Is the divide between SANFL and AFL a bridge too far?

[Dalphonso]

I know I quite often stir a few of you up stating the SANFL was only ever the "B " grade which always gets a bite but has the chasm between the 2 leagues now become that great that it is now not a lot better than the Great Southern league down Victor way?
Blokes like Mitchell.Young ,Moore and Ah Chee burn it up in the SANFL fully warranting a place in the AFL side. But when they get there the pace and pressure is far too quick for them.They are only spot fillers at best and soon find themselves back in the magoos where they are superstars once more.
Monfries who arguably has been quite pathetic this year in my opinion goes back and dominates like Russell Ebert no doubt earning a recall next week where no doubt he might play serviceable at best.
Obviously there is not a lot we can do about it unless we play in the actual VFL one day but I personally don't think our seconds are getting the development they need in the SANFL.
Perhaps this is just one reason amongst many why our season has faltered so badly in the big league this year? I know a few of you will come out and say the SANFL is the best second tier league etc .Didn't WA beat them this year? It is more of a third tier league nowadays.
I guess we are still in a better position than the God Coast and Brisbanes seconds in the Qld league.They are really up against it.

 

[Jim Dixon]

God Coast and Brisbane have reserve teams in the NEAFL League. They play against such spuds as the Sydney Swans reserves, the GWS reserves, the NT Thunder and Sydney University.

As to your question, there's no doubt the gap is growing wider in terms of skills, and it really grinds my gears that the SANFL is allowed to have such a divergence in terms of rule (does any other league play with 21 players and have '25 meter penalties'?). However your average SANFL club will be full of mature bodied blokes who are hard at it even if they lack the skill and polish of an AFL listed team. Look at how much trouble Norwood gives to us. I can see the day when we don't benefit at all from playing in the SANFL but I do not think we're there yet.

Having said that, the SNAFL are a pack of arseholes who can all gagf; we should have a genuine AFL reserves competition and cut our links with the SNAFL entirely. But that's just my tuppny ha'pence worth. Your milage may vary.

 

[scottjr]

The sanfl will do until there is a fully fledged AFL reserve competition. I don't think we are disadvantaged in the sanfl although I'm sure we learn more about where players are at during the week in match simulation drills.

 

[Dalphonso]

God Coast and Brisbane have reserve teams in the NEAFL League. They play against such spuds as the Sydney Swans reserves, the GWS reserves, the NT Thunder and Sydney University.

As to your question, there's no doubt the gap is growing wider in terms of skills, and it really grinds my gears that the SANFL is allowed to have such a divergence in terms of rule (does any other league play with 21 players and have '25 meter penalties'?). However your average SANFL club will be full of mature bodied blokes who are hard at it even if they lack the skill and polish of an AFL listed team. Look at how much trouble Norwood gives to us. I can see the day when we don't benefit at all from playing in the SANFL but I do not think we're there yet.

Having said that, the SNAFL are a pack of arseholes who can all gagf; we should have a genuine AFL reserves competition and cut our links with the SNAFL entirely. But that's just my tuppny ha'pence worth. Your milage may vary.

Good call.
I knew the Qld teams played against GWS and the Nt Thunder(I think they played here in Alice yesterday?)But couldn't remember what they changed the name to but NEAFL is correct. As of last week I believe the NT thunder was third on the ladder with a team full of no names who are in no way good enough for AFL. So that particular league is a real shocker. I used to follow the Thunder but now I don't care.

 

[Colonial]

God Coast and Brisbane have reserve teams in the NEAFL League. They play against such spuds as the Sydney Swans reserves, the GWS Giants reserves, the NT Thunder and Sydney University.

Maybe check the ladder Giants are no spuds.


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[RussellEbertHandball]

Nope.

 

[scottjr]

Maybe check the ladder Giants are no spuds.


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How many first round picks going around in the GWS reserves again?

We'll happily take a couple of them off your hands.

 

[*PAF]

Nah.We still need to work out that now the SANFL only exists to develop our AFL players. The Magpie were the past, the Power is the future.
The king is dead, long live the king.


Good SANFL form means frk all in the scheme if things as there will always be players that play poop at SANFL level and great at AFL level, and vice versa.
Deliberately put the poop first as atm we looove the vice versa stuff and completely ignore the first part.

Get it right Kern. Fix it.

 

[Colonial]

How many first round picks going around in the GWS reserves again?

Sooo not spuds then [emoji106]

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[scottjr]

Sooo not spuds then [emoji106]

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If you can spare a couple we'll give them a nice home.

 

[Colonial]

If you can spare a couple we'll give them a nice home.

Show us your 1st round draft picks

We do have top academy players to take care of thanks to eddie.

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[John Hart Jnr]

Blokes like Mitchell.Young ,Moore and Ah Chee burn it up in the SANFL fully warranting a place in the AFL side. But when they get there the pace and pressure is far too quick for them.They are only spot fillers at best and soon find themselves back in the magoos where they are superstars once more.

Add Sam Gray, Amon, Colquhoun, Neade, Stewart, Clurey and OShea to that list.

The gap is wide and getting wider by the year.

 

[PA88]

So WA beat SA and now SA is a third tier league? I don't think so. They are both at the same level. They are both amateur leagues with two AFL sides playing development young players. I think the argument is different with the vfl. The sanfl is a tough league for these 18 to 22 year old afl draftees.

Our problem in the sanlf is not ability, it is skill execution. It is annoying to watch sanfl teams kick and handball the ball better than us weekly. What differs is how many times we're able to get our hands on the ball and how much one on one pressure we put on the opposition. Our pressure this season has been inconsistent.

 

[Jim Dixon]

Maybe check the ladder Giants are no spuds.


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Ah sorry to offend, I was actually using the potato phrase sardonically in response to the suggestion that the Qld AFL teams have reserves in the Qld league. I'm getting to the point that the Port Magpies would be better off in the NEAFL.

 

[Colonial]

Ah sorry to offend, I was actually using the potato phrase sardonically in response to the suggestion that the Qld AFL teams have reserves in the Qld league. I'm getting to the point that the Port Magpies would be better off in the NEAFL.

As someone whose reserves play in said comp. No you wouldnt.

The competition is terrible. A national reserves is whats needed.

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[Doctor Feel]

The ****ing rules are different, and that is annoying. Every interpretation is different. This is why we need an AFL ran reserves competition.

 

[Jim Dixon]

A national reserves is whats needed.

Aint that the truth!

 

[Colonial]

I do wonder why the vic clubs who are always bleeting about equal and fair never want one. Protecting their vfl?

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[ROBBBO]

Coming from a soccer background I can't believe the two competitions are played with different rules, absolutely absurd. You see young players coming up having to change their style where they can hold the ball in in SNAFL yet pinged for the same in AFL. I notice the young players give up a lot of ball in and under in AFL where they rush handballs out etc. It is a ridiculous situation that SANFL play their own rules.. anyway I think this doesnt help with the divide

 

[Portology]

The ******* rules are different, and that is annoying. Every interpretation is different. This is why we need an AFL ran reserves competition.

It's far more than annoying, it's ****ing unacceptable for a development league.

Not the primary source of our current malaise though.

 

[Waspy79]

The ******* rules are different, and that is annoying. Every interpretation is different. This is why we need an AFL ran reserves competition.

Serious question - what rules are different apart from the 25 metre penalty?

Every interpretation is different from week to week and from umpire to umpire in the AFL too, I see this as a non-issue in terms of player development.

 

[Colonial]

Serious question - what rules are different apart from the 25 metre penalty?

Every interpretation is different from week to week and from umpire to umpire in the AFL too, I see this as a non-issue in terms of player development.

Do u think we need an AFL reserves comp?

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[Waspy79]

Do u think we need an AFL reserves comp?

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No.

I think using the SANFL as an excuse for the club's current plight is a very long bow to be drawing.

We've recruited poorly. Simple as that.

 

[ab56452001]

I know I quite often stir a few of you up stating the SANFL was only ever the "B " grade which always gets a bite but has the chasm between the 2 leagues now become that great that it is now not a lot better than the Great Southern league down Victor way?
Blokes like Mitchell.Young ,Moore and Ah Chee burn it up in the SANFL fully warranting a place in the AFL side. But when they get there the pace and pressure is far too quick for them.They are only spot fillers at best and soon find themselves back in the magoos where they are superstars once more.
Monfries who arguably has been quite pathetic this year in my opinion goes back and dominates like Russell Ebert no doubt earning a recall next week where no doubt he might play serviceable at best.
Obviously there is not a lot we can do about it unless we play in the actual VFL one day but I personally don't think our seconds are getting the development they need in the SANFL.
Perhaps this is just one reason amongst many why our season has faltered so badly in the big league this year? I know a few of you will come out and say the SANFL is the best second tier league etc .Didn't WA beat them this year? It is more of a third tier league nowadays.
I guess we are still in a better position than the God Coast and Brisbanes seconds in the Qld league.They are really up against it.

The only gap widening is the physicality one , when its wet and tough footy is the name of the game many Afl listed blokes go missing . A few years ago some moaned when our Afl listed blokes struggled to get an A grade game at SANFL level , bias we screamed , well I watched a few of ours and the Crows play , and they didn't deserve an a grade game . Don't know if its the types we pick , but when the games played in shitty condition ( Norwood , Sturt ) we really go missing.

 

[El Zorro]

I don't think so.