Sydney AFL - 2012

[nolabah]

The Sydney AFL starts this weekend

With Sydney Hills (East Coast) and Sydney Uni going into the NEAFL might be abit closer this year...But saying that looks like Balmain could take the cookie

Round 1
Sydney Hills vs Wests
Campbelltown vs Illawarra
Pennant Hills vs North Shore
UTS vs UNSW/ES
Sydney Uni vs St. George
Balmain - Bye


Sydney AFL Predictions
1. Balmain
2. Pennant Hills
3. UNSW
4. St. George
5. North Shore
6. Sydney Hills
7. Illawarra
8. UTS
9. Sydney Uni
10. Campbelltown
11. Wests

Sydney AFL Website

 

[justabaraker]

Bit tricky nolabah, but based on hearsay (hey, what else is there ??), I'd say you've just about nailed the final ladder. Maybe...
1. Balmain
2. Penno
3. St George
4. North Shore
5. Uni Bulldogs
6. Baulko
7. Illawarra
8. Sydney Uni
9. UTS
10. Wests
11. Campbelltown

This week I'd be going for...

Baulko
Illawarra
Penno
Bulldogs
St George

 

[justabaraker]

no surprises from Round 1 Premier Division - the Easts Bulldogs did better than I had expected against UTS, who I expected to go ok this year.
But mostly the results were consistent with our predicted final ladders.

I see that Baulko and Syd Uni weren't so good in some of the lower grades - maybe they are having to drag the young kids "up" to get the numbers and that is impacting on the lower grades.

 

[justabaraker]

Hello...............bit quiet in Sydney footy this year......anyone there but me ?????????????????????????????????????????

Anyone cheering for Gosford's great run ?

Any Baulko or Syd Uni post-ers with thoughts on how it's all going ?

Goanna's ?

UTS ?

Southern Power ? You have a lot to be pleased about

Norwest Jets ?

St George ? Nearly cleared to return to Old Park ?

How about Blacktown Magic ? Watched you guys at Blacktown ISP.

 

[noodles81]

Hello...............bit quiet in Sydney footy this year......anyone there but me ?????????????????????????????????????????

Anyone cheering for Gosford's great run ?

Any Baulko or Syd Uni post-ers with thoughts on how it's all going ?

Goanna's ?

UTS ?

Southern Power ? You have a lot to be pleased about

Norwest Jets ?

St George ? Nearly cleared to return to Old Park ?

How about Blacktown Magic ? Watched you guys at Blacktown ISP.

Great to see Gossy getting some wins on the board!! They have struggled to just be competitive the last 11-12 years in the bdafl.
Thanks to divs (we have finally gone down that road,too little too late for some clubs/teams) they are competing which means players/supporters/sponsers etc coming back on board.

There is some talk of other clubs heading to Sydney poss next year(we'll have to wait and see)

 

[justabaraker]

Great to see Gossy getting some wins on the board!! They have struggled to just be competitive the last 11-12 years in the bdafl.

Thanks to divs (we have finally gone down that road,too little too late for some clubs/teams) they are competing which means players/supporters/sponsers etc coming back on board.

There is some talk of other clubs heading to Sydney poss next year(we'll have to wait and see)

.

I don't follow Div 4 and I didn't know that Gosford has been struggling but, yes, it must be great for club morale to be 'up there'. There would be guesswork in trying to figure out where to slot Gosford into the grades and it seems so far that they might have been under-estimated and could have slotted in a grade higher.
Divisionalisation has been a good thing for the SFL, but the downside is that resources are spread thin - Hills Eagles evidently had three teams at three venues over two days the other week ! And it really stretches the playing list when the best players go up and need to be replaced....just ask Sydney Uni and Hills Eagles !

Having been around in the olden days before the AFL took over the SFL, I can see that it's a great thing to be under the AFL umbrella. I recall that there have been difficulties with the BDFL powers-that-be trying to manage a whole lot of people who mean really well but get hot-headed and irrational sometimes....am I right ?
I'm no insider but it seems the AFL does things pretty well and another coastie team coming into the Sydney comp would have pretty good support.

 

[pekay-norwest]

Hello...............bit quiet in Sydney footy this year......anyone there but me ?????????????????????????????????????????



Norwest Jets ?

Not much to report out this way, the Seniors aren't setting the world on fire by any stretch of the imagination. Very lacklustre.
My boys are getting better, two on the trot (albeit against the bottom teams) and starting to get a stable core of cattle. Mac Uni this week will be a test.
18s are going great in their return year, some very handy players coming through there.

 

[justabaraker]

Not much to report out this way, the Seniors aren't setting the world on fire by any stretch of the imagination. Very lacklustre.

My boys are getting better, two on the trot (albeit against the bottom teams) and starting to get a stable core of cattle. Mac Uni this week will be a test.
18s are going great in their return year, some very handy players coming through there.

Good. I see that your Two's are up against the new Gosford team - what's the feeling about divisionalisation ? I follow the Premier Division and the NEAFL and it seems to be good in that universe. And it sounds like it's good for Gosford too.

 

[pekay-norwest]

Good. I see that your Two's are up against the new Gosford team - what's the feeling about divisionalisation ? I follow the Premier Division and the NEAFL and it seems to be good in that universe. And it sounds like it's good for Gosford too.

I've been pushing the divisional structure bandwagon since about 04/05, when our club had to drop to just one grade to stay alive. Best thing for footy in Sydney, pros FAR outweigh the cons. Has injected new life into clubs that potentially had a short shelf life under the old system, being us, Penriff, Moorebank, Camden recently. Yes, the resources are stretched to almost breaking point, but when you consider that under the old system, for example on the weekend, our Seniors played Sydney Uni away, had our 2s and 18s played Sydney Uni as well, we'd have been handed a triple belting. I have no doubt. Now, we have the opportunity to have more wins, wins draw players and supporters in, better culture etc.

It also saved Gosford's ass from being extinct (Please don't think I'm being condescending towards them, but I did follow the whole saga last year out of interest) and now they are winning, blokes want to play (and travel as well) and the club has been 'cleansed' for a lack of a better term. They are in a much better position now as opposed to last year, and will have more wins this year than that have in the past 5 or so years I reckon. They are a 1st grade team so maybe Div 4 was too low, but hey, you can only piss in the toilet in front of you so to speak. Look forward to playing them, and the trip up there for an overnight stay. Our Seniors form will probably slip the two weeks before as the boys love a trip away!

Summary - if Garry and the league didn't bite the bullet and implement the divisions in 2009, we'd be short a few clubs out west today, I have no doubt. Whisper is, Killarney Vale have changed their name to Central Coast as they plan on heading south next year. Can see many others joining them. In years to come, perhaps the Central West, South Coast and Black Diamond leagues will all fall under the Sydney FL banner. Except Cobar, that's a hike!

 

[justabaraker]

divisionalisation

I came from Victoria where it's all BIG. And I've noticed that in Sydney footy (and the occasional visit to Central Coast matches) that NSW has just a few fish but a few mighty small and cramped ponds - everyone in the pond seems to know everyone, everyone is trying to poach everyone else's players, so many bitches, so many grudges, so much aggro.

I can imagine that allowing teams to move around as happens with "Divisions" means that we can jump out of our own oppressive little ponds and meet some new and different fish.
It's gotta freshen things up doesn't it ?

 

[noodles81]

.

I don't follow Div 4 and I didn't know that Gosford has been struggling but, yes, it must be great for club morale to be 'up there'. There would be guesswork in trying to figure out where to slot Gosford into the grades and it seems so far that they might have been under-estimated and could have slotted in a grade higher.
Divisionalisation has been a good thing for the SFL, but the downside is that resources are spread thin - Hills Eagles evidently had three teams at three venues over two days the other week ! And it really stretches the playing list when the best players go up and need to be replaced....just ask Sydney Uni and Hills Eagles !

Having been around in the olden days before the AFL took over the SFL, I can see that it's a great thing to be under the AFL umbrella. I recall that there have been difficulties with the BDFL powers-that-be trying to manage a whole lot of people who mean really well but get hot-headed and irrational sometimes....am I right ?
I'm no insider but it seems the AFL does things pretty well and another coastie team coming into the Sydney comp would have pretty good support.

Yeah we definately need to come under the 'afl' umbrella,lots of head butting going on and the best interests of the comp/area are sometimes the things that suffer.

Gosford at their best (prob 06) would have been a top team in the div 3 as it stands, as pekay and I certainly know they were on their knees last year!! They had some good/decent players at the height of their powers on the books (all have now moved on)with a couple playing in WA,one in the O&M I think and 2 that are playing at Hills eagles(one of which has played majority in neafl this year!)

KV are def looking at it even tho I can't get a confirmation out of any of them on here!! lol Both KV and Terrigal are up with Cardiff/City levels at the moment and I think that would mean div 2? at least to start with and see how they go,in saying this tho the fact they are competing at the moment may mean they stay in bdafl(as opposed to getting thumped ie Gossy)

 

[justabaraker]

Re: divisionalisation

NSW has just a few fish but a few mighty small and cramped ponds - everyone in the pond seems to know everyone, everyone is trying to poach everyone else's players, so many bitches, so many grudges, so much aggro.

Only three of us in this forum and I'm going so bad that I have to reply to my own posts !!!
I see on the SYDNEY AFL website today that the week's Rising Star is a Coastie junior. AND AND AND......his coach's name rang a bell so I checked my memory and see that he actually comes from Pekay's club !!!
A small pond indeed.

Noodles, you say that Gosford's better players have moved on. That might have something to do with the rocky road of late but it's a sad fact that it's just about impossible to keep good players in Sydney AFL clubs - very few these days ever get to 50 or 100 games. They either drift away into other young bloke pursuits or they go looking for greener pastures.
The good news about that - I know that, from the Coast at the moment, you have lost Gourlay to NEAFL somewhere, Crawford to Swans Reserves, Josh Keen to WA, and Jackson Monk to Balmain. And I'm sure you want everyone to know about Craig Bird and the McVeigh brothers
I spoke once with Scott Reed's mum and I believe she told me that their family are Coasties (though Penno and Hills Eagles would claim him as theirs).


Noodles, if some of your clubs become part of SYDNEY AFL, would there still be a heartbeat of grassroots local footy on the coast, or would the left-over clubs just fade away ?
Could you maintain a junior club structure ?

 

[noodles81]

Re: divisionalisation

NSW has just a few fish but a few mighty small and cramped ponds - everyone in the pond seems to know everyone, everyone is trying to poach everyone else's players, so many bitches, so many grudges, so much aggro.

Only three of us in this forum and I'm going so bad that I have to reply to my own posts !!!
I see on the SYDNEY AFL website today that the week's Rising Star is a Coastie junior. AND AND AND......his coach's name rang a bell so I checked my memory and see that he actually comes from Pekay's club !!!
A small pond indeed.

Noodles, you say that Gosford's better players have moved on. That might have something to do with the rocky road of late but it's a sad fact that it's just about impossible to keep good players in Sydney AFL clubs - very few these days ever get to 50 or 100 games. They either drift away into other young bloke pursuits or they go looking for greener pastures.
The good news about that - I know that, from the Coast at the moment, you have lost Gourlay to NEAFL somewhere, Crawford to Swans Reserves, Josh Keen to WA, and Jackson Monk to Balmain. And I'm sure you want everyone to know about Craig Bird and the McVeigh brothers
I spoke once with Scott Reed's mum and I believe she told me that their family are Coasties (though Penno and Hills Eagles would claim him as theirs).


Noodles, if some of your clubs become part of SYDNEY AFL, would there still be a heartbeat of grassroots local footy on the coast, or would the left-over clubs just fade away ?
Could you maintain a junior club structure ?

Haha, there's not many more (serious anyway) posters in my forum,but when its a good talking point they usually awake from their slumber!!

The bdafl are trying to get a 'rep; team for want of a better word to compete in the premier div in Sydney,doesnt appear to have alot of support and would prob rip apart the bdafl as they would really struggle for a serious comp with that many players moving on!!

In saying this tho,it would work if they were commited AND the comp as a whole joined the Sydney comp ie Gossy,Terrigal etc fielded their own stand alone teams. Not sure where we are headed but its a thought!! lol

The bdafl has always had players (mostly young) heading to the 'big smoke (mostly Penno and Balmain) so fieling our own teams in the Sydney comp may or may not keep them(its the players choice at end of the day!)

Yeah for a small area(not afl dominant) we have come up with a few boys to play at the top level Bird is from Nelson bay (our comp but up past Newcastle) and also Luffy from Swans played there,maybe not as junior tho,and the mc brothers were KV boys before Penno etc
As for Reed his junior team (bateau bay blues) dont even have seniors,16 is it, and no seniors since since the 90's!!!

Not sure how the grassroots would go,even before Gossy left and the other clubs play the 'wait and see how they go' there was talk of Newwy and Coast having seperate comps just like the old days IF this happens I think most/all senior Coast clubs would go to Sydney and keep juniors on the coast again just my thoughts,better go see how my forum is going!! lol

 

[justabaraker]

Re: divisionalisation

Noodles.
The most important name on that list who have followed the "Yellow Brick F3" down to the "Emerald City", is Garry Burkinshaw; someone told me that he used to be the big Kahoona of your comp.
Don't know much about the guy but he is well regarded in many SFL circles, seems like quite a good bloke, seems to put in the hard yards. And he might be keeping a fatherly eye on what's doing in your comp too. Who knows, he might end up getting involved for you.
But I have no special info about that.....just hoping on your behalf.

 

[justabaraker]

Re: Sydney AFL predictions

North Shore to beat Baulko
Penno to beat Campbelltown
Illawarra to beat Wests
Balmain to beat UTS
Easts Bulldogs to beat Sydney Uni

 

[noodles81]

Re: divisionalisation

Noodles.
The most important name on that list who have followed the "Yellow Brick F3" down to the "Emerald City", is Garry Burkinshaw; someone told me that he used to be the big Kahoona of your comp.
Don't know much about the guy but he is well regarded in many SFL circles, seems like quite a good bloke, seems to put in the hard yards. And he might be keeping a fatherly eye on what's doing in your comp too. Who knows, he might end up getting involved for you.
But I have no special info about that.....just hoping on your behalf.

Spot on!! he is a top bloke,very knowledgeable if thats how I spell it!! lol He did run our comp and I believe also wanted us to follow down the division lines.

Time kept with him last year(he has a relative playing for Gossy,good young player too) think he may have run our local cricket comp too!
People like him(smart and ready/able to put in the effort at the 'lower' levels of sport are priceless!!!

Watched some of the Gossy game yesterday(game started late as poor Southern had a bus break down!!) I had a kick with the old boys afterwards(still cant play!! lol) and Gossy are def not heading back to the bdafl,interestingly I spoke about KV joining having changed their name(registered) central coast bombers and realised that central coast wouldnt be right seeing as tho Gossy are there from the coast but also North shore have bombers name. I assume even if playing in diff div to Noth shore they would still have to change?

 

[hamish crayfish]

Re: divisionalisation

He goes OK, does Garry. Runs the league with an iron fist but shows no favouritism and does what is best for the game. The junior system in Sydney needs an upgrade to be run in a similar fashion. The "Regional Committee's", although an honourable system, fails on many counts, with a handful of people usually aligned to their club, making the calls. Have noticed an increasing number seem to be focussed on what is best for their kids/clubs and not the big picture, which is disappointing.
A couple of clubs using same/similar names down here. Moorebank Magpies/Western Suburbs Magpies and Manly Wolves/Western Wolves (Womens team aligned with Western Suburbs). Then to a lesser extent St George (Although the Dragons) and Saints AFC (Maroubra)

 

[often_confused]

Re: divisionalisation

There is no doubt the 'divisionalisation' of the Sydney comp has added life and moderated the big separation in playing ability, thus evening out the competition. There remains the question about how to deal with the Premier level. Clearly some of the teams at Div 1 could be competitive at that level and some of the current clubs are not.

It appears the arguments for retaining the struggling teams in the Premier level are:
* They have always been there and will not agree to demotion
* They represent an area that is strategically important to the AFL
* The Div 1 teams have not met the criteria for promotion

These reasons appear a little shallow when the EPL operates a rather healthy little competition in the UK with promotion / relegation. A quick examination of the Premier and Div 1 ladders even at this early part of the season indicates the issue:
* Wests, Sydney Uni and Campbelltown no wins
* Manly and Southern Power with % over 300 and Southern Power only defeated by Manly

The final issue with Sydney footy is to recognise the benefit that the NEAFL delivers. While it has a clear adverse short term impact (ask Wests where their best players from last season are) in the medium term it will deliver better pathways to local juniors. The trick may be to develop a system that will return them to their original clubs if they do not hold a place in the NEAFL team rather then developing two super teams in the competition.

 

[noodles81]

Re: divisionalisation

He goes OK, does Garry. Runs the league with an iron fist but shows no favouritism and does what is best for the game. The junior system in Sydney needs an upgrade to be run in a similar fashion. The "Regional Committee's", although an honourable system, fails on many counts, with a handful of people usually aligned to their club, making the calls. Have noticed an increasing number seem to be focussed on what is best for their kids/clubs and not the big picture, which is disappointing.
A couple of clubs using same/similar names down here. Moorebank Magpies/Western Suburbs Magpies and Manly Wolves/Western Wolves (Womens team aligned with Western Suburbs). Then to a lesser extent St George (Although the Dragons) and Saints AFC (Maroubra)

Cheers mate, so from what you have said IF the central coast bombers headed to Sydney afl next year they could still use the bombers nickname? They are doing well in our comp at the moment but may want a new challenge,as come finals time the same 2 teams play off year after year!!! and they not 1 of them!!lol

Gossy were 'tigers' but I was told they couldnt have it as Auburn now do(and someone mentioned Balmain may want it back at some stage being a widely known brand) just curious as to how it works ie diff playing strips etc

 

[noodles81]

Re: divisionalisation

There is no doubt the 'divisionalisation' of the Sydney comp has added life and moderated the big separation in playing ability, thus evening out the competition. There remains the question about how to deal with the Premier level. Clearly some of the teams at Div 1 could be competitive at that level and some of the current clubs are not.

It appears the arguments for retaining the struggling teams in the Premier level are:
* They have always been there and will not agree to demotion
* They represent an area that is strategically important to the AFL
* The Div 1 teams have not met the criteria for promotion

These reasons appear a little shallow when the EPL operates a rather healthy little competition in the UK with promotion / relegation. A quick examination of the Premier and Div 1 ladders even at this early part of the season indicates the issue:
* Wests, Sydney Uni and Campbelltown no wins
* Manly and Southern Power with % over 300 and Southern Power only defeated by Manly

The final issue with Sydney footy is to recognise the benefit that the NEAFL delivers. While it has a clear adverse short term impact (ask Wests where their best players from last season are) in the medium term it will deliver better pathways to local juniors. The trick may be to develop a system that will return them to their original clubs if they do not hold a place in the NEAFL team rather then developing two super teams in the competition.

We(bdafl) have just started the divs journey this year(finally after years of nagging from ppl like myself!!,and only after they were left with no other choice with clubs folding,losing number of teams or in Gossy case heading for greener pastures) and already we have come to the top div debate!!

I was of the opinion(in our comp anyway) that if you as a club wanted to compete at the top you should be allowed then the rest of clubs/teams are seeded. We are obviously much smaller than sydney and I would think most would not want to get belted as opposed to the other way around.

We ended up having 7 teams nominate and thru not much more than drawing straws we had 6 in the top div.
The 'unlucky' club now has to put up with pumping its opposition week in/out while the 'lucky' club prob wont win all year!!

In your case can/will Manly and Southern be able to meet the criteria and if so esp now that the prem div is weaker(even if only for a year or 2) get them in there now,next year(look at UTS competing this year compared to last) before it builds up.

Surely they would compete with the bottom half of the comp(let the 2-3 struggling prem div teams) stay in but set a timeline of say 3 years when maybe 2 sides go up/2 go down if needed and get all clubs to agree

Poor Wests!! it happens I suppose but sucks when its your team losing players imagine if Barrett and Walford were still at Gossy now!!lol they would have 600% in div 4!!

 

[justabaraker]

Re: Sydney AFL predictions

North Shore to beat Baulko]
Penno to beat Campbelltown[/I]
Illawarra to beat Wests
Balmain to beat UTS
Easts Bulldogs to beat Sydney Uni

Quoting myself again AND, without putting too finer point on it......that would be 5 from 5 I think. GO ME !!!!!!!!!!!

If the world's unluckiest gambler can get 5 from 5 then some of you others should be rolling the arm over with some selections for the upcoming weekend.

 

[justabaraker]

Re: divisionalisation

I had a kick with the old boys afterwards(still cant play!! lol) and Gossy are def not heading back to the bdafl

I bet the Central Coast is a 'small pond' too, and as the Gosford boys talk about how they are planning to stay with the Sydney AFL, then that will ark up the others to want to be part of it. When you're feeling miserable about how hard it all is, then the possibilities sound so attractive.

 

[justabaraker]

Re: divisionalisation

I see the great penetration of the AFL into the Western part of Sydney and it's impressive. But after the Auskick day, the mums & dads look around for the local club so they can send the kid along......and they find that the options are Wests or Campbelltown - both are lowly at the moment and are struggling to have a junior programme.
"Ah well, back to the soccer team for you, youngster !"

I'm not sure of why Premier teams are exempt from the division system, but, tell you what, I'd rather send my young kid to a "successful" B or C or D level team, than to an A team that has bugger all supporters, infrastructure, morale.

Pekay Norwest, when do the boys train ??? (Just a joke)

 

[pekay-norwest]

Re: divisionalisation

Pekay Norwest, when do the boys train ??? (Just a joke)

Tuesday & Thursday from 1815. You know you want to. Our eldest player is 50 next month, so age shall not weary them!

 

[Magpie03]

Re: divisionalisation

He goes OK, does Garry. Runs the league with an iron fist but shows no favouritism and does what is best for the game. The junior system in Sydney needs an upgrade to be run in a similar fashion. The "Regional Committee's", although an honourable system, fails on many counts, with a handful of people usually aligned to their club, making the calls. Have noticed an increasing number seem to be focussed on what is best for their kids/clubs and not the big picture, which is disappointing.
A couple of clubs using same/similar names down here. Moorebank Magpies/Western Suburbs Magpies and Manly Wolves/Western Wolves (Womens team aligned with Western Suburbs). Then to a lesser extent St George (Although the Dragons) and Saints AFC (Maroubra)

Balmain wont get the Tigers name back even if they beg - the only way for that to happen is for Auburn to go down the gurgler and I doubt that will happen.

As for my club we have been told that should we achieve our long term aim of reaching PD then we would have to loose the magpie as our mascot as wests were there first.

As for the junior competition the AFL ****ed it up right royally in the west and are heading down that path again. They split up what was a very strong liverpool junior club and created Holsworthy now South West tigers. Liverpool were no longer able to recruit from their traditional zones and are very slowly rebuilding. Note many of the parents removed their kids and took them to Bankstown, names like wicken, lombardo etc etc. Now the brains trust has determined that South west are strong enough and they are going to be excluded from what has become their traditional recruiting zones as they AFL has spent close to 2mil on a new ground at Casula less than ten k from Rosedale and are in process of manufacturing a new junior club in a region that is already struggling for numbers.

If they had a brain they would put burkinshaw in charge or at least overseeing the junior development of the game in sydney as he is the only one who seems to have a brain.