Open Letter for Foot-e-Times...

[Apachebulldog]

Been Reel get you hands of it if not for all the other clubs to make up the comp over the last 140 years there would be no Port Adelaide with its history and premierships think about it my friend Geesh !!

[SimonH]

Couldn't agree more Apachebulldog. If the Crows or the Pahhhhr think that an issue about their on-field arrangements is urgent, then as long as the bottom line (the concern of the SANFL as an owner/part-owner) isn't negatively affected, then that's their business. Both football clubs run themselves day-to-day. Just because they claim 'it's urgent for us', doesn't mean that the issue is urgent for the SANFL as a competition and a league. The SANFL as a competition can and should take as much time as it feels is necessary to make the right decision with any business or football proposal brought to it— if that means that it misses some bogus deadline that some other organisation is trying to impose on it, so be it.

I've pretty much never been accused of agreeing with anything that Michaelangelo Rucci writes, but these lines from a member of the Port Adelaide faithful should cause a lot of people to stop and think:

The Magpies do indeed die under the Power reserves model.

The long-standing dream of most boys on the LeFevre Peninsula to work through amateur clubs from Rosewater to Salisbury, reach the Magpies under-age teams and progress to league status in the famous black-and-white jumper is over.

So far, we've seen very little critical reflection by any of the Port supporters on here, on the practical implications of what's being proposed. There's a sort of brain-switched-off cheerleading going on: Whatever Port Adelaide wants should be accepted by the SANFL (even though we don't want to debate the details of what Port Adelaide wants, or should want).

A simple question: is it fine for the Port Adelaide Magpies to die as a true SANFL league team? If not, then it might be time to raise your voice against a proposal that would have just that effect. I know that some people would answer "it's already dead", but I reckon that a whole bunch of Magpies supporters and about 15 of the players who forged a gutsy win over Centrals at Elizabeth on the weekend (including 5 of the 6 named best players who aren't on an AFL list) wouldn't agree.

[Macca19]

A simple question: is it fine for the Port Adelaide Magpies to die as a true SANFL league team?

No its not, which is why I'd like the reserves to play elsewhere.

[beenreal]

Been Reel get you hands of it if not for all the other clubs to make up the comp over the last 140 years there would be no Port Adelaide with its history and premierships think about it my friend Geesh !!

This is where the likes of you and yours make me laugh. Not once have I ever written that Port Adelaide FC is the only contributor to the SANFL, just the greatest contributor to the SANFL.

Consistently attracting the GREATEST crowds in the SANFL, for over 140 years.

Consistently generating the GREATEST amount of revenue for the SANFL, for over 140 years.

And of course, winning the GREATEST number of Premierships in the SANFL, for over 140 years.

[Apachebulldog]

This my post in the Adelaide Now site re Mr Rooch's article re Magpies.

A very good article by Mr Rooch i suggest that all purists and lovers of the SANFL got to www.safooty.net and have a read to date there is sixty four pages about this very emotional issue.The possible implementation of AFL reserves teams has the potential to destroy the Magpies and the SANFL.My view is that the SANFL should wait for a least two years to see how the WAFL experiment pans out and then make a decision.

[Apachebulldog]

You hands are still on it Been Real my point is if that without opposition teams having played against Port Adelaide over the years there would be no history or Premierships and do not forget it was your club who initially instigated and then left the SANFL to go and play with the big boys because your club had outgrown the SANFL thats the crux of the matter.

Its some people like you with total and sheer arrogance that only care about Port Adelaide and could not give a stuff about the other EIGHT League clubs and the SANFL arrogance arrogance arrogance at its finest.

[beenreal]

You hands are still on it Been Real my point is if that without opposition teams having played against Port Adelaide over the years there would be no history or Premierships and do not forget it was your club who initially instigated and then left the SANFL to go and play with the big boys because your club had outgrown the SANFL thats the crux of the matter.

Its some people like you with total and sheer arrogance that only care about Port Adelaide and could not give a stuff about the other EIGHT League clubs and the SANFL arrogance arrogance arrogance at its finest.

And do not forget that it was your SANFL Commission that demanded the PAFC retain a presence in the SANFL competition.

Why, because they feared an SANFL without the PAFC would lose its relevance. Not to mention those 1000's of Port Adelaide supporters.

No different now.

[BrekkyDJ]

I hope there's still plenty of time to make my contribution to that Foot-e-Times Special.

I'd love to provide the Victorian view and touch on the 'myth' that AFL reserves in the comp boost crowd numbers.

Fact is (just like with Hawthorn and Box Hill), the Crows and Power will request their reserves play at, or close to, the time their AFL sides are playing. This is for fitness/training preparation.
That it turns means very small crowds to watch the 'reserves'.

[Apachebulldog]

From what i read somewhere there were only two commissioners who wanted the Magpies still in the comp ????

[on the rails]

Why, because they feared an SANFL without the PAFC would lose its relevance. Not to mention those 1000's of Port Adelaide supporters. No different now.

Well where are the "thousands" your club promised that are not either at the SANFL games anymore nor at the AFL games as it appears? A combined 16K at best on Saturday for both Port entities is a worry! I am sure you will blame poor stadium deals, the Sat arvo time slot, the clash of games re the Power and Magpies and the weather rather than the fact your crowd estimations since day 1 of your AFL existence have been greatly exaggerated!

I am sure the AFL, the SANFL and the SMA in respect to the AO redevelopment would be worried by Saturday's piss poor AAMI stadium attendance let alone Kochie and KT and the other "blind" PAFC officials who think that the move to AO will cure all the debt and evils the PAFC currently claim they have. I would suggest that even if you lumped another 10K worth of Port people into an AO game figure bsed on last Saturday that it may not even reach break even so AO may well be the death of you long term rather than the saviour? Some massively worrying times ahead for the fickle and disappearing Port fan base!

[Booney]

Why, because they feared an SANFL without the PAFC would lose its relevance. Not to mention those 1000's of Port Adelaide supporters. No different now.

Well where are the "thousands" your club promised that are not either at the SANFL games anymore nor at the AFL games as it appears? A combined 16K at best on Saturday for both Port entities is a worry! I am sure you will blame poor stadium deals, the Sat arvo time slot, the clash of games re the Power and Magpies and the weather rather than the fact your crowd estimations since day 1 of your AFL existence have been greatly exaggerated!

I am sure the AFL, the SANFL and the SMA in respect to the AO redevelopment would be worried by Saturday's piss poor AAMI stadium attendance let alone Kochie and KT and the other "blind" PAFC officials who think that the move to AO will cure all the debt and evils the PAFC currently claim they have. I would suggest that even if you lumped another 10K worth of Port people into an AO game figure bsed on last Saturday that it may not even reach break even so AO may well be the death of you long term rather than the saviour? Some massively worrying times ahead for the fickle and disappearing Port fan base!

Nowhere near as worrying as your heart rate must be when you fly off into one of your rants! I can just imagine how red in the face someone must get when so worked up. Always give me a chuckle. Life's to short mate, calm down.

Perhaps spend some time thinking so passionately about your own club and how you can help them to the ultimate success.

[Armytank]

You hands are still on it Been Real my point is if that without opposition teams having played against Port Adelaide over the years there would be no history or Premierships and do not forget it was your club who initially instigated and then left the SANFL to go and play with the big boys because your club had outgrown the SANFL thats the crux of the matter.

Its some people like you with total and sheer arrogance that only care about Port Adelaide and could not give a stuff about the other EIGHT League clubs and the SANFL arrogance arrogance arrogance at its finest.

And do not forget that it was your SANFL Commission that demanded the PAFC retain a presence in the SANFL competition.

Why, because they feared an SANFL without the PAFC would lose its relevance. Not to mention those 1000's of Port Adelaide supporters.

No different now.

Except this time you have spent the last 15 years proving your irrelevance in the SANFL.

So this time it is different

[SDK]

On the rails your last post is spot on.
Port Adelaide Magpies crowds have disappeared over the last 10 years and are certainly not the top crowd pullers these days. So the SANFL CAN survive without the Magpies.
Port Power crowds continue to fall and every game they play ( except against the Crows ) they lose money.
Moving to Adelaide Oval will increase crowds minimally for a short term but I agree with you On the Rails it will eventually be the death of Port Adelaide.
Of course the typically selfish and arrogant Port Adelaide people are happy to risk the death on the SANFL as long as Port Adelaide are OK.
Sadly whatever happens Port Power and Port Magpies are doomed to oblivion...... just xxxx off and don't bring the rest of SA Football with you !

I should say that even though I hate Port Adelaide with a passion I do respect them ( Magpies ) as a club and what they have achieved. I miss those great Norwood v Port clashed of days gone by. Sadly they are gone forever.

[Barto]

Why, because they feared an SANFL without the PAFC would lose its relevance. Not to mention those 1000's of Port Adelaide supporters. No different now.

Well where are the "thousands" your club promised that are not either at the SANFL games anymore nor at the AFL games as it appears? A combined 16K at best on Saturday for both Port entities is a worry! I am sure you will blame poor stadium deals, the Sat arvo time slot, the clash of games re the Power and Magpies and the weather rather than the fact your crowd estimations since day 1 of your AFL existence have been greatly exaggerated!

I am sure the AFL, the SANFL and the SMA in respect to the AO redevelopment would be worried by Saturday's piss poor AAMI stadium attendance let alone Kochie and KT and the other "blind" PAFC officials who think that the move to AO will cure all the debt and evils the PAFC currently claim they have. I would suggest that even if you lumped another 10K worth of Port people into an AO game figure bsed on last Saturday that it may not even reach break even so AO may well be the death of you long term rather than the saviour? Some massively worrying times ahead for the fickle and disappearing Port fan base!

16K is bloody woeful for an AFL game, we used to get that for minor round SANFL games. I think that's the thing that irks me the most, you can forgive an institution being torn down if it's replaced with something bigger and better, but it's hardly the case at all.

[SDK]

Exactly !

[CUTTERMAN]

The most amusing thing is that Port supporters were bleating on forums about Adelaide's poor attendance for the Freo game a few weeks ago, it was similar weather as last week but it rained a fair bit during the Ad v Freo game.
Adelaide got 27,500, Port got 16,000 last week. Yet Port supporters still want to mouth off.

[Macca19]

Both SA AFL clubs are struggling with crowds and have done for years. Adelaide are currently averaging their lowest ever crowds this year. Their last 4 years have been the lowest in the history of the club. This despite great form last year and a whole bunch of promise this year. Ports has jumped up significantly this year, the highest since 2007, but still not enough.

[Macca19]

Port Power crowds continue to fall and every game they play ( except against the Crows ) they lose money.

Actually our crowds are up by an average of 6000 per game this year.

Adelaides crowds have dropped by an average of 10,000 per game over the last ten years, but hey, that's all well and good isn't it.

[LPH]

So what you are saying is...

PAFC Crowds have gone from completely Crap to improved Crap?
Either way, it's still Crap!

[on the rails]

Nowhere near as worrying as your heart rate must be when you fly off into one of your rants! I can just imagine how red in the face someone must get when so worked up. Always give me a chuckle. Life's to short mate, calm down.

Perhaps spend some time thinking so passionately about your own club and how you can help them to the ultimate success.

Seriously? You are now telling me how to support my club and questioning my passion??? Thin ice and condesending are a few words that come to mind.....!