SA Footy

batmanbegins wrote:

jackpot jim wrote:

caleb777 wrote:
If I was a Maccy person id be a little bit peeved. They copped it for years when they didnt go up to A grade and the second they do 2 clubs come down instead of staying up. Hahndorf have lost a few from last season but wouldnt dream of going down now.

I see where you're coming from with Maccy being a bit peeved but at the end of the day they need to worry about themselves and not what others are doing. Surely the aim of every club is to have an A Grade and if Maccy wern't ready to come back in after finishing minor premiers 3 seasons in a row in A2s then when would they be?
Hard to be critical of Wistow coming down to A2s as they've finished bottom 3 for the last 8 seasons in A Grade with 4 wooden spoons and have now lost the nucleus of their A Grade
Mt Barker in their 3 years back in A Grade have finished bottom, 2nd bottom and bottom and for whatever reason havent been able to develop or attract players of the standard to be more competitive.
As much as i dont want to see clubs dropping teams down grades , there are simply situations that not all are aware of that dictate they need to drop down a grade.
I believe 3 of the bottom 4 teams from A2 Grade last season are dropping down to B Grade including Hahndorf and Lobethal that finished 5th and 6th in the 8 team comp.

Do you reckon there is a chance the HCA and AEHCA merge at some point JJ? The HCA has now lost flagstaff and also only has 7 teams currently wanting to play A grade. I get there are difficulties to the merger but would make a ripper comp if it merged.

There were talks of merging the Juniors together this year but they couldn't strike common ground on a few things so abandoned plans for this year at least. I believe there was also some casual conversation among the hierarchy of both Associations to combining the Seniors as well down the track so i guess there certainly is a chance of some sort. I think the A&EHCA are fairly comfortable with the way things are atm with getting close to 40 Senior teams across 13 Clubs with a strong competitive A Grade comp. To have teams the quality of Strath and Woodside not being able to make finals is a testament to the strength of the A grade not withstanding acknowledgment that the bottom few teams struggle but thats the same with any comp.
With the booming population growth of Mt Barker and the addition of the 1st class facility at the Summit (Tho it may take a year or 2 to sort out teething problems and find the best way to maximise the benefit of it) it's hard to see there wont be changes in the way cricket is structured in the Hills involving multiple Associations. Time will tell i guess?

Discussions of a hypothetical hills-wide association have been around for many years, but ultimately it’ll need to be driven by each of the association committees.

An 8 team A grade “super league” as the pinnacle of the sport in the hills would be great, then a divisional system perhaps roughly divided into north and south. Promotion/relegation could be adopted for clubs’ first/highest team.

TVCA is approaching a somewhat precarious position, as it’s looking as though Mt Torrens might contentiously bite the dust. That’ll reduce us to 7 clubs, each of which fields 2 senior teams (Lenswood with 3 the past couple of years).

Juniors wise any clubs with teams (typically only Lenswood and Birdwood, occasionally Gumeracha) have played in AEHCA for a number of years now.

Over the past decade we’ve seen the demise of Rose Park, Mt Pleasant/Springton (twice), Kersbrook and potentially Mt Torrens, the defections of Lobey and Woodside, resulting in the league considerably shrinking in size.

saintal wrote:Discussions of a hypothetical hills-wide association have been around for many years, but ultimately it’ll need to be driven by each of the association committees.

An 8 team A grade “super league” as the pinnacle of the sport in the hills would be great, then a divisional system perhaps roughly divided into north and south. Promotion/relegation could be adopted for clubs’ first/highest team.

TVCA is approaching a somewhat precarious position, as it’s looking as though Mt Torrens might contentiously bite the dust. That’ll reduce us to 7 clubs, each of which fields 2 senior teams (Lenswood with 3 the past couple of years).

Juniors wise any clubs with teams (typically only Lenswood and Birdwood, occasionally Gumeracha) have played in AEHCA for a number of years now.

Over the past decade we’ve seen the demise of Rose Park, Mt Pleasant/Springton (twice), Kersbrook and potentially Mt Torrens, the defections of Lobey and Woodside, resulting in the league considerably shrinking in size.

Forgot about Rose Park. How long were they in the association for?

If Hills cricket merged into one competition I could see some of those more northern TVCA clubs maybe going to other associations as the travel would be huge for them.

Just the two seasons for Rose Park. Narrowly finished 5th both years in the A’s, although on their day were as dangerous as the leading few teams particularly with the bat on the tiny Houghton Oval. By the second year they were forfeiting a lot of B Grade games, and the core of their A’s were older guys. The amount of travel involved would have been a factor I’d imagine.

And yeah, you’d think Cambrai and Palmer would end up going to Murray Towns and for Eden Valley the Barossa seems logical, although they attract guys from that comp who are looking for a more laid back environment. That would leave Birdwood, Lenswood, Gumeracha and potentially Paracombe, although the close proximity to the north-eastern suburbs could present them other options.

Anyone know roughly when fixtures might be out?

Flagstaff Hill gone from HCA will make A Grade a 7 team comp with the dreaded bye unless there's another team going up or coming done from A Grade.

Where are Flagstaff Hill headed? Why?

Adelaide & Suburban CA. From what I saw in they wanted to drop down from HCA A1 but weren't allowed to so looked for another option.

Barkeroo wrote:Adelaide & Suburban CA. From what I saw in they wanted to drop down from HCA A1 but weren't allowed to so looked for another option.

Yep, they have moved to ASCA and have been placed in section 4. A giant step down from what they have been playing. They will play against some of the larger clubs 3rd sides and mostly 2nd sides. Its a joke.

caleb777 wrote:

Barkeroo wrote:Adelaide & Suburban CA. From what I saw in they wanted to drop down from HCA A1 but weren't allowed to so looked for another option.

Yep, they have moved to ASCA and have been placed in section 4. A giant step down from what they have been playing. They will play against some of the larger clubs 3rd sides and mostly 2nd sides. Its a joke.

I agree. It's a farce.
Their B grade is playing section 9!!!

http://torrensvalleyca.sa.cricket.com.a ... =RVFIXTURE

TV fixtures are out. Appears you were right Saintal and Mt Torrens are gone. Good on Lenswood for getting 3 teams together again.

Barkeroo wrote:http://torrensvalleyca.sa.cricket.com.au/common/pages/public/rv/draw.aspx?entityid=3174&id=RVFIXTURE

TV fixtures are out. Appears you were right Saintal and Mt Torrens are gone. Good on Lenswood for getting 3 teams together again.

Have Mt Torrens folded? Very sad if true..

Moe wrote:

caleb777 wrote:

Barkeroo wrote:Adelaide & Suburban CA. From what I saw in they wanted to drop down from HCA A1 but weren't allowed to so looked for another option.

Yep, they have moved to ASCA and have been placed in section 4. A giant step down from what they have been playing. They will play against some of the larger clubs 3rd sides and mostly 2nd sides. Its a joke.

I agree. It's a farce.
Their B grade is playing section 9!!!

Flaggies will be pretty terrible this year, lost majority of there A grade side from last year, hence why they wanted to go down. It's pretty poor flaggies only have 2 teams, they really have dropped away the past 3 or 4 years.

8 side A grade comp in the HCA with Bridgey being forced up much to there delight. Mylor will now romp in another B grade flag.

batmanbegins wrote:

Moe wrote:

caleb777 wrote:

Barkeroo wrote:Adelaide & Suburban CA. From what I saw in they wanted to drop down from HCA A1 but weren't allowed to so looked for another option.

Yep, they have moved to ASCA and have been placed in section 4. A giant step down from what they have been playing. They will play against some of the larger clubs 3rd sides and mostly 2nd sides. Its a joke.

I agree. It's a farce.
Their B grade is playing section 9!!!

Flaggies will be pretty terrible this year, lost majority of there A grade side from last year, hence why they wanted to go down. It's pretty poor flaggies only have 2 teams, they really have dropped away the past 3 or 4 years.

8 side A grade comp in the HCA with Bridgey being forced up much to there delight. Mylor will now romp in another B grade flag.

Good to hear they are forcing teams from B grade up, should actually be a by-law of the association.

Corona Man wrote:

Barkeroo wrote:http://torrensvalleyca.sa.cricket.com.au/common/pages/public/rv/draw.aspx?entityid=3174&id=RVFIXTURE

TV fixtures are out. Appears you were right Saintal and Mt Torrens are gone. Good on Lenswood for getting 3 teams together again.

Have Mt Torrens folded? Very sad if true..

Mt Torrens fielded a B Grade team last season, on the agreement they would return to A Grade this season. They predictably won the B Grade flag with ease, 4-5 guys particularly dominant. They approached the association, requesting to remain in B Grade for various reasons. This was rejected by the committee and other clubs. Personally I was disappointed they didn't have a crack at A's, particularly fresh off a premiership.

There was then a push for them to field a combined B Grade team with Athelstone CC (who would also submit a team into our A Grade comp). This was also rejected by the association.

So from what I understand they will be playing in Para Districts instead. Whether it's a standalone Mt Torrens team, or one under the banner of another club (ie Athelstone) we're not sure yet, but would assume it's the latter. Either way it's disappointing, but not overly surprising, that they wont be in the TVCA this season. With most of their team from last season nearing 40 or past it, the long term future looks(ed) rocky.

Gives further weight perhaps to a hills-wide association where clubs can find their suitable level over time.

Never understood people not wanting to try and play at the highest level possible. Kind of understand if most of their guys are older and they don't see themselves being in A Grade long term but if you've just won a flag you should have a crack at the higher level.

I used to play at a club in Perth where we had 8 teams and some really quality players (like ex-grade cricketers) would always want to play way below their level to dominate. Our 4th grade team would easily beat our 1st grade if they were to play each other leading to our top teams being pretty uncompetitive.

Barkeroo wrote:I used to play at a club in Perth where we had 8 teams and some really quality players (like ex-grade cricketers) would always want to play way below their level to dominate. Our 4th grade team would easily beat our 1st grade if they were to play each other leading to our top teams being pretty uncompetitive.

That stuff is culture poison

A&EH fixtures out. A Grade through C Grade 8 teams each and a 7 team D Grade this season.

http://mycricket.cricket.com.au/common/ ... ityid=3140

saintal wrote:So from what I understand they will be playing in Para Districts instead. Whether it's a standalone Mt Torrens team, or one under the banner of another club (ie Athelstone) we're not sure yet, but would assume it's the latter.

Correct, playing under the Athelstone banner in PDCA.

It'll be interesting which of the 3 limited overs sides they compete in, either way i'd expect some of their guys to take the absolute mickey in that level of cricket.

If I was running a competition...

Three grades: A, B and C.

If a club enters one team only it is in the B Grade.

If a club enters two teams these teams are B Grade and A Grade.

If a club enters three teams these teams are B Grade, A Grade and C Grade.

For clubs with 4th, 5th, 6th... teams the additional teams follow the same sequence: B, A, C, B, A, C...

For large competitions with 12+ teams in a grade you might need divisions B1, B2, B3... with promotion/relegation. But teams can't go from A to B, B to C or vice versa. Clubs also can't have multiple teams in a division unless there is only one division available.

There is no mechanism available to move up and down grades or divisions outside of promotion/relegation.

What this might look like in a 'Hills Super League' just using last season's team numbers and ignoring any clubs who are on the move:

A Grade (28 teams)
A1 (10) - Hahndorf, Langhorne Creek, Lobethal, Nairne, Strathalbyn, Woodside, Aldgate, Meadows, Mt Lofty, Gumeracha
A2 (8) - Bremer Callington, Wistow, Flagstaff Hill, Kangarilla, Stirling, Cambrai, Lenswood, Palmer
A3 (10) - Echunga, Finniss, Macclesfield, Mt Barker, Bridgewater, Scott Creek Ironbank, Uraidla, Birdwood, Eden Valley, Paracombe

B Grade (35 teams)
B1 (11) - Ashbourne I, Hahndorf II, Lobethal II, Nairne II, Woodside II, Aldgate II, Basket Range I, Mylor I, Onkaparinga I, Lenswood II, Mt Torrens I
B2 (12) - Bremer Callington II, Langhorne Creek II, Macclesfield II, Nairne III, Strathalbyn II, Wistow II, Woodside III, Kangarilla II, Meadows II, Mt Lofty II, Eden Valley II, Gumeracha II
B3 (12) - Echunga II, Finniss II, Mt Barker II, Bridgewater II, Flagstaff Hill II, Scott Creek Ironbank II, Stirling II, Uraidla II, Birdwood II, Cambrai II, Palmer II, Paracombe II

C Grade (12 teams)
C1 (12) - Bremer Callington III, Hahndorf III, Langhorne Creek III, Lobethal III, Macclesfield III, Nairne IV, Strathalbyn III, Wistow III, Woodside IV, Aldgate III, Kangarilla III, Lenswood III

* I'm not familiar with the relative strengths of the three competitions so guessing here, mostly basing it on which clubs have multiple teams, who finished high on the ladder last season etc.

Yep a model of that nature could work- love the effort you've gone to. No doubt they'd be some initial teething/growing pains, and travel becomes more of a factor, but they would sort themselves out over time and with some tinkering.

Coming from Lenswood, we're surrounded by clubs 10 mins away that we dont play against - Uraidla, Basket Range, Onkas, Woodside, Lobethal. Having a bit of variety each season would be great while still maintaining a few of the long running rivalries that already exist.