HFL Division 1 (Central)

[Adevilatheart]

i gather that would be will muirden. although not in the top echelon of hills players, i reckon Will mightve had a good chance of making the side cause they need 6 or 7 under 21's. Wouldve been a great experience for the lad. hope he makes the effort to train this week

Thanks dangermouse and others for the comments. i believe that nothing has been done about it. its a disgraces..
The Indian there are some good under 21s that are around the mark well from lofty there is artis (who is return this week from a couple of big injuries) Weeks has been playing awesome in the 2's paechy 3rd best i believe \last week. young pistols could step up if its allowed.... any other under 21s playing around in the ones in central there would have to be a half decent team running around if interest goes out by the HFL... or better research.

[Jailbird]

[quote="2 Old 2 Slow"][quote="Rapper"]
As much of a disgrace Mount Barker Oval is it seems that the only people complaining about it are Iron Bank supporters pissed off that they were beaten by a bottom five side.

Loosen the blinkers there Rapper... reading back over the posts relating to this topic I could only find praise for a more gritty & determined Mt Barker side (from IB people)... not one single excuse (or comments that could be misinterpreted in that way).

I cannot recall many posts re: Mt Barker at all on this forum & can only think they do not have anybody interested...all good. However, if there are any out there I am sure we would all like to hear their thoughts on the matter.

What astounds me (and it is hard to paint the picture, you really had to see it - OR DARE I SAY stand in/around it) is that I am led to believe they trained on the oval both nights last week...WTF?

Regarding training last week at Barker, I recall there being a little rain on Tuesday not a lot and the oval was fine. Wed and Thurs it literally pissed down with a break on Thursday evening. The seniors only trained for 45mins on that night. You guys can't tell me that you wouldn't train on a thursday night just because of the conditions. Add in the fact it pissed down again all day Friday and Saturday morning there is nothing anyone can do about it. I played in the magoo's saturday and I for one didn't complain about the conditions because I was more focussed about getting the pill. I couldn't smell anything during the day and I was there for 3/4s of it and for half of the day it pissed down. What do you guys expect after heavy downpours...concrete?
I do agree that the oval is now wasted for the rest of the season but if you move barker what are the likes of maccy and kersbrook going to say when their patch has been wasted for nearly a month. I am pretty sure that most of the players would be happy to move any matches but we know that playing there will be an advantage because we will be harder at it than most, just like what happened on saturday with IB.
Regarding the facilities, the clubrooms are not hired by MtBFC and I am sure that the prices that you say are too high are a common occurrence in most clubrooms regardless of central or country div. I know for sure that most prices are still cheaper than regular pub prices, so I don't think that really is a credible argument, maybe still have the whining thoughts about the oval in their heads. Post any standard product here and I can give you the price and it will be in the ball park of every other club no worries!
I dare say that most ovals are heading in the same directions as ours and can't wait till the end of the season to find out which oval has not been ridiculed for the condition of its oval!
Looks like too much political bullshite rules the world these days. Get on with it and just play football the way it was meant to be played!

[the wonder elephant]

what ever jailbird go back where u belong ...the big house noone having a cry about the conditions just the state of fac re oval change rooms the showers there are ord at best have played there many times and had to deal with the smell and sticky mud ....worst mud in the hills
if you say you pay no money to use the facs there why dont you improve the change rooms then . the away rooms are the worst in div 1 even bridgys you can get a shower with out a bath at the same time !!
by the way ironbank oval was peachy tonight like milang compered to mt barker
last point how many did TO OLD TO SLOW kick in his big comeback in the b grade ? wasnt many left after strops 5 ?? good win though

[devilsadvocate]

You guys can't tell me that you wouldn't train on a thursday night just because of the conditions. Add in the fact it pissed down again all day Friday and Saturday morning there is nothing anyone can do about it. I played in the magoo's saturday and I for one didn't complain about the conditions because I was more focussed about getting the pill. I couldn't smell anything during the day and I was there for 3/4s of it and for half of the day it pissed down. What do you guys expect after heavy downpours...concrete?

JB Good to hear from a Barkeroo.

However, as you would probably know, the conditions at Heathfield become shocking after a few heavy downpours, and I can vouch that on numerous occasions we have had alternative trainings on nights when the conditions make trying to get something out of a regular training session pointless. We've had gym sessions, laps in the pool, yoga and best of all, happy hour at the Crafers! So yes, I can tell you we wouldn't train just because of the conditions.

Secondly, nobody is whinging about playing good, hard, wet weather footy. We play in the Hills. People are complaining about the risk of infection which is REAL. Read my post 2 pages back about being close to losing my leg after an infection directly related to your oval. Spending 4 weeks in hospital on anitbiotics and having 3 operations to cut most of the flesh out of your knee is no picnic TRUST ME.

[Thunder Down Under]

Attention Rapper and Jailbird. Hope you have got your copy of this week's Courier.

For those who haven't Sport Headlines "OVAL A DISGRACE" and that's coming from the HFL President who does not follow IB.

Hope you played in the backlines Jailbird as you would not have seen much of the pill up forward !!

And you couldn't smell anything, well perhaps you are used to it.

[shake'n'bake]

The HFL for mine Jail Bird has no choice but to relocate, if Owen has trainers players and the general public saying that the surface is unhealthy for players, it would be negligent for him not to make change.

And if you scan back over your bird brain champ i reckon you might recall round 2? When we played a legitimate wet weather game at Ironbank! The rain pelted down that day and im sure as hell our oval held up and is still doing so. And i don't know there was this terrential rain you were talking about mate, walking off the ground saturday we were actually saying how the rain that fell and the condition of the surface didn't reflect each other.

Your focus on the pill in the two's showed too mate, and was obviously what steered your team to that inspiring thrashing

Banker where did that picture from saturday come from? The photographer did an awesome job to find what must have been the only green patch on the ground, prehaps it was taken in the first five minutes of the game!

[Banker]

yeh look how clean hampy is, thats a fine...

and also he's eating mud, another fine!

All I know about the picture is that it came from the Courier, TDU might know?

[Armytank]

Mt Barker Oval - an absolute disgrace and potential health hazzard - aboslutely. But the oval was the same for both sides in all grades on the weekend, that is an even "playing field" for both sides and credit must go to Mt Barker "A" grade for getting over the top of Ironbank in the mud and slush.

I am all for moving the remaining games IF there is a health issue BUT if the games are moved, the even playing feild is removed for the rest of the comeptition which I don't believe is fair. In the closeness of the competition this year, it could all come down to percentage at the end of the year if a team is to make the finals or get the double chance etc. By moving the games to a better oval I believe the even "playing field" will be removed, potentially advantaging teams who do not have to play there this year.

So to go against the grain, I think all games should be played there to keep everything even for everyone, we had to play there, so should everyone else.

If everyone is forced to play there more people will complain and maybe something might be done over the summer................yeah right

[2 Old 2 Slow]

last point how many did TO OLD TO SLOW kick in his big comeback in the b grade ? wasnt many left after strops 5 ?? good win though

TWE - It was a fantastic team effort & no room for individuals in the conditions served up. If you were to single out anybody it would have to be the much maligned ball winning machine J Creek, the man was everywhere & looked a class above (which we clearly know he is not) ha ha ha! Whatever he had/did after the 10th can on Friday night he needs to bottle it & repeat each week... the guy was a ball winning machine in & under the germs @ the HFL mud pit.

As for Stroppa, just a standard day out for the Gazman really, he'll do that anytime/anywhere as long as the body is 90% plus... (PS - that should ensure my selection again this week ya reckon?) hehehe

[The Gimp]

Mt Barker Oval - an absolute disgrace and potential health hazzard - aboslutely. But the oval was the same for both sides in all grades on the weekend, that is an even "playing field" for both sides and credit must go to Mt Barker "A" grade for getting over the top of Ironbank in the mud and slush.

I am all for moving the remaining games IF there is a health issue BUT if the games are moved, the even playing feild is removed for the rest of the comeptition which I don't believe is fair. In the closeness of the competition this year, it could all come down to percentage at the end of the year if a team is to make the finals or get the double chance etc. By moving the games to a better oval I believe the even "playing field" will be removed, potentially advantaging teams who do not have to play there this year.

So to go against the grain, I think all games should be played there to keep everything even for everyone, we had to play there, so should everyone else.

If everyone is forced to play there more people will complain and maybe something might be done over the summer................yeah right

How can you say it's an even playing field if the oval only gets worse if the games are continued to be played there?????

The attitude of "if we had to play there, so should everyone else" is pretty narrow-minded and some health issues may only come from the Barker-Ironbank game in a couple of weeks time. Surely games shouldn't be kept there to keep the comp "fair" while waiting to see if a health issue does rise. From what the other Ironbank posters have said, it IS a health issue and the duty of care to players MUST come first before worrying about a couple of % points.

[Justquietly]

Just when I thought we'd heard the last of it, the Courier has brought up the salary cap debate.
Why now? I dare say we have ALL played in a team somewhere that has been in the cellar, and now they want to address it?
Footy works in cycles (which it does mention in the paper) and some teams recruit better and fundraise better, why this debate!? FFS.

[Armytank]

if the oval only gets worse if the games are continued to be played there

It quite seriously could not get any worse. It is the first time I have ever seen witches hats used to mark the boundary line in a senior game of football because they could not paint the mud

Yes, player safety is paramount, so why do we have to be the guinea pigs?

Quite frankly the whole thing is bullshit, you can kick 4 goals at Mt Barker and win or kick 15 goals at Milang and lose, that makes a huge difference to the finish of the ladder at the end of the year.

[Cougar]

Have also heard JQ that the HFL is considering putting in a points system on the salary Cap in regards of what level your recruits have played at. I.E. AFL = Heaps of points, SANFL = Not as many. Each Club would be only allowed so many points in picking up recruits. Now I reckon this New Rule that would be brought in, would be to hinder Uraidla's current dominance and recruiting of ex SANFL players. Problem is though, a club like Kersbrook, that can't afford to hand out $$$, but has contacts with High Profile players would be hindered as well.

[2 Old 2 Slow]

Now I reckon this New Rule that would be brought in, would be to hinder Uraidla's current dominance and recruiting of ex SANFL players. Problem is though, a club like Kersbrook, that can't afford to hand out $$$, but has contacts with High Profile players would be hindered as well.

Good call Cougar, would need to be fair for everybody... Perhaps as simple as being 'exempt' from the points ruling if you have had a junior registration at that club previously (which I would have thought covers the Kersbrook case with the James boys etc.) OR as I believe it works currently in other leagues you cannot have been cleared to that club within the last 3 years & be classed as a 'LOCAL' (regardless of postal address etc.)

Prompts the question... What if you have played a majority of Central League HFL footy, for whatever reason you decide to try your luck in DIV 1 Amateur League & after 1 year decide to return to your home club... You'd be costing your club points when really not fitting the bill as far as what this system tries to achieve?

One thing that I will say is that the B.L&G league have this system (or similar) in place & you do not see the lob sided floggings in that comp that others have week in week out, food for thought... perhaps it will 'even out' the comp, is that even what we want? OR do we want the clubs that work hard both on & off the field to be rewarded for doing so.

[Justquietly]

I want the latter.
It ebbs and flows.
I didn't want to revisit this too much, but my eyes lit up when I saw it in the Courier, and their theory that it may be employed as soon as next year. Which may actually hinder some of the weaker clubs because the stronger clubs that have recruited well eg Lofty would have recruits with 2, 3 or 4 years at Lofty under their belt so will only incur minimal points compared with a Birdwood or Lobey recruiting next year.

[The Crumber]

I think trying to implement a Salarly Cap in country footy is a waste of time, although the actual concept is very valid. The main reason why it doesn't work and can't be monitored is because there are so many ways for clubs to get around it. In my experience, a favourite way around it in the Hills is for Sponsors to cough up with the cash. A sponsor agreeing to give a club say, $15000, will hand it over pre-season and $10000 will go through the clubs' books. The other $5000 can be held in any bank account, to be gradually dissipated during the season to targeted players in cash. There are always sponsors available who want a high profile and the possibility of a Premiership is usually worth the hidden cash to them anyway. Another method is for the sponsored player to just rock up on a Monday and collect his cheque from the sponsor personally. Sponsors don't have to worry about salary caps. Too easy. There are also many other lines in the ledger which can accomodate the problem. Petty Cash, Sundry expenses etc.; one player here, another one there. The bigger the club the more options available. And when the club gets their books audited at the end of year, the auditors are not out to identify Salary Cap breaches; all they want to know is that Income matches Expenditure and is accounted for properly.
I don't think I'm giving away any secrets here. And I don't know what the answer is, other than to say there must always be allowed to be strong clubs and weak clubs. That's country footy I guess, and as long as the weaker clubs are encouraged and supported in the competition, players who want to play for whatever reason will get a chance to. There have been rich clubs who've finished bottom and poor ones who have clawed their way to the top regardless. Keeps it all interesting anyway!

[GetTheSherrin]

ha, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is the talk of the town again, awesome i was missing it. DA where are ya mate, youe fav issue is at hand. we all know the hills arent going to do anything about it. so lets not waste our time with it again.. if the comp is to be more even then the lower placed clubs have recruit better simple as that. and yes some clubs have more money than others but that all comes from hard work and dedication to their club.. go sell some bloody raffles!!

[rock]

ha, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is the talk of the town again, awesome i was missing it. DA where are ya mate, youe fav issue is at hand. we all know the hills arent going to do anything about it. so lets not waste our time with it again.. if the comp is to be more even then the lower placed clubs have recruit better simple as that. and yes some clubs have more money than others but that all comes from hard work and dedication to their club.. go sell some bloody raffles!!

[rock]

ha, $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ is the talk of the town again, awesome i was missing it. DA where are ya mate, youe fav issue is at hand. we all know the hills arent going to do anything about it. so lets not waste our time with it again.. if the comp is to be more even then the lower placed clubs have recruit better simple as that. and yes some clubs have more money than others but that all comes from hard work and dedication to their club.. go sell some bloody raffles!!

or sell some narcotics like some clubs do.... all under investgation of course.

[Justquietly]

Chin up, mate. Didn't want to upset anyone
Can't wait for Lofty V Uri's this w/end.
uri's won't lose top spot this year, but this will mentally put one team just in front.
I saw that Grosser played against Onkas. Where's Temme for Devs? Grosser may get found out (for pace) versus the Demons.