Another option is to do what some of the soccer competitions do and after 3 rounds assess if a teams need to be promoted or relegated based on performance in the first 3 rounds. Logistically adds some complications but it was done in AFL U17s this year to ensure a more even competition.
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IMO sports like soccer and touch football can alter their draw and play clubs at different venues because often the venues are close together in a single district. Soccer games only go for 70 odd mins so they can play 6-8 games on one field per day and there are often 2-3 fields at each venue. They only need 1 referee for most games so the need for canteen facilities to pay for umpires is not imperative.
The quicker the Sydney AFL makers a concerted effort to play club vs club at the same venue for the day the better for everyone. It's hard to achieve but not impossible.
Agree 100% however the AFL will not change the model they were first reluctant to go with.Originally Posted by Coastal Boy
12 months ago I flagged the potential and provided a model for the return to SFA SFL divisions which kept clubs together and was told the current structure would remain for a few years yet.
My club obviously has reaped the benefits of a more equitable competition since Garry introduced the divisions however it is time to work on the next step that keeps clubs together but also allows for promotion and relegated where deserved. There is plenty of debate already around whether 8 or 10 teams in PD is ideal however one thing is clear the current concentration of teams around the inner city is not healthy for the game in Sydney. The sooner we see clubs in the outer suburbs knocking on the door the better - not because I have a problem with those in town but because it will show the game is developing more rather than relying upon expats living in socially desirable suburbs.
I agree. The Divisions have pretty much sorted out something like the below we could go back to where clubs play against each other on a day In seniors, ressies and under 19's where possible. Obviously clubs with more than one would play others but at least you know your home games would have a minimum of 3 games against one club. Helps Canteen etc etc. hope it all stays in line below. just a thought.
The number is brackets is obviously a teams current Div
Premier Seniors E-Coast St George UTS N-Shore Penno Manly Syd Uni E-UNSW Wests
Premier Reserves E-Coast(1) St George(1) UTS(1) N-Shore(2) Penno(1) Manly(2) Syd Uni(1) E-UNSW(2) Wests(2)
Premier 19's E-Coast(1) St George(1) South Coast N-Shore(1) Penno(1) Manly(1) Syd Uni(1) E-UNSW(1) Wests(2)
1st Div Seniors Balmain(1) Parra(1) Blacktown(1) S-Power(1) Mac Uni(1) Camden(2) Penrith(2) Randwick(2) UTS(2) SWS(2) Syd Uni(2) C-Town(3) Norwest(3) Wollondilly(3) Penno(3)
1st Div Reserves Balmain(3) Parra(4) Blacktown(4) S-Power(4 Mac Uni(4) Camden(4 Penrith(3) Randwick(4) UTS(4) SWS(4) Syd Uni(4) C-Town(5) Norwest(5) Wollondilly(?) Penno(5)
1st Div 19's Parra(2) Blacktown(2) S-George(2) Nor-Shore(2) Camden(1) SWS(2) C-Town(2)
2nd Division E-Coast(3) N-Shore(4) Manly(4) St George(4) E-UNSW(4) E-UNSW(5) Camden(5) Mac Uni(5) Syd Uni(5) Balmain(5) UTS(5) Penrith(5) Parra(5) SWS(5)
These 2x 19's teams would play Home games with there own club and away games with the designated additional club allowing Min 3 games at each venue for the home clubs
Wollondilly(?)-Possible Reserves side
Promotion to the 10th(Max) Premier division position would be reliant on having an Under 19's also
Besides UTS and Syd Uni i would think that there would be opportunity for all other clubs in Div2 that currently dont have 19's to possibly have one in the future
It looks good especially for the prems stuff, but st george 2nd div u19s would struggle if they aren't at home every second week with everyone else. Does the draw allow that?
Same with the 2nd division
Yes that's what I was saying that when you play at home you have as many games as you like but at least you know that 2-3 of the games will be the same club and bring a bit of a crowd
EG
ST G Prems, Reserves and 19's Div 1 Vs Nth Shore all 3 games played back to back and the 3rd Grade against whoever in Div 2 and the Under 19's against a Div2 19's.
Same when you play away your Prems, Reserves and 19's all play together so the team you are against gets at least 3 teams from the same club playing.
A few issues I can see.
Wests would get lapped in Prems reserves and don't have there own 19's. East coast depth also looks to be lacking.
C'town would cop some really heavy defeats against the likes of Blacktown, Mac Uni, Penrith and Camden in both 1st div seniors and reserves.
From what I've ever seen in football, a reserve grade team against another reserve grade team is always a competitive game. Sure you get ups and downs but they even themself out over the years.
There was issues with Manly and UTS flogging everyone in the old SFA but move them up to Prem Div and problem solved. There was never in my memory a reserve grade team from a club that dominated for years on end or another that constantly came last. The divisionalisation structure has not evened out the competitions. There are as many floggings now as there ever was. But what it has done is make it hell for the volunteer structures of the clubs and eaten away at the ability of supporters to support a club....now it's more a team.
The number of teams each club fields is always going to be fluid. The days of a club always having 3 teams, seniors, reserves and under 19s is long gone. Most clubs have more, while Wests don't have a stand-alone under 19s this year and are the only Premier Division club without a thirds team, but when they did field a thirds they were good enough to be in Div 3 - the quality of thirds teams varies wildly from club to club. The university clubs have a lot more than those 3 teams; and we've seen clubs like Pennant Hills having 4 open-age teams. North Shore are talking about fielding a 4ths team next year, and others could be as well.
That's where our divisional system works and other systems would struggle. The current system makes it easy to add or remove teams as a club's numbers change from year to year.
What about the concept that each club is only permitted 3 opens men's teams. This would encourage the formation of new clubs in areas numbers are growing and not just bolster what is already existent. Just an idea.
New clubs only help the league stats at the end of each year when doing their internal reviews. There are enough clubs around. New clubs in recent years have been gifted a flag by the league by being admitted into a Div 4 side
The ideal structure, IMO, would be a 3 tier competition structure with seniors and reserves paired so they would play with each other EVERY week for both home and away games.
Three comps of 8 or 9 teams , Seniors and reserves.
But to do this , the third and fourth teams from the super clubs would need to be treated as an independent club for the purposes of the draw.
ie. SUni, UTS, UNSW with Penno and it looks like NorthS and/or StG may soon be the next four team clubs.
This model provides 25 current two team clubs (equivalent) for the draw and allows for growth .
Underneath this could be two divisionalised or geographically based competitions (D3, D4) to cater for the third and fifth teams from the larger clubs . If any of these clubs progress to a fourth or sixth team they could then be added to D3.
It means that at a very minimum, all clubs seniors and reserves (thirds and fourths) can support each other every game every round at the same venue while maintaining a semi divisionalised theme.
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