Wollongong promoted to Sydney AFL Premier Division

[desie]

Wollongong Lions promoted to Premier Division
Wednesday 22 September 2004


Wollongong Lions Australian Football Club promoted to Sydney AFL Premier Division.

AFL (NSW/ACT) Commission General Manager, Dale Holmes has announced that the Wollongong Lions will be promoted to the Premier Division in the Sydney AFL competition commencing in 2005.

Also in attendance for the announcement were Lions President, Ian Ferguson, Captain Trevor Burnett and talented under-18 player, Clint Wells.

The Sydney AFL Premier Division is the highest level of competition played in NSW outside the national AFL competition. The competition celebrated its Centenary of Australian football in Sydney in 2003. The elevation of Wollongong will bring the number of Premier Division clubs to 9 including: North Shore (2004 Premiers), St George, University of NSW/Eastern Suburbs, Pennant Hills, East Coast Eagles, Balmain, Campbelltown and Western Suburbs.

The Sydney AFL Board conducts the following divisions:

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Premier Division

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Premier Division Reserves

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First Division

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First Division Reserves

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Second Division

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Under-18 Division


The Wollongong Lions, who won the 2004 First Division premiership two weeks ago, were promoted by the Sydney AFL Board on the basis of a wide range of performance criteria, not simply on-field performance.

AFL (NSW/ACT) General Manager, Dale Holmes said, “The decision by the Sydney AFL Board was made well before the finals were played.”

“The fact that the club won this year’s premiership in the lower grade further vindicates the decision. The Board foreshadowed in its 3-year strategic plan released last year, that the Premier Division should grow from 8 to 10 teams and that Wollongong was a strong possibility to be promoted”, Mr Holmes said.

The Club Executive formally applied to the SAFL Board in July this year. The decision was made in view of the following key considerations:

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Strong administration at the club

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Good leadership, off and on the field

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Sound financial position

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Active junior programs and strong growth prospects

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Excellent Council support

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Good facilities

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Good sponsorship support and positive prospects

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Excellent support from the local media

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Talented players coming through the Under-18s and Under-16s

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Good Coaches and support staff

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Sound performances on the field, including the Under-18 grade


The Wollongong Lions Australian Football Club was formed in 1971. After dominating the Illawarra League for a number of years, the Lions made the successful transition to the (then) Sydney Football Association in 1989. Although the senior team did not win the premiership until 2004 in the Sydney competition, they were runners-up in 1994 and 2001. The reserve grade team won a flag in 1991 and were runners-up in 1995. The under-18 team were runners-up in 2002.

Current Captain, Trevor Burnett has won the League’s highest individual honour, the Snow Medal for best and fairest on 3 occasions in 1989, 2001 and 2002. Other Lions to win the award are Michael Scow in 1993 and Grant Campbell in 1999.

In terms of young talent, Wollongong has some outstanding prospects. Five players have represented NSW/ACT RAMS in the under-18s during 2004. They were: Troy Bartlett, Cameron Stanton, Clinton Wells, Adam McConnochie and Michael Toussis. All played for the Wollongong Lions in the Sydney AFL First Division Competition this year. As part of their development the players have also played for the Sydney Swans reserve team during 2004.

Troy Bartlett has been invited to participate in the AFL National Draft Camp with the best 50 players in Australia.

Junior AFL development in the Illawarra region has been very strong in recent years as follows:

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AUSKICK (5-12 years) participation has increased by almost 100% since 2001 from 1077 players to 2123 players this season

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The number of junior and youth teams has increased by almost 50% in the same period from 30 teams to 43 teams

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The number of junior and youth club players has increased by around 40% between 2001 and 2004


“We are delighted that the Lions have set their sights on a higher challenge and we are certain they will do extremely well” Dale Holmes said.

“Their promotion certainly enables the AFL to establish a strong presence in the Wollongong region.”

Lions President, Ian Ferguson said: “It’s a great opportunity to go forward and give our young players coming through our junior ranks, the chance to play footy at the highest possible standard.”

[Pantsless]

They've improved significantly since 99 when I first played them. We spanked them back then, but lost just about every game since.

Nth Dalton Park could do with the work as well.

Will take the bye out the SFA as well.

[Big Stinky Monk]

They are a very well managed club - I hope they do well

[TigerCraig]

Any chance of Newcastle/Central Coast coming in and getting rid of the bye?

[Pantsless]

Would be the next logical step or perhaps Penrith. Both would need a lot of work though. Penrith have made the first step of dropping Dustbowl Oval and moving to Dukes even though it's a bit small. I kicked a goal from the centre circle there last year.

They did have the NCC Hunters playing the U/18 comp and they were reasonably successful. But I don't know why they are not in the comp anymore. Travel prob the main reason.

[desie]

My understanding was that NCC Hunters were formed with the objective of taking their place in the Premier League at some point down the track. It started well with the 18's proving successful but fell over due to a lack of support from the local clubs IIRC.

The move from Dustbowl Oval was a good thing for Penrith, but as those involved in Sydney football would know, finding a suitable ground is nigh on impossible hence the club settling for Dukes Oval which is a tad small at about 139m, but no shorter than Sydney Uni I wouldn't have thought. I'm sure the Southern Sharks would be happy to get off their dump as well but finding something that's appropriate is another matter.

As far as population and demographics go, Penrith is screaming out to have a Premier League club, in fact, there were some whispers that the League wanted to relocate Wests out that way a couple of years ago. Unfortunately the Rams are little short of a rabble at the moment and in their present form will be lucky to survive at all let alone push up in their own right. It really is the last frontier for Australian Football and there just aren't the resources in players for it to work without some significant change or assistance in my view.

As for Wollongong, good luck to them. It will be interesting to see how some of the visitors go when the wind gets up down there, it's an absolute nightmare. I've seen blokes kick the ball and watch the wind send it straight back over there heads!!

[Bomber Spirit]

I've never been to North Dalton, I don't even know where it is (I'll have it looked up before next season starts); but I'm told the wind there is far stronger than any other ground in Sydney football, and that plus the travel factor will make for some home ground advantage for the new club.
But congratulations to them. I've always enjoyed visiting the Gong, and footy trips down there will be great. Good for the game down there, and after their impressive performance in 1st division a promotion to the premier league will be great.
As Pantsless pointed out, it takes the bye out of first division but it puts the bye into the premier league. But that leaves an opening should another team put up a strong case for admission to the top flight.

[desie]

As Pantsless pointed out, it takes the bye out of first division.

I wouldn't count this as a given just yet. I've heard the odd whisper about a possible "streamlining" of clubs out west that would bring the bye back into play. Only innuendo at this stage mind.

[Pantsless]

They've been talking about streamlining the clubs for a while. They released a 5 year plan last year for Sydney footy which mentioned that.

[Big Stinky Monk]

I wouldn't count this as a given just yet. I've heard the odd whisper about a possible "streamlining" of clubs out west that would bring the bye back into play. Only innuendo at this stage mind.

Desie,

Realizing that they may only whispers, are you able to tell us which clubs have been mentioned ?

[desie]

Desie,

Realizing that they may only whispers, are you able to tell us which clubs have been mentioned ?

I'd rather not go into too much detail at this stage as it's only innuendo, suffice to say that Parramatta are not involved which should narrow things down a bit.

[sherb]

I'd rather not go into too much detail at this stage as it's only innuendo, suffice to say that Parramatta are not involved which should narrow things down a bit.

Desie, rumours are just that - rumours.

And rumours of courses of action for which the consequences have not been properly thought out or considered, and could well have a number of negative unpredicted outcomes, maybe they should be kept to the pub circuit at this stage. :D

[pekay-norwest]

On behalf of the NorWest Jets FC i'd like to congratulate Wollongong for their promotion to Premier Division,that area has been begging for representation for a long time,they have the support,facilities and the right people in place to do extremely well,maybe premature,but going on their squad from this year,and a few good recruits,i cant see why they wont be in the finals 1st yr in,they're hard at the ball and skilful at the same time. and for all and sundry to know,the last team in 1st division to knock off the Gong was none other than NORWEST JETS 94-83 at the hallowed turf of Bensons Lane.you would be happy too.

[Mappa]

Good luck to Wollongong, I hope they can be competitive. Also hope they are good at politics !

Suffice to say, In 1998-99-2000 Macquarie won the flag, plus were club of the year, but due to the fact the SFA is a pimple on the a*** of the AFL NSW/ACT, they did not get a look in to play in the big league. Argueably one of the best grounds in NSW, plus training facilities to rival any I have seen 3 states. Form in the last 2 years has been poor, but had they been in the "top league", they would have attracted many better players and been a force.

The NSW AFL changed the names to Premier League and First Division to clearly define which league was best. Having and SFA and SFL still allowed players to be attracted to the SFA. There is no doubt which is top now, and this will only be of the detriment of the SFA. If the NSW AFL were fair dinkum, they would introduce a Promotion / Relegation system, like most other leagues in the country. Unfortunately, their buddy / buddy association with the top clubs in the SFL wont allow that. How dare the right regal clubs in the SFL be subjected to possibly playing the plebs in the SFA !

[sherb]

It will be interesting to see how Wollongong goes - I hope they do well, they are a very well run club which I respect enormously.