It's been really interesting to watch the banter over the last few weeks around UNSW-ES, UTS, and in the last few days Auburn (the club I coach). Well done to Shaun with his simple answers to the questions about UNSW-ES and the sad news about the Village Green! I think it changed a few opinions.
How do clubs generally deal with the misinformation that often circulates them? In an handful of posts my club has been accused of paying players, using an 'MMA style', being undeserving of a promotion and, implicitly, as getting financial and other support from AFL NSW/ACT.
If I may indulge any interested in a response to these assertions:
- We don't pay players, and never have. We try, where possible, to support our U18s players that have considerable costs associated with representative football. That's it. Anyone that suggests we pay players is misinformed. Most officials, including myself, do not get paid. Only a single assistant coach is given an honourarium for her time;
- Last year's Div 2 Premiers were invited to be promoted to Premier Division and they declined.
We were offered the promotion a week ago based on the numbers we currently have registered and have been getting to training, not because of special support. We asked the league in January, when Wollongong were relegated, if we could nominate two teams, as at that time our numbers were sufficient to have two. This request was declined, and we have lost several potential players in that time, as having 40+ players training when only 22 spots are available is difficult to sustain.
Moreover, given that in the Prelims and GF the scores separating the three teams was never more than one straight kick, it doesn't seem to me that there is a significant difference between the teams, and the league is probably right in making the decision based upon numbers over grand final appearances;
- We receive no support, financial or otherwise, from the league, beyond what any club receives;
- Our players have a diverse ethnic make up, and while those of Lebanese descent would form the largest single group, they are not even the majority on their own. We give no special treatment to players or individuals based on their ethnic background, and I think we are relatively reflective of the ethnic mix of the Auburn area;
- We take on-field discipline very seriously, and certainly do not promote or condone illegal play of any kind, especially not fighting.
I'm happy to answer any questions that those that posted in the previous thread have about our club, but I don't anticipate there to be much genuine interest when the real story doesn't involve buckets of cash from the league, secret UFC training sessions or opportunities to justify prejudice.
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