Potential Changes to Northern SA Football Leagues and Teams

[Heardy_101]

Was having a long an in-depth chat with a mate today about the state of affairs regarding the North Eastern Football League and Northern Areas Football Association in Northern South Australia.

The NEFL has the following teams:

Blyth/Snowtown
Brinkworth - Spalding - Redhill
North Clare
South Clare
Riverton Saddleworth Marrabel United
Burra - Booborowie - Hallett
Southern Saints (Eudunda - Robertstown)
Min-Man (Mintaro - Manoora)

The NAFA has the following teams:

Crystal Brook
Broughton - Mundoora (Port Broughton and Mundoora)
BMW (Booleroo Centre, Melrose, Wilmington)
Jamestown - Peterborough
Orroroo
Southern Flinders (Gladstone, Georgetown, Caltowie, Wirrabara, Murraytown, Laura)

Teams from both leagues are currently low - very low - in numbers and particpation, with a few teams having to fork out $$ to get former players back from Adelaide or elsewhere.

From what was discussed, the above two leagues, NEFL and NAFA, as well as the associated Netball Leagues they have, may have to merge and several teams may have to merge or fold as well. It's sad in a way, because a lot of these teams, even the amalgamated ones, have a lot of history and heritage, some even have a lot more than some of the AFL clubs.

 

[Milang_Panthers]

Was having a long an in-depth chat with a mate today about the state of affairs regarding the North Eastern Football League and Northern Areas Football Association in Northern South Australia.

The NEFL has the following teams:

Blyth/Snowtown
Brinkworth - Spalding - Redhill
North Clare
South Clare
Riverton Saddleworth Marrabel United
Burra - Booborowie - Hallett
Southern Saints (Eudunda - Robertstown)
Min-Man (Mintaro - Manoora)

The NAFA has the following teams:

Crystal Brook
Broughton - Mundoora (Port Broughton and Mundoora)
BMW (Booleroo Centre, Melrose, Wilmington)
Jamestown - Peterborough
Orroroo
Southern Flinders (Gladstone, Georgetown, Caltowie, Wirrabara, Murraytown, Laura)

Teams from both leagues are currently low - very low - in numbers and particpation, with a few teams having to fork out $$ to get former players back from Adelaide or elsewhere.

From what was discussed, the above two leagues, NEFL and NAFA, as well as the associated Netball Leagues they have, may have to merge and several teams may have to merge or fold as well. It's sad in a way, because a lot of these teams, even the amalgamated ones, have a lot of history and heritage, some even have a lot more than some of the AFL clubs.

Some of them already mergers of a few clubs. Sad the way country footy is heading but it's always going to be the way when populations are dropping.

 

[Heardy_101]

They are.

Crystal Brook and Orroroo two of the few stand alone clubs left that still have numbers.

North and South Clare are the result of the original Clare Football Club being split up because it was too strong!

A lot of these clubs, if the league mergers take place, would have to change their identities and jumpers again. For example, Southern Flinders and BSR have the same jumpers and names (Tigers). Southern Flinders wear a "Clash" version of the BSR jumper but apart from that both sides are identical. I'm guessing that because BSR had the Tigers name first (1987), and Southern Flinders were the result of a merger in the mid 2000s, Southern Flinders would have to change their name and jumper, probably back to the Panthers (the Panthers were their old name). North Clare would have to change their name from Roosters as Crystal Brook have been the roosters since the later 1880s when they were founded, as North Clare were only formed in the 1940s or 1950s I believe along with South Clare.