HFL Division 2 (Country)

[The Gimp]

Great couple of posts champ.
I have been trying to lobby the board for 2 years now, still without success. They should've done something last year for this season but they said it was too late. So we go back to them and say well lets start doing it for season 2013, and once again they sit on their hands for 6-8 months and now, again, they come out and say it's too late to do something for season 2013.
If the current structure continues, the clubs like Gum, Sed/Cam, Maccy will be dead (like Cally) in 2-3 seasons. The Board has to acknowledge that there is no longer 2 "natural" tiers of clubs in the Hills and there is actually 3. The league (which is the Board and the other clubs) have to be able to provide a competition which caters for all clubs and gives them an environment where they can enjoy some success. I know winning isn't everything, but it no doubt makes footy more enjoyable.
If the current Country div (and Central div for that matter) continues as it is, clubs like the above plus Bridgy and TV (maybe Lobey) will never have a chance to enjoy sustained/consistent success and will probably never get a shot at winning a premiership.
I understand that the likes of Gum, S/C and Maccy think that if they went to a div 3 (or something similar) then that would be the end of them, but I think it's the opposite and Callington are the perfect example and Milang are a very good example as well that you can still have a great club environment around 1 senior team and who's not to say once the club has rebuilt a bit and got 2 full senior teams and 1 or 2 full colts teams then they could be given a chance back in div 2?

As much as we didn't want to, coming down from div 1 didn't kill our club but if the div continues the way it is with only 6 colts teams and 50-60 goals between top and bottom, there will be more clubs in trouble and even our club will be one of those.

Time to take the blinkers off and try something different!
Div 1
Mt Barker
Hahndorf
Blackwood
Uraidla
Ironbank
Onkas
Lobethal
Mt Lofty
Div 2
Echunga
Kersbrook
Birdwood
TV
Bridgewater
Meadows
Nairne
Kangarilla
Div 3
Gumeracha
Maccy
Sedan Cambrai
Callington
Milang
Houghton
Blackwood??
Any other Club that wants to play a 3rd senior side.
Woodside??? Cornerstone??? Who knows.

[The Crumber]

Hot off the press; while all the talk has been about what to do with Callington and the relative improvement of sedan it appears there is another coutnry club on the cusp of admitting defeat and potentially heading to the C's.

This again comes to me from a friend of a friend, who knows this guy that used to know this other guy. Anyway, they got to talking and it appears that Maccy are not confident of numbers for season 2013 and beyond....

Even hotter off the press; as in the last hour or two. Callington will definitely not be playing in Country Div next year and are extremely unlikely to field C's either. The club is about to disappear altogether. Good management could have easily avoided this. Absolutely disgraceful.

Have a heart mate.

I'm sorry if my comment has offended some. But I'm glad it has provoked so many vibrant, intelligent, level-headed responses. Apart from the one suggesting I don't have a heart. I do.

My information came from a player at the club. He said that if the Eagles were forced to play C's, all the paid players would walk, which unfortunately would be their entire A grade. They won't play C's for free and no club in its' right mind pays C graders. The current B's are mostly ring-ins, all wishing the season would end. The A grade coach walked for the umpteenth time at the end of last weeks' game. The few left of their committee are in denial and/or tired. You can't buy anything at the ground which needs to be cooked, because there's no-one left to cook it. This info has been verified by others close to the situation.

I know the HFL read this site. They credit themselves with ideas they collect from here when it suits them. Let's hope the Boys' Club looks at recent comments, but I doubt it.

[On The Pine]

Great couple of posts champ.
I have been trying to lobby the board for 2 years now, still without success. They should've done something last year for this season but they said it was too late. So we go back to them and say well lets start doing it for season 2013, and once again they sit on their hands for 6-8 months and now, again, they come out and say it's too late to do something for season 2013.
If the current structure continues, the clubs like Gum, Sed/Cam, Maccy will be dead (like Cally) in 2-3 seasons. The Board has to acknowledge that there is no longer 2 "natural" tiers of clubs in the Hills and there is actually 3. The league (which is the Board and the other clubs) have to be able to provide a competition which caters for all clubs and gives them an environment where they can enjoy some success. I know winning isn't everything, but it no doubt makes footy more enjoyable.
If the current Country div (and Central div for that matter) continues as it is, clubs like the above plus Bridgy and TV (maybe Lobey) will never have a chance to enjoy sustained/consistent success and will probably never get a shot at winning a premiership.
I understand that the likes of Gum, S/C and Maccy think that if they went to a div 3 (or something similar) then that would be the end of them, but I think it's the opposite and Callington are the perfect example and Milang are a very good example as well that you can still have a great club environment around 1 senior team and who's not to say once the club has rebuilt a bit and got 2 full senior teams and 1 or 2 full colts teams then they could be given a chance back in div 2?As much as we didn't want to, coming down from div 1 didn't kill our club but if the div continues the way it is with only 6 colts teams and 50-60 goals between top and bottom, there will be more clubs in trouble and even our club will be one of those.

Time to take the blinkers off and try something different!
Div 1
Mt Barker
Hahndorf
Blackwood
Uraidla
Ironbank
Onkas
Lobethal
Mt Lofty
Div 2
Echunga
Kersbrook
Birdwood
TV
Bridgewater
Meadows
Nairne
Kangarilla
Div 3
Gumeracha
Maccy
Sedan Cambrai
Callington
Milang
Houghton
Blackwood??
Any other Club that wants to play a 3rd senior side.
Woodside??? Cornerstone??? Who knows.

I don't have a problem with a third div, but it has to be a legitimate comp. And you can't ever expect to rebuild a club from 1 senior side. Realistically for areas with smaller population bases, 2 junior and 2 senior teams would be the way to go. And for our club netball is important, so a plan that incorporates netball is essential.

[jumbo20]

Now I might have seriously missed something but are you guys saying that A grade players at Callington are being paid?What the?????If true the people who are handing over the coin are either thick or have no football ideas!I have no problem with people getting paid and no problem with players accepting payment, the issue always is the people who do the paying selecting the right players....

Seriously it cant be that a side losing by 300 points plus on occassions has a payroll!!!!

[ORDoubleBlues]

Now I might have seriously missed something but are you guys saying that A grade players at Callington are being paid?What the?????If true the people who are handing over the coin are either thick or have no football ideas!I have no problem with people getting paid and no problem with players accepting payment, the issue always is the people who do the paying selecting the right players....

Seriously it cant be that a side losing by 300 points plus on occassions has a payroll!!!!

Know what you're saying but that's the thing, if they weren't paying players to play they wouldn't have a side at all.

[Kickittometoo]

Crumber I have to agree with all you say, I have also heard this from a reliable source. As an early eagle I am over it all and I would suggest that everyone who was kicked out in the early years do the same. The HFL had a lot to do with that crap of getting rid of good people and have a lot to answer for in that respect. Let them suffer in there jocks and write it off to life experience. There is a lot more I could say but would probably get sued. Good riddance to the Eagles I say because they dont come anywhere near the original intentions of the club when it was formed. RIP

[Sniper]

Couple closer contests yesterday with Kangy getting over Maccy by 5 or so gls and Sedan / Cambrai battling hard against Meadows (Dogs also by 5 gls). Birdwood over Gums by 10 and unfortunately my morse code machine broke down before the victor of the Echunga vs Kersbrook game was known (scores anybody ?).

[The Sorce]

Echunga Got Up over Kersbrook by about 4 Goals, Kersbrook were up pretty much all day until the last quarter.

[Media Park]

Looking at sportingpulse Nairne had every player kick a goal.

I'm surprised more clubs haven't acheived that v Cally.

[LuvsFooty]

That was a good effort by nairne. Wouldn't happen normally because most clubs set one player up for a huge bag. Good to see someone mix it up a bit

[From The Outer]

I heard during the week that Nairne were going to attempt that. Apparently it has not been done in country SA football before. Would be good to know if that is a fact or not. Unique record to hold if it is true.

[Media Park]

I heard during the week that Nairne were going to attempt that. Apparently it has not been done in country SA football before. Would be good to know if that is a fact or not. Unique record to hold if it is true.

I know a couple of years ago Tumby Bay (Great Flinders FL) were an unbeatable side, and towards the end of the year they swung a defender forward and he kicked two. That completed the set for them, but it took nearly a year to cover it.
Never heard of it happening in one game before.

[Straight Line]

That was a good effort by nairne. Wouldn't happen normally because most clubs set one player up for a huge bag. Good to see someone mix it up a bit

Morphett vale went out a few years ago against hackham (I think 07) and did it. It was the most demoralizing thing ive seen and was seen as very unsporting throughout the league and for paid players i think is ok if you are holding out for the juniors to come through thats if they have any? Very sad

[LuvsFooty]

I'd rather see clubs do something that's team orientated, give a few lads a taste of kicking a goal than setting up an individual to kick 25 goals.

[Panther32]

I'm pretty sure Morphett Vale did it only 3 years ago against Hackham from memory.

[spot on]

I'm pretty sure Morphett Vale did it only 3 years ago against Hackham from memory.

Yes I believe it was 2009, the Emus were accused of being arrogant at the time which was not the case.

[Hear the roar]

Crumber I have to agree with all you say, I have also heard this from a reliable source. As an early eagle I am over it all and I would suggest that everyone who was kicked out in the early years do the same. The HFL had a lot to do with that crap of getting rid of good people and have a lot to answer for in that respect. Let them suffer in there jocks and write it off to life experience. There is a lot more I could say but would probably get sued. Good riddance to the Eagles I say because they dont come anywhere near the original intentions of the club when it was formed. RIP

Excellent comment K2. Should be a mantra for re-reading and closure for all who have moved on

[jumbo20]

Do we know if any of the clubs have reappointed coaches for 2013?I am assuming some of the clubs would have, will Dave Thomas go again at Meadows, he seems to have done a great job without buying a heap of players

[Jim05]

Article on the back page of "The Bunyip" about Birdwood coming to the BL&GFA next season.
Apparantly the club to meet association officials this month.
Birdwood President claiming they cant continue on in Hills Country next season.
I think the Netball will be their major stumbling block in getting acceptance to our league

[Gervais]

Article on the back page of "The Bunyip" about Birdwood coming to the BL&GFA next season.
Apparantly the club to meet association officials this month.
Birdwood President claiming they cant continue on in Hills Country next season.
I think the Netball will be their major stumbling block in getting acceptance to our league

there's a very easy way for birdwood to get out of country division next year. they just need to have their a grade make the grand final and ask to be promoted back to central division. saves the hassle of changing leagues.