HANDS OFF THE SANFL!!!

[Mr Irate]

Hopefully some Port supporters get on board.

Nah, our 30 year plan to completely destroy all football in South Australia is just unfolding nicely.

*Edit*

I admire the drive of LEH to do this, whatever "this" is, but not sure what impact "this" may have on anyone or anything.

a bit like the "one club" initiative then

[CENTURION]

Hopefully some Port supporters get on board.

Nah, our 30 year plan to completely destroy all football in South Australia is just unfolding nicely.

*Edit*

I admire the drive of LEH to do this, whatever "this" is, but not sure what impact "this" may have on anyone or anything.

a bit like the "one club" initiative then

MEROW! Bowl of milk, anyone?

[Dog_ger]

I understand what you are fighting for.

[CENTURION]

;) The SANFL is under attack again. Since the advent of the Adelaide Crows in 1991 and Port Adelaide Power in 1997 the SANFL has made many sacrifices for a national competition of Australian Rules football. Throughout its history the SANFL had free reign to operate as it saw fit.

Today there are many restrictions placed upon the local grassroots competition and many demands continue to be made as the corporate dollar, the media and television coverage tightens the noose around the SANFL's neck. With both the Crows and Power experiencing financial difficulties it is the SANFL that cops the blame particularly from armchair critics who have never seen a local game of South Australian football.

Now there are calls to destroy the SANFL, hand back the two AFL licenses (the SANFL paid top money for years ago), slash the salary cap, allow the Crows and Power field reserves teams and ultimately denigrate the SANFL into a feeder competition just for the AFL.

The media's focus on the AFL comes at the detriment of the SANFL (despite, at times, just as many punters attend an SANFL round as a Port Power home match), where crowds and interest wane when trivial gossip stories dominate news broadcasts. Last year's SANFL grand final had 35,000 - more than any Port Power home game in recent years!

The SANFL is a great product. It's cheaper to attend, you can stand and share a beer with your mates, your kids can kick the footy on the ground at half time, you can walk onto the oval at 1/4 and 3/4 time to listen to your team huddle, you can find a car park and pay nothing, you don't have advertising forced down your throat, you can show passion and not get admonished by the politically correct, you can buy a pie and drink and not go broke, and afterwards you can walk into the clubrooms and meet your favourite player.

SANFL supporters do not want to see their competition massacred for the convenience of pay TV subscribers nor for the celebrity suits in football headquarters in another State. SANFL supporters have suffered enough and do not want to see their league clubs emulate the poor cousins of second-tier leagues interstate.

The SANFL IS Australia's second-strongest Australian Rules competition in Australia. The SANFL plays Australian Rules not AFL. The SANFL is a proud, strong community-based competition.

Our Pride. Our State. Our Football. Hands Off Our SANFL!

Courtesy of Peter Broelman, Australian Cartoonist of The Year.......a cuppla times recently.....but who's counting

Can supporters of all SANFL clubs please post this message on their club websites, thanks.

[csbowes]

The SANFL needs to ditch the AFL licenses, but then act business-like when working out a deal with them for Adelaide Oval, no mates rates... screw them both...

Surely from there the league can secure enough income from selling off FP, people say it's worth $150m on the commercial market, if so it'd be easy to make $12m or more a year and distribute that to the clubs.

Isnt that more than what they get now?

Am I way off here?

Bring in a Barosaa team and go it alone... get off the AFL drip... then the AFL have to deal with us as a business partner and not as a weak dependant league.

[redandblack]

Admire your passion LEH.

But am I correct in saying that nothing yet has been announced in regards to any change in the SANFL competition?

Just find it strange to protest against something that hasnt been announced, regardless of the likelyhood of it happening.

For the record I want no change to the SANFL comp.

Thats the point. Reduction salary caps ,17's 19's gone and the real threat of more dilution of the comp , enough is enough.

The salary cap 'reduction' was minor, there are at least as many supporters of the Under 18's move as against and there is no current move to dilute the competition.

I'll join the queue.

It still happened though. Are you saying the comp won't be diluted ? Obviously no current move officially but tell me why would people protest after the event. Too late then.

You don't have to wait until after the event to protest, but you also don't have to protest about something that's not happening.

If there's to be any action, start by making it known at your SANFL club level. It will be the clubs who vote on these matters.

I get the feeling that no-one quite knows what we're protesting about.

[CENTURION]

Aren't We arguing for Loretta to have the right to have babies?

[StrayDog]

Aren't We arguing for Loretta to have the right to have babies?

Whatever happened to the Popular Front?

[arthur5038]

You are right up to a point - we don't know exactly what the AFL wants to install in SA in return for its Port Bail Out.
So call this a mobilisation of army reserves pending an expected upcoming conflict.

However even now, there are enough disturbing things already happening for us to rise up, get public, get vocal and fight against.

Such as

Issue - A growing media campaign to put AFL reserves teams in the SANFL
Response - Get loud and active wherever the story is raised to tell the SANFL side of the story and how the history & integrity of our competition matters.

Issue - Rucci trashing the SANFL brand
Response - Time to call this guy to account. Saturday morning on FiveAA is where he is most vulnerable. Ask him why he has all the facts and figures re stadium deals but never gives dollar details on the AFL's underfunding of SA junior development. Why does he not give the complete picture and outline how the SANFL's AAMI Stadium income is spent and how most of that goes to coverage the shorfall. Why does he always focus on the need to reduce the SANFL salary cap but not explain just how low an average SANFL listed player is paid given the hours worked.

Issue - Reduced mainstream media coverage of the SANFL. Remember when the Advertiser actually previewed each game, now Friday just has team selections. Friday and Monday Advertiser coverage slashed in half from two pages to just one. Remember when FiveAA used to have a SANFL interview every Friday & Monday at 4.50pm, not any more, now its just more AFL.
Response - Again make your voice heard, if enough pro-SANFL people got on air on FiveAA to complain things would change. E-mail the Advertiser to state your disapointment or event put comments on web links, many may not get to air but they will know the passion is there.

Issue - FiveAA's Sunday Roast's so called "SANFL segment" consisting only of analysis of how AFL players went.
Response - This one really makes my blood boil, they are saying all the SANFL is good for and worth mentioning is how the AFL players went aka VFL coverage. All of us should ring them during the show, get on air (tell them you want to talk AFL issue so they let you on) then tell them they are a disgrace and the SANFL deserves greater respect and coverage.

[redandblack]

Well, arthur, I agree with all of that.

They're good suggested actions against an AFL-besotted local media. I don't blame them for that, it's their market, but I do blame them for presuming that means they have to be stridently anti-SANFL.

I would go further and instead of criticising our local SANFL journalists, support them.

Good post.

[Mr Irate]

http://cdfc.com.au/cms/index.php?option ... 1&Itemid=2

[gossipgirl]

The SANFL needs to ditch the AFL licenses, but then act business-like when working out a deal with them for Adelaide Oval, no mates rates... screw them both...

Surely from there the league can secure enough income from selling off FP, people say it's worth $150m on the commercial market, if so it'd be easy to make $12m or more a year and distribute that to the clubs.

Isnt that more than what they get now?

Am I way off here?

Bring in a Barosaa team and go it alone... get off the AFL drip... then the AFL have to deal with us as a business partner and not as a weak dependant league.

yes as usual WAY OFF

[Dutchy]

Media Beat Up
Dear Bulldog supporters,
Over the past few weeks we have seen a lot of ill-informed comments in the press, radio and television about the SANFL and AFL.
Let me ensure you that the SANFL competition is strong and is in a far better position than it was ten years ago. Back then many clubs were in a poor financial position with some showing losses over consecutive years. Since that time all clubs have managed to improve their financial and on-field performance by sheer hard work, contrary to one senior reporter offensively accusing clubs of being lazy.
During this period of time SANFL clubs have had their football development grant reduced by $73,000 per year in real terms, the loss of $10,000 per player drafted into the AFL and a reduction by $20,000 in prize money to an SANFL club for winning a grand final.
I think clubs have demonstrated that they have worked hard to turn their fortunes around and create a great competition where three games last weekend were won or lost by no greater margin than 19 points. What a great spectacle for the SANFL.
Let me assure you that the difficulties of Port Power was in no way linked to the local SANFL clubs draining extra funds for their own use. I believe that had Port Adelaide applied themselves the same way as the SANFL clubs have over the past 10 years then the current media beat up would not be happening and the biased reporting would be non-existent.So let’s enjoy our competition where the football is more entertaining than some of the AFL games, crowds are improving and football is played in the manner that is supposed to be.
Let’s continue to support the SANFL that gives Australian Rules followers a great alternative to the AFL.

Les Stevens
CDFC President/Chairman

[Booney]

So that's what Les believes then, is it? Good to know. Of course, the SANFL clubs have applied themselves better than the PAFC. Probably not comparing apples with apples,but hey what difference does it make.

Wonder what his views on climate change are, I'm about as interested in that.

[saintal]

Good to hear such a message from a club president. More of them need to get on the front foot and have their side of the story made public.

[HOORAY PUNT]

Great article , I hope all clubs follow this lead.

Just another to the list as well.

During this period of time SANFL clubs have had their football development grant reduced by $73,000 per year in real terms, the loss of $10,000 per player drafted into the AFL and a reduction by $20,000 in prize money to an SANFL club for winning a grand final.

[Dutchy]

So that's what Les believes then, is it? Good to know. Of course, the SANFL clubs have applied themselves better than the PAFC. Probably not comparing apples with apples,but hey what difference does it make.

Wonder what his views on climate change are, I'm about as interested in that.

Ok compare Port with the Crows, who are also struggling, but do we hear the same? Nup...

Imagine the uproar if some Victorian clubs got $9m over the last 3 years....

[Barto]

Let me assure you that the difficulties of Port Power was in no way linked to the local SANFL clubs draining extra funds for their own use. I believe that had Port Adelaide applied themselves the same way as the SANFL clubs have over the past 10 years then the current media beat up would not be happening and the biased reporting would be non-existent.So let’s enjoy our competition where the football is more entertaining than some of the AFL games, crowds are improving and football is played in the manner that is supposed to be.
Let’s continue to support the SANFL that gives Australian Rules followers a great alternative to the AFL.

Completely brilliant.

[Booney]

With all the spare time Les has to dedicate to the topic I'm certain he will have an intricate working knowledge of exactly what the PAFC have been doing. You guys agree, Im sure.

[Barto]

Probably more time than certain people have when they sling accusations at the SANFL of being lazy and ripping Port off to stay afloat.