Booney wrote:tipper wrote:Booney wrote:I'd say recruiters would spruik the SANFL as the best state league competition in the country, could they do that if the standard drops?
South Australian ex-pats would be likely to come back, but would players uproot families to come here if it isn't the best outside the AFL? Would the clubs have the resources ( money ) to make it irresistible?
you are making an assumption that the standard of on field performances drops if the reserves sides are removed. but its chicken and the egg. which comes first?
you were suggesting that "big names" wouldnt want to come here if the reserves sides are removed, which would drop the standard. but the way i see it, removing the reserves sides doesnt automatically weaken the traditional sides. they will still have the same players on their list, so it would still be the best state league competition wouldnt it? therefore, just removing the reserves sides, doesnt automatically change that selling point
It is an assumption, yes. I've nothing else to go on, but fair to say the competition standard must drop if the AFL listed talent is no longer playing. Be them rookies or old blokes.
However, would it be fair to say there are two types of recruits the SANFL chase?
1 - Those hopeful of being spotted by an AFL scout
2 - Those from amateur or country leagues looking to test themselves.
If the overall standard drops, would both types of recruit still see the SANFL as a viable proposition?
why wouldnt they? the league would still be the pathway to the afl in south australia, i havent seen any suggestion that would change, so the hopefuls would still play (unless they went interstate??)
and those looking to test themselves, yet again, it would still be the best state based competition in the country. the remaining 8 clubs would stil lhave the same lists they do now, and the same resources.
i just dont understand this view that the standard automatically falls off a cliff, just because you remove the reserves sides. the reserves sides themselves havent been setting the world on fire. their form is pretty much directly tied to the afl sides injury list, so their performances have been variable at best.
however, if we were talking about the neafl, i could see the argument. the afl reserves sides are the best in the league (with the odd exception, brisbane im looking at you). here in sa, they are middle of the road clubs (generally) and recruits from interstate cant play for them anyway. it could actually lift the standards of the remaining clubs. if the top up players want to keep playing in the sanfl, they may be offered spots by the traditional clubs, strengthening their lists (obviously dependant on what the reserves sides do in my hypothetical removal)