The 1962 Report Regarding Club Numbers

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This appeared in the Advertiser, 27/6/1975:

A report by a special committee appointed by the SANFL 13 years ago, predicted with startling accuracy the serious problems now facing the League. Special investigators Ray Kutcher, Keith Wyatt and Don Brebner wrned against the admission of Woodville and Central District to the League competition. The report, possibly the most researched and important document ever commissioned by the League, was ignored.

It was not officially received by the delegates and was never discussed at League level. The report recommended that:
* South Adelaide be excluded from the competition
* Woodville not be admitted and,
* A team from the Elizabeth area be included

In 1962 there was a growing feeling among the League delegates that games were not attracting enough spectators and that the competition needed "a shot in the arm". In October of the same year, the League delegates appointed Messrs. Brebner, Kutcher and Wyatt to investigate the immediate and long term needs of football.

After months of diligent research and collating information from Government departments, town planning authorities, the Education Department, councils and other sporting organisations, they prepared the controversial 27 page report for the delegates.

In recommending the exclusion of South Adelaide, the investigators reported that:
"the present metropolitan area has sufficient potential, for only seven teams and that three teams from the Salisbury, Tea Tree Gully and Noarlunga areas would produce an ideal 10-team competition in 20 years." It added "It is with considerable regret that we have come to the conclusion that the interests of the game demand that the southern zone (encompassing South, Sturt and Glenelg) be re-allocated on the basis that only Glenelg and Sturt share the zone."

The investigators reasoned that South did not have any substantial following, that it did not have a ground and that it was not as established as Glenelg or Sturt. "By 1971 the zone will support only two teams on a par with other league clubs" the report predicted "and already (1962) the resources are insufficient for three teams".

While suggesting Souths demise, the report recommended that a team representing the Elizabeth area be admitted to the competition in 1963 and that the South club be allocated the Elizabeth area, then earmarked for Central District.

The report was adamant that Woodville be not admitted. "Investigations show that clubs in the western area will find it hard enough to keep pace as things are. While the present western area may well be able to provide a team of League standard in the immediate future, the admission of a further team would ultimately raise problems of a very serious nature. It is felt that if another team were admitted at this time, the ultimate results would be that one or other of the four teams in the zone would eventually have to be dissolved because of the lack of suitable population".

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And look how much of that report was correct.

-A team is now based at Noarlunga
-A team is still based at Elizabeth
-Serious problems occured in the western area in the long run
-The nearest thing to dissolution occured - the amalgamation of two of those four western teams

Imagine if the plan was adhered to? Even South moving to Noarlunga would have sufficed as the region grew within time, and then the TTG team by 1982.

But the plan wouldn't have counted on a SA team joining the VFL.

[Wedgie]

Great get Spelly!

What a pity they were ignored as their foresight was incredible for the time. One can't help but think how much better and stronger the comp might now be if they were listened to.

[nickname]

Very good get spelly. So who were the idiots who ignored this advice? And I wonder what the reason for their pig-headedness was.

[stampy]

what great foresight those blokes had. why were they commissioned to do the research and report their findings and recommendations to the sanfl if it was to be ignored?

i have been led to believe that woodville were admitted in an attempt to curb ports dominance of the competition, however it backfired and spelt the beginning of the end for west torrens. When you look at it, who where the crazy fools who were responsible for woodville being admitted? anyone with any common sense would have known that the western suburbs had their quota of clubs - crazy decision

[Leaping Lindner]

When the electorate system was made compulsory in 1899 there was talk in the local press of West (who had joined the SAFA in 1897) and South merging and becoming Adelaide (taking the square mile of Adelaide as their district) and further talk of letting a team from Gawler back into the competition. There was even talk of it again in 1905.
What might have been.....

[whufc]

No way i could never have brought myself to support SOUTH

[dedja]

Easy to criticise with the benefit of nearly 50 years hindsight ...

[stampy]

i think you are being a tad diplomatic dedj!