Bowled Shane
Debutant
How Sunbury ever made their way into the BFL is beyond me in the first place. No disrespect intended, but should have turned around and looked east, North east, or South east not west! Thoughts?
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- Thread starter James Kerr
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Johny Prawn
Debutant
We all joined the league together to save the BFL's behinds, the Ballarat teams were all going to go broke or merge. If we did not join the BFL and raise the level of professionalism there would be no BFL, now its time to go. Enjoy your 6 team non contact competition.
- Aug 16, 2009
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So you guys believe the relationship between those sides and the league is irreparably damaged?
Or would certain aspects need to change in order for the aggrieved parties to feel more comfortable in competing in this competition?
It'd be a massive loss for the league as a whole if those sides were to move on.
You'd have to wonder where the powers that be would look to supplement the league following the possible departure of the "Eastern Block".
Interesting times lay ahead..
Or would certain aspects need to change in order for the aggrieved parties to feel more comfortable in competing in this competition?
It'd be a massive loss for the league as a whole if those sides were to move on.
You'd have to wonder where the powers that be would look to supplement the league following the possible departure of the "Eastern Block".
Interesting times lay ahead..
James Kerr
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The competition will die. Simple.
You are right but it's dying anyway. The only club that has brought any level of professionalism to the league is Sunbury but all the eastern clubs do is sook and whinge' them included. Weather, grounds, travel, umpires, you are beaten mentally before the season starts. You piss and moan about how unfair everything is but the league is run by one of your own. The fact is it doesn't matter what league you go to you won't get away with playing the game the way it was 20 years ago. Rest assured that the Ballarat clubs don't like having you in the league just as much as you don't like being in it.
Leagues have changed and evolved ever since the first football was kicked. Football will continue on in Ballarat and for the Eastern clubs and everyone will eventually move on. Super Goldfields League with Bendigo and Ballarat is a good concept. Happens with Ballarat and Geelong in the bowls.
- May 28, 2013
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Yeah it must to tough for the Eastern bloc teams being mentally beat before the season starts. I just hope that 1st flag is not too far a way.
Hang on:
4 Eastern bloc teams = 8 flags
7 Ballarat teams = 9 flags
Also would look a lot different if the Ballarat Umps were not so trigger happy with the red card.
8 is not bad seeing that the Eastern bloc teams would never going to compete with the strong Ballarat teams.
James Kerr
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- #108
East vs Ballarat rep weekend would have been a good initiative for the BFL to start back in the day. There is already a rivalry there, should have capitalised on it years ago.
Would have been a terrific initiative, capitalise on the rivalry.
I think all clubs should continue to assess their sustainability, that is good governance, however it also seems as though whenever a club starts to struggle for a few years, not many people look at the decisions that have been made and by whom which has resulted in them being in their current predicament. It does appear at times that the easier option is to blame everything but sometimes the real issues at a club. The league, the travel, the money required to recruit players, they are all valid reasons if your running your club really well and you find yourself in a poor position don't get me wrong, but what about the situations where the people that are invovled in the clubs are in fact making poor decisions that have put them in their current predicament. Some clubs spend good money to finish near the bottom and then blame everything else for their issues. I recall many people saying success is cyclical as long as it is not them at the bottom of the cycle. I think some clubs need t omake sure they get their house in order off field as well as on before looking at league options or they may just transfer their issues to a new league. Moving leagues should be motivated by relevance to your supporter base and appeal to your community. The Sunbury president in the press has really worded their clubs issues well, they are looking for relevance and appeal to their community as they feel they have lost that even during their successful times. Where the district comps capitalise a bit is on crowds and atmosphere is certainly in the town v town rivalry, it is real community footy that people enjoy. It still presents a pathway to the young footballers. Really these days, a young player wanting to play good standard of footy is going to try to play VFL footy, outside of that it is about enjoyment with your mates and playing BFL whilst still a cracking standard at the top end may have lost that appeal to some so they put big $$$$ on their heads if they are gonna play it.
I think all clubs should continue to assess their sustainability, that is good governance, however it also seems as though whenever a club starts to struggle for a few years, not many people look at the decisions that have been made and by whom which has resulted in them being in their current predicament. It does appear at times that the easier option is to blame everything but sometimes the real issues at a club. The league, the travel, the money required to recruit players, they are all valid reasons if your running your club really well and you find yourself in a poor position don't get me wrong, but what about the situations where the people that are invovled in the clubs are in fact making poor decisions that have put them in their current predicament. Some clubs spend good money to finish near the bottom and then blame everything else for their issues. I recall many people saying success is cyclical as long as it is not them at the bottom of the cycle. I think some clubs need t omake sure they get their house in order off field as well as on before looking at league options or they may just transfer their issues to a new league. Moving leagues should be motivated by relevance to your supporter base and appeal to your community. The Sunbury president in the press has really worded their clubs issues well, they are looking for relevance and appeal to their community as they feel they have lost that even during their successful times. Where the district comps capitalise a bit is on crowds and atmosphere is certainly in the town v town rivalry, it is real community footy that people enjoy. It still presents a pathway to the young footballers. Really these days, a young player wanting to play good standard of footy is going to try to play VFL footy, outside of that it is about enjoyment with your mates and playing BFL whilst still a cracking standard at the top end may have lost that appeal to some so they put big $$$$ on their heads if they are gonna play it.
- Dec 22, 2006
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So that is Sunbury 5 and Melton 3, Even so its been almost a decade since Melton last flag and 8 years since they have played finals. Melton South have mostly been irrelevant and Darley create a buzz but always under achieve. If Sunbury were to leave there is really not a whole lot that the Eastern block teams are offering the Ballarat League and probably makes most sense for Melton, South, Darley and Bacchus to break away and re-join the Riddell league and then the Ballarat can go back to its roots and either join up with the CHFL and create 2 divisions or recruit some stronger CHFL teams into the BFL.
- May 28, 2013
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Darley were unlucky with a goal after the siren.
What would the standard of the CHFL be like compared with the BFL? How would a team like Nth City be recieved?
- Dec 22, 2006
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No idea re CHFL, but doubt they would be any worse than Melton South or Sebas.
banggoalrowsell
Rookie
It's tough
The Eastern bloc teams are like Melbourne Storm , you can play in our comp BUT you're not allowed to win !! If you do win , we'll make it very hard for you .
It's sad when people from interstate comment on the bias directed at the Ballarat teams.
For what it's worth it's been a hell of a ride & I'm sure with whatever happens Football needs to be the winner !!
ravenxau
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- Jun 8, 2013
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if the eastern bloc teams did leave, that would leave 6 Ballarat teams - that would allow for a 20 round season playing each team 4 times - could be a chance to build on 'local' rivalries - either way, football in ballarat will continue in some form.....
- Dec 22, 2006
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That is not sustainable and would become quite boring and monotonous very quickly, need a minimum 10 teams to make a league work, currently 18 teams in the CHFL so would be simple to move the 6 BFL sides into the CHFL and create a 2 division competition.
It would not be simple.
- Dec 22, 2006
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Why not, if you removed all of the self interest and only concerned what is best for football in the region IMO this would be the most sensible solution.
What about all the junior teams/netball teams? Who goes up, who stays. Why would any CHFL clubs want to go to that league which is just becoming a monopoly ran by North City?
What, don't you think Dunnstown, as an example, with a population of about 9 people & comprising a pub & a church, could compete with a VFL backed club & all its resources, including a sports club handling about $8 mil a year through their pokies? And surely the BFL clubs could find enough kids to field an extra u15, u12 football teams & u17, u15, u13 netball teams? Or maybe just scrap the BFL juniors & let hundreds of kids miss out all together.
So many simplistic solutions being thrown around from blokes with no idea. Small regional town football clubs could never, and should never be expected, to compete long term with city or large town clubs. People need to get over the CHFL crap. It won't happen.
Johny Prawn
Debutant
So as we hand North Ballarat another premiership this year, and probably the next 20 in a row, and with half of the teams not even wanting to be in this league, does anyone have any interest in the BFL?
- Aug 16, 2009
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Regardless of North City, the league has been on the decline for some time. I'm not sure what is feasible in terms of stimulating the competition but hopefully something can be done.
ab Rodriguez
Senior List
crowd numbers are terrible.
Melton - nothing, had great support in early - mid 2000s. Sh*thouse ever since.
Melton Sth - get there small support on the opposite flank at home games.
Bacchus Marsh - Get a few to the local derby, thats it. Crowd last year when Fev was playing was outstanding, shame they cant tap into that again.
Darley - Only team with a decent supporter following, sure all the other teams hate them, but would hate to think what would happen if they did eventually leave the BFL.
Melton - nothing, had great support in early - mid 2000s. Sh*thouse ever since.
Melton Sth - get there small support on the opposite flank at home games.
Bacchus Marsh - Get a few to the local derby, thats it. Crowd last year when Fev was playing was outstanding, shame they cant tap into that again.
Darley - Only team with a decent supporter following, sure all the other teams hate them, but would hate to think what would happen if they did eventually leave the BFL.
Bowled Shane
Debutant
Bunningyong could be an option in the future. Can't do any worse than Sebastopol?
- Aug 16, 2009
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Good win by Sunbury today knocking off North City.
Regardless of their future in this comp there's a lot to like about their reasonably young side.
Regardless of their future in this comp there's a lot to like about their reasonably young side.
ab Rodriguez
Senior List
Looks like Horwood might have last laugh, in regards to the mass walk out in the off season. The main culprits, Cheep & Lobb at Doutta, sit dead last on the ladder and facing relegation to div 1 in the EDFL.
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