Poll - What week should SANFL grand final be on?

[doggies4eva]

Night Prelim and bring the Grand Final back to a Saturday arvo.

What he said.

x 3

x4

[hawkseye]

This is a no brainer question to me. I love this weekend every year! Well the last 9 anyway

[Brucetiki]

Keep it as it is I say. It's great having the focus completely on the SANFL for at least one week. Even the Advertiser has given excellent coverage of the game this year (though Wednesday was interesting having a 'special Double Blues Edition' with the Centrals poster).

[tipper]

Keep it as it is I say. It's great having the focus completely on the SANFL for at least one week. Even the Advertiser has given excellent coverage of the game this year (though Wednesday was interesting having a 'special Double Blues Edition' with the Centrals poster).

I think that was more to do with where you bought your paper. all mine this week have been centrals editions, purchased in the northern suburbs. i thought for a while that the advetiser was well and truly on the doggies side!

[Brucetiki]

Keep it as it is I say. It's great having the focus completely on the SANFL for at least one week. Even the Advertiser has given excellent coverage of the game this year (though Wednesday was interesting having a 'special Double Blues Edition' with the Centrals poster).

I think that was more to do with where you bought your paper. all mine this week have been centrals editions, purchased in the northern suburbs. i thought for a while that the advetiser was well and truly on the doggies side!

Yeah I bought a 'Retail South' edition that looked very different to the one they were showing on AdelaideNow - still I found the Centrals poster in a Sturt edition paper mildly humourous, which would probably explain that.

[tipper]

Keep it as it is I say. It's great having the focus completely on the SANFL for at least one week. Even the Advertiser has given excellent coverage of the game this year (though Wednesday was interesting having a 'special Double Blues Edition' with the Centrals poster).

I think that was more to do with where you bought your paper. all mine this week have been centrals editions, purchased in the northern suburbs. i thought for a while that the advetiser was well and truly on the doggies side!

Yeah I bought a 'Retail South' edition that looked very different to the one they were showing on AdelaideNow - still I found the Centrals poster in a Sturt edition paper mildly humourous, which would probably explain that.

Yeah, i would have thought a "special edition" would have a bit more to it than a bit of printing on the cover. not sure what else was different (if anything) but i suppose if they think it sells more papers...

[hawkseye]

What about Nathan bassets sly dig at Centrals supporters in his column today?
Was a bit cheeky, hopefully with tongue planted in it.

[Dogwatcher]

Who actually won the WAFL GF? Against whom? Close Game? Good crowd? Who would know with the standard if the media these days.

What do you mean standard of the media these days?

How is it the media's fault you can't find a search button on google.

[Dogwatcher]

WAFL reports:

http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/souths- ... -fx7u.html

http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0 ... 01,00.html

http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/watters ... -fy7m.html

http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/bulldog ... -fwng.html

http://blogs.watoday.com.au/lineandleng ... l_fol.html

http://www.watoday.com.au/sport/jeff-fa ... -fx4j.html

[PhilH]

For the record South Freo beat Subiaco, about 22k turned up
In the VFL North Ballarat Roosters defeated Northern Bullants in front of about 14K

[o five]

Night Prelim and bring the Grand Final back to a Saturday arvo.

What he said.

x 3

x4

x5

[mighty_tiger_79]

i agree try out a night prelim into a sat final

[mighty_tiger_79]

For the record South Freo beat Subiaco, about 22k turned up
In the VFL North Ballarat Roosters defeated Northern Bullants in front of about 14K

PhilH - would you have the crowd figures for the season for the WAFL and the VFL?

[PhilH]

Don't have anything for VFL bar Grand final, they dont even publicise normal game crowds in match reports to my knowledge

As for WAFL, total attendance for the season 245,289. (includes finals)
(According to official WAFL web site)

SANFL
- after 23 rounds 261,943
- 3 weeks of finals 32,520 ( total 294,463 )

That's 49,174 more with the grand final still to come, so you could expect us to be 75K to 85K in front by seasons end.

[Dogwatcher]

Phil, what's your take on those figures?
Just going on anecdotal evidence, the SANFL is the higher regarded competition and is supposed to have a more loyal supporter base than the WAFL.
Should we be thinking those figures should be higher?

[PhilH]

Hi DW

Its tricky because there is a large gap between WAFL & SANFL and of course and even larger gap between SANFL & AFL.

So really the SANFL is competiting with itself.

Trendwise 2009 is down on 2008 but right up there slight ahead of other recent years.

From 2000 through 2005 there was a very small but gradual decline (ie 1-3% per year), that has been rectified in recent times.

History will probably show that 2008 was an high aberation due to TWO AFL free weekends (Hall of Fame Game & normal mid season break) and very dry weather.

This year its been wet on key dates (Anzac Day especially) and the move of minor finals to AAMI has lessened the crowds.


My concern is not current support but where will it be in the future.
No other state has such an interest in a state league of any sport as we do in the SANFL. This may be a curse.
As media becomes more national and global the ability to cover local is reduced.

To maintain current levels its up to all of us to ensure media outlets know through our interactions with them that the SANFL still has strong support behind them.

Two things greatly concerned me in 2009. Firstly the lack of media coverage of the interstate game, especially SA people going to perth covering the game, thats a financial issue the SANFL has little control over. The second was the lack of a live broadcast of the Magarey re a vote by vote count. This alas was a SANFL own goal as there was interest to cover the event live, it was just something the SANFL could not or would not negotiate an agreement with to make happen. Where that trend continues concerns me. Hopefully there has been enough of a backlash for something to be restored in 2010. If not I wonder what is next, a lack of finances leading to less funds for community radio broadcasting of games, less games on radio or ABC deciding state league sport is dead and doing away with the TV coverage.

The massive amount of mainstream media coverage for this weeks Grand Final restores some faith for me as I have been very impressed with the Advertiser / Messenger and TV coverage.

[Mr66]

A week after the AFL Grand Final.
Always save the best for last.

[Wedgie]

Great analysis Phil and thanks for your ongoing work, you're a treasure for LifeFM, the SANFL as a whole and this site!

[spell_check]

The massive amount of mainstream media coverage for this weeks Grand Final restores some faith for me as I have been very impressed with the Advertiser / Messenger and TV coverage.

That is something that amazes me. I can't recall this much fanfare for a Grand Final since Port/Norwood in 1999. And apart from the Internet (of course), everything else has slowly gone backwards since 10 years ago. The only other improvement is the coverage that LifeFM and 5RPH give . In that time though, we have lost CoastFM and was it 5DN that became SEN?

The Budget, no more Magarey Medal count, no Channel 31, no Queens Birthday telecasts, no Adelaide Cup day telecasts (or a match to replace it) the minor round coverage and reviews that the Advertiser and Sunday Mail give are good examples of this.

[Barto]

The massive amount of mainstream media coverage for this weeks Grand Final restores some faith for me as I have been very impressed with the Advertiser / Messenger and TV coverage.

Perhaps they're realising there is still a good grass roots support of the local league and people interested in football do actually want to read about teams other than those in the AFL.