northerner wrote:Eagles2014 wrote:Big Phil wrote:daysofourlives wrote:Montgomerie will be at the Dogs, unfortunately the ones in the VFL though.
I hope this isnt a sign of the future where players think theyre a better chance to get back into the AFL system by playing VFL rather than SANFL
It's not a sign of the future, it is the current.
Have had a SANFL club Footy Manager tell me directly that this is exactly what is happening.
Jackson Hately was a combination of this reason and his partner working in Victoria, but Monty is 100% this reason.
Suspect if he doesn't get picked up in 2024 then he would likely return to SA in 2025.
Don't get that, we are 2nd best comp in the country and if you perform much better chance of being picked up
The logic for the players is they feel they are directly under the eye of all of the Victorian-based AFL Clubs by playing in Melbourne and with/against VFL teams that are aligned with AFL Clubs.
I dont buy the second best comp argument anymore anyway.......especially if we are basing it on football ability.
The top end talent in the SANFL is pretty thin these days but moreso that middle tier of players who are now taking the cash at country/ammos and the standard of the SANFL is at an all time low.