Divisional Structure - Your early impressions

[Norris Lurker]

A couple of rounds in, and particularly during round 2 we've seen clubs playing their teams at different grounds and against different opponents - something that's going to continue throughout the season.

I'm currently putting together this weekend's review article; and checking the scores I've noticed a trend so far that when one club's firsts are up against another club's reserves or lower, the club fielding their top team has usually got up. Too early to call that a definate advantage, but that's the early trend.
I was out at Monarch today. I only got there at 1:30, just when the last quarter of the Second Division game started and they didn't use the scoreboard for the Second Division game; but Macquarie Uni's firsts were far too good for Campbelltown's reserves.

If you're involved with a club that's been spread over different days or grounds, or been hosting different visiting teams for different grades for your home game day, how have you found the experience?

[Pekay]

First round we were split, Seniors on Saturday at Cronulla and Magoos on Sunday at Village Green, probably one of the harder splits we'll have to deal with, but we made it work, its not without its problems, physios, water etc but if you are willing to put in the effort it will work.
We had our twos play on saturday at Bensons, and had our full senior squad there helping out with boundary, goals, water etc, so worked pretty well.
For the record, according to league website, Mac Uni beat Towns twos by 200 points, but only 18 named for the Blues. Hope the numbers get better for them during the year.

[wise one]

From what i have seen live and read on the website, there appears just as many if not more lopsided scores as there were last season.There appear to be only 2 or 3 chances in each division, with the most open appearing to be 1st Divsion.

Peekay, whilst you guys at Nor-west are making the split work, i have heard others are struggling already and i would say the chances of teams not fielding sides etc will be more prevalent, particularly later on in the season, when teams are getting sick of floggings or cannot get numbers for other reasons, time will tell.

[Dunger]

From what i have seen live and read on the website, there appears just as many if not more lopsided scores as there were last season.There appear to be only 2 or 3 chances in each division, with the most open appearing to be 1st Divsion.

It's too early to claim success or failure yet but what would happen to Campbelltown 2's if they were still in 1st div and UTS or Manly were in Div 2?

Didn't the clubs nominate what div they wanted to be in anyway?

[Hawknik]

It was always planned to take a year or two to equalise out. Just remember after this year when the bottom place team is relegated and the top team promoted, this will be even closer. You are always going to get lopsided scores in any league in Australia, but after 1 year of promotion/relegation then another year, I am sure the competitiveness in each Div will be much better.

I think clubs did nominate what div, but the AFL made the final call and there may be a couple of differences to what clubs did nominate, but not many I would imagine.

What is interesting is how the SFL Div 1 sides of 2008 seem to be performing against the Prem League Reserves of 2008?.. totally against the feedback Prem Div Clubs gave at the restructure meetings that there is a ?significant gap between Prem League 2?s and Div 1?. I would seem to agree thus far, just totally reverse!!!

From being spread over different grounds, this is something we had to do last year, as did Nor West, so we are used to it and we do cope quite well as we are lucky to have a great club effort and blessed with volunteers. There is some difficulty with covering jobs but the AFL has made it much easier this year with away teams having to provide less personnel (for timekeeping, water running etc). Most Clubs should be able cover that with injured players etc. Difficulty comes with providing medical staff when away and on same days, which I totally understand. To help with this our Club, in the planning meeting, offered all other clubs for us to provide them a physio when at our grounds to help with this, they would just have to cover costs that?s all.

[The Insider]

While the promotion of the first placed team and the relegation of the last placed team will lead to a more even competition, it will also mean that there are more weekends when clubs are split up.

At the moment, it is fairly easy to cope with when it only happens 3 or 4 times in a season, but what happens next year when it is 6-8 times a season and 10 or 12 times per season the year after. We may eventually end up with the situation whereby all three teams playing on the same day at the same ground will be the irregularity and not the norm. This will surely destroy clubs in the future.

[tara]

Insider the league has attempted to do something to equalise the competiton rather than allow the inequallities to continue. It may or may not work but two rounds in its a bit early to call as is making predications as to who will finish top etc.

[Hawknik]

As I have only played in NSW, honest questions:
* Are there other leagues in OZ whereby they play a divisional / tiered structure?
* How long have they been in operation?

Cheers

[The Insider]

Tara, I have made no predictions as to the top or bottom of the leagues. I have only stated that when one team goes up and another goes down, the present state of affairs whereby most clubs have teams in sequential divisions will change.

Eg. if team A, which has teams in Premier Division, First Division and Under 18's, comes last in First Division they will then have teams in Premier and 2nd Division. If team B, which currently has teams in Second Division, Third Division and Fourth Division wins Second division, they will then have teams in First Division, Third Division and Fourth Division.

This will make it virtually impossible to have any chronological order in playing schedules.

[tara]

Sorry Insider I should have made that comment to Wiseone.

[Coastal Boy]

There are a few issues with the current relegation system.

Firstly, a team like UTS 1s have an advantage over Penno 2s throughout the season. Why? An example: If all sides have, say, 7 injuries by round 5 then Penno will actually have 14 players out because not only do they have to cover their own sides injuries but also their first grade. Also, Penno will have their best 7 out(in 1s) and 7 others but UTS will only have 7 others. However when the finals come around a team like Penno will strengthen considerably and may actually get stronger when some of their 1s who have qualified for 2s drop back. This only holds true if you consider the theory that injuries are often at their minimum for finals as players push to be back for big time footy and ensure their get off work to play etc. So I would look out for a whole different ball game come finals time.

Secondly, I would hope that the teams who move up a division strength their lists. There is always a buzz around a club at this time and players come from far and wide and money is often at its most plentiful. This may die down after a couple of years though.

Thirdly, I think Premier league 1s teams like C'Town and Balmain are disadvantaged with their 2s down a division. It means these players are not going to step up as easily when required to play Premier League. Also, their recruiting may suffer as fringe 1s players decide to join a club who fields a team in the top 2 comps.

I am not negative about the new system. Just pointing out a few thoughts that make it far from ideal for all.

[Rafters]

From an outsider it looks pretty good to me. There were too many average teams playing reserve grade in SFL and quite rightly would have got thumped by SFA first grade sides ... we are starting to see it in some matches already.

It will take a few seasons to sort itself out but come finals time the contests will be very even.

It encourages players of all standards to get a game.

Well done to all for having a go with this system that allows for future growth.