cracka wrote:samantic wrote:Hearing Nairne and Birdwood going to Div 1. I can't imagine how the junior comp will look in Div 2 next season if this is true
Nairne have posted on Facebook their intentions to join div 1 next year, not sure about Birdwood but wouldn't surprise me.
Hate to let facts get in the way of a good story, but neither Birdwood or Nairne will be eligible for promotion to Div 1 next year under the current HFL by-laws.
To be clear, to seek promotion your A grade must play off in the Div 2 Grand Final;
and you must finish top in the Club Shield,
and you must be able to field all 5 teams.
Nairne are only fielding 4 teams in 2018, they are a long way behind Kersbrook and Ironbank in the club shield (and cant make up the gap with 1 round left), and they will have to improve a lot in the next two weeks to play off in the GF. In short, unless the by-laws get amended at the AGM, they wont be eligible for promotion.
Similarly, Birdwood are only mid-table in the club shield, and will need everything to go right to make the GF . So they will also not be eligible for promotion.
Another factor that I'm sure Birdwood will consider (even if they were eligible) is that their junior teams are poor. Both their senior colts and mini colts are bottom of the ladder, while their junior colts are second bottom. It can break a club to seek promotion if it means their juniors get clobbered every week in Div 1. Just ask TV how their families felt when their junior teams were getting beaten by 20+ goals when they went up.
Both Kersbrook and Bridgewater have had the chance to go up to Div 1 in recent seasons and both clubs decided not to on the basis of junior participant numbers. You cant make the decision about what's best for your a-grade players, it has to be what's best for the whole club.