SA Footy

From our club website - our public announcement to our members as to our position on the future of underage competitions within the SANFL.

Whilst also in Eagle News #6 thought may be interesting for others to add their point of view - not sure if other clubs have made their viewpoint public.

Col D

Underage Competitions

Currently the SANFL are undertaking a review of the Underage competition. The League has conducted this review over the past 12 months or so and recently requested all Club’s views.

The environment in football is constantly changing and at this level it has changed rapidly over the past 5 years. We have increasing enrolments into College education and thus more underage players are unavailable for Under 17’s in particular. The draft age has increased from 17 to 18 in the past 10 years pointing to Under 19’s being the talent identification age, and we have working families with high fuel costs causing difficulties committing for 2 to 4 years of travel from country areas. The competition must be an elite competition displaying the best talent at League Clubs, currently we are unable to do so in both grades when you have College Football occurring and injuries throughout the grades.

Our Club’s submission is that we are in favour of 1 full underage team with a modified Under 17’s team (playing 8 games)

Our Preference is for one Under 19 full season team.

Currently we have 15 of our best players playing in the College system not playing with us, consequently we do not have an elite competition particularly at Under 17’s level. The alternative of having an Under 18’s age group will still have our best College players playing for their College and not their League Club (in our case 13 of the 15 would still be playing College in an Under 18’s scenario). Players would have to play Reserves football after completing a College education if an Under 18’s is implemented, whereas an Under 19’s competition gives the opportunity for players to play at least 1 year of underage before Reserves football if they are not capable of playing at the higher level.

Under 19’s gives the opportunity for late developers such as Paul Stewart to play at that level prior to Senior football. Paul Stewart started the 2006 season as a final year Under 19 with 6 Under 19 games and completed the season with a League Premiership. If an under 18’s competition was in place he would not have played Reserves football at the commencement of the season and may never have been noticed or drafted. Brett Burton was in a similar situation in his last year of Under 19’s football.

We do not however support all underage players playing at the junior level until the Under 18 Championships are complete. Players should be able to play at the level that they are capable and get the most benefit, and that is the highest level available.

Any program adopted irrespective of number of teams and or age group can only be successful if it is fully funded, the Clubs will be unable to fully fund programs on their own. To achieve the Centres of Excellence the AFL and SANFL are suggesting, it will need a minimum of $25,000 per year per Club funded additional to the average $200,000 the SANFL Clubs are investing themselves.

Finally it is vital that we get the number of Junior teams and age group correct. Under 19’s is in our opinion the correct age group. The SANFL has for a long time supported the age group of Under 19’s when others were Under 18’s and the Draft was 17 years of age. The draft age has now increased from 17 to 18 and we have reliable information that the TAC Cup is looking to increase the number of Under 19’s playing at that level up to 6 players.

The Eagles are very strong of the opinion that the indicators are right for a change to one Under 19’s underage team with a modified shortened Under 17’s team playing 8 game


John Kantilaftas
Chief Executive Officer
Woodville West Torrens Football Club

If it must be, leave the 19s as it is and drop the 17s. I'd like to see:

Under 19s start at 8:30am/8:40pm
Reserves start at 11:20am/11:30am
League start at 2:10pm/2:20pm

Or Night matches at Norwood do this:

Under 19s start at 2:00pm
Reserves start at 4:50pm
League start at 7:40pm

Elizabeth matches start 70 minutes before that.

This way, each match is able to start and finish in it's entirety, rather than the first two matches cut short.

This will also be good for attendances, which should be increased by say 200 per match.

If this commences next season, Sturt is the team most likely to have the last chance at the elusive grand slam of all 4 premierships!

Agree Spelly

That is really what we are saying with 3 games at one oval on one day. (assists with wear and tear on grounds and also with staff required)

The U17s becomes a special mini season of 8 games - possibly early in year prior to school football commencing.

Just the WWTFC point of view decision to be taken by the League so we are only one of nine.

My opinion is that it should be left alone as it is, save for the SANFL pulling its finger out and making a decent match payment available for players that play Reserves Football.

My concern is the pressure for this move comming from the AFL in order to "groom" the SANFL for the transition to AFLSA which is a move that should be resisted if we are to retain our identity and the history of the SANFL.

School footy should be the one that should be forced to go what purpose does it serve other than bragging rights at intercol clashes.

League clubs would be able to create much better footballers than some teacher that doesn't give a shite

heater31 wrote:School footy should be the one that should be forced to go what purpose does it serve other than bragging rights at intercol clashes.

League clubs would be able to create much better footballers than some teacher that doesn't give a shite

That's something that has long puzzled me. No one except the schools know the scores from these matches, but everyone can have access to the 17s scores. I don't think the Indepedent Schools comp is actually a proper competition (or it doesn't seem that way).

i believe the clubs are split 5/4 (not sure which way) at least that is what i thought i heard on the radio & both glenelg & port agree on the view of leaving it as it is

if this happens is it the first 'nail in the coffin' to south australian footy bowing down to the afl & becoming afl-sa ?

spell_check wrote:

heater31 wrote:School footy should be the one that should be forced to go what purpose does it serve other than bragging rights at intercol clashes.

League clubs would be able to create much better footballers than some teacher that doesn't give a shite

That's something that has long puzzled me. No one except the schools know the scores from these matches, but everyone can have access to the 17s scores. I don't think the Indepedent Schools comp is actually a proper competition (or it doesn't seem that way).

spelly of what I can gather playing for an OS side in the Ammos and not being and OS myself is that the independent schools comp during the year is only trial matches for Intercol games

heater31 wrote:

spell_check wrote:

heater31 wrote:School footy should be the one that should be forced to go what purpose does it serve other than bragging rights at intercol clashes.

League clubs would be able to create much better footballers than some teacher that doesn't give a shite

That's something that has long puzzled me. No one except the schools know the scores from these matches, but everyone can have access to the 17s scores. I don't think the Indepedent Schools comp is actually a proper competition (or it doesn't seem that way).

spelly of what I can gather playing for an OS side in the Ammos and not being and OS myself is that the independent schools comp during the year is only trial matches for Intercol games

And that's what's worth players missing the 17s/19s matches for. Interesting.

I like that proposal and I would hope my club (Norwood) would take a smiliar view. I would settle for an under 18 competition perhaps instead of the U19's. You can always find exceptions and late developers. You sometimes have a player in his early 20's move from the SAAFL to the SANFL it doesn't mean you need to have an u23 competition. I don't beleive players would be lost to the SANFL. That is all debatable but I think times have changed and a full season of U17's had lost its relevance in my opinion.

spell_check wrote:Under 19s start at 2:00pm

you couldnt really do that because alot of under 19s work full time so they would have to have sickies or leave early

the joker wrote:

spell_check wrote:Under 19s start at 2:00pm

you couldnt really do that because alot of under 19s work full time so they would have to have sickies or leave early

If that was an issue, I would imagine these would be the occasions where the match was played on a Saturday. I know that on the rare occasion the 19s and 17s play at Norwood on the Friday night, I'd expect that the 17s players have an early finish to school that day.

Make it Under 18s with a couple of 'exception' spots for Under 20s. Simple, easy and everyone's a winner. It's not rocket science!

Wedgie wrote:Make it Under 18s with a couple of 'exception' spots for Under 20s. Simple, easy and everyone's a winner. It's not rocket science!

Yes it is !

heater31 wrote:School footy should be the one that should be forced to go what purpose does it serve other than bragging rights at intercol clashes.

League clubs would be able to create much better footballers than some teacher that doesn't give a shite

Agree, if a 17 year old is good enough to play reserves or league, then this should take priority.

However, not being sure about the private school system, would some kids receive scholarships or assistance on the basis of their ability, on the provision they play for the school?

I hate the idea, but
i do think some things need some tweaking.

1- if elligible for under 17's you can not play in a higher grade - this will increase the standard of 17's and will also mean more 18 and 19 year olds get to play in the 19's
2 - under 15's unable to play under 17's
3 - under 18's only allowed to play senior football after the national carnival has finished.

we need to keep as many kids involved in football as we can.

the strength of the sanfl is in its reserves. In other states it is reported that the standard is absolute crap in the reserves. So why go to what they do. Lets just take what will help us

You don't get too many 17yr olds debuting at League level these days.
Scrap the 17s & keep the 19s, if players are good enough the transition would be far easier from 19s than a 17s/ 18s comp to League level.
It would be very beneficial to the Amateur League which would strengthen their 16s & 18s Comp.
Amateur Clubs are all zoned to League clubs & if a player shows alot of talent then they should encourage the youngster to persue their career at that Club, the Amateur Club then gets a financial gain in return.

I would support an under 18's competition. It's right down the midde of the existing comps and it makes more sense to have 1 underage comp instead of 2 you can then play all 3 grades (u18/s, reserves and league) at 1 venue) Will make it a hell of a lot easier for all voluntary staff at respective clubs and less wear and tear on grounds as well. It would also expose quality youngsters to senior level quicker as well.