World Footy News

Across the weekend, the SANFL Grand Final played out. Normally held the week after the AFL Grand Final, this year the SANFL Grand Final was up against both the AFL on the Saturday afternoon and the NRL on the Sunday evening.

In a vote of confidence for the 2nd tier league the SANFL recorded a very strong Grand Final attendance of 34,355. This attendance is on par with 2008 and 2009, and better than the years 2003 to 2007 where mid-high 20,000s were the norm.

For the record, the game was just barely less close than the 1 pt margin in the WAFL 2 weeks earlier or the first drawn instalment of the AFL Grand Final. It was a relative ‘blow-out’ as a 6 point game! Not a bad trifecta of close Grand Finals. And given the recent 5 point result in the Euro 9s tournament, there’s been a number of close ‘big games’.

Central District powered to a 9th premiership in 11 seasons – that for Collingwood fans dreaming of a ‘dynasty’ might be considered a fair definition of a dynastic outcome!

Central 4.1 (25) 4.5 (29) 9.11 (65) 10.11 (71)

Norwood 1.1 (7) 7.4 (46) 7. 6 (48) 9.11 (65)

Goals :

Central: Callinan 4, Schell 3, C Gowans, Jenner, Spurr

Norwood: Davis 4, Shenton, Terlich, Trotter, Phillips, Rowe

Jack Oatey Medallist: Ian Callinan

We reported a couple of weeks back that the SANFL achieved a Home and Away total attendance of 276,583 – an average of 3073 spectators per match. Despite a wet winter this appears to be the highest average since 2002. The SANFL had hoped for 15,000 to 20,000 for the Elimination/Qualifying finals double header at AAMI in week one of finals, however only drew 11,449. The Sunday Semi final double header also at AAMI Stadium drew 13,162. Last weeks preliminary final drew 8342 to see Norwood scrape home by 5 points over the Eagles.

After the finals the total season crowd was 343891, which is up 13,120 on last year, but down on 2008 (362,269). Just over 67,000 for the 2010 finals series was just under 1000 down on 2009, but, well down on 2008 when just over 86,000 attended the finals series. Again though, over recent history, the numbers were pretty good.

It’s good to see both the WAFL and SANFL having pretty successful seasons. We need to remind ourselves that these are not just a single 2nd tier league to the AFL, but state based leagues that occupy a 2nd tier position. For some perspective, the weekend gone saw just 5410 attend the premier Sydney Rugby Union Grand Final, the Shute Shield. Sydney folk recall the days when this competition would draw 10,000 more than that to its Grand Final. The professional era and Super Rugby has diminished the next tier. Meanwhile in soccer the A-League is struggling to break 10,000 crowds for 30% of games and an average this season below 9,000. For the AFL to have recorded a fourth straight season of peak crowds and for state leagues like the SANFL and WAFL to be doing so well – it does indicate a fair state of health in the heartlands.

As an aside, the AFL Grand Final replay (all Melbourne game) comfortably outrated the NRL Grand Final (all Sydney game). The AFL ratings in Brisbane and Sydney were both superior to either of Adelaide or Perth. This illustrates perhaps the wisdom currently of expansion into both NSW and QLD. It would be a shame to undermine the multi layered strength in SA and WA, and it is clear that there’s an emerging market in NSW and QLD (50+% of the national population) that can not be ignored. The NRL by contrast rated very poorly in Adelaide and Perth (markets without a team) and Melbourne (no Storm involved).