VAFA v EFL Rep Game??

[Destination A Grade]

I see that the VAFA website has a poll running to gain opinion on the prospect of a VAFA v Eastern FL rep game this year.

Obviously it is an attempt to regularly have our senior side play rep footy - with the VAFA v VCFL game happening every two years, and SA and WA only competing against our U23's.

Would be interesting to see how we'd go. Two totally different styles of play. I'd back our boys to run them around on a big ground, but I also backed us to do the same against the VCFL last year, and was made to look silly.

[Knight Rider]

what about a VAFA v EDFL game???

[Destination A Grade]

what about a VAFA v EDFL game???

Surely there are some posters who will have inside knowledge on these topics.

It seems we (VAFA) have a lot of players go and play in the EFL, so a game against them would have more interest from my point of view.

[The Big Pineapple]

what about a VAFA v EDFL game???

That would mean venturing further than Blue nightclub... unheard of in the EDFL!

[muesli]

Eastern to beat VAFA in a close game, would be a cracker if it happened.

[brian speaking]

Yeah,
would be s h i t house though watching chubba dominate. A VAFA icon playing against us, would hate to see that.

[Scribe]

Yeah,
would be s h i t house though watching chubba dominate. A VAFA icon playing against us, would hate to see that.

Correct, and whilst he's not such an icon, Matt Greig would be a likely FF option for them as well.

This concept is well and truly overdue, the EFL folks have been pushing for it for ages, and it'd be good to see it commence as a regular fixture. Frankly, playing the WAAFL and SAAFL has become a bit ho-hum, simply because the relative strengths of the competitions have changed.

I'd expect the EFL to shade us if it's wet and/or heavy, but perfect conditions on a big ground should see the VAFA favorites. The X-factor might be whether the EFL guys are happy to play without pay!! (for one game at least)

[muesli]

I'd expect the EFL to shade us if it's wet and/or heavy, but perfect conditions on a big ground should see the VAFA favorites. The X-factor might be whether the EFL guys are happy to play without pay!! (for one game at least)
Have to agree about the weather conditions.
The EFL players will be paid for playing the game, why do you think they wouldn't be?
or the VAFA won't play if they are paid?

[mitch_fc]

what about a VAFA v EDFL game???
because no one cares about edfl.

[PooBrown]

EFL Rep players dont get paid to play. They havnt in the past anyway.

[Scribe]

EFL Rep players dont get paid to play. They havnt in the past anyway.

Correct - hence the possibility that some gun players may pass on the opportunity to represent the EFL because any injury incurred may result in fewer paid gigs. You'd like to think their clubs & coaches would be encouraging them to play, but I wouldn't be so sure....

[Lenny*]

Correct - hence the possibility that some gun players may pass on the opportunity to represent the EFL because any injury incurred may result in fewer paid gigs.
I doubt it.

Most top line EFL players wouldn't pass up the chance to give the VAFA good thumping. :)

I'd say it wouldn't matter what the weather was.....EFL by at least 6-10 goals.

[kingfooty]

I doubt it.

Most top line EFL players wouldn't pass up the chance to give the VAFA good thumping. :)

I'd say it wouldn't matter what the weather was.....EFL by at least 6-10 goals.other way around lenny you obviously have not seen the VAFA,EFL is good footy but dont get carried away

[mitch_fc]

rep games are good for young players looking for exposure, but a lot of older blokes have no interest.

[kingfooty]

rep games are good for young players looking for exposure, but a lot of older blokes have no interest.exposure for more coin

[Benny MOF]

I think the VAFA hierachy would be soiling their pants at the prospect of their best players all being exposed to the cashed up EFL club scouts

[kingfooty]

I think the VAFA hierachy would be soiling their pants at the prospect of their best players all being exposed to the cashed up EFL club scoutstrue but the contacts VAFA clubs have got for work can far outweigh what EFL can offer

[THEOX]

true but the contacts VAFA clubs have got for work can far outweigh what EFL can offer

Jobs are one thing but we all know that the VAFA players are not playing for nothing, so the lure of EFL isn't all that great.

[eddiesmith]

Personally I would love to see it, maybe they could even play it out at an EFL ground, that would be nice :)

[fish1]

It wld just be like the Vic Country Championships. The big leagues O&M, GV and Geelong dist always have trouble putting their best side on the park because of money. So for that reason the VAFA wld win becuase they play footy to play footy and wld have a near to full strength side compared to a 2nd rate EDFL side.

[eddiesmith]

It wld just be like the Vic Country Championships. The big leagues O&M, GV and Geelong dist always have trouble putting their best side on the park because of money. So for that reason the VAFA wld win becuase they play footy to play footy and wld have a near to full strength side compared to a 2nd rate EDFL side.
Actually the VAFA have trouble getting their best side out on the park each year I believe as some of the older blokes dont want to play rep footy

[Destination A Grade]

Actually the VAFA have trouble getting their best side out on the park each year I believe as some of the older blokes dont want to play rep footy

I read it a little different. The best VAFA side will get together to play WA in Perth, SA in Adelaide or Anyone at the MCG, but they won't if it is against Vic Country, Collingwood, West Coast Eagles or the Brisbane Lions if it played at Barooga or Elsternwick.

As a result, the U23's have to play WA and SA and Vic Country chop us up every time.

[brian speaking]

I read it a little different. The best VAFA side will get together to play WA in Perth, SA in Adelaide or Anyone at the MCG, but they won't if it is against Vic Country, Collingwood, West Coast Eagles or the Brisbane Lions if it played at Barooga or Elsternwick.

As a result, the U23's have to play WA and SA and Vic Country chop us up every time.

DES, the VAFA was only just beaten by VC last year, and the match before that we destroyed them by 10 goals...please stay factual oh great poo one!

[Destination A Grade]

DES, the VAFA was only just beaten by VC last year, and the match before that we destroyed them by 10 goals...please stay factual oh great poo one!

Brian, I expect a lot more from you. I think we all would.

Last year we went down by 5 goals and take Rice and maybe one or two others, were convincingly beaten. The score may show 5 goals, but we were never in it.

Three years ago we travelled to Barooga and were again beaten by 5 goals. Earlier in that year (2003) we sent probably our best ever team to Perth and smashed WA - not allowing them to kick a goal. From memory, the team that played the Country had 7 first gamers.

I believe you may be referring to 2001 when we beat them by 10 goals. So long ago now - how things have changed.

[muesli]

Does anyone know if this game is going ahead this year or just a hypothetical?

[Bobby Beecroft]

& if it does come you get a beer at it?
Surely the EFL will make sure you can!!!! ;)

[buffolo bill]

for what it is worth boys and girls, the efl have had it over the ammos so far in the practice matches. east burwood beat de la and now east rignwood beat old hail. am a ammo follower but i am telling you, some of those sides out in the suburbs go ok.

[muesli]

for what it is worth boys and girls, the efl have had it over the ammos so far in the practice matches. east burwood beat de la and now east rignwood beat old hail. am a ammo follower but i am telling you, some of those sides out in the suburbs go ok.
buffolo bill,
Noble Park play Old Haileybury as well on Thurs 13th April @ Noble Park
(night b4 good friday)

[numba4]

what the go with this metro footy? i though VAFA was like the best in vic apart from vfl?:confused:

[numba4]

can anybody help haha?

[Scribe]

what the go with this metro footy? i though VAFA was like the best in vic apart from vfl?:confused:

It is a topic which has been done to death over the past couple of years on this forum. Mobbs even did a massive thread ranking the leagues throughout Australia which was updated over a period of 6-12 months based on various opinions.

I think it's safe to say top level VAFA is different footy to top level suburban footy. We have younger, larger, deeper playing lists, but play more open, skilful footy on bigger grounds. The suburban sides are usually bigger blokes but invariably play on smaller grounds. The footy is probably more physical. They have the benefit of attracting gun players with $$$, but this can often hurt their grass roots base if local kids aren't getting a game. Usually their top 6-10 players will be better than the top 6-10 at A Grade, but the next 10-20 players probably won't be. Injuries to key players in suburban sides can cut deeper.

Top level suburban footy is played in the Eastern FL (Vermont, Noble Park, East Burwood, and one of Donvale, Mitcham or East Ringwood who tend to outmuscle the bottom 4 or 5 in Div 1), Essendon District FL (Strathmore and Greenvale in particular) and Diamond Valley (Heidelberg, Nth Heidelberg and Bundoora). The Southern and Western Region FLs are a step down from those leagues.

I think it's a given that the Goulburn Valley, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula and Ballarat Leagues also have plenty of talented players running around and their best players would be roughly on a par with the top A Grade, EFL, DVFL and EDFL guys.

[Red Roy]

It is a topic which has been done to death over the past couple of years on this forum. Mobbs even did a massive thread ranking the leagues throughout Australia which was updated over a period of 6-12 months based on various opinions.

I think it's safe to say top level VAFA is different footy to top level suburban footy. We have younger, larger, deeper playing lists, but play more open, skilful footy on bigger grounds. The suburban sides are usually bigger blokes but invariably play on smaller grounds. The footy is probably more physical. They have the benefit of attracting gun players with $$$, but this can often hurt their grass roots base if local kids aren't getting a game. Usually their top 6-10 players will be better than the top 6-10 at A Grade, but the next 10-20 players probably won't be. Injuries to key players in suburban sides can cut deeper.

Top level suburban footy is played in the Eastern FL (Vermont, Noble Park, East Burwood, and one of Donvale, Mitcham or East Ringwood who tend to outmuscle the bottom 4 or 5 in Div 1), Essendon District FL (Strathmore and Greenvale in particular) and Diamond Valley (Heidelberg, Nth Heidelberg and Bundoora). The Southern and Western Region FLs are a step down from those leagues.

I think it's a given that the Goulburn Valley, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula and Ballarat Leagues also have plenty of talented players running around and their best players would be roughly on a par with the top A Grade, EFL, DVFL and EDFL guys.

Fair assessment Scribe. One thing though - I have heard that Southern Footy is in big trouble, clubs struggling and standard beyond the top to or three very bad. Some VAVA C Section Teams beat Southern Teams comfortable in Practice matches

[EDFL MAN]

It is a topic which has been done to death over the past couple of years on this forum. Mobbs even did a massive thread ranking the leagues throughout Australia which was updated over a period of 6-12 months based on various opinions.

I think it's safe to say top level VAFA is different footy to top level suburban footy. We have younger, larger, deeper playing lists, but play more open, skilful footy on bigger grounds. The suburban sides are usually bigger blokes but invariably play on smaller grounds. The footy is probably more physical. They have the benefit of attracting gun players with $$$, but this can often hurt their grass roots base if local kids aren't getting a game. Usually their top 6-10 players will be better than the top 6-10 at A Grade, but the next 10-20 players probably won't be. Injuries to key players in suburban sides can cut deeper.

Top level suburban footy is played in the Eastern FL (Vermont, Noble Park, East Burwood, and one of Donvale, Mitcham or East Ringwood who tend to outmuscle the bottom 4 or 5 in Div 1), Essendon District FL (Strathmore and Greenvale in particular) and Diamond Valley (Heidelberg, Nth Heidelberg and Bundoora). The Southern and Western Region FLs are a step down from those leagues.

I think it's a given that the Goulburn Valley, Geelong, Mornington Peninsula and Ballarat Leagues also have plenty of talented players running around and their best players would be roughly on a par with the top A Grade, EFL, DVFL and EDFL guys.

Great assessment Scribe, totally agree with your comments and as Toadfooty would say :thumbsu: :thumbsu: :thumbsu:

[hansie]

Yeah, fair call Scribe, reckon that is one of the more sensible posts I have seen regarding league rankings.

And to Red Roy - I have crossed to the Ammo's (D1) from the Southern this year and can confirm completely what you say. The SFL (Balwyn, East Brighton and Clayton excluded) is in big trouble for sure!