Grade Cricket

[Armchair expert]

Because we all cry that SACAM are full of imports and they get preferential treatment over the locals.

[The Old Fellow]

It's strange they've introduced the points system. They've gone to the trouble of creating two divisions to strengthen the competition, which I think is a good idea. South Australia is 1/6th of the First Class teams in this country, but 1/15th the population, so naturally there are a number of players from other states who see an opportunity to pursue a first class career here in SA. Plus there is the Lehmann academy.

If they really wanted to give more locals a go, wouldn't they have more teams in 1st division?

Or did they see Port Adelaide win a premiership on the back of good recruiting and make something up?

Why put blockages in place to get the absolute best players to come and play in the Premier competition? If locals score runs and take wickets, they'll naturally climb the grades and be better for it when they reach 1st class level.

What is the actual point of doing this?

They are not putting a blockage in place to stop the best players playing in the div 1 and 2 Premier comps, only stopping all going to one club and attempting to protect div 2 clubs at the same time by stopping the better players being poached to play div 1 as all recruits are worth points. Depending on how the points actually work, clubs can have a few recruits whether from interstate, overseas or other Premier clubs A grade teams but will need to have majority of home grown players, thus giving locals a go.

Does anyone know the actual set up of the comps this season yet? Heard a rumour that 4th grade may be all one day games. Thoughts?

[Aerie]

It's strange they've introduced the points system. They've gone to the trouble of creating two divisions to strengthen the competition, which I think is a good idea. South Australia is 1/6th of the First Class teams in this country, but 1/15th the population, so naturally there are a number of players from other states who see an opportunity to pursue a first class career here in SA. Plus there is the Lehmann academy.

If they really wanted to give more locals a go, wouldn't they have more teams in 1st division?

Or did they see Port Adelaide win a premiership on the back of good recruiting and make something up?

Why put blockages in place to get the absolute best players to come and play in the Premier competition? If locals score runs and take wickets, they'll naturally climb the grades and be better for it when they reach 1st class level.

What is the actual point of doing this?

They are not putting a blockage in place to stop the best players playing in the div 1 and 2 Premier comps, only stopping all going to one club and attempting to protect div 2 clubs at the same time by stopping the better players being poached to play div 1 as all recruits are worth points. Depending on how the points actually work, clubs can have a few recruits whether from interstate, overseas or other Premier clubs A grade teams but will need to have majority of home grown players, thus giving locals a go.

Does anyone know the actual set up of the comps this season yet? Heard a rumour that 4th grade may be all one day games. Thoughts?

How many clubs have the capital to bring over or bring back recruits from interstate not brought over by the Redbacks? Port and Uni?

And surely the point of two divisions is to have the very best players playing in division 1 as much as possible? There should definitely be some form of financial compensation to Div 2 clubs who lose their players who they have developed and an easy path back to their original club should they be promoted to Div 1 in the future, or even within season, if they're not picked in 1st Grade.

We should be giving the few locals capable of being 1st class cricketers the best competition possible to perform in, against as many top cricketers as possible, rather than giving heaps of locals a chance to play 1st Grade cricket, if we want to improve at the higher levels. That is the point of the Grade system.

And regarding the preferential treatment of interstate players vs locals by the SACA - that is a different problem all together.

[Tony Clifton]

It's strange they've introduced the points system. They've gone to the trouble of creating two divisions to strengthen the competition, which I think is a good idea. South Australia is 1/6th of the First Class teams in this country, but 1/15th the population, so naturally there are a number of players from other states who see an opportunity to pursue a first class career here in SA. Plus there is the Lehmann academy.

If they really wanted to give more locals a go, wouldn't they have more teams in 1st division?

Or did they see Port Adelaide win a premiership on the back of good recruiting and make something up?

Why put blockages in place to get the absolute best players to come and play in the Premier competition? If locals score runs and take wickets, they'll naturally climb the grades and be better for it when they reach 1st class level.

What is the actual point of doing this?

They stupidly introduced a system that paid no mind to clubs producing good players

Then realised afterwards that it would be good if clubs produced good players

[Tony Clifton]

Heard a rumour that 4th grade may be all one day games. Thoughts?

They did that a few years ago as a one season trial

Think it received a mixed response. Half the clubs liked it, half didn't.

[billy]

It's strange they've introduced the points system. They've gone to the trouble of creating two divisions to strengthen the competition, which I think is a good idea. South Australia is 1/6th of the First Class teams in this country, but 1/15th the population, so naturally there are a number of players from other states who see an opportunity to pursue a first class career here in SA. Plus there is the Lehmann academy.

If they really wanted to give more locals a go, wouldn't they have more teams in 1st division?

Or did they see Port Adelaide win a premiership on the back of good recruiting and make something up?

Why put blockages in place to get the absolute best players to come and play in the Premier competition? If locals score runs and take wickets, they'll naturally climb the grades and be better for it when they reach 1st class level.

What is the actual point of doing this?

They are not putting a blockage in place to stop the best players playing in the div 1 and 2 Premier comps, only stopping all going to one club and attempting to protect div 2 clubs at the same time by stopping the better players being poached to play div 1 as all recruits are worth points. Depending on how the points actually work, clubs can have a few recruits whether from interstate, overseas or other Premier clubs A grade teams but will need to have majority of home grown players, thus giving locals a go.

Does anyone know the actual set up of the comps this season yet? Heard a rumour that 4th grade may be all one day games. Thoughts?

How many clubs have the capital to bring over or bring back recruits from interstate not brought over by the Redbacks? Port and Uni?

And surely the point of two divisions is to have the very best players playing in division 1 as much as possible? There should definitely be some form of financial compensation to Div 2 clubs who lose their players who they have developed and an easy path back to their original club should they be promoted to Div 1 in the future, or even within season, if they're not picked in 1st Grade.

We should be giving the few locals capable of being 1st class cricketers the best competition possible to perform in, against as many top cricketers as possible, rather than giving heaps of locals a chance to play 1st Grade cricket, if we want to improve at the higher levels. That is the point of the Grade system.

And regarding the preferential treatment of interstate players vs locals by the SACA - that is a different problem all together.

Somebody needs to let SACA know, the reason they started the two divisions was to create a better standard. Now that has happened SACA have decided that we need to go back to pandering to people who are happy being shocking, and bring in 50 rules to make sure that happens. Presume the aim is to make sure that if you are talented, you will be bored by the competition and become mediocre like everyone else. Then they all scratch their heads, have a whinge and complain that SA can't produce a decent shield side.

[daysofourlives]

What a joke this is, SANFL doesnt have a point system restricting the amount of quality players you can bring in from elsewhere. Who cares if you have 11 from interstate if theyre better than what you have locally, can only improve the comp
May as well just go back to one division if this is the way they want it to run

[The Old Fellow]

What a joke this is, SANFL doesnt have a point system restricting the amount of quality players you can bring in from elsewhere. Who cares if you have 11 from interstate if theyre better than what you have locally, can only improve the comp
May as well just go back to one division if this is the way they want it to run

But the SANFL has salary cap which dos the same thing.

[whufc]

What a joke this is, SANFL doesnt have a point system restricting the amount of quality players you can bring in from elsewhere. Who cares if you have 11 from interstate if theyre better than what you have locally, can only improve the comp
May as well just go back to one division if this is the way they want it to run

But the SANFL has salary cap which dos the same thing.

Yep, and i would rather a points system than salary cap. At least a points system can be traced and if you have the money to pay someone big why not.

[Aerie]

The SANFL has the advantage of having a larger salary cap than any other state league in Australia and a reputation as the best league outside the AFL.

SACA Premier Grade has the advantage of the Lehmann Academy bringing some quality players over, and a spot in the Redbacks squad being more achievable than in other states attracting some quality players, but would be well behind Sydney Premier Cricket, for example, in terms of quality of competition.

It seems they take a step forward to make the top flight of Premier Cricket stronger, at the expense of a number of clubs who find themselves in Div 2, then take a step backward by filtering the system of who can actually play for the 8 1st XI's who make up Div 1 of the Premier competition.

Wouldn't the better answer be, if they want more locals to be playing the top grade - possibly at the expense of the quality of competition - to be going back to more teams in Div 1? Which is what they had 2 years ago?

[The Hound]

Any news on how the points system is having with recruiting players. If some clubs have had to not take players they had committed to?
Heard Rothall from Woodville taking up a coaching road at Seahorses. Was he coaching at Peckers last year?

[Eagles2014]

Jake Lehmann signed at Kensington. Good get for them as their batting was horrible last season.

Also picked up opening batter from Ireland, and think Jason Sangha moving there also.

Maybe need a fast bowler with David Grant retired.

[Insider_Trading]

Looks like the program has been fully released.

October 12 start date with a 50 over game in the 1's to begin the season

[Aerie]

Looks like each lower grade and each junior grade also has a T20 comp attached to it. Good move.

[cokadonkeytoo]

Scheduled T20s on the Sat 30th Nov at 4:30pm. Bloody late start!

Also scheduled games on Wed 4th Dec starting at 1pm.

Bit weird. Hopefully a couple of typos

[Eagles2014]

Scheduled T20s on the Sat 30th Nov at 4:30pm. Bloody late start!

Also scheduled games on Wed 4th Dec starting at 1pm.

Bit weird. Hopefully a couple of typos

Yeh, seems to be few weird stuff.

Looks like triple headers at grounds with 9.30, 1.00 and 4.30 start times.

One day cup only two rounds listed, when the rest played?

No 1st grade for Dec 21 weekend, is that finals of 20/20?

[wedgetail]

Ben Turley playing at Port on $12,000 a year for the next two years. Smacks of his financial decision to go to Prospect a few years ago now that Woodville are in Div 2.

[Eagles2014]

Ben Turley playing at Port on $12,000 a year for the next two years. Smacks of his financial decision to go to Prospect a few years ago now that Woodville are in Div 2.

The more important question is where are they getting their money? Wealthy sponsors?

Valente $25k, Andrews $20k, now Turley $12k. They are the well known ones, do Conway, Benton, Greber etc get coin too?

They should be made to put that money towards their Juniors so they don’t forfeit the Under 12’s again or their Whites teams

[Minimum Chips]

Ben Turley playing at Port on $12,000 a year for the next two years. Smacks of his financial decision to go to Prospect a few years ago now that Woodville are in Div 2.

The more important question is where are they getting their money? Wealthy sponsors?

Valente $25k, Andrews $20k, now Turley $12k. They are the well known ones, do Conway, Benton, Greber etc get coin too?

They should be made to put that money towards their Juniors so they don’t forfeit the Under 12’s again or their Whites teams

I heard from someone at Uni that Greber was getting $15K. The pokies at Alberton Hotel must be doing well!! I'm sure the rest of the players are playing for the love of the club

[The Hound]

Ben Turley playing at Port on $12,000 a year for the next two years. Smacks of his financial decision to go to Prospect a few years ago now that Woodville are in Div 2.

The more important question is where are they getting their money? Wealthy sponsors?

Valente $25k, Andrews $20k, now Turley $12k. They are the well known ones, do Conway, Benton, Greber etc get coin too?

They should be made to put that money towards their Juniors so they don’t forfeit the Under 12’s again or their Whites teams

Agreed!!!....I am not sure how much longer than can use the not many schools in the area card for, been at least 10 years
With some of that money players are getting, maybe redirect it to have someone appointed part time to promote cricket in the local schools, even in winter you could use the school gym.
It doesn't help they have the Eyre Peninsula as their country zone, travel time and cost very prohibitive for parents.