Local GC Footy Chat

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Matchu

Matchu

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran
Apr 12, 2007
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AFL Club
Port Adelaide
I thought this would be a cool thread to have. Basically it is intended to allow GC Suns fans (and anyone else) to chat about the local game. If you don't know much then that's okay, I'll try my best to give you an introduction. There are five local levels of Aussie rules competition in Queensland and they are NEAFL, QAFL, QFA, QAFA (A) and QAFA (B). So here are the GC teams that compete in the senior QAFL comps:

Southport Sharks (NEAFL)
Broadbeach Cats (QAFL)
Labrador Tigers (QAFL)
Palm Beach-Currumbin Lions (QAFL)
Surfers Paradise Demons (QAFL)
Burleigh Bombers (QFA)
Coolangatta-Tweed Heads Blues (QFA)
Coomera Magpies (QFA)
Robina Roos (QFA)
Carrara Saints (QAFA A)
Bond University Bullsharks (QAFA B)

So there are 11 senior teams on the Gold Coast at the moment and they vary through the five levels of competition. Each club has their own field which is a good outcome for football in the city. We may see more clubs enter the league in the future with Ormeau and Pacific Pines being options now that they have junior clubs. There are a few other options for the future with cricket clubs in Arundel, Gilston, Miami, Oxenford and Runaway Bay not currently having an Aussie rules club for the winter months.

Discuss.
 
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Experimental said:
QAFL is where it's at.
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It's certainly serving the Gold Coast well. 4/10 teams in the league hailing from the GC with every part of the city being represented. Labrador being north, Broadbeach and Surfers central and Palm Beach-Currumbin representing south. Three out of the five teams to play QAFL finals this year were from the Gold Coast with Labrador playing in a losing Grand Final. In fact, Burleigh and Bond University also made the Grand Final of their respective league with Bond University being the only GC team to win a premiership in 2014. Each level of competition should get stronger next year as the older guys giving up on their dreams of an AFL career and opting for less travelling outside of the NEAFL.
 
Matchu said:
It's certainly serving the Gold Coast well. 4/10 teams in the league hailing from the GC with every part of the city being represented. Labrador being north, Broadbeach and Surfers central and Palm Beach-Currumbin representing south. Three out of the five teams to play QAFL finals this year were from the Gold Coast with Labrador playing in a losing Grand Final. In fact, Burleigh and Bond University also made the Grand Final of their respective league with Bond University being the only GC team to win a premiership in 2014. Each level of competition should get stronger next year as the older guys giving up on their dreams of an AFL career and opting for less travelling outside of the NEAFL.
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Awwwwwwww yeah
 
Iason said:
Awwwwwwww yeah
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It was their first premiership. Get around them!

KZc1bew.jpg
 
Did the AFL say they were wanting to get back to having curtain raisers more often like the old days?

How often do the GC suns reserves play at Metricon before the seniors. Not often I would imagine.

If they played there it might get people a bit more interested, get people at the ground for longer buying more drinks etc.
Could be win-win really
 
Does anyone else think the NEAFL isn't going to last? Local teams don't appear to be handling costs of a league spread across four states and territories. Southport has always been well off when it comes to money but I think it's hurting the standard of the league with a lot of guys choosing to drop down to the QAFL so they don't have to deal with the travelling demands. I think you could easily break the league in two again and have a strong 12 team competition for Queensland. I'd probably have the Suns & Lions reserves, 4 Brisbane teams, 3 GC teams, 1 Central QLD team, 1 North QLD team and the NT Thunder.

I would try and make it as area driven as possible so the 3 GC teams would represent different parts of the city and the same with Brisbane with perhaps one of the teams being based in the Sunshine Coast. I would then base the North QLD team at Cazalys stadium in Cairns and play a few games a year in Townsville and I'd have the Central QLD team playing out of Rockhampton with a few games in other part of Central QLD. That way the whole state is represented and it cuts down the travelling. It would take time but eventually it would see some gun players coming out of other areas of Queensland.
 
I can't see the NEAFL lasting any more than another 3 seasons at an absolute maximum. I agree with you about the QAFL and what you've written. NEAFL always has been, and will continue to be, a ridiculously stupid and poorly thought out league that does nothing but plague the growing regions that it covers.

QAFL needs to be our highest tier below the AFL itself, and until that happens, Aussie rules in QLD will struggle at a grass-roots level.
 
supernova_ said:
ahh I hate playing at Robina - umps always said dont worry the ball never hits the powerlines....haha yeah bullshit. It's a horrible ground.

Ok end of rant.
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Definitely an issue in the past for both Robina and Bond. Luckily for Bond the university spent $1 million on upgrading sports venue on campus and they now have an Aussie rules specific gated oval with stands, sheds and a scoreboard. I know it will never happen but Cricket Gold Coast has two more ovals just down the road from Robina's current home grounds that aren't hindered by power lines. If you include Bond, Robina as a suburb could have as many as four Aussie rules ovals in the winter months which could accommodate eight teams each season. Pretty funny considering Robina is the suburb in which the Titans' stadium is located.
 
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Experimental said:
I can't see the NEAFL lasting any more than another 3 seasons at an absolute maximum. I agree with you about the QAFL and what you've written. NEAFL always has been, and will continue to be, a ridiculously stupid and poorly thought out league that does nothing but plague the growing regions that it covers.

QAFL needs to be our highest tier below the AFL itself, and until that happens, Aussie rules in QLD will struggle at a grass-roots level.
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Cannot agree more .Being a Broadbeach supporter, Ive commented many times on the NEAFL post over the past 3 seasons and have been supported but also bagged with many posters believing the NEAFL comp opens a pathway to talented youngsters being drafted..... now this is wrong, a talented youngster is already in acadamys etc etc.
The neafl comp has so much travel for semi professional players who may be good players but will never make AFL level but have a desire to play at the next best level possible.Problem is , their jobs are more important and they just cannot continue to put in the time for training and travelling, thus the reason we are seeing some of these guys dropping back to Qafl and other lower standard comps.
The financial burden of the local clubs to just compete in the comp is at a level of some 600k a season.Now, these clubs just cannot sustain this cost.
To add, the crowds have dwindled at home and away games with supporters going back to grassroots clubs.For example one could go to a say Southport vs Aspley game, a game involving 2 top 5 sides and there wouldn't be 300 people there. On the same day, lets say in the QAFL , Morningside vs Labrador, and there would be some 600 plus in attendance.This alone is a lot of revenue raised for a club.
Next,,, 3 clubs have withdrawn from the NEAFL comp this year due to all of the above reasons.
The NEAFL and AFL have a plan to make the comp a tier 2 comp, equivalent to the VFL,SANFL and WAFL. ONE HAS TO BE JOKING.!!!! This will never happen.
the whole truth of the matter, is to attempt to have local clubs provide good competition to the AFL ressie sides without assisting the semi pro local clubs financially.
The AFL would be better off directing the AFL/ NEAFL ressie sides,( Suns, Lions, Giants,and Swans) to the VFL. This will provide a higher standard to compete in and the cost of travel would not be a lot different, .... anyway that's my opinion.......
 

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It's worth mentioning that Labrador captain Ryan Davey has won two Grogan Medals (historically QLD's Brownlow) in the last three years. He also happens to be the Events Coordinator for the Suns. Good effort on his behalf!

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Just for a comparison on SE QLD grass roots ( senior ) footy in comparison to Perth senior footy here is something that may be of interest.

In 2014 .....

100 senior teams in SE QLD ( give or take a couple ) from NEAFL sides to QAFL to QAFA B reserves

28 colts team

14 Womens teams

In 2014 In Perth

212 Senior teams from WAFL through amatuers ( WAAFL) to Sunday league ( now Metro league )

66 colts teams

15 womens teams

Population of SE QLD 3.05 million

Population of Perth 1.9 million

pretty easy to add up through http://www.foxsportspulse.com/select_node.cgi?cID=2154&p=1 by using last years ladders.

SE QLD seems to be doing OK IMO.

* Edit .... the Hills league and Peel football league (Perth) also are probably considered part of Perths population these days and i have not included those senior team numbers but are quite strong leagues in their own right.
 
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SUNS said:
Pulled out of playing this year and instead coaching one of the locals kids teams at the request of one of the dads ;)

Met the kids tonight. Looks like i'll have a good team!
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being positive from the get go is a good idea ;)
 
If anyone wants to see an awesome, yet largely unknown footy facility on the GC, go and have a look at the Ormeo Bulldogs home ground! Two of the best fields you will see and with some infrastructure would rival Burpengary as a venue.

At present the club only goes up to u12s, but that will change yearly. The club itself is well run (wouldn't have been able to get such good facilities made if not for good people at the club) and has great apparel, which many clubs let themselves down on.

If anyone who is interested in this sort of thing, Ormeo footy ground is worth a look. The far field is an absolute special. Great views, bush, trees with shade.
 
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