SANFL and NT...again!

[Dogsbody]

That's what the Vics said about the VFL when it changed to the AFL... and still do. Lets not adopt that attitude.

I mean FFS, its just the Northern Territory! It isn't like we're taking in everyone else.

[eaglehaslanded]

Would love to see this happen. I'd like to see a 22 round competition with 11 home games each not the proposed 12 home games the NT side wish for. I think the same interchange rule should stay in place we shouldn't gift them anything.

[Dogsbody]

From the Advertiser, 15/1/08....

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NT 'Magic in SANFL'
by Zac Milbank

MICHAEL "Magic" McLean has thrown his weight behind the Northern Territory playing in the SANFL - and not the WAFL - in 2009. One of the Top End's most respected football voices, McLean - who has also put his hand up to coach the new team - said playing in South Australia made sense. While players may adjust to the WAFL's free-running style of play, the SANFL's historical and geographical links are too strong to ignore.

"It would be a hard gig but I would probably push toward the SANFL," said McLean, who played 183 VFL/AFL games with Footscray and Brisbane. "Just for being straight up the middle (of Australia) and it's easy to get to as far as travel goes. A lot of South Australians end up in Darwin and a lot of our boys end up in Adelaide - they play footy down there. We've got a history of Territory boys going down to Adelaide and playing and using that as a pathway to go on to the AFL, so there's a link there. I would be looking toward South Australia, it's all good for footy and hopefully things are set up right from the start and we're competitive."

Revealing that "there's a bit of a buzz among the players", McLean is currently coaching league-leading Southern Districts in the NTFL. The gifted wingman guided his club to the NTFL premiership last season after it finished with the wooden spoon the previous year. And with AFL experience under Leigh Matthews at Brisbane in 1999 and 2000, McLean says he's ready for the challenge. "I've always had that interest in the coaching side of it," McLean said. "Just to be involved would be nice. I like to teach players when I coach and extract the best out of the group. Whether you're the best side of the comp or the bottom team, you've got to get the best out of yourself, I've always stuck to that."

To do so, McLean has already thought about the changes NT players would have to make if they played in the SANFL next year. "I think it's really important things are done right to ensure you're at your best," McLean said. "You've got to get everything right as far as travel, accommodation, the preparation and strength and conditioning. And it's about getting players to commit to three nights of training. Most sides up here have always been two nights a week so the commitment has to change as well, they're my personal views."

Recruiting players with size and strength would be McLean's priority if he were to get the nod as the side's inaugural coach. "There's no doubt whatever competition the side goes into, it's going to have to recruit," he said. "But you've got to balance that up with locals and stick to their style of footy as well. I think the SANFL is a bit ahead in terms of physicality, key-position players, bigger bodies and it's a bit tougher. So we would have to recruit a few bodies to get through the year. It's all right getting up for one-off rep (representative) games but when you've got to get through 20 weeks of the year, with travel, it makes it tough."

[Brucetiki]

It'll be fantastic to have the NT in the SANFL. Hope it all works out