NT team for SANFL back on the agenda

[raboyle]

The Adelaide and Port Adelaide football clubs have made the statement that they want the SANFL bye eradicated during the minor round. It is with this that former AFL boss Wayne Jackson may soon be targeted to broker a deal to put an N.T. team in the SANFL competition.

The reason is because the Crows and the Power would rather have a fully active club to send their omitted players to and not have to send them to a team where they have not even been 'mini-drafted' to.

AFL Northern Territory General Manager and former Port Magpie Chris Natt is meeting with AFL C.E.O Andrew Demetriou this Christmas to perhaps get backing from the AFL itself through their game development agreements with the regional leagues.

Hopefully more info coming soon!

[Still Crowing]

Good. The sooner the better IMO!

[naughty monkey]

Bad - not enough money to make this kite fly.
If there was it would have happened years ago.

[Hit And Rum]

Sounds good but I can't see how they would cover the flight costs etc and other expenditure. Not for the N club but for other clubs in SA. It will require a fair bit of capital.

[raboyle]

The NT deal is apparently going to be backed by the AFL itself according to todays Advertiser (7/10/03) and the travel costs to be fitted 50/50 by the SANFL and the AFL.

[Portmagpies]

Make this happen!

The introduction of a NT team will add some colour and excitement to the SANFL and attract some attention from the local media.

Also makes it the prefect competition - 18 rounds where each sides plays each other twice during the minor round and a return to the final five.

I can't see any drawbacks.

And maybe I'm thinking a little ahead here, but what would they call them?

Darwin Dream?

[naughty monkey]

Originally posted by Portmagpies
...
And maybe I'm thinking a little ahead here, but what would they call them?

Darwin Dream?

Would hope not, they're meant to be a Northern Territory team.

The blindingly obvious and completely unoriginal name is the NT Buffaloes.

[naughty monkey]

The one positive that I can think of for admitting an NT side is that it will help establish the SANFL as the undisputed second best league.

[Uncle Steve]

Originally posted by Portmagpies
Also makes it the prefect competition - 18 rounds where each sides plays each other twice during the minor round and a return to the final five.

18 rounds would give us less footy. Bad idea.

[Uncle Steve]

Originally posted by naughty monkey
The one positive that I can think of for admitting an NT side is that it will help establish the SANFL as the undisputed second best league.

Why settle for the undisputed second best, when it's currently the (disputed) best league? :D

[go uuu dogs]

WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT WATCH THEIR TEAM EVERY WEEK I CANT FLY OR DRIVE TO DARWIN ALL THE TIME 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR AND NOT MANY PEOPLE FROM DARWIN WILL COME DOWN EVERY WEEK

[RoosterWedgie]

Originally posted by go uuu dogs
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT WATCH THEIR TEAM EVERY WEEK I CANT FLY OR DRIVE TO DARWIN ALL THE TIME 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR AND NOT MANY PEOPLE FROM DARWIN WILL COME DOWN EVERY WEEK Dont worry, the train trip to Darwin would probably be quicker than the train trip to Noarlunga.

[Portmagpies]

Steve,

Bring back the pre-season night competition to make up the difference, only include regional leagues from all over SA.

Imagine Spencer Gulf v Port, Barossa v Centrals, Broken Hill v and so on...

Now that's grass roots footy.

[Uncle Steve]

Originally posted by go uuu dogs
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT WATCH THEIR TEAM EVERY WEEK I CANT FLY OR DRIVE TO DARWIN ALL THE TIME 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR AND NOT MANY PEOPLE FROM DARWIN WILL COME DOWN EVERY WEEK

http://trephination.net/gallery/macros/capslock.gif

[naughty monkey]

Originally posted by Portmagpies
Steve,

Bring back the pre-season night competition to make up the difference, only include regional leagues from all over SA.

Imagine Spencer Gulf v Port, Barossa v Centrals, Broken Hill v and so on...

Now that's grass roots footy.

The regional leagues would get smashed. Regional leagues of 30 years ago might have had a chance.

[Richoagain]

Good in my opinion - though saying that it would make the SANFL undisputed second best league are as pointless as saying that having Tassie makes the VFL the second best.

Give it 20 years, there'll be the NT in the AFL.

And hey, as unoriginal as it is, the Buffaloes would still be a cool name... Though Territory Thunder or some other crap is more likely what they'll be called.

[Port1978]

Originally posted by go uuu dogs
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT WATCH THEIR TEAM EVERY WEEK I CANT FLY OR DRIVE TO DARWIN ALL THE TIME 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR AND NOT MANY PEOPLE FROM DARWIN WILL COME DOWN EVERY WEEK

Oh boo hoo, so you'd miss a couple of games during the season....what a shame. :rolleyes:

[Rob]

Originally posted by port1978
Oh boo hoo, so you'd miss a couple of games during the season....what a shame. :rolleyes:

I would expect that a local TV station would cover the Darwin games anyway, so you might be able to get a feed in SA.

[raboyle]

Originally posted by Rob
I would expect that a local TV station would cover the Darwin games anyway, so you might be able to get a feed in SA.

The ABC is in Darwin anyhow so no-one would miss any matches from the Top End... but I would probably make it to any NT v. Doggies match at Marrara Stadium.

TV? Meh... I can get there no problem.

[RoosterWedgie]

Originally posted by raboyle
The ABC is in Darwin anyhow so no-one would miss any matches from the Top End... but I would probably make it to any NT v. Doggies match at Marrara Stadium.

TV? Meh... I can get there no problem.
Must admit I'd save my pennies up for a North v Darwin game as I have the double bonus of meeting some uncles Ive never met before, would be great!
AFL fans have to travel quite often to see there team, there's no reason we shouldnt after all it is the South Australian NATIONAL Football League!
Bring it on!
:D

[raboyle]

Originally posted by RoosterWedgie
Must admit I'd save my pennies up for a North v Darwin game as I have the double bonus of meeting some uncles Ive never met before, would be great!
AFL fans have to travel quite often to see there team, there's no reason we shouldnt after all it is the South Australian NATIONAL Football League!
Bring it on!
:D

Or South Australian & Northern Football League... that might be part of the deal.

[dj21]

Originally posted by Portmagpies
Also makes it the prefect competition - 18 rounds where each sides plays each other twice during the minor round and a return to the final five.

Except all the interstate teams have to travel every second week and all the SA teams only travel twice. Just ask any Crows or Power fan and they'll tell you how wrong that is.:D

[Richoagain]

Originally posted by go uuu dogs
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE LIKE ME THAT WATCH THEIR TEAM EVERY WEEK I CANT FLY OR DRIVE TO DARWIN ALL THE TIME 2 OR 3 TIMES A YEAR AND NOT MANY PEOPLE FROM DARWIN WILL COME DOWN EVERY WEEK

Go see a movie?

If you're suffering severe withdrawal - there isn't anything stopping you supporting an SAAFA game somewhere.

[raboyle]

Read in the Adelaide Advertiser today in Andrew McLeod's column that Michael McLean has already put his hand up to take up the coaching position if the team gets off the ground.

[Mobbenfuhrer]

I can actually appreciate uuu_dogs' point ... although the NT expansion would be good for the SANFL.

The tribality would be compromised.

[dreamkillers]

Well it was on the back page of our paper again after the weekend footy and it would be interesting to know who the $2 million sposor is......
(http://www.ntnews.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,21209836%255E13569,00.html)
$2m sponsor for SANFL bid (http://www.ntnews.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,21209836%255E13569,00.html)
By GREY MORRIS NT News 12th Feb 2007

A BILLIONAIRE Melbourne businessman has emerged as the major sponsor of Territory football's 20-year bid to enter a representative side in an expanded SANFL competition as early as 2009.

The Northern Territory News understands the businessman, who has close ties with one of the AFL's oldest clubs, will be presented as the Territory side's major sponsor in the SANFL push at this season's NTFL grand final on March 31.

AFLNT officials are remaining tightlipped on the subject, including chief executive Tony Frawley, who could not be contacted last night.

But Frawley has always been a big supporter of the move after his close involvement with North Ballarat's entry into the Victorian Football League in the 1990s, and he strongly believes that Territory football must move on from the 90-year-old Darwin-based NTFL competition.

The sponsorship, believed to be $2 million over three years, or $670,000 a year, is closely linked with the Territory's strong indigenous population and the important part Australian football plays in building a better lifestyle and healthy living.

Estimates on maintaining a Territory side in the SANFL range from $1.7m to $1.9m a year; money that would be used for travel, accommodation, medical and wage bills for players and coaching staff.

The SANFL clubs have a player salary cap of $350,000, excluding coaches' wages.

AFLNT board member and former AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson's ``personal choice'' for the NTFL's entry into the SANFL is 2009.

Jackson has been a long-term supporter of the project, even while the AFL's boss and has maintained a close relationship with SANFL officials and what is required to become that competition's 10th team.

There have been several moves behind the scene in preparation for the March announcement, including in-depth discussions on the establishment and feasibility of an April to September Dry season competition to provide feeder clubs for players from the representative team to fall back on.

But there is still a push to maintain a Wet season competition of sorts, even if it means merging the TEAFA competition and linking their clubs to NTFL sides.

Matches will be played in Darwin and Alice Springs in an 18-round home and away season, with the nine Territory ``home'' games _ seven matches in Darwin and two in the Red Centre.

[Hoops]

The one positive that I can think of for admitting an NT side is that it will help establish the SANFL as the undisputed second best league.
How can you say that when half the players running around in the VFL are on an AFL clubs list

[The Alchemist]

How can you say that when half the players running around in the VFL are on an AFL clubs list
But Hoops a vast number of these guys on AFL lists are either "project players" or kids just out of 19's. Most top mature age players from all state leagues are in the SANFL.

[Hawkamania!]

I would definately buy a membership even if I can't get to all the games.

As for team names;

Thunder.
Buffaloes.
Wallabies.
Dingoes.
Speed Limiters?:p