2009 - History in the Making for the SANFL?

[Squawk]

Will 2009 in the SANFL be a year that in time, we will all look back on?


The U/18s comp will be launched
The last AFL draft pre Gold Coast’s entry could see a lot of ex AFL and fringe AFL wannabes circling for SANFL opportunities (and clubs zeroing in on them)
League/reserves teams could lose a lot of players to Amateur leagues due to the point above?

If we think 2009 will be a milestone year in the history of the SANFL competition, what should the SANFL be planning now for the 2009 season? Eg -

Crowds are up again – how do we retain them and grow them?
I think there is a slight ticket price increase foreshadowed – should the SANFL keep prices at 2008 levels for one more year?
Should there be more emphasis on kids next year?
Should the SANFL financially support more media presence – eg have a C31 “Total SANFL Footy” type show on free to air? More effort from the Advertiser to back up all their coverage in the finals after Port and the Crows both bowed out?
Should the SANFL lobby for the Magarey Medal to be televised on free to air again in 2009?
Programming/Scheduling considerations? (eg no Port Magpies/Port Power clashes; Rd 23 Scheduling)
Salary Cap increase in 2009?
More SANFL footy presence at community events? Eg New Years Eve, Tour Down Under, Clipsal?

Thoughts?

[Squawk]

*insert picture of spinifex blowing through a ghost town*

going real well this topic....

[Duckman]

Will 2009 in the SANFL be a year that in time, we will all look back on?
...
Thoughts?

Yeah - In 2010

[Tassie Blues]

first time central miss the grand final this century?

[Big Phil]

first time central miss the grand final this century?

Most people say that every year, including some Centrals fans, and look whats happened...

Until it happens for real, we can only speculate hey...

[SimonH]

Hey, I'll bite:

Surely the loss of U/19s / U/17s, at least in the short term, will mean that the quality of the reserves comp will go down. Clubs will not want to lose 19yos ineligible to play in the U/18 comp, but for whom they see some future as potential league players. The only place to play them is in the reserves. This will mean that older reserves players, who are not realistically pushing for a league spot, will get squeezed, and will presumably go to ammos and elsewhere.

As against that, of course, the U/18s will be a substantially better quality comp than the U/17s, and we should expect better than the U/19s was (except at finals time!), too.