significant increase in numbers with the lights project, South and Glenelg will likely also see an increase in numbers likewise with the same project.

IMO finals should be on neutral grounds simply for the different style of football that is finals footy.

Thebarton needs work and investment naturally, yet its close to the city and neutral for everyone to play at. Adelaide Oval will likely not be available for Finals and Football Park will be a Training Ground for the Crows, what other options are there for neutral venues?

[JK]

Should sell all of Footy Park, let thhe Crows find a new training venue - Adelaide Oval.

IMHO They should sell off some, and lease some .. That way you still retain a revenue raising asset.

I think a re-furbished Thebby is a very good idea personally .. Whether it's possible or even cost effective, I couldn't answer.

[SDK]

When was the last player hurt by this over rated wall at Norwood Oval ?
I will answer that ..... the one and only was Dennis Saywell in the 70's ! Hip and shoulderd into the wall by Ross Porritt for being a show pony and a total arsehole !
Regarding the seating, the Western stand is for members who buy reserve seating. In a finals scenario unpaid for seating is up for grabs.
The Southern stand at Norwood holds more people than any other grand stand in the state bar Adelaide Oval ! No other grand stand has pillars ?
Mute argument ...... wont happen but I do like the the home ground finals suggestion.

[85 WAS A GOOD YEAR]

When was the last player hurt by this over rated wall at Norwood Oval ?
I will answer that ..... the one and only was Dennis Saywell in the 70's ! Hip and shoulderd into the wall by Ross Porritt for being a show pony and a total arsehole !.

Glenelg U17s player in 2008 semi-final V North Adel was tackled and thrown over the boundary into the wall. Only fractured his wrist thank goodness. The only thing that saved his back from serious injury was that his back hit the Nth Adel stretcher standing against the wall first, instead of full pelt into the wall itself.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand....

If an alternative venue for finals games was required due to AO being over utilised, Sth Adel's Oval probably has the crowd capacity, decent car parking across the road, plus a public transport set up which could probably handle big crowds with the buses and trains not too far away (shuttle buses would make it even better though). Though no-one could seriuosly call the stand a grandstand, temporary ones could be put in if judged as needed.

Major problem is it's so far South, and therefore so far out of the way, too many SANFL supporters would probably prefer to wait for the hour delayed telecast on ABC TV than trek all the way there

[jim5112]

When was the last player hurt by this over rated wall at Norwood Oval ?
I will answer that ..... the one and only was Dennis Saywell in the 70's ! Hip and shoulderd into the wall by Ross Porritt for being a show pony and a total arsehole !.

Glenelg U17s player in 2008 semi-final V North Adel was tackled and thrown over the boundary into the wall. Only fractured his wrist thank goodness. The only thing that saved his back from serious injury was that his back hit the Nth Adel stretcher standing against the wall first, instead of full pelt into the wall itself.

Anyway, back to the topic at hand....

If an alternative venue for finals games was required due to AO being over utilised, Sth Adel's Oval probably has the crowd capacity, decent car parking across the road, plus a public transport set up which could probably handle big crowds with the buses and trains not too far away (shuttle buses would make it even better though). Though no-one could seriuosly call the stand a grandstand, temporary ones could be put in if judged as needed.

Major problem is it's so far South, and therefore so far out of the way, too many SANFL supporters would probably prefer to wait for the hour delayed telecast on ABC TV than trek all the way there

Not to mention the howling gale and the slope on the oval.... it is not suitable for any league game, let alone a final.

[nickname]

When was the last player hurt by this over rated wall at Norwood Oval ?
I will answer that ..... the one and only was Dennis Saywell in the 70's ! Hip and shoulderd into the wall by Ross Porritt for being a show pony and a total arsehole !

Not quite, West wingman Robert Hooper busted his shoulder up against the wall in the late 60s/early 70s.

[Mr Beefy]

Does the SANFL need a home?

Why can't finals be played at the clubs home ground that has earned the right. At least you wouldn't have to travel to Noarlunga or Elizabeth too often. Big crowd at a suburban ground for a final would be great, with a much better atmosphere than Footy Park or Adelaide Oval.

Very good call. If there is a 3-4 game gap between 4th and 5th at the end of the minor round, surely the team finishing 4th deserves some sort of advantage? And would keep more interest in the final few rounds of the season for teams that have already sewn their finals place up.

And on Thebby, I doubt the SAAFL would go quietly after selling their old headquarters on Tynte St and putting a bit of work into the place.

Dont the SAAFL still own Tynte Street and lease it out for revenue to offset the leasing of Thebby?

[robranisgod]

When was the last player hurt by this over rated wall at Norwood Oval ?
I will answer that ..... the one and only was Dennis Saywell in the 70's ! Hip and shoulderd into the wall by Ross Porritt for being a show pony and a total arsehole !

Not quite, West wingman Robert Hooper busted his shoulder up against the wall in the late 60s/early 70s.

Barrie Barbary "hit the wall" whilst playing for Woodville in the late 1960s and Peter Vivian of Norwood (not Centrals "Milky") did the same in the Killagrew era.

The Barrie Barbary incident was on television and it was sickening to watch.

[nickname]

And it's 'David' Saywell isn't it?

[MightyEagles]

Back on to Norwood and the Wall, sure not many serious injuries have happened, but it's the fact that it is there and there is a threat of major injury at any game of football or baseball or whatever game played there is the issue.

[Psyber]

Back on to Norwood and the Wall, sure not many serious injuries have happened, but it's the fact that it is there and there is a threat of major injury at any game of football or baseball or whatever game played there is the issue.

I've always wondered why vinyl clad foam pads couldn't just be strapped to it for game days.
I guess they could double as thick exercise mats indoors the rest of the time - or maybe air bags could be the answer?

[FOURTH ESTATE]

WA have been playing home finals for the last few years for the 1st & 2nd Semi finals and last year introduced the home preliminary final.

The SANFL need to move in this direction. The crowds at FP have been dismal the last few years.

Home SANFL finals would be awesome and reward the teams involved.

The SAAFL moved to this format in 2004. I was the one who came up with the plan to make it happen and the driving force behind the idea.

The only people upset would be the old folks in the members who say we can't have that happening. The same ones who will try and stop the Addelaide Oval upgrade.

Time to move with the times and start a new tradition. Just try it for one year and see what he reaction is.

SAAFL clubs after one season were so rapt in the idea that they extended it to preliminary finals several years later and agree that it is one of the best revenue raisers for clubs.

[Adelaide Hawk]

More ill-informed comments about the wall at Norwood Oval

Why not concern ourselves with every other place one player has been injured in the past 50 years? We've had more players injured just running onto the ground at Norwood than players running into the wall. Glen Rosser dislocated an elbow running into the coaching box at Unley Oval, why not worry about that as well?

[redandblack]

I can't see that they're 'ill-informed', AH.

They all seemed to be factual incidents?

Whether that's enough to say the wall is a problem is another matter.

[Aerie]

Hopefully all SANFL finals will be played at Adelaide Oval.