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Thread: Is Premier Division a lower standard now ?

  1. #13
    I'd challenge that last years UNSWES side was as right up there with any of ECE's best Premier Division sides (22 players actually fielded, not the squad or club) over the past decade, with all respect to ECE, however ECE are a better club overall at this point given their consistency over a number of years, their depth, the wide variety of talent and what they have grown to become. Hats off to them.

    Bit in relation to this thread, to suggest that last years Premiers were a far weaker side is simply not correct. I would definitely agree the overall competition has dramatically decreased and the quality of players who claim to be PD players has greatly reduced. But in regards to last years premiers, they are a quality line up that certainly are worth acknowledging as maintaining the standard of the comp in comparison to anything we've seen over the past 15 years.

    In relation to UNSWES;

    - Rampe now a 1st grade AFL player, all Australian, player of state carnival, NSW representative
    - McAlister ACT representative footballer, ACTAFL premiership player
    - Plant former ACT rep, NSW selected rep, SANFL player
    - Collett NSW representative
    - Tagliablue NSW representative, now with VFL club

    I believe their greatest strength was their spread and eveness of their talent beyond just those outlined above across the whole 22.

    Most impressive was that many of the premiership players were those same players from their 2011 side that finished 8th.

    Hats off to McAlister for what he has done to that club in his first year as a senior coach, no doubt an impressive coach with a big future in the game at much higher levels.

  2. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Sterling Cooper View Post
    Hats off to McAlister for what he has done to that club in his first year as a senior coach, no doubt an impressive coach with a big future in the game at much higher levels.
    Perhaps it was the on-field coaching that got the Bulldogs over the line last year...who can forget that nuggetty defender with his Hannibal Lecter mask, organising the troops in that amazing wall in the back half. We don't get a lot of playing coaches do we ?
    As I think about it, perhaps it's the on-field leadership that's lacking, though I can think of a few...Hudson, Kenny E-C, Declan Donohue to start with - trouble is that they can only 'lead' when there are capable cattle to follow.
    Sterling, your Advertising Agency is going well with Don (not Donald !!) as the leader because you're heading to the point of saying that last year's Bulldogs had the combo of a great on-field leader and some qualified troops. And some depth under that.

    Maybe that's the required mix.

  3. #15
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    I always find it ammusing when people try and compare premiership sides over the years. It's irrellevant really because you will never really know as those exact sides never played each other. Think comparing Brisbane to Geelong. Hawthorn of the 80s to Brisbane of the early 2000s. Essendon of the late 90s to Brisbane etc. The list goes on and on. It's good pub conversation though.

    I have a biased opinion on the ECE sides and spend plenty of time trying to work out which ECE side was better throughout that threepeat. I always come back to the 2009 side simply because I played in that one. If UniNSW can win three in a row then they will deserve to be compared to that era of ECE sides. However as I said, having watched them last year they were a very impressive outfit and very well coached.

    And I stand by my statement that the strength of the Top 5 sides over the last few years has improved. However the sides outside the 5 have dropped off. It just depends on how you judge the strength and depth of the competition.

    And finally, if you dont think that some clubs are picking up very strong interstate players this year then you simply dont know what you are talking about. Henry Mason at UniNSW is a gun and will be one of the best (if not THE best) in the comp. Jared Shattock is playing at North Shore and again will be one of the best in the league. Matt Edwins is back at C'Town, Jack Lynch at Manly. UniNSW have picked up a few players from ACT which will strengthen them. UTS a few from the SANFL. The list goes on and on.

    Granted taking two sides out of the Sydney AFL and putting them into the NEAFL takes some players out of the comp but what I can tell you is that half of our NEAFL list would be playing in Canberra or other states if the opportunity of playing NEAFL in Sydney wasn't available. We wouldn't have Buchanan, Stubbs, Krueger, Dragicevic, Pollock, Bradley, Bonney, Reed, Garlick and Young just to name a few new players who have come to the club for NEAFL. There are more. We may also have lost a few players to interstate like we did in the past as well. Sydney Uni would be in the same boat I am tipping with Malcolm Lynch and a few more that they may not have got if they were still in Prem div.

  4. #16
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    You'd expect Premier Division to be slightly weaker than a couple of years ago, simply because a lot of the top players will gravitate to the NEAFL; which wasn't an option a couple of years ago.

    I tend to agree with Tim Freedman's assessment. There's good footy played by the top half dozen teams, but the gap between them and the rest was enormous last season; and we may see plenty of blowouts in Premier Division this season. No team outside the top 6 beat a top 6 team last year; and rarely was the margin less than ten goals.

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  5. #17
    Quote Originally Posted by Norris Lurker View Post
    No team outside the top 6 beat a top 6 team last year; and rarely was the margin less than ten goals.
    This is why they're paying you the big bucks Norris - 'cos you can give us stats like that !
    A bit off-topic but that won't happen this year because four of last year's top six have lost already ! And Manly has shown they are to be taken seriously.
    Gonna be a good season I think !

    Back to my question for more input.....is PD getting stronger or weaker ?

  6. #18
    I know there are some who reckon PD players are well paid, but I have my doubts about that.
    It's the time of year when players are asked to pay their registration fees (NB - pay up front then play, not get match payments), and the time will soon come when those who haven't paid their subs will be locked out.
    That will change the ladder when that happens !

  7. #19
    I think that most agree that the overall depth has dropped in the premier division. The top 6 teams (UNSWES, Penno, UTS, North Shore, St George and now Manly thrown into the Mix) are heads and shoulders above the rest given last years performances. Wests, Sydney Uni and Campbelltown have all improved given what we have seen in 2013. I agree with the comment that the bodies are not as big as what they were back in the mid 2000s but thats the change in our great game.

    In terms of comparing an ECE side of 09,10,11 with UNSWES of 2012, it is difficult to compare but given I have played with and against those sides, the ECE sides of all years would comfortably do the Dogs. Lets just say UNSWES would not have won the 2012 flag if ECE had not gone to the NEAFL.

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