EP Sport - back with a vengeance

[ravendale rulz]

to my knowledge we havent poached any Boston players either. They usually poach ours like Lydamore.
Good to see Bascombe back on the track last week, should be right this week hopefully.

[westcoastpanther]

Bluesy, did the two players who looked to come across stay at Bostons? If the answer is no, you've been chivalrous for nothing!! The proposal is ludicrous (in my opinion) and MR have disagreed and so have Souths, to now try and run us through the dirt some more and pigeon hole MR & Souths based on our no brainer aggreance in this instance is poor.....

[dalton]

I'M QUITING IN PROTEST OF THE PISS WEAK COMP THAT WE ARE SUBJECTED TO MOST WEEKS........

[bystander]

Umpires only had 4 at training last week as well. But they dont need to train.

Tips, may i suggest you delete this portion of RR's post as it is entirely false.
There were infact 12-15 umps at training on wednesday nite. Pie & Pasty nite was enjoyed by all, thanks to Boston Bakery.

[bluestheboy]

Bluesy, did the two players who looked to come across stay at Bostons? If the answer is no, you've been chivalrous for nothing!! The proposal is ludicrous (in my opinion) and MR have disagreed and so have Souths, to now try and run us through the dirt some more and pigeon hole MR & Souths based on our no brainer aggreance in this instance is poor.....

One stayed at Poole and the other moved to Adelaide. Chivalry has got eff all to do with this panther...it's all about looking after a competition that you obviously have no respect for. As long as all is good at Planet Wangary then to hell with the rest he says............ ...and whats so poor about being 'pigeon holed' with Lincoln South????

[zoo poo]

Not enough footballers to go around why? education, fishing, other sport, kmart-target, and soon to be 7 day trading will not help. AFL footy has become very boring zoo can only watch his not so mighty crows on a weekly basis. The league and the clubs have it right at the moment with $3.00 entry & $3.00 beer, but still small crowds. I love watching all the guns run around as much the average player, playing above himself. From what I have seen this year to many clubs are to happy to take big loses, the result, no fight in the playing group. Then how can you ask it from your supporters.

[steiger]

You have to take your hat off to the Boston FC heirarchy for at least having a go at trying to arrest the horrendous slide they are experiencing. They are trying to come up with ideas that will help them and the EE league bye proposal is just one. There is no such thing as a bad idea until it is proven as such and all of the suggestions need to be rationally explored, not just thrown scorn at by thoughtless individuals. Unless one or more of these ideas comes to fruition there future in the PLFL at least in their current status has a big question mark attached to it.

I have one idea which I have mentioned to a few people over the last few weeks and which is aimed at the longevity of Bostons - Each of the other 5 PLFL clubs have players who could be considered fringe 'A' graders. Also there are individual players at each of these clubs who are not getting a good enough go (in their own opinion) at 'A' grade and wish to play 'A' grade. Why not put it to these clubs, via the League, to allocate two players each, (obviously volunteers would be best) to be given a clearance to Bostons for a 2 year term with an automatic return clearance to their current club at the end of the 2 years - if they desire. This 2 year window would prrovide Bostons with 10 individual players more than they have who are of some quality, not stars nevertheless. As a result Bostons would become more competitive and it just might be a catalyst to attract players other than those 10. The interesting point would be what happens after those 2 years. Did it work? Would those 10 stay? How have their other recruiting efforts gone?
I would like to think that at least we won't have 200 point winning margins in the competition at least during those 2 years.
Temporary solution maybe - But ????

[ravendale rulz]

You can have all the fight in the world inside you... but if you havent got football skill, nouse, fitness and plain old football smarts you arent going to go anywhere. i am sure the Boston players that turn up try their hearts out, have a look at Thorpy. He doesnt go out there to dance to foot loose. Pure football knowledge and skill it comes back to. Marble Range and Waybacks have the cattle, Mallees have a game plan that can stretch the white sides, Souths and us with a full list are competative. It all comes back to the Cattle you have.

[WhiteTips]

have a look at Thorpy. He doesnt go out there to loose.

That spelling looks so familiar!!

[westcoastpanther]

You are correct Bluesy, I don't respect the competition! In it's current state that is. A lot of people seem to think if we can prop up Bostons and remain a six team comp it's all good. An influx of players to the Tigers will result in outgoings at other clubs, and possibly Tasmans, Souths or dare I say it, MR go through the same thing. Tasmans were very poor on the weekend and they appear to be struggling, what if they lost 3 or 4 (like MJ) to Bostons? If we want to keep the comp the same, we'll also be keeping the standard and crowd attendances the same. I'm bored with it, and if my son chooses not to play footy I doubt I'll be going in 5 years time.

After the last game against Bostons in 2005 that was an embarrasment to the standard of A grade footy, I thought I'd give them one more year under BR to see if progress could be made. They've gone backwards, how much longer do we need to wait.....

Any news on the meeting last night?

[ravendale rulz]

Say what you really feel Dalton and panther. Most people want to keep a six team comp, you 2 are in the minority!

[westcoastpanther]

Say what you really feel Dalton and panther. Most people want to keep a six team comp, you 2 are in the minority!

I'm actually after a 10 team comp, but that's only my opinion and that's what the forum is for....

[rangerbob]

its all good to say clubs need to send players to bostons, but til the individuals want to go there it wont happen. They have to make it more enjoyable off the field as well. They had a young player from EE go there a couple years ago cause his boss was bostons, He didn't like the atmosphere on and off the field, and now lincoln has lost that player altogether, he has gone back to EE as he was told to play there or nowhere in lincoln. Its not just up to other clubs to look after them, they need to start with themselves before anyone else should help.

[bystander]

its all good to say clubs need to send players to bostons, but til the individuals want to go there it wont happen. They have to make it more enjoyable off the field as well. They had a young player from EE go there a couple years ago cause his boss was bostons, He didn't like the atmosphere on and off the field, and now lincoln has lost that player altogether, he has gone back to EE as he was told to play there or nowhere in lincoln. Its not just up to other clubs to look after them, they need to start with themselves before anyone else should help.

Totally agree Rangerbob, if they can't/won't help themselves, why would anyone else. Sorry WCP didn't go last night, we finally have someone else to do it!

[ravendale rulz]

i thought stiegers idea was plausable.
Who would be the 10 teams panther?

[dickiebird]

I have ask the question why souths are playing a home game at ravendale? MR vs Bostons at centenary, instead of poole? if souths played at cent they would get the bar takings from a game which will be well supported, and bostons also miss out on their home game eg canteen and bar takings? is this all because the has to be a game at ravendale?
WHo gets the bar takings at Ravendale.... dont say Tasmans!!!

[bystander]

i thought stiegers idea was plausable.

Absolutely it could be, but why should you help someone who not willing to help themselves??

[dickiebird]

I genuinly think a few are trying there but not getting the support they need.

[bluestheboy]

Can say when I first moved to Lincoln many years ago, I was dissapointed by the prospect of playing in a 6 team comp. As you start to play a few games and build up a bit of rivalry then I forgot all about the size of the comp. I s'pose its a bit of the size of the fight in the dog, not the dog in the fight type of thing. Couldn't wait to play the roosters next time, looking forward to playing at Wangary.
In those days, the comp was pretty even and 20+ victories were rare, unless you struck Mallees in one of those moods.
Can fully understand a players anguish at playing against the easy beats every 6 weeks, every one wants a good contest.
Even back then there was talk of a rationalisation of the leagues on the EP, and while there has been a few mergers / movements in other leagues, the PLFL has remained unaltered. Don't believe we are any closer to a PL / GF merger now than we were then.

IMHO such a merger will not happen within the next 5-10 year period.

If I am right, then it is vital that we look after what we have instead of chasing 'pipe dreams'.

But if I am wrong, then there are a number of issues that need to be addressed. Not the least of which relates to bulging junior numbers in PL against declining numbers in the GF system. We currently have 6 teams fielding under 10 / 12 /14 and 17 sides catering for around 460 - 500 kids per week. GF has under 12 & 16's with many sides struggling for numbers and forfeits in the lower grades common. Understand that there may be some movement from PL to GF teams in the junior ranks, but wouldn't be a huge amount. So it is unlikely that a merged league would include any additional grades than what the GF currently have. The 17 yo's would filter up into the A's & B's (or some) but by my calculations somewhere in the vicinity of 200 kids would miss out on a game each week. This figure becomes worse when the surplus boston kids are left clubless. (btw the tigers have as many numbers as any club)

I know that there are other options for these kids, like a school footy comp. or Friday night, Saturday morning , sunday comp but unless you have kids involved in sport you will not know how hard or impossible this would be. Especially if your 14 year old son was playing at Lock!

Who mentioned understanding the bigger picture in a previous post.

[Spook]

If the passion that is shown on here about Boston's was transpired to their actual team, they might actually end up with a victory or two.