WAFL accepts Freo & WC reserves

[UK Fan]

Bye bye SANFL . Congrats AFL its taken 20 odd years but mission accomplished.
At least Power/Crows supporters are happy. Screw the rest I say

At the risk of starting it all up again, not all mate, not all.

Im sure it fills everyone's heart with a great deal of satisfaction that when our league dies.

There were a handful of port fans who didn't completely agree with it.

They should make you guys a statue/monument of some discription IMHO!!

[MATT IN WA]

A lot of emotion on WAFL forums about supporters feeling shafted by the 2 WAFL clubs, this from an East Perth supporter:

Oh my God! I just don’t know what to think. I just don’t know what to say. This is heartbreaking! Not the merger (as bad as that seems), but the way it has been done. How could we not be addressed? How could we not be spoken too? Why would Bronte treat us this way?

My family, over 4 generations have been volunteering at the East Perth Football Club for almost 70 years combined. NONE of us have ever been paid, NONE have us have EVER asked for money. I have been “involved” in the club for 12 years. Not just on the fringe either. My Grandfather and Grandmother were financial members most of their lives (94 and 87years old). My Grandmother lived for this club, her coffin was blue and black and she was buried with her East Perth photo’s. She was still attending games in her late 80’s. My Mother lived for this club. She was a financial member her entire life of 75 years. I was at games in the womb and I have been a member since I was 14 years of age. I am now 45. Not a day goes by where me or my family DO NOT do something for, with or about the East Perth Football Club. All year, not just footy season. We have spent 10’s of thousands of our own money for the East Perth Football CLub. For the pure LOVE of The East Perth Football Club.

And I tell you without a word of a lie, as I type this I am crying. I am blubbering like a school girl and I can’t stop. This has taken me so long to type.
I cry because I am so sad that I have been let down so badly. My Mum and Grandparents have had their memories defaced by the lack of respect given to US, you, me, my family, my friends. The people I have sat in the stands with ALL my life, the people I have seen grow up and get old around me. The ones I see ALWAYS back each year no matter what. THEY ARE The EAST PERTH FOOTBALL CLUB. Not the Board, not a panel, not the WAFC. And they, we, have been treated this way.

What do we do? What do I do? I just am sitting here like an idiot, hoping for something! Anything, from the club to say it will be allright. But nothing!

I have seen so much blood, sweat and tears spilled for this club by so many. I have lost count of the speeches I have seen being given by players at the end of their careers, crying, choking on words in regard to what this Club, this Jumper means to them. That is from John K Watts to Craig Glancy. What has this been for I ask?

Bronte, you MUST know what Footy means to people. Not the machine, the money hungry animal that is the AFL, but what the WAFL means to so many. To people like me. I have grown up around this club and I deserve so much more. How dare I be treated no better than the person who walks down Vincent Street and looks through the fence whilst he has a pee against a tree.


The fact these clubs did not take this to a vote by the members is going to cost both clubs a lot of supporters.

[PhilH]

This is how East Perth have explained the situation to its members.

http://www.eastperthfc.com.au/latest-news/open-letter-to-the-members/

[Mr Fuller]

That would have to be some of the most pathetic reasons for caving in I have ever heard. I was expecting something along the lines of 'our club is financially insolvent. If we didn't accept the WC proposition we would have folded'.

Sounds a lot like they knew one of the WAFL teams would cave and grab the financial windfall and E. Perth thought about it for one second and said 'why shouldn't that team be us?'

Two words - spineless and greedy

[topsywaldron]

Fantastic news. As was mentioned in the article, it's about maturing as a football state. I can see some growing up needed around here as well.

Troll.

[Pseudo]

This is proof beyond doubt that the Sandgropers are stupid. Was this not tried twice before? Didn't work then, ain't gonna work now.

For my part, once again: I will NEVER attend a SANFL game featuring an AFL reserves team.

NEVER.

[Aerie]

I feel very sorry for the people from East Perth like the bloke mentioned in Matt In WA's post before. I can't believe a board can just go ahead and make such a massive decision without consulting the members? WAFL is as much a joke as the VFL.

I don't see this as a bad thing for the SANFL. Possibly a good thing? The only league with all clubs first goal to win the premiership. The only league with a level playing field. As JK mentioned earlier, number one priority has to be to make sure all 8 SANFL clubs survive and prosper. If the SANFL can somehow survive independently it will be the most respected league in the country.

[Jim05]

Gutless act by East Perth and Peel.
Will give it 2 years before East Perth are running around in West Coast guernseys and have their name and image rebranded.
One only has to look at the VFL clubs who were promised that nothing would change, pretty sure that Preston fans have loved being rebadged as the Northern Blues

[topsywaldron]

Norwood have a constitution that allows an EGM to be called with very few signatures required. Not sure about the other clubs but I'd like to think if such a deal was foisted on one of the clubs people would be looking to get rid of boards very smartly.

The only club I wonder about is Sturt, a club who an ex Norwood CEO once wistfully remarked seemed to go by happily without the members electing their members onto a Board. That could be wrong mind you, the Double Blues may be a paragon of democracy however you never hear about elections there.

Sturt nerd to thread please.

[wild dog]

The SANFL is not powerful anymore as it has lost its financial security and Football Park is on its way out.

I don't understand how the SANFL has lost it's financial security .. Sure they're probably hocked up to the eyeballs at the moment, but the minute Footy Park becomes available that land at West Lakes is worth a mint, surely they can provide their own security with money generated from it?

Because it has an AFL club on life support that sent it into debt.

sale of the land will clear some debts..... but after that the SANFL will own nothing and have a small office at Adelaide Oval

So provide your facts. How much does the sanfl owe and how much is the land worth? How much is the adelaide oval deal worth. The afl clubs are in more trouble if they dont start to sell out the new ground when they move there.

[topsywaldron]

This is proof beyond doubt that the Sandgropers are stupid. Was this not tried twice before? Didn't work then, ain't gonna work now.

For my part, once again: I will NEVER attend a SANFL game featuring an AFL reserves team.

NEVER.

From an EP fan on footygoss.


Posted: 31 October 2012 12:41 PM   [ Ignore ]   [ # 104 ]

Total Posts:  71
Joined  2012-06-21
i am so devastated and sad. having to give up on something that has been a huge part of mine and my families life forever is hard to comprehend. but easy at the same time.
i feel obliged to appologize to all fellow opposition supporters. my club has sold not only us out, but you too.
i will never attend an east perth football match again. my phone has not stopped ringing all morning and every call is one of anger. it will be one empty heartless shell down there from now on.
good day to you all

[StrayDog]

I don't see this as a bad thing for the SANFL. Possibly a good thing? The only league with all clubs first goal to win the premiership. The only league with a level playing field. As JK mentioned earlier, number one priority has to be to make sure all 8 SANFL clubs survive and prosper. If the SANFL can somehow survive independently it will be the most respected league in the country.

We were the only mainland state without an AFL side at one time. That didn't last long.

So provide your facts.

Probably still waiting for an apology.

[on the rails]

With the move to the AO, the SANFL as part of their long term plan is allegedly going to redevelop alot of the land around West Lakes and that includes retaining ownership of a good portion and deriving income from tenants. Not sure where the development money is coming at this time given their already big debt but a big sell off re the assets for one big debt clearance play may not be the right way to go re the future. Retaining viable assets such as land / real estate will be IMO.

[CENTURION]

Fantastic news. As was mentioned in the article, it's about maturing as a football state. I can see some growing up needed around here as well.

maturing as a football state? In what respect?

[JamesH]

Gutless act by East Perth and Peel.
Will give it 2 years before East Perth are running around in West Coast guernseys and have their name and image rebranded.
One only has to look at the VFL clubs who were promised that nothing would change, pretty sure that Preston fans have loved being rebadged as the Northern Blues

East Pert used to known as the Eagles so not as 'crazy' as it sounds

[JamesH]

Norwood have a constitution that allows an EGM to be called with very few signatures required. Not sure about the other clubs but I'd like to think if such a deal was foisted on one of the clubs people would be looking to get rid of boards very smartly.

The only club I wonder about is Sturt, a club who an ex Norwood CEO once wistfully remarked seemed to go by happily without the members electing their members onto a Board. That could be wrong mind you, the Double Blues may be a paragon of democracy however you never hear about elections there.

Sturt nerd to thread please.

??????
How do Sturt appoint their board then???????

why be a sturt member if you get no say

[holden78]

Fantastic news. As was mentioned in the article, it's about maturing as a football state. I can see some growing up needed around here as well.

maturing as a football state? In what respect?

beenreal = Rucci lovechild
pause momentarily, then flush away... spray air freshener and leave

[RB]

Seriously how ropable would you be if you were a supporter of EP or any WAFL team? It'd be like something out of my worst nightmare if that happened to the Eagles. The apparent lack of consultation with the members makes it even more of a betrayal.

[RB]

Whoops! My mistake. I had it all wrong. WAFC Chairman Frank Cooper will enlighten us:

the key to the Partnering Model is that it protects and respects the rich tradition and integrity of the WAFL competition

Well thank goodness for that!

[topsywaldron]

??????
How do Sturt appoint their board then???????

why be a sturt member if you get no say

As I say, I don't know the answer to that definitively, hoping that a Sturt member might let me know at some stage.