AFL Reserves Discussion...

[Ye Olde Place Kick]

LEH, UK Fan and Centurion,

Well done on organising the petition and putting the "no" campaign in the media spotlight. Rucci is now mentioning you guys directly or indirectly every day now

My question is: how are you going to coordinate the petition so that the maximum number of signatures are obtained? Unfortunately the weather isn't helping this weekend (forecast max of 11 only for Saturday with possible hail ) - crowds will be low and the people who do go will be reluctant to get their hands out of their pockets to sign something. So to get anything near the quoted figure of 5000 is going to need a lot of co-ordinated hard work.

My fear is that it will all become too hard and you will only get 58 (say) signatures, and then Rucci et al will then keep quoting this as proof that the opposition to it all is coming from just a very very small (but vocal) minority, so the club presidents have nothing to fear by voting yes. So I can see that this could actually do more harm than good.

So what plans do you have in place to ensure that the petition will be successful?

3000 is what we are after 5000 (advertisers quote) would be nice.

Personally the whole campaign has a few goals for me. firstly to remind the presidents who they are really accountable to and who as president they are here to serve.

Give some concrete evidence to SANFL that there will be loss of members out of this. A list of 2000-3000 names of people who will refuse to attend at $14 as opposed to possibly attracting 2000-4000 at $10.

Thirdly get some media attention to the voting no argument. I believe the SGM option is now firmly at the front of presidents minds after listening to Daves "emotional" speech on Saturday. they(presidents) understand a vote for yes could mean the end of your term as president .

No guarantees it will work but the response I have had since the article has been encouraging.

yes, the weather this weekend isn't good but we will run this petition for about 1 month. Also, we don't just have to obtain signatures at the footy, I got some at the pub last night.

Why don't you ask the clubs to have the petition available to sign at their admin offices so supporters and go and sign up? Be interesting to see the response by the individual clubs if they allow it, thus may give some insight as to what the top brass of each club is thinking?

[Apachebulldog]

Spot on maacad i have sent numerous emails to the 5aa sports shows on a Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays and not of them had the balsl to discuss my points and the same points you have raised about the media they are all gutless spineless PR&##S i get the impression they are all for the introduction of Crows and Power sides in the SANFL.

[RB]

In the paper today, Rucci writes that the league directors, and particular David Cavenett, are caught between a rock and a hard place regarding AFL reserves teams. He writes that if Cavenett 'joins the "no" lobby, he will be barked at by the big dogs in the AFL...with the accusation the SANFL clubs are holding back the AFL teams.'

Of all of the reasons the league directors might vote in favour of AFL reserves in the SANFL, doing so not to upset the AFL clubs would be the most disappointing. Why any of the decision makers could come to the conclusion that the AFL clubs have a divine right to field reserves teams in the SANFL is beyond me. Being 'barked at' by the Crows and Power should not come in to this decision at all, and if this influences the vote of any of them, they can rightly be accused of cowardice.

For me, the only reason why AFL teams could be accepted into the SANFL would be if it benefited the SANFL clubs (duh?). I don't see how it could, but the league directors should I guess keep an open mind, and consider any potential/probable benefits. But Rucci is suggesting, and he may well be right, that this won't even come into it for some league directors - it will only be about not pissing off the AFL clubs. What an indictment of football administration that would be.

Assuming that the AFL clubs are to offer the SANFL clubs some sort of benefit for allowing them to field reserve teams, it is of the utmost importance that this is made public, prior to a decision. While the league directors are elected to make decisions on behalf of their clubs, there is IMO something seriously wrong if the members and supporters are kept in the dark on such an important issue. This issue has proceeded too far without the fans knowing any details...

[Booney]

Spot on maacad i have sent numerous emails to the 5aa sports shows on a Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays and not of them had the balsl to discuss my points and the same points you have raised about the media they are all gutless spineless PR&##S i get the impression they are all for the introduction of Crows and Power sides in the SANFL.

Are your emails as agressive as your posts on here? Just asking....

[Apachebulldog]

We will see very soon which club presidents kowtow and lick the boots of these AFL bullies !!!

[Apachebulldog]

Booney only when it may lead to the destruction of the SANFL and the Magpies !!!

[Apachebulldog]

Booney i did say please would you discuss some of my points you all have seen one of the emails i have sent i think i was very polite.

[beenreal]

Spot on maacad i have sent numerous emails to the 5aa sports shows on a Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays and not of them had the balsl to discuss my points and the same points you have raised about the media they are all gutless spineless PR&##S i get the impression they are all for the introduction of Crows and Power sides in the SANFL.

Are your emails as agressive as your posts on here? Just asking....

No, unfortunately they're just very LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

[areaman]

In the paper today, Rucci writes that the league directors, and particular David Cavenett, are caught between a rock and a hard place regarding AFL reserves teams. He writes that if Cavenett 'joins the "no" lobby, he will be barked at by the big dogs in the AFL...with the accusation the SANFL clubs are holding back the AFL teams.'

Of all of the reasons the league directors might vote in favour of AFL reserves in the SANFL, doing so not to upset the AFL clubs would be the most disappointing. Why any of the decision makers could come to the conclusion that the AFL clubs have a divine right to field reserves teams in the SANFL is beyond me. Being 'barked at' by the Crows and Power should not come in to this decision at all, and if this influences the vote of any of them, they can rightly be accused of cowardice.

For me, the only reason why AFL teams could be accepted into the SANFL would be if it benefited the SANFL clubs (duh?). I don't see how it could, but the league directors should I guess keep an open mind, and consider any potential/probable benefits. But Rucci is suggesting, and he may well be right, that this won't even come into it for some league directors - it will only be about not pissing off the AFL clubs. What an indictment of football administration that would be.

Assuming that the AFL clubs are to offer the SANFL clubs some sort of benefit for allowing them to field reserve teams, it is of the utmost importance that this is made public, prior to a decision. While the league directors are elected to make decisions on behalf of their clubs, there is IMO something seriously wrong if the members and supporters are kept in the dark on such an important issue. This issue has proceeded too far without the fans knowing any details...

One thing the Club Presidents need to do is take the members along the journey with them.

If we hear very little information about the details of the proposals and then we get a YES vote that there will be a big member backlash.

No doubt a YES vote will alienate a whole lot of current members. The only way to mitigate the amount of people they alienate is to make members aware of all the info they are making their decision on BEFORE the vote is taken.

The Presidents will have to justify their decision to the members at some point. Better to begin to do it during the process. If it’s done afterwards there will be a very cynical view taken by most members.

A simple question that the clubs need to ask themselves – What is the purpose of a footy club if it has few members?

Put another way – Is the strength of the YES case enough to justify the loss of over half the current membership base?

[RB]

My thoughts exactly, Areaman.

[Ecky]

Put another way – Is the strength of the YES case enough to justify the loss of over half the current membership base?

What I don't think the various (AFL and SANFL) administrators realise is that most members and supporters would prefer to have

1) a less professional competition that is a lower standard BUT has integrity with no AFL involvement (with probably higher membership and attendances)

than

2) a more professional competition of a higher standard BUT is severely compromised by AFL involvement (with probably lower membership and attendances)

[Wedgie]

The only legitimate reason the clubs could have to allow the Power and Adelaide's reserves into the SANFL would be to further enhance/invest in their licenses and help strive towards success and more money. If the licenses are going to be sold/handed back/whatever there is absolutely no reason to let them in.
Offload the licenses and tell them to **** off.

[Ecky]

A little birdy may or may not have told me that Rob Chapman has stated "they need to "Educate" SANFL fans who don't want them in the comp."

[Jim05]

A little birdy may or may not have told me that Rob Chapman has stated "they need to "Educate" SANFL fans who don't want them in the comp."

Chapman is a flog, he can faark off.
Invite the prick to a SANFL game so we can heckle him

[TimmiesChin]

The only legitimate reason the clubs could have to allow the Power and Adelaide's reserves into the SANFL would be to further enhance/invest in their licenses and help strive towards success and more money. If the licenses are going to be sold/handed back/whatever there is absolutely no reason to let them in.
Offload the licenses and tell them to **** off.

Doesn't the sanfl stand to make lots of money out of the clubs at Adelaide oval, irrespective of the license....

[areaman]

Put another way – Is the strength of the YES case enough to justify the loss of over half the current membership base?

What I don't think the various (AFL and SANFL) administrators realise is that most members and supporters would prefer to have

1) a less professional competition that is a lower standard BUT has integrity with no AFL involvement (with probably higher membership and attendances)

than

2) a more professional competition of a higher standard BUT is severely compromised by AFL involvement (with probably lower membership and attendances)

An A+ mark for that summary.

[once_were_warriors]

Well, got a feeling my club is going to vote Yes.

Very disappointing.

[JK]

A little birdy may or may not have told me that Rob Chapman has stated "they need to "Educate" SANFL fans who don't want them in the comp."

Chapman is a flog, he can faark off.
Invite the prick to a SANFL game so we can heckle him

Spot on, can't stand him

[JK]

The only legitimate reason the clubs could have to allow the Power and Adelaide's reserves into the SANFL would be to further enhance/invest in their licenses and help strive towards success and more money. If the licenses are going to be sold/handed back/whatever there is absolutely no reason to let them in.
Offload the licenses and tell them to **** off.

Doesn't the sanfl stand to make lots of money out of the clubs at Adelaide oval, irrespective of the license....

Hopefully, I dont understand how that would change with or without the licenses though?

[on the rails]

A little birdy may or may not have told me that Rob Chapman has stated "they need to "Educate" SANFL fans who don't want them in the comp."

Chapman is a flog, he can faark off.
Invite the prick to a SANFL game so we can heckle him

Spot on, can't stand him

He was just shown on Ch. 9 and 7 sports news and quoted the above. What a **** smug ****!

I dare say he has never ventured to a SANFL game other than maybe a final where he and the other fat cat "pigs" can get their snouts in the trough of freebies!

He is welcome to come and socialise at the Taj with the NGS - we have been known to educate people like him. He can call Mike Rann for advice - he's copped it twice!