2nds 2026 Adelaide Crows SANFL thread

[adelaidecrows]

WWT just got pillaged. Poor buggers.

The players themselves signed up for the MSD. They werent tied up and made to. The Sanfl needs to take a reality check. Yes its not great but amateur and country clubs gets pillaged all the time, losing players to Sanfl. The Sanfl aren't special, more amatuer league premierships have been decided because of Sanfl interference mid season than the AFL interrupting the Sanfl. Its the price you pay for being part of a tiered sports structure.

 

[Cromulant]

The players themselves signed up for the MSD. They werent tied up and made to. The Sanfl needs to take a reality check. Yes its not great but amateur and country clubs gets pillaged all the time, losing players to Sanfl. The Sanfl aren't special, more amatuer league premierships have been decided because of Sanfl interference mid season than the AFL interrupting the Sanfl. Its the price you pay for being part of a tiered sports structure.

The SANFL lose a lot of players to country leagues these days.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Absolute rubbish from the SANFL clubs imho

If you don't want players taken midseason then don't put AFL hopefuls on your list. Stick with guys whose ceiling is state league or who are happy just playing state league.

If you do list AFL hopefuls because they're good players, then this comes with the territory.

Guaranteed the Eagles will be using their track record for getting guys into AFL level as a selling point to their next batch of recruits, or locals overlooked in the 2026 national draft. As they should.

This is why the AFL need to bring back the multi level club format. Have an AFL, AFL Reserves and have an AFL u18s. It means players would be funnelled back into systems like the Sanfl with not a lot of movement in reverse. It woprked well for so long, the Sanfl still uses that structure themselves. The AFL make more than enough money. It would also add a lot of add ons on game day. Triple header with u18s, reserves then the league side. would be awesome.

 

[Cromulant]

This is why the AFL need to bring back the multi level club format. Have an AFL, AFL Reserves and have an AFL u18s. It means players would be funnelled back into systems like the Sanfl with not a lot of movement in reverse. It woprked well for so long, the Sanfl still uses that structure themselves. The AFL make more than enough money. It would also add a lot of add ons on game day. Triple header with u18s, reserves then the league side. would be awesome.

Where do the AFL clubs get those extra players from though ??

The 2nd tier clubs..... and where do those players come from ?? Ammo leagues.

There's enough of a struggle for country clubs in particular to field sides, imagine having that happen.

 

[adelaidecrows]

Where do the AFL clubs get those extra players from though ??

The 2nd tier clubs..... and where do those players come from ?? Ammo leagues.

There's enough of a struggle for country clubs in particular to field sides, imagine having that happen.

They already have a reserves side. Having a national comp just removes the Sanfl player restrictions. The u18s side would be easy to fill. If you have time caps. For example, players can only be eligible to be in a reserves squad for 2 seasons etc. Keeps the ball moving and stops clubs talent hoarding.

 

[Mutineer]

What a load of nonsense. If any SANFL club did as you suggest they’d have next to no young players on their list. There’s probably a dozen players in every club that have played senior footy who still have AFL aspirations and are unlikely to get drafted, someone like Tom Lewis is a glaring example, so what, cut him loose because of maybe, ifs and buts?
The issue is the timing of the MSD and total lack of adequate compensation.

Tom didn't even nominate for the MSD this year.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

What a load of nonsense. If any SANFL club did as you suggest they’d have next to no young players on their list. There’s probably a dozen players in every club that have played senior footy who still have AFL aspirations and are unlikely to get drafted, someone like Tom Lewis is a glaring example, so what, cut him loose because of maybe, ifs and buts?
The issue is the timing of the MSD and total lack of adequate compensation.

I don't suggest they do this

Because it would be stupid.

They know that the midseason draft exists. Yet they recruit players whose clear aim is to progress to AFL level.

If losing players midseason was so bad, they wouldn't recruit these players. They do, so it isn't.

 

[Cromulant]

I don't suggest they do this

Because it would be stupid.

They know that the midseason draft exists. Yet they recruit players whose clear aim is to progress to AFL level.

If losing players midseason was so bad, they wouldn't recruit these players. They do, so it isn't.

Its the balance between the desire to win flags and the risk that you might lose them in doing so.

The MSD was the idea of the AFL, the SANFL wasn't consulted. IMO a mid-season trade period is a much better solution.

 

[jackster83]

Its the balance between the desire to win flags and the risk that you might lose them in doing so.

The MSD was the idea of the AFL, the SANFL wasn't consulted. IMO a mid-season trade period is a much better solution.

The MSD concept is fine. If it keeps guys in the state league system instead of chasing the brown paper bags, then it's a good thing.

The issue is the compensation to state league clubs needs to be higher.

 

[Cromulant]

The MSD concept is fine. If it keeps guys in the state league system instead of chasing the brown paper bags, then it's a good thing.

The issue is the compensation to state league clubs needs to be higher.

Thing is it doesnt really do that.

Brett Turner for instance went straight from Adelaide to country footy.

 

[Syd Crow]

Thing is it doesnt really do that.

Brett Turner for instance went straight from Adelaide to country footy.

Played for Glenelg in 2023, then to country footy.