Foxtel Cup!!!!!!

[Hondo]

I was interested to read that Claremont lost 4 of the last 7 WAFL grand finals. If ever there was a club who had an excuse not to participate in the Foxtel Cup it was them. Yet they did and they won both the Foxtel Cup and the WAFL premiership. They were the best team and backed themselves in to be the best team in both comps. If they lost the WAFL grand final I reckon they would have stood up and admitted to errors on the day rather than blame a few Foxtel Cup games that finished close to 2 months ago.

I don't think that Claremont won the Foxtel Cup, I thought that Williamstown did,

Yes, they did of course. Sorry my mistake. They made it the grand final of both comps and won the WAFL which sort of deflates the arguments being put forward by some on this thread.

[RB]

Claremont won the WAFL Grand Final, Williamstown made the VFL Grand Final - I'd say the Foxtel Cup didn't ruin their seasons. Hopefully the top 3 SANFL Clubs will participate in the 2012 Foxtel Cup to restore some pride to SA footy - something that got rather mangled by the Crows and Power in 2011.

The cows and poher do not, to me, represent SA footy. The SANFL does!

Agreed. Especially considering most of the Crows & Power players are from interstate.

So are most of the best players in the SANFL!

True, but they choose to come here because the SANFL rates so well compared to the VFL, WAFL etc. The interstate Crows & Power players don't choose to come here - they're drafted, & can't wait to get on the plane back home - e.g. Jack Gunston, Phil Davis

[rd]

Lets fast forward 3 Years to an SANFL that has no TV coverage, Declining media coverage, Less sponsorship, AFL reserves teams competing, Dwindling attendances and Clubs finacially on their knees due to the Mother of All GFC's - (and I dont mean the Bays!)

The Foxtel Cup may then become much more enticing/relevant.

Ok - the opening paragraph is obviously a worst case scenario - but who knows what will pan out over the next couple of years?

The SANFL Comp is not what is was a decade ago and will continue to weaken. Norwood were able to make the top 3 this season despite losing Lower,Puopolo, Duigan and Phillips to the AFL - simply the strength of the comp is slipping. The above quote has some merit to it and I feel a club like Centrals should be looking beyond its own backyard while the opportunity is there.

[Pseudo]

I was interested to read that Claremont lost 4 of the last 7 WAFL grand finals. If ever there was a club who had an excuse not to participate in the Foxtel Cup it was them. Yet they did and they won both the Foxtel Cup and the WAFL premiership. They were the best team and backed themselves in to be the best team in both comps. If they lost the WAFL grand final I reckon they would have stood up and admitted to errors on the day rather than blame a few Foxtel Cup games that finished close to 2 months ago.

I don't think that Claremont won the Foxtel Cup, I thought that Williamstown did,

Yes, they did of course. Sorry my mistake. They made it the grand final of both comps and won the WAFL which sort of deflates the arguments being put forward by some on this thread.

Fair to say then that participation in the WAFL season impinged upon Claremont's chances to win the Foxtel Cup. Perhaps next year they'll treat the WAFL as a series of practice games, blood youngsters, etc.

[whufc]

Hopefully the club will review their decision at the end of the year and not just rule out entering next year straight away. I would like them to at least consider the idea each year and if they feel its best for the club then make the decision.

So if they go in next year's Foxtel Cup will you then support them because the club felt it was the best decision. Yet this season you have been completely against the concept. Are you against the concept of the Foxtel Cup or just supporting whatever your club says (ie, criticising the concept because that just happens to allow you to support your club's decision).

This quote sounds like you are shifting onto the fence on this issue in anticipation of your club changing its stance.

With the success that Kris Grant and the board has brought to the club over the last decade I TRUST that the decision both Granty and Lairdy make is WHAT THEY CONSIDER to be in the best interests for Central to win THE SANFL PREMIERSHIP. If they consider playing in the mickey mouse comp will help us win the Thomas Seymour than i back their judgement in.

Even if we participate in the comp i still consider it to be a second rate, second importance, space filing, afl interested competition.

As Graham said if you are in it, you are in it to win it and all that the Foxtel comp has proven this year is that SANFL rate it as a second rate competition and treated it likewise selecting under strengthed sides compared to the VFL/WAFL sides.

Also Lairdy has said on numerous times that the Bye is a wonderful part of the SANFL which enables players to head back to local clubs, interstate, country clubs and promote the club while back there to people that may actually care for the SANFL. It also gives players a chance to spend invaluable time with their families rather than travelling to sydney to play the east coast eagles easing the stress on them during the season proper.

[RB]

Hopefully the club will review their decision at the end of the year and not just rule out entering next year straight away. I would like them to at least consider the idea each year and if they feel its best for the club then make the decision.

So if they go in next year's Foxtel Cup will you then support them because the club felt it was the best decision. Yet this season you have been completely against the concept. Are you against the concept of the Foxtel Cup or just supporting whatever your club says (ie, criticising the concept because that just happens to allow you to support your club's decision).

This quote sounds like you are shifting onto the fence on this issue in anticipation of your club changing its stance.

With the success that Kris Grant and the board has brought to the club over the last decade I TRUST that the decision both Granty and Lairdy make is WHAT THEY CONSIDER to be in the best interests for Central to win THE SANFL PREMIERSHIP. If they consider playing in the mickey mouse comp will help us win the Thomas Seymour than i back their judgement in.

Even if we participate in the comp i still consider it to be a second rate, second importance, space filing, afl interested competition.

As Graham said if you are in it, you are in it to win it and all that the Foxtel comp has proven this year is that SANFL rate it as a second rate competition and treated it likewise selecting under strengthed sides compared to the VFL/WAFL sides.

Also Lairdy has said on numerous times that the Bye is a wonderful part of the SANFL which enables players to head back to local clubs, interstate, country clubs and promote the club while back there to people that may actually care for the SANFL. It also gives players a chance to spend invaluable time with their families rather than travelling to sydney to play the east coast eagles easing the stress on them during the season proper.

Praise the Laird

[Hondo]

... the shift to the fence begins

whufc, I am struggling to see how you could blindly back your club's decision if they decide to go in when you have made such a long case this season about why they shouldn't. It feels like you are just flip flopping around based on what the club's official line is. Either you are for or against the concept in principle surely. If that means you disagree with your club's stance then I think you should keep saying so.

This is all hypothetical though. Id be surprised if Centrals actually go in. What would be different for them in 2012 to this year?

[Grahaml]

Hopefully the club will review their decision at the end of the year and not just rule out entering next year straight away. I would like them to at least consider the idea each year and if they feel its best for the club then make the decision.

So if they go in next year's Foxtel Cup will you then support them because the club felt it was the best decision. Yet this season you have been completely against the concept. Are you against the concept of the Foxtel Cup or just supporting whatever your club says (ie, criticising the concept because that just happens to allow you to support your club's decision).

This quote sounds like you are shifting onto the fence on this issue in anticipation of your club changing its stance.

With the success that Kris Grant and the board has brought to the club over the last decade I TRUST that the decision both Granty and Lairdy make is WHAT THEY CONSIDER to be in the best interests for Central to win THE SANFL PREMIERSHIP. If they consider playing in the mickey mouse comp will help us win the Thomas Seymour than i back their judgement in.

Even if we participate in the comp i still consider it to be a second rate, second importance, space filing, afl interested competition.

As Graham said if you are in it, you are in it to win it and all that the Foxtel comp has proven this year is that SANFL rate it as a second rate competition and treated it likewise selecting under strengthed sides compared to the VFL/WAFL sides.

Also Lairdy has said on numerous times that the Bye is a wonderful part of the SANFL which enables players to head back to local clubs, interstate, country clubs and promote the club while back there to people that may actually care for the SANFL. It also gives players a chance to spend invaluable time with their families rather than travelling to sydney to play the east coast eagles easing the stress on them during the season proper.

In it's current form I don't see how any serious premiership contender could justify taking a Foxtel cup seriously. If they somehow found a way to replace the bye weeks so those clubs weren't forced to play extra matches compared to their rivals then that would help the situation.

The point you are trying to make about Foxtel cup sides playing well in their respective comps is moot. The best sides all played so they were always more likely to contend for the flag again. Just like if the Eagles, Central and Norwood were to have played it this year they would still probably make up the top 3. But at the start of the year you don't know who might challenge. Maybe West's challenge doesn't peter out, Glenelg were considered a big rival. Or worse for me, Norwood don't play and pip us for top spot because we had to rest a few guys who got hurt in Foxtel cup matches. Regardless of how you spin it, you cannot deny there is a massive likelihood that it could have a negative impact on a side. It might be 1%, but we work bloody hard for that 1% and I'd hate to see the club throw it away on some silly knockout comp for a few extra dollars.

[Grahaml]

... the shift to the fence begins

whufc, I am struggling to see how you could blindly back your club's decision if they decide to go in when you have made such a long case this season about why they shouldn't. It feels like you are just flip flopping around based on what the club's official line is. Either you are for or against the concept in principle surely. If that means you disagree with your club's stance then I think you should keep saying so.

This is all hypothetical though. Id be surprised if Centrals actually go in. What would be different for them in 2012 to this year?

If they addressed the club's concerns then I've no doubt that it would be looked at again. But in it's current guise, let's allow it to be the comp for the sides who don't think they are much chance of an SANFL flag.

[whufc]

... the shift to the fence begins

whufc, I am struggling to see how you could blindly back your club's decision if they decide to go in when you have made such a long case this season about why they shouldn't. It feels like you are just flip flopping around based on what the club's official line is. Either you are for or against the concept in principle surely. If that means you disagree with your club's stance then I think you should keep saying so.

This is all hypothetical though. Id be surprised if Centrals actually go in. What would be different for them in 2012 to this year?

If Lairdy and Granty do decide to enter into the comp well then i think as members of Centrals we would like to see a list of benefits and reasons as to entering the comp.

I would back the things that Lairdy and Granty say would be of benefit to the club will happen. EVEN IF I DONT THINK THEY WILL. At the end of the Foxtel Cup we could then see whether these benefits actually were just that. If they werent benefits i hope the club would make the wise decision and not enter at next chance.

With the success Grant and Lairdy have brought recently why wouldnt i back their decisions in.

Even when they pick Matty Westoff i will still support him and hope he plays well and the team wins despite the fact i dont really rate him. Im not going to sit there and boo him because i dont think he should be in the team.

[heater31]

Now that year 1 of the competition is out of the way I bet all SANFL clubs will be reconsidering their positions for the 2012 version.

Fitness staff have now had almost 12 months warning that this competition is on and can plan accordingly

IIRC Ron Fuller wanted South to compete this year if offered a spot, I assume now that they finished 4th this year South will be in if offered a spot.

[The Sleeping Giant]

So Centrals did what is best for them. That's fine and so they should. Do you see any hypocrisy in continually questioning the reasons why it was beneficial for the clubs that did compete?

What the Foxtel Cup has done is generate interest for the clubs that didn't compete. I guess that's a good thing.

[holden78]

Wedgie , no way when the AFL players are taken out of it , that Port Melbourne is better than Centrals this time of the year when the Dogs peak for the last game of the season . Take of those KFC coloured glasses mate !

[doggies4eva]

Instead of everyone jumping up to defend their clubs stance on this comp in 2011 I would rather look forward to 2012.

As a league we should sit down and see what reasonable improvements we can ask for and negotiate with Foxtell for a better deal.

I am sure that the top clubs would be happy to reconsider if there were clear and substantial benefits in their involvement.

[Aerie]

I reckon the Foxtel Cup would be great as a 4 week event at the beginning of the season. It seems Foxtel brought in this competition to fill the Saturday late afternoon time slot so arranging the event like this was not possible in 2011. However, now there is the extra AFL game each week thanks to GWS being the 18th team - could this competition be condensed and be over and done with in late Feb/March before the season proper starts?

[The Sleeping Giant]

Wedgie , no way when the AFL players are taken out of it , that Port Melbourne is better than Centrals this time of the year when the Dogs peak for the last game of the season . Take of those KFC coloured glasses mate !

Port Melbourne don't have any AFL listed players do they?

[Dutchy]

Wedgie , no way when the AFL players are taken out of it , that Port Melbourne is better than Centrals this time of the year when the Dogs peak for the last game of the season . Take of those KFC coloured glasses mate !

Port Melbourne don't have any AFL listed players do they?

No

[Big Phil]

Wedgie , no way when the AFL players are taken out of it , that Port Melbourne is better than Centrals this time of the year when the Dogs peak for the last game of the season . Take of those KFC coloured glasses mate !

Port Melbourne don't have any AFL listed players do they?

No

In the current side, Central only have Callinan while Port Melbourne have a few former AFL listed players, some just recently out of the national comp.

[The Sleeping Giant]

Wow. Just wow.

[Brodlach]

Wedgie , no way when the AFL players are taken out of it , that Port Melbourne is better than Centrals this time of the year when the Dogs peak for the last game of the season . Take of those KFC coloured glasses mate !

Port Melbourne don't have any AFL listed players do they?

No

In the current side, Central only have Callinan while Port Melbourne have a few former AFL listed players, some just recently out of the national comp.

Central also have a number of former AFL list players. Obst,Sansbury, Thomas to name a few