AFL Darling Downs 2018

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A return to one division this year with 10 teams in the competition. University will be aiming for their third premiership in a row and will enter the season as warm favorites. Last seasons runners-up, Goondiwindi, will be up there again as will South Burnett and Coolaroo.

Toowoomba Tigers and South Toowoomba will be looking to improve after disappointing seasons in 2017 while former Division 2 sides, Dalby, Warwick, Highfields and Chinchilla will be looking to show they belong in the top grade. Warwick and Dalby in particular will no doubt be more than competitive.

My early tip for the flag is University, well coached and good depth with a mix of youth and experience. It will be a tight run race but I expect them to get over the line.
 
ROUND ONE RESULTS

Chinchilla Suns 11-10-76 def by Highfields Lions 15-3-93

South Burnett Saints 18-11-119 def Coolaroo Roos 9-13-67

Toowoomba Tigers 5-7-37 def by South Toowoomba Bombers 15-17-107

University Cougars 8-10-58 def Goondiwindi Hawks 5-9-39

Warwick Redbacks 21-20-146 def Dalby Swans 2-2-14
 
ROUND 2 RESULTS

Chinchilla Suns 3-3-21 def by University Cougars 32-14-206

Dalby Swans def by Toowoomba Tigers - Forfeit

Highfields Lions 4-9-33 def by Warwick Redbacks 19-19-133

Coolaroo Roos 12-9-81 def Goondiwindi Hawks 9-8-62

South Toowoomba Bombers 16-8-104 def South Burnett Saints 11-8-74
 

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Disappointing that Dalby had to forfeit, they had the local race day on and that is a massive social event in a country town, just a pity it had to fall during footy season.

The only real surprise over the first two rounds has been the failure of Goondiwindi to get on the board yet. As last years runners-up they are one of the teams expected to challenge for the premiership. In their defence they’ve had a tough start to the season playing last year’s premiers, University, and fellow finalists, Coolaroo, both away from home. I’m sure they’ll bounce back, they are almost unbeatable at home and are too good be down for too long.

Two exciting clashes this week with University hosting Coolaroo and South Toowoomba making the trek to Warwick. Both games promise to be crackers. In the other games South Burnett host Dalby and Tigers play Chinchilla. Goondiwindi and Highfields have the bye.
 
LADDER AFTER ROUND 2

Warwick Redbacks - 8
University Cougars - 8
South Toowoomba Bombers - 8
South Burnett Saints - 4
Coolaroo Roos - 4
Highfields Lions - 4
Toowoomba Tigers - 4
Goondiwindi Hawks - 0
Chinchilla Suns - 0
Dalby Swans - 0
 
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raskolnikov

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Go the Roos. I played with them back in the 90s. Carlton jumper, Collingwood song and North Melbourne emblem. Was a nightmare for an Essendon supporter. :D

A lot of changes to the comp since my time.
Chinchilla, Highfields and Warwick didn't exist. Lockyer Valley did. University were the Eagles, South Burnett were the Kingaroy Bulldogs. South Toowoomba weren't the Bombers but I can't remember what they were. I think they were out of the league for a number of years.

Highfields was a one horse town when I lived there. Couldn't believe how much it had grown when I visited a couple of years ago.
 
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Go the Roos. I played with them back in the 90s. Carlton jumper, Collingwood song and North Melbourne emblem. Was a nightmare for an Essendon supporter. :D

A lot of changes to the comp since my time.
Chinchilla, Highfields and Warwick didn't exist. Lockyer Valley did. University were the Eagles, South Burnett were the Kingaroy Bulldogs. South Toowoomba weren't the Bombers but I can't remember what they were. I think they were out of the league for a number of years.

Highfields was a one horse town when I lived there. Couldn't believe how much it had grown when I visited a couple of years ago.
You’re right, there have been a fair few changes over the past ten years or so. Lockyer Valley were still in the competition until they withdrew this year due to financial concerns, apparently they owe the league a substantial amount.

Coolaroo is still one of the powerhouses on the Downs, I can’t remember a time when they didn’t make the finals. University is currently the team to beat, they’ve won the past two flags and are on track to defend their title. Goondiwindi is also extremely strong, they are almost unbeatable at home.

South Toowoomba (my team) were called the Longhorns and you’re right, they did disappear from the competition for a few years before being reborn as the Bombers. We’ve had a good start to the season but it’s only early days, plenty of football still to be played yet. There’s probably 6 or 7 teams that could challenge for the title this season, it’s just a case of taking your chances when they present themselves.
 
ROUND 3 RESULTS

South Burnett Saints 18-12-120 def Dalby Swans 3-2-20

Toowoomba Tigers 19-18-132 def Chinchilla Suns 3-2-20

University Cougars 12-9-81 def Coolaroo Roos 11-8-74

Warwick Redbacks 7-3-45 def by South Toowoomba Bombers 10-11-71

Highfields Lions - Bye
Goondiwindi Hawks - Bye
 
LADDER AFTER ROUND 3

University Cougars - 12
South Toowoomba Bombers - 12
Warwick Redbacks - 8
South Burnett Saints - 8
Toowoomba Tigers - 8
Coolaroo Roos - 4
Highfields Lions - 4
Goondiwindi Hawks - 0
Chinchilla Suns - 0
Dalby Swans - 0
 

raskolnikov

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Does South Toowoomba wear the Essendon jumper now (i.e. a sash) or still the red and black vertical stripes? I always thought the stripes looked good.
 
Does South Toowoomba wear the Essendon jumper now (i.e. a sash) or still the red and black vertical stripes? I always thought the stripes looked good.
Souths wear the sash now, although they were still wearing the stripes as their away jerseys until last year. They may be making a comeback
 

GEEitLONG

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Feb 27, 2018
128
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Geelong
Darling Downs footy is on the precipice of collapse. Juniors once had about 8 teams in each age group (12-14-16) to now perhaps 4 sides in u12-14s with sides having to lend players to get a game. The u16s competition I believe has already folded with motivated juniors and parents joining Brisbane clubs!

I'm told next year the entire junior comp will fold on the Downs, and the remnants enter the Brisbane juniors comp with the few players they have left, to make up 1 or 2 sides. This will impact the senior comp in very short order. It already has begun..

AFLQ has to take over from the AFLDD. They have to do it NOW! There is already very little to salvage. Soon there will be nothing left. Remedies have been suggested. Help offered. Problems pointed out, and wisdom ignored. AFLDD is a basket case and nothing can be said in its defence.

I think it is actually beyond saving regardless of who takes over.
 
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Darling Downs footy is on the precipice of collapse. Juniors once had about 8 teams in each age group (12-14-16) to now perhaps 4 sides in u12-14s with sides having to lend players to get a game. The u16s competition I believe has already folded with motivated juniors and parents joining Brisbane clubs!

I'm told next year the entire junior comp will fold on the Downs, and the remnants enter the Brisbane juniors comp with the few players they have left, to make up 1 or 2 sides. This will impact the senior comp in very short order. It already has begun..

AFLQ has to take over from the AFLDD. They have to do it NOW! There is already very little to salvage. Soon there will be nothing left. Remedies have been suggested. Help offered. Problems pointed out, and wisdom ignored. AFLDD is a basket case and nothing can be said in its defence.

I think it is actually beyond saving regardless of who takes over.
You’re right, there has been a substantial reduction in the amount of teams in the junior ranks over the past few years. I’m at a loss to explain why this is the case, junior football was always relatively strong on the Downs.

I know the U16 division has struggled for a number of years numbers wise and this year they raised the age group to U17 but I don’t know how that is going to pan out. Now that it’s not a club based competition (it’s split into zones) it remains to be seen if it will receive the support it requires to be successful.

The junior competition on the Downs won’t fold, there are too many good footy people around to ensure this doesn’t happen. You are right though, something has to change. Whether that is AFLQ stepping in and taking over the running of the league or the current executive coming up with a plan that ensures the league’s long term survival remains to be seen.

Hopefully it’s not too late to turn it around and return Darling Downs football to the strong, vibrant league it used to be.
 

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May 11, 2018
63
60
Toowoomba
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Hi Reardo,
How are you?
In all honesty mate if you know AFLQ staff in Toowoomba (as you would at the bombers) then you would know they have been ostracised by a certain group.
Sadly this is preventing the AFLQ staff to do what is really needed to fix the league.

I have faith in the AFLQ staff too and frankly I wish they would just step in and take FULL control of the league.
This league is in a dire and destructive situation.
 
Hi mate, I’m good. Yeah, it’s a frustrating situation at the moment, everyone knows something needs to change but how to go about it is proving difficult. Unfortunately AFLQ have their hands tied, they can’t just step in and seize control, it doesn’t work that way. There is a process that needs to be followed and it needs to be instigated by the clubs. I’m still hopeful the current executive can fix things but the signs aren’t good.
 
May 11, 2018
63
60
Toowoomba
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Thanks for the reply.
I certainly don't want to point fingers or name individuals.

I will say though, I think it's very destructive if you chose to ignore the fact Toowoomba region has a paid regional manager from AFLQ being ignored in developing the AFLDD League. (polite way to put it)

Volunteers in AFLDD positions should answer to paid AFLQ staff. I'd assume this should be a normal process and I find it arrogant and disrespectful to think anything other than this.

Volunteers should be commended for putting their hands up to fill any role. However as a volunteer you shouldn't dismiss that paid people are paid because they are employed for their experience, education and skills.

The only way this league will work is if certain people start realising they CAN NOT do everything themselves.
As quickly as a volunteer was voted in, they can be voted out and nothing in the current constitution will protect them.
 
May 11, 2018
63
60
Toowoomba
AFL Club
Hawthorn
On the topic of league strength.

It's certainly not the best but I do enjoy watching the development of kids in AFL and we still have some and some are better than none.
Kids are our future.

No one would agree that our juniors are healthy at the present moment and we all need to work together to try and fix this. Now and not later.

No under 16s and the under 17s inclusion which is so uncertain of week to week, let alone future is something we need to rectify.
This age group is so influential and if we don't fix, capture and secure this age bracket now, our clubs will not survive.

If members aren't focussed on junior development then they don't understand pathways in sport or the future of AFLDD.
 
May 11, 2018
63
60
Toowoomba
AFL Club
Hawthorn
A bye, just what we needed.
The season is somewhat short enough.

14 games for the senior men's is hardly a season. Some of us done a longer pre-season than what is offered as a season.
 
Yeah, not sure what’s going on with Dalby. They have a Friday night game this week in Chinchilla so I’ll be interested to see how that goes. There’s no salary cap on the Downs that I’m aware of.
 

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