SANFL Junior codes

[Lightning McQueen]

I was trying to explain to one of our junior coaches the other week how some bigger clubs are notorious for working the system and making sure they either avoid promotion or get relegated.. he couldn't believe it, and couldn't wrap his head around it.

That weekend, he played the side which believed to be the biggest threat, flogged them, first thing coach said post-game "Yeah we rested our 4x best players today"

Then on the flip side, I've got parents / team within the club angry and asking the club to appeal to the SANFL to have them re-graded to a lower division - I'm sure for no other reason than to win.. like bad luck, suck it up FFS.

Regrading should be stamped out unless there is an obvious unbalance in divisions.. if you have a tough year, so be it.. but this whole focus on re-grading so you can improve your chances at a jnr flag no one will remember is rubbish.

This is one of the issues I have with the SANFL. They should be looking at votes and team lists before putting teams up and down. If they do, then it's not working. If they don't then they need to. Resting 4 best players (who potentially would've got votes either last year or this year, or are in club's best players) should be easily distinguishable and that game should not be considered as part of the discussion around regrading.

To be fair, the SANFL is on a hiding to nothing, there are clubs that want to manipulate the integrity of the comp and there are clubs that just want to give their kids a game. It's flawed and always will be, unfortunately there is no solution while the human element is involved.

[The Bedge]

Surely the non-ladder comps can be done from the start of the season?[/b]

This hasn't been done yet? Would have thought this would be the simplest to handle as they usually either play first thing or on Friday nights. That way you have oval availability identified once the premiership regrading has finished.

This was a frustration of mine, and when i asked the question was told they couldn't be done until re-grading due to not knowing oval availability blah blah blah.

Sounds like a load of waft to make up for being poorly organised.

[The Bedge]

On regrading if it's going to occur, my preference is for our teams to try and earn promotion.. somewhat selfishly I'm looking to future success of senior footy - and if we can have kids playing in a better standard against better teams then it's only going to make them better down the track IMO.

I really don't care about winning flags in juniors.. that will happen if you run a decent enough program from U7 up and teach kids the fundamentals etc. and keep them developing and improving.

[gadj1976]

On regrading if it's going to occur, my preference is for our teams to try and earn promotion.. somewhat selfishly I'm looking to future success of senior footy - and if we can have kids playing in a better standard against better teams then it's only going to make them better down the track IMO.

I really don't care about winning flags in juniors.. that will happen if you run a decent enough program from U7 up and teach kids the fundamentals etc. and keep them developing and improving.

I agree. We are in the proximity of clubs trying to win premierships in each grade. Something we're not and don't aspire to. It's not about winning U12/13/14 premierships per se, it's about creating the next gen of senior players. Good environments create that. Being ruthless can have detrimental effects in my opinion.

[Arch44]

On regrading if it's going to occur, my preference is for our teams to try and earn promotion.. somewhat selfishly I'm looking to future success of senior footy - and if we can have kids playing in a better standard against better teams then it's only going to make them better down the track IMO.

I really don't care about winning flags in juniors.. that will happen if you run a decent enough program from U7 up and teach kids the fundamentals etc. and keep them developing and improving.

My question was regarding our 12s in Div 3 and getting near none of the other teams on the scoreboard. We have played 4 games and been on the end of the mercy rule each week and has been more than the 10 goals that shows. As there is a regrading system I was hoping to be somewhere a little more competitive, more so to keep them in the game as a whole, not so much about winning and losing. If there wasn't a regrading system so be it, but there is so use it properly, otherwise what is the point of it?

[The Bedge]

My question was regarding our 12s in Div 3 and getting near none of the other teams on the scoreboard. We have played 4 games and been on the end of the mercy rule each week and has been more than the 10 goals that shows. As there is a regrading system I was hoping to be somewhere a little more competitive, more so to keep them in the game as a whole, not so much about winning and losing. If there wasn't a regrading system so be it, but there is so use it properly, otherwise what is the point of it?

"Use it properly".. if only that were the case... you probably deserved to go down, but sadly Henley Beach were better at losing than you and were relegated.

Looking at the ladder, you probably should've gone down.. unfortunately I'm not sold a lot of thought aside from "1 up, 1 down" goes into the re-grading - earlier in the week for instance Plympton U15s were still in the same div despite winning 3x games by average 121 points plus a "bye". One of those "wins" was changed to a forfeit, which meant looking at the ladder they were 2 wins, 1 loss, 1 bye and sitting around 4th.

It's not perfect, which is why I don't think it should occur - unless something extreme stands out e.g. Elizabeth U12s a few years back who were graded in the bottom div and took the piss before winning the flag 2x divisions higher.

[Dutchy]

Re-grading isn't perfect and will never be, but generally you get good games of footy in the SANFLJ system every week, this can't be said for nearby country leagues. My kids have played in both and I know which ones they developed more in.

[Brodlach]

Some more regrading to be done Thursday

[whufc]

I was trying to explain to one of our junior coaches the other week how some bigger clubs are notorious for working the system and making sure they either avoid promotion or get relegated.. he couldn't believe it, and couldn't wrap his head around it.

That weekend, he played the side which believed to be the biggest threat, flogged them, first thing coach said post-game "Yeah we rested our 4x best players today"

Then on the flip side, I've got parents / team within the club angry and asking the club to appeal to the SANFL to have them re-graded to a lower division - I'm sure for no other reason than to win.. like bad luck, suck it up FFS.

Regrading should be stamped out unless there is an obvious unbalance in divisions.. if you have a tough year, so be it.. but this whole focus on re-grading so you can improve your chances at a jnr flag no one will remember is rubbish.

This is one of the issues I have with the SANFL. They should be looking at votes and team lists before putting teams up and down. If they do, then it's not working. If they don't then they need to. Resting 4 best players (who potentially would've got votes either last year or this year, or are in club's best players) should be easily distinguishable and that game should not be considered as part of the discussion around regrading.

That would be one almighty of a task when thinking how many teams there are across the entire state. They would be dealing with all sorts of issues so to try and understand the ins and outs of each u/12 team from one year to the next in comparison to votes would be so impracticable.

[whufc]

On regrading if it's going to occur, my preference is for our teams to try and earn promotion.. somewhat selfishly I'm looking to future success of senior footy - and if we can have kids playing in a better standard against better teams then it's only going to make them better down the track IMO.

I really don't care about winning flags in juniors.. that will happen if you run a decent enough program from U7 up and teach kids the fundamentals etc. and keep them developing and improving.

^^^^^^This

Im fortunate the club i am involved in has been ultra successful at senior level in the last 8 years.......thats great. The biggest badge of honour we wear is that we have had 7 blokes play SANFL league football and 2 play AFL in the last 5 years.

This was a group of players who didnt win many/any junior flags but their development in football has given them opportunities in life that are helping turn them into great people.

[gadj1976]

I was trying to explain to one of our junior coaches the other week how some bigger clubs are notorious for working the system and making sure they either avoid promotion or get relegated.. he couldn't believe it, and couldn't wrap his head around it.

That weekend, he played the side which believed to be the biggest threat, flogged them, first thing coach said post-game "Yeah we rested our 4x best players today"

Then on the flip side, I've got parents / team within the club angry and asking the club to appeal to the SANFL to have them re-graded to a lower division - I'm sure for no other reason than to win.. like bad luck, suck it up FFS.

Regrading should be stamped out unless there is an obvious unbalance in divisions.. if you have a tough year, so be it.. but this whole focus on re-grading so you can improve your chances at a jnr flag no one will remember is rubbish.

This is one of the issues I have with the SANFL. They should be looking at votes and team lists before putting teams up and down. If they do, then it's not working. If they don't then they need to. Resting 4 best players (who potentially would've got votes either last year or this year, or are in club's best players) should be easily distinguishable and that game should not be considered as part of the discussion around regrading.

That would be one almighty of a task when thinking how many teams there are across the entire state. They would be dealing with all sorts of issues so to try and understand the ins and outs of each u/12 team from one year to the next in comparison to votes would be so impracticable.

You would only do that for teams that are being considered for relegation in rounds 3/4. So maybe 8-10 teams across a season. Not that difficult.

[Arch44]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

[gadj1976]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

I'd contact the administration of your club and seek to get that changed.

[The Bedge]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

I don't even know how you're still in D3 to be honest.

Without wanting to sound rude, only took 5min of watching Sunday to see that you're well out of your depth and under developed. Your kids deserve to be in a lower division where they can be competitive.

[Lightning McQueen]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

@The Bedge, am I allowed to use my annual petrol station sponsorship joke on this one?

[The Bedge]

Yes, believe it's a good time.

[Lightning McQueen]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

Does your club have a petrol sponsorship?

[Arch44]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

I don't even know how you're still in D3 to be honest.

Without wanting to sound rude, only took 5min of watching Sunday to see that you're well out of your depth and under developed. Your kids deserve to be in a lower division where they can be competitive.

Exactly what I have been saying. They try so hard too, just aren't as talented as the other sides. Plympton were 2nd to bottom before the match and we were bottom and lost by 10 goals. Wouldn't bother me if it was seniors, but juniors you need them to stay interested.
I would like to see a cap on how many teams each club can have in each grade, but that's a separate issue.

[Lightning McQueen]

Exactly what I have been saying. They try so hard too, just aren't as talented as the other sides. Plympton were 2nd to bottom before the match and we were bottom and lost by 10 goals. Wouldn't bother me if it was seniors, but juniors you need them to stay interested.
I would like to see a cap on how many teams each club can have in each grade, but that's a separate issue.

I used to think like that but then thought why should the better clubs be penalized for making their junior program more appealing.

I've been involved with five different junior clubs and umpired many junior games across most clubs north of Adelaide, you can see why their is an attraction to some clubs, it comes down to volunteers IMO, many hands make light work and all of the little things get the attention that the smaller clubs don't get.

I was involved at Fitzroy for a few years and there were too few people doing too much, a lot of great people though and I was disappointed that we had to leave.

[gadj1976]

Ah fixturing. Just noticed our u12s play Broadview 3 x times (twice in 3 weeks ) and don't play Marion at all.

I don't even know how you're still in D3 to be honest.

Without wanting to sound rude, only took 5min of watching Sunday to see that you're well out of your depth and under developed. Your kids deserve to be in a lower division where they can be competitive.

Exactly what I have been saying. They try so hard too, just aren't as talented as the other sides. Plympton were 2nd to bottom before the match and we were bottom and lost by 10 goals. Wouldn't bother me if it was seniors, but juniors you need them to stay interested.
I would like to see a cap on how many teams each club can have in each grade, but that's a separate issue.

I'm assuming you mean age group rather than division here?

I completely disagree. I'm at a Nth Eastern club and if you said that, there would be 50-90 kids per year that wouldn't play footy each year. Is that what the game is about? If the SANFL brought that rule in, we'd shun kids away to where? Ingle Farm, Pooraka, Para Hills, Houghton? Those would definitely entertain those kids coming in but would the kids and parents want to go there? Can the clubs cater for sides in each age group?

Given our area has Golden Grove (2 or 3 teams per age group), Tea Tree Gully (2 or 3), Modbury (1 or 2), Hope Valley, Ingle Farm, Pooraka, Para Hills, Houghton, Angle Vale, Brahma Lodge, Gepps Cross with none or 1 each. Where do those extra kids go?