These council-club arrangements sound dodgy to me.
So you're playing the bottom side and you need a % boost so you push to get the game played......and cancelled if you are playing a gun team. Am I too pessimistic???? Dont think so.
Surely the local council should have the "lease" to use each ground with the Sydney AFL and not each club. But this would be too much work and too intelligent for the management to consider I'm sure.
Far too pesamistic to be honest given there are better and easier ways for clubs to rort things should they want.Originally Posted by Coastal Boy
We want our ground open 365 days a year and to be honest cannot see why it isnt - Im sure that Offal or Pekay would be able to agree that of all the grounds in Sydney ours is one of the last that should be closed but our precious council seems to prefer it to look pretty as opposed to actually being utilised.
But in all honesty most clubs dont have the luxury of making the decision themselves and have to bow to council decisions.
If we were thinking that way we would have certainly closed our ground on the weekend as both our teams were playing the undefeated ladder leaders.
And if they were called off, we would all have to come back on the long weekend and play them then anyway.
The aim of footy is to play, regardless of the opponent, and it wouldn't matter if we were playing the Sydney Swans or the Timbuktoo under 10s, we'd still want to get on and play the game.
P.S. Both our teams were beaten by better, more committed opponents on the day, but you won't hear us complaining, more celebrating the fact that our winter sport got played in winter conditions, as it always should.
"It's up to the rest of the players in the room to make a new batch of premiership players next year," Adam Goodes, triple Bob Skilton Medallist, October 7, 2011.
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!
Let me play devils advocate here. What sort of deliberation would a club have with the council to keep a ground open? Should not the club always say 'every game is important so please leave the ground open.' Thus it is always councils decision. Those who posted that their club has an input into the ground usage give me an example of when you swayed the council to leave the ground open because I want to know why the same reason would not be used the next wet weather weekend.
I have been at clubs when it was "convenient" to decide either way eg cancel when a loss was probable ... and conversely play under all circumstances when a win (and percentage bump) was probable. Unfortunately judgment gets clouded when table position is on the line.
See me run a marathon again as a leprechaun?
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The highlighted part of your quote is exactly what we say, and will always say, every single time as long as I am involved.
As I said before, it simply doesn't matter who you play against, you want to play a winter sport regardless of the conditions.
I grew playing in everything from rock hard grounds to knee deep mud, from baking heat to freezing cold and pouring rain, and never once would I say 'what are we doing here?'
Our ground hasn't been closed in the two years we've had the agreement, although we've moved to the spare ground on three occasions that I can remember.
By asking me to give you an example it shows that you didn't necessarily read what I said before - which I've repeated above.
To make it perfectly clear:
I Will Not Be Responsible For Closing An Australian Rules Football Ground, Regardless Of The Conditions, The Opponent, Or Either Club's Position On The Ladder. Ever.
"It's up to the rest of the players in the room to make a new batch of premiership players next year," Adam Goodes, triple Bob Skilton Medallist, October 7, 2011.
YOU BETCHA!!!!!!
Neither side would have wanted Saturday's match called off - both sides on 3-3 with a spot in the top 5 up for grabs. I'm sure both clubs would have been desperate to play, and North Shore would have told the council that; but the council decided to close the ground anyway 2 hours before the first game was due to start.
BMR, your quote:
I don't know the situation at Gore Hill, but at Bensons Lane we (Nor-West Jets) have an agreement with the Hawkesbury Sports Council that allows us to make the decision on whether we play or not, on the proviso that we are responsible for any damage that may be done.
Combining this with you last post I thus conclude Bensons Lane is never closed or you have not expressed the situation as it is. No problemo.
The amount of water of the wet weather ground at Bensons was amazing,just by sight alone,most councils would've closed it to any sport,but as Jonty said,the council made the ground for such conditions to protect the wickets on the main oval,a good investment for them and us. You will only find Bensons Lane no 2-the main oval we train on-closed for training,as for some inexplicable reason it was last night,however had No 3-the all weather ground- been lit up which it will soon,we wouldn't have had a problem. It is always open regardless of any weather. I hope i haven't jinxed myself now.
Drip
The Jets outfit should be given credit where due. In a past life working for the state governing body and with no grounds available for a junior football carnival due to foul weather, the Jets came to the rescue and hosted the carnival at Benson's Lane calling on club volunteers from afar in what turned out to be a successful and enjoyable day.
Well done Jets.
Was waiting for that Doormat. But if you knew who your father was, you'd show me more respect.
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