Grade Cricket

[Eagles2014]

Woodville safe. SACA want West Torrens and Port Adelaide to merge.

As we thought. SACA had already decided this before we went thru this whole process.

They have been extremely deceitful thru this whole saga.

Bradshaw's press release today is so full of crap, don't trust the bloke one little bit.

My prediction is our Women players will end up at Glenelg with their new teams, our Juniors will end up with Uni at West Beach, our Seniors will disperse to other Clubs or give up cricket.

Very sad day, but not unexpected!

Disgusting by the SACA. West Torrens should not be made to amalgamate with anyone. I got told this morning that Woodville were safe, but WT and Port have been told to amalgamate. Also I was told that if a merger was not successful between the two clubs, that the remaining club (West Torrens or Port) would not be paid the same each year, as the other SACA clubs. Can anyone confirm this? This is holding a gun at the clubs heads. Not that this has not been happening for the last 6 months. All 3 clubs and not just West Torrens had poor seasons, because of this hanging over their heads

Correct. All Clubs get $50k from SACA per season. They need this to survive, pay ball fees, etc. Rumour if one club survives on their own, they will only get $20k next year. Blackmail at the highest form!!

[Trader]

Sorry to be a little naïve, but why will WT players all disperse and not the PA players?
If it is a merger between these two clubs I would have thought they would have suffered the same impacts?

Or will the new club be based at PA still?

[Arch44]

Woodville safe. SACA want West Torrens and Port Adelaide to merge.

As we thought. SACA had already decided this before we went thru this whole process.

They have been extremely deceitful thru this whole saga.

Bradshaw's press release today is so full of crap, don't trust the bloke one little bit.

My prediction is our Women players will end up at Glenelg with their new teams, our Juniors will end up with Uni at West Beach, our Seniors will disperse to other Clubs or give up cricket.

Very sad day, but not unexpected!

Uni aren't going any where near West Beach. That is all fabricated.

[Eagles2014]

Sorry to be a little naïve, but why will WT players all disperse and not the PA players?
If it is a merger between these two clubs I would have thought they would have suffered the same impacts?

Or will the new club be based at PA still?

I think that's right Trader, SACA want a Club based at Port, so pretty sure the new Club will be down there. Agree, if it was located at Henley Oval, would be the reverse.

[heater31]

Sorry to be a little naïve, but why will WT players all disperse and not the PA players?
If it is a merger between these two clubs I would have thought they would have suffered the same impacts?

Or will the new club be based at PA still?

Who wants to play at Port Reserve?

Reckon Callum Ferguson and Kelvin Smith will end up at a club with a decent batting deck.

Can West Torrens just move to the ATCA?

[oyster]

Woodville safe. SACA want West Torrens and Port Adelaide to merge.

As we thought. SACA had already decided this before we went thru this whole process.

They have been extremely deceitful thru this whole saga.

Bradshaw's press release today is so full of crap, don't trust the bloke one little bit.

My prediction is our Women players will end up at Glenelg with their new teams, our Juniors will end up with Uni at West Beach, our Seniors will disperse to other Clubs or give up cricket.

Very sad day, but not unexpected!

Disgusting by the SACA. West Torrens should not be made to amalgamate with anyone. I got told this morning that Woodville were safe, but WT and Port have been told to amalgamate. Also I was told that if a merger was not successful between the two clubs, that the remaining club (West Torrens or Port) would not be paid the same each year, as the other SACA clubs. Can anyone confirm this? This is holding a gun at the clubs heads. Not that this has not been happening for the last 6 months. All 3 clubs and not just West Torrens had poor seasons, because of this hanging over their heads

Correct. All Clubs get $50k from SACA per season. They need this to survive, pay ball fees, etc. Rumour if one club survives on their own, they will only get $20k next year. Blackmail at the highest form!!

So these blokes at the SACA can do this? They can blackmail one club into extinction can they and tell the other they will only get 40% of what the other clubs get? Surely they can't get away with this?

I was told just then that Bradshaw and his little boys at the SACA have given the two clubs until April 8th to have the merger done and dusted or a forced extinction will occur. Surely that is not right? Can someone confirm this? How can 2 clubs who have been in the SACA competition for over 120 years be forced to merge in 2 weeks with Easter in the middle? This is stupidity in the highest form.

[Eagles2014]

Sorry to be a little naïve, but why will WT players all disperse and not the PA players?
If it is a merger between these two clubs I would have thought they would have suffered the same impacts?

Or will the new club be based at PA still?

Who wants to play at Port Reserve?

Reckon Callum Ferguson and Kelvin Smith will end up at a club with a decent batting deck.

Can West Torrens just move to the ATCA?

But Port Council are spending $5m on new Clubrooms/Facilities apparently - have heard this for 10 years, still has not happened. They have worse away changerooms than us!

Kelvin will end up at Bays, Ferg maybe back to Prospect where he started.

We don't have many choices now Heater, don't mind that idea though! SACA have all the power and in the unlikely case we survive on our own, they cut our funding in half compared to the other 11 Clubs - real fair, great blackmail.

[Reilly]

So these blokes at the SACA can do this? They can blackmail one club into extinction can they and tell the other they will only get 40% of what the other clubs get? Surely they can't get away with this?

I was told just then that Bradshaw and his little boys at the SACA have given the two clubs until April 8th to have the merger done and dusted or a forced extinction will occur. Surely that is not right? Can someone confirm this? How can 2 clubs who have been in the SACA competition for over 120 years be forced to merge in 2 weeks with Easter in the middle? This is stupidity in the highest form.

Jump on West Torrens website. There's a notice there regarding all this.

[oyster]

So what happens if West Torrens or Port decide to go it alone and tell the SACA to shove the merger where the sun don't shine?

Who is likely to be the club that comes out in front?

Could WT survive this way?

[bulldogproud2]

So what happens if West Torrens or Port decide to go it alone and tell the SACA to shove the merger where the sun don't shine?

Who is likely to be the club that comes out in front?

Could WT survive this way?

I am gutted!!
Although this unfortunately was on the cards, as we could read between the lines SACA's motives, I am currently in tears. West Torrens have meant the world to me for quite some time.

[ferret]

The bastards wanted a WT/PA merger decision by 1/4 (April Fools day....lets hope it is a joke). Only after getting down on hands and knees pleading for extra time was it extended to 8/4. How much more bending over do they want the two clubs to do.

With the promise of new/renovated complex for PA cricket by the council, the saca will be seduced by this and make it the home ground of the merged club so a presence on the LeFevre Peninsula can be made. This will then open up West Torrens former area to be infiltrated by Uni when they finally get the grounds established for juniors at West Beach.
A bigger act of bastardry has not been seen recently.
And cricket..............................................................................................................................................is supposed to be a GENTLEMENS game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[backoftheroom]

This is the post from the WTDCC website for those who have not read it/can't find it.

"Reduction in 1st Grade Clubs

The West Torrens District Cricket Club wishes to advise members and supporters with the latest information regarding SACAs intention to reduce the number of 1st Grade teams in the competition.

The club has approached all options with an open mind so that it could bring the best recommendation back to members. Sub Committees have had brief discussions with Port Adelaide CC before the New Year and then, with SACA heavily involved several discussions with Woodville DCC, but without finalising a position in regard to merger.

We have presented to the SACA Board on 29th February, our clubs case to remain in the SACA 1st Grade competition. This included work from Scott Jones, Adam Rumbelow, Charlie Rumbelow, Denis Brien, Brenton Woolford and Andrew Capel.

The SACA Board made a decision to allow clubs to continue to consider a merger. Clubs had to respond by March 15th with the SACA Board deciding on March 21st. Our clubs decision was that we would consider a merger.

Our President, Mr Denis Brien, today attended a SACA meeting with the SACA CEO Keith Bradshaw and the other presidents of PACC and WDCC regarding the decision of the SACA Board on March 21st.

The decision of the SACA Board was this:

1) WDCC will be permitted to remain in 1st Grade.
2) WTDCC and PACC are urged to continue merger talks.
3) Should a merger come to fruition, then SACA will aid the new entity financially with $500,000.00 plus legal fees and other funding assistance where possible.
4) Should a merger not occur, then one club will be relegated to 2nd Grade with no financial assistance (approx $50K now) and the remaining club shall not receive the same amount of funding as previous seasons (believed the $50K reduced to $20K).

The reasoning for how those decisions were made was not forthcoming.

We have until April 8th to respond to SACA with our intent.

At this point the Board of Management will meet next week to discuss this further.

Unfortunately for our supporters, members, players and coaching staff, it means a longer delay in being able to provide you with a definitive answer. For this, we with thank you for your patience and support as it is a trying time for all involved.


WTDCC"

Posted by Adam Rumbelow on Wednesday March 23, 2016 at 11:52AM

[Dogwatcher]

The South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) can today confirm further decisions regarding the West End Premier Cricket 1st Grade men’s competition.

The SACA Board has communicated to the West Torrens District Cricket Club and Port Adelaide Cricket Club that its preferred position is for the two clubs to merge.

Woodville District Cricket Club will remain as its own entity in the West End Premier Cricket 1st Grade competition for the 2016/17 season.

SACA reconfirms that additional funding will be provided towards infrastructure expenditure for facilities for a new entity, with additional funding towards on-costs such as legal fees, communications and marketing to facilitate a merger.

SACA will continue to work with the new entity to source further funding from external sources.

“It is important to SACA that, while pursuing the best interests of cricket in South Australia, we also seek ways to retain the history of the clubs involved with the Association where possible,” said SACA Chief Executive, Keith Bradshaw.

“We believe the proposed merger will mitigate the issues identified in the Premier Cricket Report including the limitations within their respective geographical areas.”

The SACA Board also confirmed that should either club be unwilling to commit to merger discussions, it will immediately make a termination to return to a 12-team competition, reducing it from the current 13-team structure.

[Tony Clifton]

Heartbreaking

Feel for the players, members and supporters of those two clubs

[am Bays]

And cricket..............................................................................................................................................is supposed to be a GENTLEMENS game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It never has been.

You could argue this has been a most civil decision, I mean there have been no physical fights that I'm aware of within the SACA boardroom as per documented history of the late 19th century and early 20th cricket administrative processes!!!

[bulldogproud2]

The irony of all this.... supposedly done to improve the Redbacks' chances of winning Shields.
SACA hierarchy must be praying hard that we lose the final next week... or the timing of this decision will look to be the most foolish decision made by any sporting body ever!!

[Arch44]

The irony of all this.... supposedly done to improve the Redbacks' chances of winning Shields.
SACA hierarchy must be praying hard that we lose the final next week... or the timing of this decision will look to be the most foolish decision made by any sporting body ever!!

Hardly that dramatic when it could be the 1st one in 20 years.

[bulldogproud2]

The irony of all this.... supposedly done to improve the Redbacks' chances of winning Shields.
SACA hierarchy must be praying hard that we lose the final next week... or the timing of this decision will look to be the most foolish decision made by any sporting body ever!!

Hardly that dramatic when it could be the 1st one in 20 years.

Agreed... a decision to reduce the number of teams would have looked fine at any time in the past 19 years. I am not arguing the pros and cons of the overall decision to reduce teams. However, out of all the possible times to make the announcement, this is the one that is ironic!
Cheers

[Lame Choice]

After all the trash talk with a bit of rationale occasionally, I still can't see the point for SACA to decimate one of the oldest and successful clubs in SACA history. Poor form on the media side of things, with all the statements coming out now, they need to been very clear on their justification. You can drive a truck through the "limitations within their respective geographical areas". WT has never had problems with numbers and Port area is growing..
option for WT to merge or get terminated
option for Port to merge or lose funding
I'd say time for WT to return serve with a public 'save' campaign starting today. They are dead any other way.

[Booney]

Surely a Woodville West Torrens Cricket Club based where the Woodville West Torrens Football Club plays would be the best outcome?