SA Footy

What year did it start?

I am assuming it stopped in the second half of 1990 when the SANFL made a bid to enter the AFL under duress from Port Adelaide.

Who stayed, who was wooed but went to the land of the Mexicans ... and does anyone remember particular instances?

Don't know a lot about the abolition of the scheme, and whether players such as Garry McIntosh received anything for remaining loyal, but the scheme was introduced in 1988.

I have a strong feeling Michael Aish wasn't included in the scheme, due to being considered either too old, or unlikely to leave at the time.

It disolved when the Crows came in obviously, I think players that were on it and still hadn't gone to the VFL at that stage wer paid out.
Peter Bennett was one of North's players on it.

Adelaide Hawk wrote:Don't know a lot about the abolition of the scheme, and whether players such as Garry McIntosh received anything for remaining loyal, but the scheme was introduced in 1988.

If on the scheme Macca would of recieved over a 100K for remaining loyal trust me.

Wedgie wrote:It disolved when the Crows came in obviously, I think players that were on it and still hadn't gone to the VFL at that stage wer paid out.
Peter Bennett was one of North's players on it.

Simon Tregenza & Darren Smith were payed out aswell.

CK wrote:I have a strong feeling Michael Aish wasn't included in the scheme, due to being considered either too old, or unlikely to leave at the time.

I thought also that only 1 player from each club could be included in the scheme?

lol Edit: NM's post kills that theory

Constance_Perm wrote:

CK wrote:I have a strong feeling Michael Aish wasn't included in the scheme, due to being considered either too old, or unlikely to leave at the time.

I thought also that only 1 player from each club could be included in the scheme?

lol Edit: NM's post kills that theory

Not really, he said they were paid out, he said nothing about them getting any money!

There was the recurring controversy at the time about whether some players on it were ever truly going to go the VFL - eg Michael Aish and Scott Salisbury. Both great players (Aish far more so) but realistically never going to go over by the time the late 80s arrived.

CK, that's why I remember for sure that Aish was on it. I still remember KG blowing a gasket defending Aish's position in the scheme.

The controversy increased each year it became apparent that it wasn't really keeping the elite guys here but, instead, superannuating a group of 25+ "next-tier" players (with some exceptions).

No-Mercy, can you remember if the scheme was designed to build the foundation of players for Adelaide's first AFL team when it inevitably was going to happen? Those guys were still drafted by VFL teams, but then the Crows were only allowed to take 10 previously drafted players.

It's ironic when I read some posters outrage over "retention" style schemes coming in to protect the VFL and WAFL from current day raiding by SANFL clubs! When the shoe's on the other foot all's fair in love & war

hondo71 wrote:It's ironic when I read some posters outrage over "retention" style schemes coming in to protect the VFL and WAFL from current day raiding by SANFL clubs! When the shoe's on the other foot all's fair in love & war

Probably a case of "All bets are off" after you've been pillaged ... Not that I'm saying that's right or wrong.

From Fullpointsfooty:

The player retention scheme offered incentives for players to remain in SA and was successful in enticing some to do so. The scheme operated on the basis of a lump sum severance payment being made to a qualified player on retirement.

The minimum qualifications for a player were to have played six league seasons in SA, including 120 league games and at least four state matches. In the first year each league club was invited to nominate two of its best players who were likely to be subjected to interstate recruitment. From the twenty nominations ten players would be assessed on their football and career future. The lottery, which had a house as first prize, generated $506 000 and provided the bulk of funds necessary to keep the best footballers. In addition companies such as Devon Homes, television station ADS 10, Continental Airlines, Australian Airlines, Graham Cornes Toyota, Hardy’s Wines, James Hardie Spicers, Coca-Cola Bottlers, Peters Ice Cream, radio stations 5DN and 5AD, and the News and Advertiser newspapers lent their support.

In 1989 North and state stars Darren Jarman and Peter Bennett were accepted as special cases into the scheme requiring them to play in Adelaide for the next four years; Central forward Rudi Mandemaker turned down a $60,000 deal with the Sydney Swans; and Sturt ruckman Damian Kitschke accepted a role as a manager of a new leisure centre at Glenelg in a new dimension to the scheme.

I know that some Victorian football followers knew of the scheme by name (most didn't know or didn't care), but seeing a list of the sponsors involved and the depth of fundraising showed why some wouldn't go east.

The Vics refused to play us in State Football in 1990 as the VFL believed (rightly or wrongly) that part of the gate was going into the fund. That's we had city vs country and Victoria played NSW (and lost! )