SANFL to put its worst foot forward

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SANFL to put its worst foot forward

Authored by: Cam Homes
on Monday, December 20 2010 @ 05:58 pm ACDT

Really another example of the AFL telling the state leagues what to do and when without any consultation first, looks like to me. Match fixtures all decided, where playing and pittance prize money decided, club sponsors excluded, and a bit too obvious a vehicle for GWS to get some games rather than a real Champions League(what championship has GWS featured in?) Maybe if AFL had come to the leagues and clubs and said "this is what we would like to do, how about it and how do you reckon it should be run? Let's have some input from the clubs eg when would it be best for to play etc. It might just have been a goer and all the top teams might have been in it.
we don't even know if the top teams from the other states have accepted it either yet. The top teams in SA expressed their concerns and objections to how it had been foisted upon them, but did the AFL offer to make some changes???? certainly doesn't look like it. Even the teams in SA who have accepted it look like not fielding their best teams anyway. Just wonder if the any of the clubs will actually field their best teams.

SANFL to put its worst foot forward

Authored by: Brett Northey
on Monday, December 20 2010 @ 09:00 pm ACDT

My understanding was that this was more Foxtel initiated, which is why it has come pretty late and needs to be run on certain days to fit in with them. In which case it's understandable that there won't be much flexibility.

I'm not really sure how it could be scheduled differently to suit clubs like Centrals in SA. They would need the SANFL to organise a double bye for them, or play it out of season, which never truly pits the best against the best either. I think it remains a very difficult concept for such a demanding sport as Aussie Rules.

But in that case, yeah it's not really going to be a Champions League. They probably never really are though, if the top 2 or 3 teams qualify, which I think is often the case with such tournaments, then only 1 of the 2 or 3 is a Champion anyway.

I'd probably rather see it start as a true Champions League with just the top side from each league invited, so maybe the top SA vs top WA, and top VFL vs top Tassie, then the winners play off. So just 2 matches might be more palatable.

And yes, the SANFL will not only be represented by its lowest sides, but some have said they couldn't field their best players. So it could be teams that are 15 goals behind the best in the SANFL.

Overall it's a nice idea but hard to see how it could work the way we'd all like. Kind of like State of Origin, just no good window that fits and works with semi or pro footballers.

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Brett Northey - Co-founder and Chief Editor of WFN