Sydney AFL leagues renamed for 2004

[Bomber Spirit]

From the Sydney AFL website:

One Competition Name for Sydney Football plus preliminary Fixture details for 2004

At its last meeting, the Sydney AFL Board decided to adopt a single competition name for senior football in Sydney. From next season all clubs will compete in the Sydney AFL competition, which will have the following divisions:
Sydney AFL ¡V Premier Division (Sydney AFL in 2003)
Sydney AFL ¡V First Division (SFA in 2003)
Sydney AFL ¡V Second Division (SFA Division 2 in 2003)
Each Division is expected to have the same grade structure as in 2003.
The move to one competition name reflects the strategic planning of the Board in bringing all facets of football in Sydney closer together. The renaming of the competitions will also make the understanding of Sydney football easier for all interested parties, particularly those new to Sydney senior football.

2004 Fixture:
Work is under way on the 2004 Sydney AFL Premier and First Division Senior & Reserve Grade draws.
At this stage it is anticipated these will be released in early January. Both the Under 18 and Second Division fixtures will not be released until a month prior to the season's commencement.
Key features of the fixtures:
„« Premier Division (Seniors, Reserves and under 18s) will commence on the weekend of 17/18 April.
„« First Division (Seniors and Reserves) will commence on 3 April, however it is likely only there will only be 3 matches involving 6 clubs on this first weekend.
„« No matches will be played over the Easter weekend.
„« A bye will also be scheduled to hopefully play representative football and any catch up matches on 13 June (Queens birthday weekend).
„« Premier Division will have three complete Saturday rounds (4, 6 & 8). In all other rounds it is anticipated that there will be one Saturday Premier Division match.

[DaveW]

Interesting... so they've brought the SFL and SFA closer together.

Do the new names - Premier division, First division, Second division - mean there's going to be a promotion/relegation system?

[Bomber Spirit]

Originally posted by DaveW
Do the new names - Premier division, First division, Second division - mean there's going to be a promotion/relegation system? No it doesn't. There's a gap in standards between the comps which couldn't just be made up in one season - plus Premier division field 3 grades while the other divisions only field 2 grades. Also a couple of clubs (UNSW-ES and Pennant Hills) have clubs in different divisions; and promotion or relegation would be a nightmare.

[The Scarecrow]

I think it's just like the SFL down here in Tassie, 2 leagues, no one goes anywhere. I'd actually like to see that done though, Best team gets to move up, and worst team drops down. I doubt it would work down here though.

[Richoagain]

In Sydney you couldn't do it though, because of the nature of the comps.

Sydney Uni has four senior sides - First division seniors, First division reserves, then the Reds and the Blues in Division two.

At least four or five other clubs have a third senior side in Division Two.

Phil Doyle hasn't been on in a while - does anyone know if the Katoomba-Lithgow Mountain Lions will be part of the Sydney AFL Div 2 in 2004 or the CWAFL?

[Port01]

Originally posted by Richoagain
Sydney Uni has four senior sides - First division seniors, First division reserves, then the Reds and the Blues in Division two.


Adelaide Uni has 8 sides from memory, and it doesn't stop the promotion/relegation system.

[TigerCraig]

There is a HUUUGGGE step in standard from SFL (now Premiers) to SFA 1 (now First Div) and an even HUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGER step from SFA 1 (First Div) to SFA 2 (Second Div). Second Div is basically a pub comp.

[Bomber Spirit]

Originally posted by Richoagain
Phil Doyle hasn't been on in a while - does anyone know if the Katoomba-Lithgow Mountain Lions will be part of the Sydney AFL Div 2 in 2004 or the CWAFL? Whatever happened to Phil Doyle?

[Rob]

Originally posted by TigerCraig
There is a HUUUGGGE step in standard from SFL (now Premiers) to SFA 1 (now First Div) and an even HUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGER step from SFA 1 (First Div) to SFA 2 (Second Div). Second Div is basically a pub comp.

That's a bit of a worry, given we're told the standard of the SFL is crap anyway. ;)

But I think the main reason why you can't have relegation and promotion in and out of the SFL is that you want all 8 clubs to become as professional as they can be as well as developing juniors. If you're constantly moving in and out of the top flight, you end up concentrating more on short term success as opposed to long term development. Instead of playing a 17 or 18 year old kid, you play a 28 year old hack that will help you over the next year or 2 to survive relegation, but isn't in the interests of a stronger competition 5 years down the track.

[Brian]

There has always been promotion/relegation in the SFL it's just that it's not automatic because of the differences between the divisions .

[Mobbenfuhrer]

For those asking re Phil Doyle, he responded to a Xmas greeting I sent by eMail so he's still around, but I think he's keeping himself VERY busy these days.

[Dandie]

This promotion/Relegation has got to work. Otherwise you will have the same teams winning premierships in lower grades. Example: Pakenham and Beaconsfield come from West Gippsland League to MPNFL because of travel problems and want to show that they can compete in MPNFL. Thrown straight into Peninsula Division(Div 2), Pakenham beat Beaccy in 2002, reverse the trend in 2003 and still not one promoted to Premier League (Div 1). Travel should not be an excuse. Dandenong used to have to travel to Geelong West in there day and I tell you what, that Geelong Highway was a big nightmare I give you the tip.