Is there a fair few people that are frustrated by the fact that everything the SANFL now does and everything that is spoken of the SANFL in the media etc comes from an AFL perspective.

I truly believe that the SANFL competition has missed a trick and in less than 10 years will be no more than an under 23 feeder comp for the AFL.

Imho the SANFL should have been looking to set itself up as the alternative to the AFL rather than AFL's puppet reserve league. We were never going to compete against the AFL but I do believe there was enough support out there for the SANFL to flourish in its own right much like the Triple J's, Fresh FM of this world do against the commercial radio stations.

Port Power Reserves
daylight
more daylight
even more daylight

Eagles
North
Norwood
Adelaide Crows Reserves

Glenelg
Central
West
South
Sturt

I was surprised at the attitude of my brother-in-law (a mad keen Port Adelaide Magpies supporter since birth 57 years ago attending most matches) about the coming season. He does not plan on going to a single match this year, having lost total interest to, in his words 'it is not the Magpies anymore, it is not the true Port Adelaide. It is just an AFL Reserves side'.
I know it is what many of us may have thought, but I did not expect it coming from him. Are there a lot more Magpie supporters with his attitude?

Only the ones that read the crap from people that want the magpies dead. Speaking to a very good family friend on the weekend that has played and been involved with port adelaide for many years, said that the club feels like the real PAFC then it ever has especially over the last 5-7 years. I'm sure those supporters will be back once the success comes.
Yep winning makes a difference. Probably not just those that read comments on here, but also comments made by your captain on Facebook (pre-cheque book and rule bending).

Just heard Warren Partland on RPH.
Wazza, YOU ARE A CHAMPION!!
Keep up the good journalism, say what you think and not what the mainstream media tells you to think....or the chief footy writer for that matter.
Well done. =D> =D>

What he say??
He was very strong on Magpies not being called magpies, call them Power res. Also said they've got too many advantages and that it's crap. Went on to give a serve to J. Allen being at Norwood.
You'd guess that Partland and Rucci are great work mates.
Audio link would be good if someone can.

A question: If a player such as Lewis Johnston or Cameron Hitchcock is delisted, would their original club eg. North or Glenelg have to pay a transfer fee to get them back?. My gut feel is that Port in particular will keep these blokes on as "top up" players
And pay them $400 a game? Or just make them a mature age player in 2025?
I'm fully expecting to see Hitchcock, Logan etc playing as "$400" players next year.
Hopefully there are changes at seasons end that will prevent this scenerio happening

Now that the SANFL no longer hold the licenses of the two SA based AFL clubs what is the extent of the SANFL's obligation to these two clubs?
Is it the same obligation the SANFL has to Collingwood or Gold Coast? i.e None.

I am sure the SANFL would survive without the AFL teams, without the media, without any exposure, the clubs would simply adjust to live within their means.
For most people on here it wouldnt matter about the standard of the competition as long as it was still Centrals playing North or Glenelg playing South.
and there was the same rules for all and there was still a premiership at the end of the season.
It could be equivalent of Div 5 ammos for all i care i just want to see the dogs be given the same chance of winning the flag as the other 7 teams. The standard wouldnt fall away much as you must still play SANFL to be eligible for the draft thus keeping the comp strong.

I wonder if the SANFL clubs would have the balls to make this happen, because as it stands it is completely unfair.

Last year the 8 clubs were adamant that Port could have a reserves team in the SANFL league only under the same conditions as the Crows.

Port whinged "We want to have dedicated SANFL league players of any age and we want a SANFL reserves team too".

The clubs couldn't have backflipped more quickly if they'd had circus training.

You reckon they'll admit to making a mistake now?

It was quite interesting how Port got their reserves side into the SANFL. All the focus and members info nights last year were about the Crows reserves. Power got their reserves team in very quietly soon afterward the Crows did. With their current set-up, getting home games at Alberton and not having to pay the other 8 clubs anything like the Crows do, the SANFL gave Power a very good deal.

I wonder if the SANFL clubs would have the balls to make this happen, because as it stands it is completely unfair.

Last year the 8 clubs were adamant that Port could have a reserves team in the SANFL league only under the same conditions as the Crows.

Port whinged "We want to have dedicated SANFL league players of any age and we want a SANFL reserves team too".

The clubs couldn't have backflipped more quickly if they'd had circus training.

You reckon they'll admit to making a mistake now?

I hope so. I reckon some were so enthusiastic about getting the Crows on board, that Port were just an after thought - or no thought at all. They were hardly talked about at the Eagles info night - except for an 80 year old lady saying watch out for them and what they'll get up to - Slaven shrugged off saying they'll just get the same conditions as the Crows.

Even Doug Thomas in his mid-week interview was saying Port will get injuries and other SANFL clubs will get players back so it will even out. Sounded like an attempt to shut up anyone querying what is playing out, to me.

PS. Given none of this is fair or about integrity - I see no problem in the SANFL doing it half way through the season after Port have played each team once.

Serious question, who do you expect to pay out these players contracts?
Another mistake by the SANFL, the AFL clubs should not be able to sign anything other than 1 year contracts because this whole thing is only a year by year proposition

Here is what Port's top up list looks like.

Anthony Biemans - Geelong football league last 2 years
Angus Brogemann - jnrs at the eagles been playing country footy
Danny Butcher - power last year
Sam Gordon - Hampden football league
Ben Haren - Port jnr Syndney swans
Zac Hawkins - Port jnr
Jake Johansen - Port Jnr
Nathen Krakouer - Hasn't played AFL since 2011 WA Ammo's last 2 years
Aseri Raikiwasa - Port Jnr
Ban Sawford - Port Jnr
Louis Sharrad - Port Jnr
Henry Slattery - Leadership player
Steven Summerton - Port Jnr
Matt Venter - No senior footy 24 years old
Robbie Young - Port Jnr

You can't complain about about Port's jnr's. We still have a academy team in the reserves and our development programs across the state. Slattery is our leadership player. The only one you can complain about is Danny Butcher. The other's haven't played league footy within 18 months. So I don't know what the SANFL or the clubs could actually change.
Option 1:
They can say no top up players who have played at any state league level and that includes Port juniors such as Summerton, Raikawasa etc.
Option 2:
Limit age of top up players to under 21 only
Option 3:
Similar to the old VFL model they can limit the ammount of AFL listed players that can play each week, the VFL limit was 12

Pretty easy to get a couple of hours off work too, plus you will be paid for the time your at the school. Also doesn't have to be players could be a couple of the people that work full time for the club.
How many people do you think work at SANFL clubs? They are running on a bare minimum and rely on volunteers to help them out. Do you expect the bar manager and the chef to head out to schools?

Players already get time off to make it to training and you expect them to then get another couple of hours off?

You seriously live in la la land.

As someone who grew up in the country I always followed West Adelaide because that is our zone. We either wear the jumper for Westies juniors, or have good mates that go through the system. It is a logical choice. I might be naive but I would thing that juniors in our area will still think the same way.

Being a crows AFL supporter I have always checked the SANFL results on a Sunday to see how the guys went that didn't get a game for the Crows. I still do this but instead of looking across multiple stats sheets it's in one. I have enjoyed reading the passionate supporters going apeshit on here, but deep down I feel sorry for you guys because the league you have loved (a lot more than I) is slowly disintegrating into something else.

I'm not a Crows SANFL supporter, but like Benny I also find myself having an interest in them simply because of the level of dissent shown by some on here.

Anyone would think that way. But if clubs aren't going to put the time into the zones then there not going to get anywhere. My sister teaches at a northern school which would be less then a 10min drive to elizabeth oval. Centrals couldn't organise to get a few players out to spend a couple of hours at the school. They then organised for Port and because Central's couldn't be bothered they have setup for port to keep returning to the school. If the club's aren't going to put in the work to promote their footy club and get in touch with the kids, then they are going to keep losing a supporter base.

Bit easier for full time professional players to get to a school during school hours than SANFL players who have full time jobs.

Pretty easy to get a couple of hours off work too, plus you will be paid for the time your at the school. Also doesn't have to be players could be a couple of the people that work full time for the club.

who is your boss?? I could do with a few hours off work

1. Hender
2. Lonergan
3. Thorp
4. Proud
5. Bradley

Anyone know what Nathan Kraquer is doing for a job in Adelaide now? I mean it's not like he can live on $400/week for playing footy is it.

How does the salary caps of the crows and port teams work?

From memory the crows topup players get $100 a game.

How does it work for port?
Here are Adelaide's conditions...

Top Up players – leadership player
- AFC can contract one ‘leadership’ player per season.
- 28 years and over, must have been on AFC AFL list.

Top Up players – other
- SANFL Clubs can opt in / out of providing top up players to the AFC.
- SANFL Clubs must make the decision on in /out by November 1st.
- Should SANFL Clubs chose to opt in, they agree to always have a minimum of 2 players available for selection for the AFC.
- These players will be:
o 18 – 22 years old, on an SANFL Club list
o Selected at start of pre-season in conjunction with SANFL Clubs
o AFC and SANFL Clubs to review at conclusion of Rd 6 and Rd 12
o Cannot play against the player’s home SANFL Club
o Receive a match payment of $100
o AFC to access further ‘top up’ players from community football. These players are not to have played at SANFL level for a minimum of 18 months and will receive $400 per match.
- Top up player system to be reviewed annually.
- Should the PAFC enter a team in the SANFL League Competition with the same on field regulations as the AFC, this would need to be reviewed.

http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/2179/

Here are Ports conditions...

Top Up players – leadership player
• Port Adelaide Magpies support team can contract one ‘leadership’ player per season.
o 28 years and over, must have been on PAFC AFL or PAMFC list.

Top Up players – ‘Magpies listed’ contracted players
• Port Adelaide Magpies to provide a list of 15 players at the start of the season who can play at SANFL league level – contracts to be lodged with SANFL. (18 and above with no age ceiling to apply).
• Such players receive a maximum of $400 per match at SANFL league level, $100 at reserves level.

http://www.sanfl.com.au/news/sanfl_news/2228/

Port didn't have any restrictions on age of top players and they were allowed to choose players already in the SANFL unlike the Crows. How Port were ever let in under different conditions astounds me. It is completely unfair. On top of this on any given day Port or Crows could have a player running around on a salary that is higher than the entire SANFL team they are playing.

This is why I'm so pissed off about it. I could almost live with it if both teams had the same conditions, but the SANFL have basically handed Power Reserves the premiership.

kickinit wrote:He was talking about us cheating the system. I thought the system allowed us to play our AFL players in our SANFL side? Don't see how thats cheating.

Might not be cheating but surely you would agree it is CLEARLY an unfair advantage that the Port Aelaide Football Club has...

A question to Port and Crows fans. If the AFL turned around and said next year Port and Crows are only going to have a salary cap 50% of all the other teams, how would you feel?

The thing you don't realise is that people who follow the AFL don't respect or understand your decision not to barrack for an AFL team and to follow and SANFL club solely. To them you might as well follow the A League for all the impact you have on their thinking about their precious little AFL franchise.

The bigger problem is that it appears that Leigh, John and the rest of the clowns have about as much enthusiasm for the SANFL as most of the AFL numpties on here do.

no, i think the problem is, that a lot of people here dont realise that there is no escaping the fact that the SANFL cannot be a standalone competition with no influence from the AFL. For the last 40 years they have been impacted, and it hasnt changed now. Of course the reserves teams have an impact on the SANFL. But having an almighty whingefest instead of trying to be constructive about what might be a bad situation for you guys, but is one you are stuck with whether you like it or you dont.

Absolute garbage. The SANFL without AFL involvement would become the undisputed second best comp in Oz.

It would be the envy of every state league and the clubs within those leagues.

Players would flock to play at clubs who have their developement as its sole focus.

And winning a flag in an untainted league its sole focus .

Why this proposition scares the people who are paid by our league to protect it is the major issue and has been for a decade. To busy checking out
AFL clubs profit and loss ratios and potential tv ratings for 7.

Wrong, a salary cap increase will put more financial pressure on clubs. It is not worth pursuing, at this point.
Not if it's funded by the SANFL. This is the discussion I had with an ex-Magpie player and coach last week. He said the only solution is to do that or to kick Port and Crows out of the competition. Even though he is a Magpie man he agreed that how it is now is detrimental to the league and something needs to be done.

http://m.heraldsun.com.au/sport/norwood-to-lead-review-of-afl-reserves-in-sanfl/story-fnig5e6k-1226937921651

The irony. My favourite bit was the part about not destroying the Sanfl.

Only way for this to happen is for Port to go back to what they where in 2013, all AFL listed players spread between the clubs. Port gave a immediate flat out no to the concept when it was handed to the club late last year.
How is that the only way?
Just make it a rule where all top up players for Port and Adelaide are u23 and no mature age roles such as Callinan.
Summerton and co just have to find new clubs next year, fairly simple.
Also no home games for Port at Alberton.
Very easy to implement these changes

Thank you Chris McDermott.

I mean seriously, how dare the media cater for the majority of South Australian Football fans who happen to support Adelaide or Port Adelaide, what a crazy idea that is!

Any chance the "majority of SA Football fans" could turn up to support their team? That's what they all wanted remember?

While I expected things to pan out the way they have, if these glorified trial games were at least giving the SANFL good 4k average crowds (as promised) with good atmosphere, providing non SANFL people a good day out and reasons to return as well as making $ to the established clubs, then I could be turned to support, in a small way, the new era of SANFL.

However this has not happened, the product is worse, the crowds are worse, the clubs cannot be financially better off (reporting time at the end of the year will be very interesting) and the league has lost a lot of core fans who have now found something else to do on the weekends.

The clubs/administrators thought they spent some time on this in 2013, I imagine this years off season will be worse, trying to unravel the mistakes, if it is retrievable.

I did start writing this in the Sturt vs Port thread, but quickly realised it was a big whinge...

Another game decided by the ridiculous advantages Port have been given with the top ups. How can Nathan Krakouer be allowed to play as a top up. Age 26, 2 AFL clubs, not a Port junior.


Krakouer hasn't played for an AFL or state league club for 2 years, as is the rule. His point isn't that they're breaking the rules. His point is that the rule is inadequate in the first place.

Should go the whole hog and have 4 games there on a particular day starting around 11.30am and last game starting around 7.30pm, reckon it would be a huge winner, all 8 SANFL Clubs playing there on a particular day

Yes on a weekend of no AFL, turn it into a event. Bit like the soccer friday night make it a one off and promote it. Same as the AFL flash a members SANFL or Ade Oval one and get free public transport but not the whole hog of extra buses down King William st as the crowd ( hoping for 20,000 to 30,000 ) plus the different starting times wouldn't justify it.

In fact START the season with this one off 4 game event eg the week before the AFL starts.
SANFL teams 7th highest vs 8th then 5 v6, 3v4 and 1v2.

Have the Port v Ade game in a country town on the sunday. Thus if they need to give their players extra games if does affect the other SANFL teams if they stack their teams, could even promote the game a bit more eg Walker in Clare.
The only sticking point is a Sheffield Shield final if held in Ade and may be the weather being hot. (if it was a one off rule of having 4 or 5 on the bench )

Should go the whole hog and have 4 games there on a particular day starting around 11.30am and last game starting around 7.30pm, reckon it would be a huge winner, all 8 SANFL Clubs playing there on a particular day

Yep this should be Round 1 with free entry or gold coin donation which goes to a charity as the entry fee.

Each club can be allocated an outside section of the ground (ala Centrals and North get the northern end by colonels lights, South the southern end by memorial drive etc etc ) to run and promote its own activities with discounts on memberships available on the day etc etc.

Interesting article in today's advertiser quoting Roy Laird. Mentioning how playing the afl professionals is a real lottery, damaging the integrity of the sanfl. An example given was South played port with Port having 9 afl players, centrals faced them with 14. Also mentioned no team should have to face them with a shorter break, given their advantage of facilities and not having to work.
Spot on Roy, sticking up for the sanfl and the little integrity left.

I cant believe you Port guys are you really that stubborn?
The SANFL clubs are allowing you to play in their comp and these year they are looking at changing a couple of concessions to make the comp even yet you dont want a bar of it. Its this attitude that has the clubs losing patience, at a guess if there isnt changes forthcoming in the next year or two it wouldnt suprise me if the clubs went down the path of evicting you from the comp.
At the end of the day all most supporters want is a fair and even comp where they feel they have a chance of being competitive, at the moment Port has that many leg ups its not funny.
Perhaps excluding AFL reserves sides from finals had some merit after all

No finals no Magarey is equally a pipedream other than on here. Yes there'll be a review as there was always going to be. Some changes around top up players will be about as far as that goes I'd imagine. The rest I think isn't much more than people on here trying to justify a year of whinging. For all the doom and gloom it's been a good year for the competition.

By using the No Finals and No Magarey, I don't see it as a pipedream. Budha has confirmed their priority isn't to win the SANFL its to develop players. I am sure the crows have the same feeling. So by implementing this scenario everyone gets what they want. It only needs the 8 SANFL clubs to make the decision.

Yep. Requires no more tinkering with top up players, half arsed "salary caps", finals qualifications etc etc.
It's a no brainer.

bennymacca wrote:Since when do they have no hope of beating the sides? Norwood just spanked the crows

Unfortunately the SANFL comp is now decided by the amount of injuries, and attitude of the AFL teams.

Nothing? Okay, I'll post it:

SANFL press release:

PLAYER REGULATION CHANGES



The SANFL has announced changes to the Adelaide and Port Adelaide Football Clubs’ player regulation rules in the State League competition for season 2015.
Among the changes, all non-AFL listed players must be aged under 23, cannot be contracted for more than one year or recruited from interstate.
Adelaide will not be permitted to use SANFL players from rival clubs as top-up players next year.
The changes, ratified by the SA Football Commission, have been finalised after the league’s ongoing review of the regulations for Adelaide’s SANFL team and the restructured Port Adelaide Magpies.
The aim of this year’s review was to bring the on-field regulations for both Adelaide and Port Adelaide into line.
All non-AFL aligned SANFL clubs were involved in the review process, with the eight teams provided with an opportunity to recommend changes throughout the consultation period.
Adelaide and Port Adelaide also provided feedback on the proposed regulations during the review.

2015 PLAYER REGULATION CHANGES

1. To be eligible for inclusion on the PAMFC or AFC Supplementary List, a person must be under the age of 23 before January 1 the year in which the player is included on the Supplementary List. A player may play as a top-up player past the age of 23 as long as he is first listed prior to the age of 23. Adelaide and Port Adelaide will be able to retain current contracted players already over the age of 23.
2. PAMFC & AFC cannot contract players for more than one year. This will not impact on current players contracted for more than one season.
3. Players included on the list of AFC or PAMFC cannot be recruited from outside of South Australia. This rule will not be retrospective, allowing those already contracted to Adelaide and Port to continue playing next year.
4. Remove the option for AFC to source top-up players from SANFL clubs. From 2015, Adelaide won’t include players from rival SANFL clubs, with all top-up players to be recruited from Community Football clubs.
Following the changes for 2015, the player regulations will continue to be reviewed by the SANFL, its clubs and AFC and PAFC on an annual basis.
Pathetic changes, this competition is shite, zero integrity. If my club hadn't voted no, I'd never go again. Hopefully the port power professionals can go back to back ( if central don't win next year).

Unfortunately I can see some sad times ahead for the SANFL, Gilligan again stated yesterday that he is keen to look at a midseason draft by 2016, the AFL clubs could possibly raid the state leagues for talent and we have the scenerio where a team near the top of the SANFL ladder midseason suddenly loses players to the AFL, what a joke.
Even worse would be if the Crows or Port pick them up and we have a situation where the player plays against his old club in the same season

Don't be selfish. If this gets more players into the afl, the ultimate goal of almost every young player playing in the sanfl, this is pretty obviously a good thing for those players. Clubs cannot be selfish and they need to realise that they are not the final desired destination for most players

This isn't the 80s anymore where they were just poaching players. The sanfl is a stepping stone, whether you like it or not.

Selfish? Are you all there?

You're happy to put a handful of players ahead of an entire competition, and you refer to other people as being selfish?

As Jim said, of course any league outside of the AFL is a stepping stone, and at Norwood we have long promoted our players having careers at the highest level they can get to, as I would imagine most SANFL clubs do. But mid-season player losses has the capacity to remove the only remaining skerrick of integrity remaining in the competition. All so that the AFL can keep their player list costs down.

I'm certain I have more idea than you. I will be there to see it first hand on Sunday whilst you are likely to be on your keyboard whinging about it.
Start rounding up your mates then.
Ports crowds have been nothing short of pathetic this year. With all your 50,000 members nothing short of 40k this week should be acceptable


If there is only 30K and Port win the Premiership that will be more than acceptable.

I am willing to admit Ports presence in the AFL Prelim is over shadowing it but still hoping that our club will have two reasons to celebrate come Sunday evening.
No it won't be. If you don't get more than last year then it's not good enough. After all Port have the most supporters in the SANFL. That is what we have had shoved down our throats for years.

Has the SANFL hit all new lows.

We now have clubs losing players to rival clubs in the same competition thanks to a 'reality' tv show.

I cant think of how this comp could be compromised any more.

LOL he played half a season!!! Now you are really scraping the bottom of the barrel
You really have no idea.

Tech1, as I mentioned earlier in the season, it is now time for the other clubs to raise their bar.

Norwood did to win the GF, South and Sturt both did to contest the finals, North, Centrals and Eagles all slipped back a little while West and Glenelg made no progress.

All the clubs now realise how much work is needed to be done to keep the Crows and Power reserves at arms length.

We may not see a great deal of differences next season as it all has all into place, I think 2016 will be the season when all clubs have finally come to grips with what is really needed and how far they can push their players.

If any team wishes to enter the top 5, they have to push someone out. That will remain the challenges of all true SANFL Clubs.

Tell that to the SANFL players that bust a gut each week to win a game and try to play in a GF. Tell it to the ones that do the extra sessions for no extra reward, no publicity but take up the challenge and then have to go to work to earn a living no matter how sore and battered they are from the weekend.
The clubs have come to grips with what's required. Pretty easy to say raise the bar. Have you a few suggestions?

Where are Port finding this money from to run an a academy side and pay coaches?
Surely when times are tough things like academy sides and junkets to Dubai are the first to be cut