Xav Richards

**Mug Punter** · 3rd May 2017, 12:12 PM

I don't think the points system really works but that is just my opinion.

My issue is that the Sydney Uni NEAFL Programme, which I support as the third elite pathway in Sydney, is a semi-professional sporting programme. I've heard it has a budget of around the $400,000 mark which is the case puts it right up there with VFL clubs and the like. We should be thankful for Sydney Uni funding this programme because we need that third pathway.

But there is a wider issue of the health of the wider game and that means that Sydney Uni can't just let their NEAFL program trickle down to dominate at the SFL level. The Xav Richards example shows what can happen there albeit an extreme example.

The simple response would seem to be to having a quarantined NEAFL Squad with a top up system that draws across the league rather than a system that promotes talent banking at the Sydney Uni Div 1 level.

Sydney Uni need to work out how to make this work too. Can they sustain a Div 1 team as well as the NEAFL side - I would say that very few of the NEAFL players would have come to the club in its Prem League guise so the answer is yes but if the answer is No then Sydney Uni will simply need to field their second team in Div 2. This won't affect their NEAFL side as it is quarantined.

And I might also say that the use of non Academy top ups from the local SFL sides could be a good thing for Sydney football and if done properly could improve relations between Uni and the district clubs as clubs like North Shore should be pleased to see their players getting a chance at NEAFL level and the only place they can get it in Sydney is at Uni

**andreww1** · 3rd May 2017, 12:32 PM

A few years ago Syd Uni had a draft system where NEAFL players from outside Sydney were allocated to local clubs. We had Austen Lucy who played one game with us when he wasn't playing NEAFL. That was all good even though he played just the one game in 2 years. No problems at all with that approach & outcome. This year when Syd Uni wanted Austen to play Prems they threatened us with legal action if we didn't clear him back to their club. I think this pretty much sums up Syd Uni's attitude to other clubs and Sydney AFL.

A player points system is the only outcome that will work. Hopefully Sydney AFL does show some leadership on this matter.

**5yearplan** · 3rd May 2017, 01:22 PM

This weekend will be interesting with a Syd Uni bye this weekend and how many play down and get to other clubs, this round will be interesting.

**Tom Wills** · 3rd May 2017, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by 5yearplan

This weekend will be interesting with a Syd Uni bye this weekend and how many play down and get to other clubs, this round will be interesting.

There is something fundamentally unfair about the Bye in Prems (forgetting Sydney Uni for a moment).
Last week Southern Power lost to their nemesis, St George, by 15 goals in Div 1 with Addison and Mudge the best 2 - both clearly Premier Division players.
Actually every Premier Division team that has had a bye this season (4 rounds) has had there next team have a convincing win. This, at a glance, flows through to their lower Divisions.

Not sure what the answer is other than get to an even number of teams in Premier Division, either 8 or 10 next year.

**Mug Punter** · 3rd May 2017, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Wills

There is something fundamentally unfair about the Bye in Prems (forgetting Sydney Uni for a moment).
\

I'd say any comp where the potential for flooding your lower grades exists.

Clearly the easiest solution is a return to the two/three grade comps with an even number of teams in each comp.

And to re-open another old chesnut I'd like to see an 8 team comp with promotion and relegation for the top/bottom team

**bomber.** · 3rd May 2017, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Wills

There is something fundamentally unfair about the Bye in Prems (forgetting Sydney Uni for a moment).
Last week Southern Power lost to their nemesis, St George, by 15 goals in Div 1 with Addison and Mudge the best 2 - both clearly Premier Division players.
Actually every Premier Division team that has had a bye this season (4 rounds) has had there next team have a convincing win. This, at a glance, flows through to their lower Divisions.

Not sure what the answer is other than get to an even number of teams in Premier Division, either 8 or 10 next year.

The rules for dropping prem players back changed this year. Now no-one who played prems on a given weekend can play a lower grade the following week if the prems have a bye. Used to be that 2 could play down.

Round 1 is an anomaly because no prem team plays the week before, but I don't know what you'd do about that - start div 1 and div 2 a week later!!

Given St G lost in round 3, pretty sure they weren't holding Mudge and Addison back so they could beat Sthn Power in div 1 last weekend.

Reality is that the top 4 sides in div 1 are associated with prem div teams and the top 3 in div 2 are as well, so seven of the 9 prem div sides have their ressies going very nicely. That that will have more to do with the comfortable wins than what's happened with their prem teams.

Manly have the bye this weekend and their ressies are playing Wollondilly - so tipping another comfortable win that has nothing to do with the prem div bye.

**ThePunter** · 3rd May 2017, 04:27 PM

Afternoon gents - long time listener, first time caller.

Seems like a bit of a storm in a teacup here. Richards was by all accounts coming back from injury sustained in NEAFL Rnd 1 a month ago, and thus came back through the Reserves like basically any other club in the country. Just because the guy fired a few shots against what was apparently a fairly insipid Wolves side does not require this level of overreaction - take his 13 goals out and Manly still lose by an outrageous margin. Wait and see if he's played in Premier Division again this weekend before throwing the baby out with the bathwater - entire comp had no issue with the beatings inflicted on Uni Premier Division over the past few years when they were hamstrung by eligibility rules, have to take the good with the bad when things come full circle.

**saviour01** · 3rd May 2017, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Tom Wills

There is something fundamentally unfair about the Bye in Prems (forgetting Sydney Uni for a moment).
Last week Southern Power lost to their nemesis, St George, by 15 goals in Div 1 with Addison and Mudge the best 2 - both clearly Premier Division players.
Actually every Premier Division team that has had a bye this season (4 rounds) has had there next team have a convincing win. This, at a glance, flows through to their lower Divisions.

Not sure what the answer is other than get to an even number of teams in Premier Division, either 8 or 10 next year.

As Bomber said, no one who played prems can drop down the following week.

And to be honest it didnt make a difference, my div 4 side could probably their div 1. 110-1 in our 3rds v their 2nds. 105-22 in our 2nds v their thirds. They use to flog us, whats happened there?

**Pmcc2911** · 3rd May 2017, 06:11 PM

Interesting point (I know it is only early days) but next year you could see the return of most Prems clubs with their reserves in Div 1.
Syd Uni are currently 1st in Div1 (no surprise there), St Geo 2nd, Penno 3rd and UTS 4th. Add to them from Div 2 Nth Shore and UNSW 1st and 2nd and wests who are 3rd and you will have 7 of the 9 Prems clubs with their reserves in Div 1. Manly and ECE the only two who don't.

**saviour01** · 3rd May 2017, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Pmcc2911

Interesting point (I know it is only early days) but next year you could see the return of most Prems clubs with their reserves in Div 1.
Syd Uni are currently 1st in Div1 (no surprise there), St Geo 2nd, Penno 3rd and UTS 4th. Add to them from Div 2 Nth Shore and UNSW 1st and 2nd and wests who are 3rd and you will have 7 of the 9 Prems clubs with their reserves in Div 1. Manly and ECE the only two who don't.

Is it true ECE prems dont even train at the same ground as their reserves?