PDCA

[moriachi]

Bit sad to see Two Wells with no junior teams this year. So much talent out that way, but nothing to show for it. The club, as a whole, needs a strong leader to grab it by the throat and turn it around.

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[Lightning McQueen]

I think it’s been a miracle to get these two grades sorted, Grade 1 has changed a few times from what I’ve seen, I certainly wasn’t expecting to see two 8 team divisions.

Sad to see no Dublin, Gardens or Enfield amongst them, it will be interesting to see who is lining up where, North Pines must’ve recruited well.

I think Grade 1 will be relatively competitive, Westies the obvious standout but I think the rest are all capable on their day.

[Lightning McQueen]

Bit sad to see Two Wells with no junior teams this year. So much talent out that way, but nothing to show for it. The club, as a whole, needs a strong leader to grab it by the throat and turn it around.

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Could be a thriving metropolis with the right heads, another victim of a football club that has cricket, it just doesn’t generate the same interest.

[whufc]

I think it’s been a miracle to get these two grades sorted, Grade 1 has changed a few times from what I’ve seen, I certainly wasn’t expecting to see two 8 team divisions.

Sad to see no Dublin, Gardens or Enfield amongst them, it will be interesting to see who is lining up where, North Pines must’ve recruited well.

I think Grade 1 will be relatively competitive, Westies the obvious standout but I think the rest are all capable on their day.

Enfield dropped down??? No Bedgie involved or just battling for numbers.

[The Bedge]

Enfield dropped down??? No Bedgie involved or just battling for numbers.

Combination. I wanted to step back / away this season. Work is getting very demanding, and my involvement in footy this season took up a lot of time - I can't keep juggling multiple sport admin roles it's too difficult.

Sadly, though not surprisingly, no one else has made much effort to step up - perhaps I could've been a bit more abrasive in my efforts to drop my roles.

Players: Well no one seems to want to commit. Still have players sitting on the fence. A few have gone to other clubs, few are working, few are not interested in playing. As it stands right now, be lucky to fill any sides.

I decided I better get my backside into gear and get the ball rolling - as of yesterday we had no grounds booked, no team nominations, no captains, no training sessions, no communications, no junior coaches, no SACA affiliation.. nothing..

Last night ran a training session - had over 20 kids rock up, but only 5x seniors. It's personally getting harder and harder for me to find the motivation to put in the effort.

What frustrates me, is those who join the committee or become a captain - they do it for one year and then give up - and it's not like their jobs are hard. Albeit being a captain can be challenging.

[Tony Clifton]

Enfield dropped down??? No Bedgie involved or just battling for numbers.

Combination. I wanted to step back / away this season. Work is getting very demanding, and my involvement in footy this season took up a lot of time - I can't keep juggling multiple sport admin roles it's too difficult.

Sadly, though not surprisingly, no one else has made much effort to step up - perhaps I could've been a bit more abrasive in my efforts to drop my roles.

Players: Well no one seems to want to commit. Still have players sitting on the fence. A few have gone to other clubs, few are working, few are not interested in playing. As it stands right now, be lucky to fill any sides.

I decided I better get my backside into gear and get the ball rolling - as of yesterday we had no grounds booked, no team nominations, no captains, no training sessions, no communications, no junior coaches, no SACA affiliation.. nothing..

Last night ran a training session - had over 20 kids rock up, but only 5x seniors. It's personally getting harder and harder for me to find the motivation to put in the effort.

What frustrates me, is those who join the committee or become a captain - they do it for one year and then give up - and it's not like their jobs are hard. Albeit being a captain can be challenging.

Need to find an ally or two by the sound of it. Easier said than done though. The one man band has a short shelf life. Good luck with it. Hope some others step up

[whufc]

Enfield dropped down??? No Bedgie involved or just battling for numbers.

Combination. I wanted to step back / away this season. Work is getting very demanding, and my involvement in footy this season took up a lot of time - I can't keep juggling multiple sport admin roles it's too difficult.

Sadly, though not surprisingly, no one else has made much effort to step up - perhaps I could've been a bit more abrasive in my efforts to drop my roles.

Players: Well no one seems to want to commit. Still have players sitting on the fence. A few have gone to other clubs, few are working, few are not interested in playing. As it stands right now, be lucky to fill any sides.

I decided I better get my backside into gear and get the ball rolling - as of yesterday we had no grounds booked, no team nominations, no captains, no training sessions, no communications, no junior coaches, no SACA affiliation.. nothing..

Last night ran a training session - had over 20 kids rock up, but only 5x seniors. It's personally getting harder and harder for me to find the motivation to put in the effort.

What frustrates me, is those who join the committee or become a captain - they do it for one year and then give up - and it's not like their jobs are hard. Albeit being a captain can be challenging.

Best of luck mate, i know how much hard work you put into the club and sport.

Cricket is in a real tricky position at the moment all across the state. I definitely dont have the answer but kind of feel cricket needs a restructure across the entire state.

It's just such a complex sport when compared to football, soccer, basketball. We are talking different versions of the game 1 dayers, 2 dayers, t20's. Pop Up club culture which you don't really see in football / soccer. Turf vs Hardwicket. Cricket is also a tad tricky in that poor teams are at risk of being hurt playing above their level, football soccer sometimes its the poor times who do the injuring haha so your hand is kind of forced more to help the poor side move to where they need to be. Also cricket has more of a culture where you get a grade sides playing b grade sides, b grade sides playing c/d grades sides etc which see players navigate that.

Even looking at PDCA youve got Salisbury West, Virginia, Angle Vale, Craigmore, Atco, Eyre Royals, OTH who seem to be running really good solid clubs with consistent amount of teams despite some changes in ability.

On the other hand you have EP, NP, Smithfield, SN, CU, Dublin, PG, Enfield, TW who fluctuate between good/bad fortunes from year to year. Then throw in a heap of pop up/parkland clubs who are a tad unpredictable as far as theyre future goes and the comp just lives one year to the next without being able to plan to far ahead.

[The Bedge]

On the other hand you have EP, NP, Smithfield, SN, CU, Dublin, PG, Enfield, TW who fluctuate between good/bad fortunes from year to year..

I would disagree with including us in this.

Whilst on-field success at the top level has eluded us for a long time, we have fielded 4x Senior teams for 19 of the last 22 seasons since the start of the millennium, including 11 straight seasons. We fielded 5 teams one season and 6 teams two seasons after that.

Think A grade have competed in 4x Grand Finals in the past 10yrs, and a couple other semis, and our lower grades consistently reach finals.

We have never asked to drop down a level, and have copped some beltings when graded out of our depth, but found ways to improve where we could.

We went from like Grade 5 when we joined PDCA to playing in the Grade 2 GF last year - all in a matter of what 7 seasons?

[whufc]

On the other hand you have EP, NP, Smithfield, SN, CU, Dublin, PG, Enfield, TW who fluctuate between good/bad fortunes from year to year..

I would disagree with including us in this.

Whilst on-field success at the top level has eluded us for a long time, we have fielded 4x Senior teams for 19 of the last 22 seasons since the start of the millennium, including 11 straight seasons. We fielded 5 teams one season and 6 teams two seasons after that.

Think A grade have competed in 4x Grand Finals in the past 10yrs, and a couple other semis, and our lower grades consistently reach finals.

We have never asked to drop down a level, and have copped some beltings when graded out of our depth, but found ways to improve where we could.

We went from like Grade 5 when we joined PDCA to playing in the Grade 2 GF last year - all in a matter of what 7 seasons?

Yeah i only included you because you are in that position this year so its kind of the current state off affairs but yes you have been a real solid club for years now. Which in some sense shows the delicate nature even the established clubs are in.

So many different factors at play for clubs these days, clubs run by too few, changing demographics in the suburbs they exist, competitors changing fortunes with pop up clubs and rivals finding 'money' to spend etc. Other teams moving down the grades changing other clubs fortunes which effects players morale (Enfield have been on the wrong side of other clubs moving divisions on a few occasions)

[whufc]

Is there something in the fact most of the clubs who have been solid established are stand-alone cricket clubs (Salisbury West, Craigmore, Atco, Eyre Royals, Enfield, OTH) vs football clubs who have football on the side (EP, CU, SM, SN). I know some of them are Sports club so operate seperately but essentially their cricketers are made up of the footballers.

Angle Vale given it was established well before the footy team (i believe) and had its own ground/clubrooms fits far more into the standalone category and has link with the footy club whatsover (Richo could answer this better)

Is the more professional nature of football these days taking away from their ability to also run cricket teams with the same core bunch of players, committee members etc.

My experience at Atco was that nearly none of the committee members thinking the likes of Dantonio's, Ormsbys, Ralphs were involved in amateur league football clubs at all despite enjoying the sport. It was always made up of nearly all cricket first people.

[The Bedge]

Yeah i only included you because you are in that position this year.

We mostly opted for one day competition this season because the trouble and burden trying to get people committed to play 2 day cricket is becoming increasingly difficult.

Yes though, we are in struggle town this season though - and prob be lucky to have a club.

[The Bedge]

Is there something in the fact most of the clubs who have been solid established are stand-alone cricket clubs (Salisbury West, Craigmore, Atco, Eyre Royals, Enfield, OTH) vs football clubs who have football on the side (EP, CU, SM, SN). I know some of them are Sports club so operate seperately but essentially their cricketers are made up of the footballers.

Angle Vale given it was established well before the footy team (i believe) and had its own ground/clubrooms fits far more into the standalone category and has link with the footy club whatsover (Richo could answer this better)

Is the more professional nature of football these days taking away from their ability to also run cricket teams with the same core bunch of players, committee members etc.

My experience at Atco was that nearly none of the committee members thinking the likes of Dantonio's, Ormsbys, Ralphs were involved in amateur league football clubs at all despite enjoying the sport. It was always made up of nearly all cricket first people.

I think there is more in the fact of "bigger" clubs with a broader membership base being more sustainable than those with 1 or 2 teams.

I've never really been a fan of "pop up" clubs, each year you see one or two teams turn up with mates and join a competition. It's very rarely sustainable, and once they disappear it impacts the competition. Churches went the way of the Dodo bird off the back of having too many small clubs that only had one or two teams.. the clubs that survived (and still surviving) - Adel Lutheran, Enfield, Para Vista, Fitzroy all have regularly had 4 teams, and NEK has 2 consistent sides.

Reality is, if you are a 1 team club with say 15 members, it only takes you losing half a dozen from one year to the next, or a few blokes availability changing and you're struggling to field a side.

[whufc]

Is there something in the fact most of the clubs who have been solid established are stand-alone cricket clubs (Salisbury West, Craigmore, Atco, Eyre Royals, Enfield, OTH) vs football clubs who have football on the side (EP, CU, SM, SN). I know some of them are Sports club so operate seperately but essentially their cricketers are made up of the footballers.

Angle Vale given it was established well before the footy team (i believe) and had its own ground/clubrooms fits far more into the standalone category and has link with the footy club whatsover (Richo could answer this better)

Is the more professional nature of football these days taking away from their ability to also run cricket teams with the same core bunch of players, committee members etc.

My experience at Atco was that nearly none of the committee members thinking the likes of Dantonio's, Ormsbys, Ralphs were involved in amateur league football clubs at all despite enjoying the sport. It was always made up of nearly all cricket first people.

I think there is more in the fact of "bigger" clubs with a broader membership base being more sustainable than those with 1 or 2 teams.

I've never really been a fan of "pop up" clubs, each year you see one or two teams turn up with mates and join a competition. It's very rarely sustainable, and once they disappear it impacts the competition. Churches went the way of the Dodo bird off the back of having too many small clubs that only had one or two teams.. the clubs that survived (and still surviving) - Adel Lutheran, Enfield, Para Vista, Fitzroy all have regularly had 4 teams, and NEK has 2 consistent sides.

Reality is, if you are a 1 team club with say 15 members, it only takes you losing half a dozen from one year to the next, or a few blokes availability changing and you're struggling to field a side.

Yeah bang on...

EP, CU, SM probably have enough players between them to create a 'semi big club' but obviously the 3 would never work together for a multitude of fair reasons but in a perfect world if you were staring again rather than having them 3 all trying to operate separately there would be one bigger club filling that space. Its hard to see them 3 clubs all being real solid div 1 / 2 PDCA clubs whilst they all exist. Maybe a merger based out of the Uley Road grounds which Craigmore used to occupy if thats even possible these days, i havent been there for a long time.

[Lightning McQueen]

Yeah bang on...

EP, CU, SM probably have enough players between them to create a 'semi big club' but obviously the 3 would never work together for a multitude of fair reasons but in a perfect world if you were staring again rather than having them 3 all trying to operate separately there would be one bigger club filling that space. Its hard to see them 3 clubs all being real solid div 1 / 2 PDCA clubs whilst they all exist. Maybe a merger based out of the Uley Road grounds which Craigmore used to occupy if thats even possible these days, i havent been there for a long time.

Mate, firstly the Gardens and Pines have fielded multiple sides on a regular basis for some time, One Tree Hill have struggled for quite some time as far as success and numbers are concerned, they aren’t the club you are making them out to be.

Your merger thought has zero merit or credibility, the 3 clubs you mentioned have kept a pulse going because they all know how hard it is to get a club running again after a hiatus, no one would consider a merger. Being a powerhouse club wouldn’t be on Smithfield or the Units agenda, fielding a side, mateship and a reason to open the club on a Saturday night would be first and foremost.

You’re right in one sense, Westies, Virginia, Craigmore, Angle Vale and ATCO have stood the test of time as they are stand alone cricket clubs.

[whufc]

Yeah bang on...

EP, CU, SM probably have enough players between them to create a 'semi big club' but obviously the 3 would never work together for a multitude of fair reasons but in a perfect world if you were staring again rather than having them 3 all trying to operate separately there would be one bigger club filling that space. Its hard to see them 3 clubs all being real solid div 1 / 2 PDCA clubs whilst they all exist. Maybe a merger based out of the Uley Road grounds which Craigmore used to occupy if thats even possible these days, i havent been there for a long time.

Mate, firstly the Gardens and Pines have fielded multiple sides on a regular basis for some time, One Tree Hill have struggled for quite some time as far as success and numbers are concerned, they aren’t the club you are making them out to be.

Your merger thought has zero merit or credibility, the 3 clubs you mentioned have kept a pulse going because they all know how hard it is to get a club running again after a hiatus, no one would consider a merger. Being a powerhouse club wouldn’t be on Smithfield or the Units agenda, fielding a side, mateship and a reason to open the club on a Saturday night would be first and foremost.

You’re right in one sense, Westies, Virginia, Craigmore, Angle Vale and ATCO have stood the test of time as they are stand alone cricket clubs.

The merger was a muck around thought but more the point being is there enough cricketers for them three clubs ever to return to glory days of having 2-3 sides consistently whilst also playing in the top divisions of PDCA. At the moment it’s CU playing one day cricket only, previously Smithfield had their battles and EP has been similar with sides in / out, dropping into divisions based on losing players and not ladder positions etc.

Like you said though is it even important….is just existing enough even if that means the league and other clubs are constantly affected.

PG has been solid for a long time but scarily like Enfield even some established clubs are now battling big time. North Pines have been solid but it’s always been in a few different variety’s including groups of mates forming their own teams at the club and taking off again etc, moving up and down divisions as they please.

It’s kind of a domino affect, all these clubs hanging on by a thread, swapping and changing from 1 dayers/ 2 dayers, dropping down divisions etc isn’t ideal and I’m sure the clubs don’t like having to do it either. It does make the PDCA job extremely hard and no wonder they struggle at times to find/keep committee members. Would be one of the tougher comps in the state to run.

[whufc]

Atco with the first win of the season.

Salisbury West forfeited their D Grade side. Without looking it up would be a very long time since SW only fielded 3 teams. Worrying times.

[The Bedge]

Atco with the first win of the season.

Salisbury West forfeited their D Grade side. Without looking it up would be a very long time since SW only fielded 3 teams. Worrying times.

They're not alone in struggling this week - a lot of clubs are having difficulties.

Even Ingle Farm in ATCA were half a dozen players down last night.

Enfield - I'm still trying to fill the sides, have more than 2x teams worth of players U/A

[whufc]

Atco with the first win of the season.

Salisbury West forfeited their D Grade side. Without looking it up would be a very long time since SW only fielded 3 teams. Worrying times.

They're not alone in struggling this week - a lot of clubs are having difficulties.

Even Ingle Farm in ATCA were half a dozen players down last night.

Enfield - I'm still trying to fill the sides, have more than 2x teams worth of players U/A

Yeah Atco were struggling to fill the fourth side but no doubt would have if they had to play.

Are the seasons too close, i know it would be hard to fit the weeks of cricket in but what has it been....3(?) weeks for the sides who played in Ammo Grand Finals

We are fortunate up here that we have 6 weeks, by then you're ready to escape the family every Saturday

[The Bedge]

Are the seasons too close, i know it would be hard to fit the weeks of cricket in but what has it been....3(?) weeks for the sides who played in Ammo Grand Finals

Yes. At both ends of the seasons.

Was the best part about football this year, the gather round meant the start of AdFL season was pushed back by 2-3 weeks. Made a massive difference.

[Brodlach]

School holidays effect numbers with people going away?