For what it’s worth I will have my one and only say on the current situation with the PPCA. (Get comfortable!)
Last year the PPCA wanted to have control to put other games not including SP & Wand to the Port Oval and threatened to pull the pin boycott games etc etc because the clubs thought transferring games wasn’t right and A grade should be played on turf and the PPCA should have control. Now they have negotiated that right the clubs want to penalise Ports for allowing these games to go ahead (eg Risdon v Sollies on Sunday) by charging them for a ball for all teams and are AGAIN threatening to boycott the Port Oval.
It supposed to be about money and meant to sound like Ports give nothing. Ports do sponsor the league with free oval use which costs a lot to maintain plus the work to prepare pitches etc etc that the other clubs have no obligation to do (fair enough). Plus Port provide meals on combined weekend free of charge, no small contribution. Look at the sums- moving the games from Port to Memorial will cost the league money as Memorial charges for each game that is there (say 15 @ $70= $1050). Add to that the league will need to supply meals for combined games (6 teams x 15 people @ a min of $6 each = $540) so the costs would rise upwards of $1500 to the league. That means Assoc fees will rise and guess who pays them- the clubs! $1500/5 A grade teams = $300 each. That doesn’t take into account if there are extra charges for the B grade games (don’t know). If it about money it doesn’t add up.
The B grade didn’t want so many afternoon games in the original draft program but are now happy to walk away from Ports which will mean an extra afternoon game EVERY week, at least 4 more each team. Do you believe that when it comes down to it the bats, sharks and strykers will be keen on that? The B grade teams don’t give a toss, they play there twice a year and it’s their only chance to play on turf. Can’t wait for Huck to go back to tell the bats saying ‘we had a win, we’re not playing our 1 game at Ports and we’ve now got 5 more afternoon games!’
A kind offer from Beaurepaires to pay for the balls this weekend 4x$70 A grade balls and 2x$50 B grade balls is a generous $380 dollars for the opening weekend but I doubt Nyrstar will subsidise clubs for not being able to sell beer- it’s a tough sell.
And how much beer do you think a club could sell from the start of a game to the end whilst the players are playing, 10, maybe 15 tops? They are losing very little unless anyone can offer any proof otherwise, YET TO SEE IT! When the game finishes, you can go where you like and drink as much as your fundraising needs require or even back to your sponsors, no problem. Better still why not do what the Bats do, shut up, piss off over the other side of the oval and discreetly do what you like.

These A grade teams were playing 5/6 games at Ports a year and the B’s 1 or 2! Are teams willing to double the amount of Sunday A grade games (or play at Globe), have an extra B grade afternoon game every week, have higher association fees and not play on the best oval in town? For what, someones personal envy?
Heres my take - This was never about money, do the sums & look at the facts, this is obvious! Props and as a follower Sollies come back with their empty bowls begging for a free feed. It’s clear what this is all about and I am genuinely embarrassed for those clubs. Letsbehonest has now finally lifted the veil on what is going on. It’s a privately owned oval that offered to sponsor PPCA a long time ago but they didn’t want it, fine. But now others see what they are missing and the jealousy factor has kicked in and will try one thing after another, last year rights over the oval, this year payment to play there. Lbh your defence of Sollies fc for a Lions man is very unusual to say the least, you defend the bats and props also which is very noble and makes an interesting combination. Can’t do anything about it you say, again rubbish, put your hand up, all you do is potshot those on the league willing to have a go and I’m sure you as a Solly PPCA secretary will be welcomed (yes Rod has quit), but you won’t, guaranteed.
Let’s not forget not that long ago Port Pirie Cricket only had 5 A grade sides, 6 B grade sides and NO junior comp! It now has 5 A teams, 8 B teams and 3 junior GRADES. Yet people want to bitch and moan about Wandies, South Port & Ports causing the loss of clubs and the death of cricket. Please! SouthPort and the Port oval development has been a significant reason for this growth and I challenge anyone to say otherwise. Yes Ports get a spin off from having cricket there, but so does cricket, what a facility, FREE! The PPCA doesn’t need more haters, at least the Risdon boys, whilst having a dig on here, clearly love the game and just want to play, more power to them! It’s just cricket after all.
Food for thought, but that’s all I got. Over & out!!