Magpies and Power merger to be announced in a fortnight.

[Barto]

All three parties (SANFL, AFL and Port themselves) are to blame.

I thought it was all Norths fault.

Lucky North came along to take the heat off the Bays.

[Psyber]

So who is at fault o-keeper of the wisdom? The SANFL? The AFL?

Sorry Booney, I think Port still have to wear it for starting the whole thing when they tried to join the VFL behind every else's back, and pushed the SANFL into forming a team for the eventual AFL at all.

[Booney]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

[CENTURION]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

yes, it's a bit like your avatar!

[Booney]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

yes, it's a bit like your avatar!

True. But everyone else is now barracking for the black and white one to win as they're all sick of the little red,white and blue one winning.

[Barto]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

yes, it's a bit like your avatar!

True. But everyone else is now barracking for the black and white one to win as they're all sick of the little red,white and blue one winning.

I'd like to vote for a third candidate.

[Royal City]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

it's quite simple. I blame whoever used the forecasted profit figures for PAFC entering the AFL using a crowd of about 40000. To quote Bucky Cunningham "we will have fans hanging from the rafters of footy park if we are granted entry into AFL". Quite predictably It hasn't exactly worked out that way.

I believe Mr Rucci wrote an article about port fans during the week. It's time to face facts port are never going to get 40000 to Rock up every fortnight . The club is doing everything possible the
fans know of the clubs financial plight and they still don't rock up.

You can try and pass the buck and blame the SANFL and footy park (both of which have Been constants in your clubs history) for the crowds dropping off. But I honestly believe it is easier to
get to Aami stadium now with bus lanes etc... Than a decade ago when your crowds were up about 35000. The weather in the last ten Years has not changed that much for this winter sport that you can blame the rain.

If port cant gain more than 28000 (break even point at Aami) then you are consistently going to lose money. It is pretty simple. How that is The sanfls fault for funding/trusting you to gain a loyal fan base like you told us you would is a disgrace. or the fact that in the last 13 years
no plan B has ever been formed incase you don't get the fans on Mass as you forecasted is nobody elses fault but ports. The club had a field of dreams "if you build us up the fans will come" theory. Only one problem nobody is Interested anymore.

[oldfella]

Good post

[csbowes]

Seriously... you'd think it was Port Adelaide that had won 9 of the last 11 flags...

First and foremost, (because people continually seem to want to overlook this point) the SANFL was forced into joining the expanded VFL not by Port Adelaide alone, it was inevitable from 1987 when the WAFL joined. There was no way the SANFL was going to be able to hold out against a national league, so seriously, get over it, we were joining it whether we liked it or not. Secondly, when the second license was going to be handed out, lets remember that every single club just about, tried to get their dirty little paws on that second license, oh we're great, pick us, blah blah blah, crap crap crap, I wonder how different people's opinion would be had the Norwood-Sturt or some other dumb ass combination bid won the second license, Port clearly deserved that license.

Thirdly, no one can tell me that 25,000 plus fans going every fortnight to AAMI to watch the Power doesn't in some way generate revenue for the SANFL. You can whine all you like about Port Power not paying a dividend back, that whine is warranted, but don't imply that the SANFL is not generating $$$ from Port Power through other avenues, it is without doubt. Again, to be clear, I don't support the merge of the two clubs if it results in a Power Reserves side or in some way results in the other 8 clubs guaranteeing the existance of the Magpies... that would just be unfair and not a level playing field for the other clubs.

... but that said, lets get over this, "oh they stabbed us in the back", "they don't give us any money" type of rubbish. No one asked me whether I wanted the Crows in. They don't represent me or South Australia despite their arrogant assumption that they do. Their crowds are rubbish when they play rubbish, they are no different to any other club in that respect. In fact, on support base, I'd suggest that the Crows easily obtain FAR worse crowds than Port Adelaide does. If twice as many people follow the Crows, then they should be getting twice as many people to their games and they don't. They don't pay the league as much $$$ now as they did before. They act in their own self interest, not the SANFLs.

Both clubs are the same on that last point.

Lets stop running around acting like Port Adelaide was the death of the SANFL.

It wasn't.

It was the VFL expanding and the WAFL succumbing. Had the WAFL held out, the SANFL wouldn't have joined.

[Barto]

First and foremost, (because people continually seem to want to overlook this point) the SANFL was forced into joining the expanded VFL not by Port Adelaide alone, it was inevitable from 1987 when the WAFL joined. There was no way the SANFL was going to be able to hold out against a national league, so seriously, get over it, we were joining it whether we liked it or not. Secondly, when the second license was going to be handed out, lets remember that every single club just about, tried to get their dirty little paws on that second license, oh we're great, pick us, blah blah blah, crap crap crap, I wonder how different people's opinion would be had the Norwood-Sturt or some other dumb ass combination bid won the second license, Port clearly deserved that license.

It was always going to happen eventually but Port force the leagues hand and that holding out for a better deal became a scramble to get a team together for the 1991 season.

Agree that Port was probably the better option of a club based bid, but perhaps that's where the league went wrong by allowing SANFL clubs to bid for it. If Port's numbers dont stack up, then no ones did in hindsight. Port blew it by not capitalising on their intial success and keeping those neutrals who went along for a look. They were probably convinced that it was 95% die hard Port fans rocking along and changing their marking focus to the '1870 - Creed' in an attempt to get the Magpie fans who didn't see the Power as the 'real Port', across to support the AFL franchise and in effect, all it did was turn off the neutral who could've been locked in as Power supporters.

If they'd stayed the course and been a Port Adelaide based club while nodding to their heritage and starting a new history in the AFL, no one would've cared in 20 years if a couple of thousand Magpie fans didn't join in in 1997. Their fractured supporter base who cant even agree on the history of the club along with having a crazy coach with a boring game plan have far from helped them out.

As it stands with their dwindling crowds and lack of cash flow, they wont even be here in 20 years and that's bad for football in South Australia.

[Barto]

It was the VFL expanding and the WAFL succumbing. Had the WAFL held out, the SANFL wouldn't have joined.

We often bag out the WAFL for bending over but having been in the system I can understand the reasons. The WAFL didn't actually own their home ground like the SANFL did and as a result nearly every club was effectively insolvent. They only thing keeping them afloat was transfer fees for players going to the VFL, they had to join or die.

[Hondo]

This story intrigues me. After all the hype and bluster of the vote back in February or so and the unified position of the other 8 clubs and the SANFL, how have we now come full circle? Why doesn't it need a vote of the clubs this time? Is it because the AFL have got involved? Why is the SANFL Finance Committee now recommending this merger business plan when that same plan was so widely ridiculed at the time?

I keep waiting for a press release from the SANFL saying that the Age has the story all wrong.

[Booney]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

it's quite simple. I blame whoever used the forecasted profit figures for PAFC entering the AFL using a crowd of about 40000. To quote Bucky Cunningham "we will have fans hanging from the rafters of footy park if we are granted entry into AFL". Quite predictably It hasn't exactly worked out that way.

I believe Mr Rucci wrote an article about port fans during the week. It's time to face facts port are never going to get 40000 to Rock up every fortnight . The club is doing everything possible the
fans know of the clubs financial plight and they still don't rock up.

You can try and pass the buck and blame the SANFL and footy park (both of which have Been constants in your clubs history) for the crowds dropping off. But I honestly believe it is easier to
get to Aami stadium now with bus lanes etc... Than a decade ago when your crowds were up about 35000. The weather in the last ten Years has not changed that much for this winter sport that you can blame the rain.

If port cant gain more than 28000 (break even point at Aami) then you are consistently going to lose money. It is pretty simple. How that is The sanfls fault for funding/trusting you to gain a loyal fan base like you told us you would is a disgrace. or the fact that in the last 13 years
no plan B has ever been formed incase you don't get the fans on Mass as you forecasted is nobody elses fault but ports. The club had a field of dreams "if you build us up the fans will come" theory. Only one problem nobody is Interested anymore.

Play shite and get shite crowds. Simple.

Care to explain to us the AFC's financial woes for 2010 and how the Stadium deals we are bound to have impacted upon both clubs?

Now, lets see, who is it that holds us to the Stadium deal? Is it AAMI? Nope. Is it the AFL? Nope. Is it the SANFL? Surely not, there is no way the SANFL would do anything to impact upon its two greatest revenue streams...

[Psyber]

1. Before Port pushed the buttons that lead to the formation of the Crows, SA was sensibly holding out for a truly national league not run by the VFL - a worthy objective.
2. Another composite side was always a better bet to get [and keep] the numbers attending, rather than handing the second licence to Port, or any single side.
3. Wasn't the Crows "loss" in 2010 due to one off asset write downs rather than an actual operating loss?

[Royal City]

Is this debate ever going to reach and end? Really, 20 plus years of the same arguments over and bloody over.

Sick to bloody death of every bloke who "knows someone" holding all the answers. Nobody does, nobody can, nobody will ever be able to solve such a complex situation.

I wish you all luck in working it out.

it's quite simple. I blame whoever used the forecasted profit figures for PAFC entering the AFL using a crowd of about 40000. To quote Bucky Cunningham "we will have fans hanging from the rafters of footy park if we are granted entry into AFL". Quite predictably It hasn't exactly worked out that way.

I believe Mr Rucci wrote an article about port fans during the week. It's time to face facts port are never going to get 40000 to Rock up every fortnight . The club is doing everything possible the
fans know of the clubs financial plight and they still don't rock up.

You can try and pass the buck and blame the SANFL and footy park (both of which have Been constants in your clubs history) for the crowds dropping off. But I honestly believe it is easier to
get to Aami stadium now with bus lanes etc... Than a decade ago when your crowds were up about 35000. The weather in the last ten Years has not changed that much for this winter sport that you can blame the rain.


If port cant gain more than 28000 (break even point at Aami) then you are consistently going to lose money. It is pretty simple. How that is The sanfls fault for funding/trusting you to gain a loyal fan base like you told us you would is a disgrace. or the fact that in the last 13 years
no plan B has ever been formed incase you don't get the

fans on Mass as you forecasted is nobody elses fault but ports. The club had a field of dreams "if you build us up the fans will come" theory. Only one problem nobody is Interested anymore.

Play shite and get shite crowds. Simple.
Care to explain to us the AFC's financial woes for 2010 and how the Stadium deals we are bound to have impacted upon both clubs?
Now, lets see, who is it that holds us to the Stadium deal? Is it AAMI? Nope. Is it the AFL? Nope. Is it the SANFL? Surely not, there is no way the SANFL would do anything to impact upon its two greatest revenue streams...

play shit footy you'll get shit crowds. I'm guessing this is the SANFLs fault aswell. Good to see you have put some time into your expert analysis of your clubs situation before blaming others.NOT!!! The break even point at Aami has not changed for how long ???? Yet again
the only that has changed is the Afl clubs ability to attract
crowds. Obviously it's all due to the crap footy being played. What an embarrassing theory but a theory that yet
again obstains your usual scapegoat the sanfl from any blame.

The sanfl makes revenue out of afl games held at aami due to the fact they had the foresight to build own and pay for aami stadium. Just like the one million people in oz who own investment properties which others rent/lease. And whilst those renting/leasing provide revenue to the house/stadiums owners. That's doesn't mean the renter can claim his rent back.

Crows are in financial trouble due to the fact they spent $20mill on clubrooms at a stadium with no future. They would of forecasted revenue increases with having such a venue. And yet again crowds have dropped off for them and now they are making less revenue with an increase inexpenditure is affecting their bottom line.


Can I ask you for your theory on why afl crowds continue to decrease in adelaide over thelast four years . Whilst sanfl crowds have increased everyyear over the same period. Bearing in mind we have one game go live against the gate everyweek?

Blaming aami stadium and the sanfl is a cop out. Quite happy with eveything when you could 35000 crowds. Now you can't get the crowds port acts like a bigger victim for it's on situationthan mark Williams and akermanis put together.

Time for your club to find solutions. Not turn on the constants who have been involved/supported the clubsince it's inception.

[Booney]

I'm sorry, where have I blamed others for our predicament? Find a quote from me suggesting this if you can, or are you just going on what you like to think I/other Port fans have said?

It appears as though you think I am to blame, how so? I'm a financial member of both the AFL and SANFL clubs, I am a season ticket holder to the PAFC at AAMI, I donated out of my own pocket to the Magpies in early 2010.

I am well aware of our financial situation but feel I do what I can to help and see little point in arguing the ins-and-outs of our financial situation as you already have your mind made up and clearly know all the facts....(?)

If you wish to continue this endless diatribe on a subject you seem to know quite a bit about you shall be doing it on your own.

[Royal City]

I'm sorry, where have I blamed others for our predicament? Find a quote from me suggesting this if you can, or are you just going on what you like to think I/other Port fans have said?

It appears as though you think I am to blame, how so? I'm a financial member of both the AFL and SANFL clubs, I am a season ticket holder to the PAFC at AAMI, I donated out of my own pocket to the Magpies in early 2010.

I am well aware of our financial situation but feel I do what I can to help and see little point in arguing the ins-and-outs of our financial situation as you already have your mind made up and clearly know all the facts....(?)

If you wish to continue this endless diatribe on a subject you seem to know quite a bit about you shall be doing it on your own.

Now, lets see, who is it that holds us to the Stadium deal? Is it AAMI? Nope. Is it the AFL? Nope. Is it the SANFL? Surely not, there is no way the SANFL would do anything to impact upon its two greatest revenue streams...[/quote]

HELLO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! who are you having a crack at or trying to make your scapegoat with the above comment Mr Boon ?????? The stadium deal and the SANFL ?????

How about you do everyone a favour and agree to stop contributing Mr Boon. I doubt you will though.

Im blaming you personally ???? the victim mentality of those down port way these days is ridiculous. Its obviously contagious to anyone who comes in contact with the PAFC. Ask those who run the PAMFC and Matthew Richardson.

[Booney]

How about you do everyone a favour and agree to stop posting?

Let me know when you have the problem solved, I'll be interested in your findings.

[Voice]

Also PAFC are a club that hasn't made the finals for 3 years yet their salary cap is still full, that being the reason they need to offload Motlop to get the Walker deal through. Sounds like your accountants and negotiating team are to blame for any money troubles.

[Royal City]

How about you do everyone a favour and agree to stop posting?

Let me know when you have the problem solved, I'll be interested in your findings.

didn't think you could resist adding your useless two cents worth in again.

Another quality contribution as always. I highly recommend you read mr rucci article about your "fans" and their perceived loyalty and the trouble it is causing.