EDFL Premier Discussion 2025

[ROOS77]

What a magnificent insight to the KFC …I’ll say again cap what the kids pay and let the senior club organise the paper bag money

Congrats and thanks for this insightful but unfortunately the norm of many clubs

This isn't anything new, happens at most clubs.

Except Deer Park.

 

[Del228913]

Agree , in one of the better competitions in Victoria if you can’t raise the finances to compete don’t play in it . The answer from the lower clubs is to hobble the stronger clubs by
Limiting junior numbers
Points applied to juniors
Turning away juniors from other clubs
Less points for the seniors
Harder caps
and other sanctions all of which I have read on this forum. I thought we wanted the strongest competition and to be watching the best local players going around but apparently no we don’t. My opinion is the comp has slipped in standard and yes numbers are dropping.

We actually want a healthy system all over the state, if you can't see the benefits of playing more locals instead of recruits than you've got rocks in your head, it actually fast tracks their development.

I'd have that you need to have x amount of 1 pointers play instead of total points. I'd have keilor next year on 22, 1 point players, Greenvale, pacco, strathmore, 18, 1 point players and the rest on 16, 1 point players.

 

[Stickywicket]

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that metro footy would be in far better shape if we got rid of all the leagues and did things properly with proper promotion and relegation so it’s sustainable.

Level 1 VFA

Level 2 VFA Div 2 NW

Level 3 NFNL
Level 3 EDFL / WRFL merged

Level 2 VFA Div 2 SE

Level 3 EFNL
Level 3 SFNL

Each level 3 has as many divisions as required

Promotion and relegation is two down and one up - eg at the end of each year two clubs get relegated from VFA and the premiers of each Level 2 league get promoted, and so on.

The bonus is the old VFA clubs have somewhere to go and if they’re not good enough, tumble down the leagues to where they now belong.

The metro leagues are a big problem. They are mini empires who will not give an inch for the greater good as they all see themselves as competition against each other. They have no interest in salary caps or points systems and had to have them forced by AFL Vic. They just want their own league to be the best.

You want clubs to play against those at their own level as much as possible and these pissant little metro leagues are a big barrier to that.

Mismatched clubs are a problem to some degree in the top division of every metro league.

Great idea. Best post I’ve read since this saga commenced

 

[Nvent]

I’d sent up clubs that have a good junior program with a point cap around 26-28.

Clubs that struggle with juniors get a point cap of 50-60…

Things will soon even out.


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Ridiculous

 

[MPMonkeys]

We actually want a healthy system all over the state, if you can't see the benefits of playing more locals instead of recruits than you've got rocks in your head, it actually fast tracks their development.

I'd have that you need to have x amount of 1 pointers play instead of total points. I'd have keilor next year on 22, 1 point players, Greenvale, pacco, strathmore, 18, 1 point players and the rest on 16, 1 point players.

The problem there is that there is even more incentive for the larger clubs to go after quality players from smaller clubs at U14 and U16 level so they can eventually become one pointers for them.

 

[Oldtimesceptic]

The problem there is that there is even more incentive for the larger clubs to go after quality players from smaller clubs at U14 and U16 level so they can eventually become one pointers for them.

Maybe to counter this Clubs are limited to a maximum 2 sides per age group. this would then spread all overflow from Keilor, Abers and Strathmore to other clubs to give them a better chance.

 

[GreenPen]

1st time poster here long time reader

I'm a father of a keilor junior


1st of all is this a defently no shock
We pay $440 in fees this year $460 with mostly anywhere from 60 to 90 kids in each age level with approximately 15 to 20 junior teams


For years we have been told there was no money for new balls for the juniors at the start of each year we would be given a ripped bag for the balls to go in and balls that are as old as Mick's jacket

We would do the maths and we're always suspicious on where our money goes

It's a relief the club has been busted And also dispointment especially knowing our money that we have given as junior parents went missing in brown paper bags and not a cent put back into the juniors
We would even fund our own pizza nights and sausage sizzles along the way even though the club will say they would put in $5 per kid it was that hard to get the money off em we would just fund it ourselves

Last year a young bloke grew his hair and shaved it off for cancer charity
The year level the young fella was in put on a sausage sizzle at training everything was supplied by the parents of the year level, gold coin donation and all funds raised went to charity along with the young blokes hair.
The club didn't put a cent in to the charity event and not a senior player was in sight off the event
Unfortunately alot must change at this club especially at junior level have a look at last year's results of juniors across the whole board and I'm sure you will see its not all flowers and roses



Maybe this will sort out the miserable registrar and hopefully sort his/her attitude out

Thanks for confirming, like you said, the suspicions of anyone who would do the rudimentary math when it comes to Keilor and their junior program and associated fees.
It would be more surprising if they weren't over the cap when considering the estimated junior fees just about doubles the league salary cap.

It makes it even more crook when there was always an underlying pressure for parents to take their kids across town to play for Keilor under the assumption that it's a pathway to representative teams.
Feel for the other clubs who missed out on players because unknowing parents took them elsewhere to help finance a club's cap cheating.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Agree , in one of the better competitions in Victoria if you can’t raise the finances to compete don’t play in it . The answer from the lower clubs is to hobble the stronger clubs by
Limiting junior numbers
Points applied to juniors
Turning away juniors from other clubs
Less points for the seniors
Harder caps
and other sanctions all of which I have read on this forum. I thought we wanted the strongest competition and to be watching the best local players going around but apparently no we don’t. My opinion is the comp has slipped in standard and yes numbers are dropping.

It’s not about hobbling, it’s about a healthy competition.

You put forward this suggestion and it would be nice to see it in action.

Oh wait, we did, for decades before 2016.

That last twenty years, three clubs (Keilor, Greenvale, Strathmore) won 14 flags. Oak Park and Marby Park bobbed up for a couple of years each but them aside, it was largely a three team league.

“Can’t pay then don’t compete” has been done and it’s proven it doesn’t work.

Unless you want a three club league which I assume nobody does.

It’s the same across all metro leagues.

People say “well just get to the level they are at so you can compete”. It’s demonstrably not possible. There isn’t enough money in the sport. Those clubs that are way ahead generally got there for one reason - a stroke of luck when some smart and/or rich people arrived at the club and put something in place. Those people weren’t recruited by the club because they were smart, they just happened to walk in.

Good luck to them but to suggest there shouldn’t be competition forever because of that? No thanks.

 

[Peta Deutschland]

Someone mentioned it earlier about heaping responsibility onto the players for being caught in the cap breaches. I love the idea.
Should be pretty simple.
Each player has a signed contract and they will receive payments that mirror said contract.
If a player is found to receive anything over and above that figure from the club then they cop a ban.
3 years sounds good to me.
Get the players actually asking what’s going on instead of filling their pockets and booking their next trip to Bali without a care in the world.
If a club just pays over the cap this way only by poor accounting then the player is free.
Any dodgy payments and they cop the full wrath of a multi year suspension.
NO FOOTBALL FOR YOU!


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[Stax on the mill]

It’s not about hobbling, it’s about a healthy competition.

You put forward this suggestion and it would be nice to see it in action.

Oh wait, we did, for decades before 2016.

That last twenty years, three clubs (Keilor, Greenvale, Strathmore) won 14 flags. Oak Park and Marby Park bobbed up for a couple of years each but them aside, it was largely a three team league.

“Can’t pay then don’t compete” has been done and it’s proven it doesn’t work.

Unless you want a three club league which I assume nobody does.

It’s the same across all metro leagues.

People say “well just get to the level they are at so you can compete”. It’s demonstrably not possible. There isn’t enough money in the sport. Those clubs that are way ahead generally got there for one reason - a stroke of luck when some smart and/or rich people arrived at the club and put something in place. Those people weren’t recruited by the club because they were smart, they just happened to walk in.

Good luck to them but to suggest there shouldn’t be competition forever because of that? No thanks.

Abers have also won 3 flags in that 20 year time-frame. Oak Park last saluted in 2003. But the main thrust of your post is on the money.

 

[Turbos mail]

Agree , in one of the better competitions in Victoria if you can’t raise the finances to compete don’t play in it . The answer from the lower clubs is to hobble the stronger clubs by
Limiting junior numbers
Points applied to juniors
Turning away juniors from other clubs
Less points for the seniors
Harder caps
and other sanctions all of which I have read on this forum. I thought we wanted the strongest competition and to be watching the best local players going around but apparently no we don’t. My opinion is the comp has slipped in standard and yes numbers are dropping.

My opinion is we need to try and limit juniors moving clubs between the ages of under 14s & 16s. There lies the problem in my opinion.

With regards to club strategy I like the idea of getting a high profile coach and spending the extra funds on a good senior coach who will put his time into developing the junior program. Or a coach and an assistant or football manager who combine the role. Pay them the $$ and limit the funds to players. Create pathways within your own group. However it’s to easy to invest your time and have other clubs pillage your kids, SO put a stop to that and have clubs commit to fostering, educating and teaching kids to be good senior players. Seen heaps of talented kids not probably good enough for VFL/AFL but would be great senior players but they can drop out of footy altogether.
Possibly even have a cash bonus for top 2 players in your under 14s, 16s, 18s top teams as an incentive. Rather invest that way and limit the recruits you sign..

The limiting of players/teams at each club is a tricky one as I believe you should have choices at the ages of 8-12 but once you decide you stay put. Only exceptions would be if you moved a fair distance away.

Points and cap are a difficult one as a club like Deer Park struggles for junior number participation so they have to recruit senior players. More so than other clubs. But maybe it’s a sliding scale points wise to encourage low player turnover.

The cap is clearly a waste of time. Paying big $$ for recruits doesn’t bring about a premiership or success but good players do demand good coin. Coming out of AFL a player isn’t going to go from say 150-200k to 10k. They want 30k - 40k plus a job even. I think that fair if they commit and give back. Give them a junior role and raise the profile. 50k and you get involved with a junior pathway..

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Abers have also won 3 flags in that 20 year time-frame. Oak Park last saluted in 2003. But the main thrust of your post is on the money.

20 years to 2015. Caps first introduced in 2016 I believe.

 

[Coach_Beard]

Someone mentioned it earlier about heaping responsibility onto the players for being caught in the cap breaches. I love the idea.
Should be pretty simple.
Each player has a signed contract and they will receive payments that mirror said contract.
If a player is found to receive anything over and above that figure from the club then they cop a ban.
3 years sounds good to me.
Get the players actually asking what’s going on instead of filling their pockets and booking their next trip to Bali without a care in the world.
If a club just pays over the cap this way only by poor accounting then the player is free.
Any dodgy payments and they cop the full wrath of a multi year suspension.
NO FOOTBALL FOR YOU!


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com

i like it. players are at fault too in all this.
not the ones who only recieve what there contract says but the players who sign something but also get something else.
going to be an interesting week for all involved.
will the edfl go harder after aflvic do there bit.

 

[Stax on the mill]

20 years to 2015. Caps first introduced in 2016 I believe.

Sorry, my bad. I interpreted your post to mean the last 20 years.

 

[gohardorgohome]

Ridiculous

Why?


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[FrustratedTiger]

My opinion is we need to try and limit juniors moving clubs between the ages of under 14s & 16s. There lies the problem in my opinion.

The problem with this is that kids can be assholes. If a kid is having a hard time at a club - be it bullying or just simple personality clashes with the in kids at the club - they shouldn't be restrained from moving clubs.

 

[Nvent]

Why?


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You’d get slaughtered trying to compete that’s why.

 

[gohardorgohome]

You’d get slaughtered trying to compete that’s why.

Some clubs that don’t have a many kids in their junior program are often in that situation due to less kids in that area and are also affected by school closures…

They need to bring in players from outside hence the higher points…

Gisborne has a similar sized junior program to Keilor and is successful in the Bendigo League. They generally play with 22-30 points.

If allegations against Keilor are substantiated then 22-25 points for a few years is a very apt penalty.


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[Bunk Moreland]

My opinion is we need to try and limit juniors moving clubs between the ages of under 14s & 16s. There lies the problem in my opinion.

With regards to club strategy I like the idea of getting a high profile coach and spending the extra funds on a good senior coach who will put his time into developing the junior program. Or a coach and an assistant or football manager who combine the role. Pay them the $$ and limit the funds to players. Create pathways within your own group. However it’s to easy to invest your time and have other clubs pillage your kids, SO put a stop to that and have clubs commit to fostering, educating and teaching kids to be good senior players. Seen heaps of talented kids not probably good enough for VFL/AFL but would be great senior players but they can drop out of footy altogether.
Possibly even have a cash bonus for top 2 players in your under 14s, 16s, 18s top teams as an incentive. Rather invest that way and limit the recruits you sign..

The limiting of players/teams at each club is a tricky one as I believe you should have choices at the ages of 8-12 but once you decide you stay put. Only exceptions would be if you moved a fair distance away.

Points and cap are a difficult one as a club like Deer Park struggles for junior number participation so they have to recruit senior players. More so than other clubs. But maybe it’s a sliding scale points wise to encourage low player turnover.

The cap is clearly a waste of time. Paying big $$ for recruits doesn’t bring about a premiership or success but good players do demand good coin. Coming out of AFL a player isn’t going to go from say 150-200k to 10k. They want 30k - 40k plus a job even. I think that fair if they commit and give back. Give them a junior role and raise the profile. 50k and you get involved with a junior pathway..

AFL players aren’t coming off $150k, they’re coming off $300k - $400k or a whole lot more.

If they think they’re going to make a living playing local footy then they need a massive reality check.

There’s no career where players are better resourced for post-work life than AFL players - from the second they enter the system they’re encouraged to study or make plans for post-career work.

There’s absolutely no reason they should be reliant on local footy to make a living.

Clubs might assist with external jobs which is okay - but any player expecting $40k cash from a local footy club is a joke, and so is the club. Thinking the cap should increase to accomodate this is laughable.

 

[Chipparelli]

I am hearing keilor are going to get off with a slap on the wrist as edfl is handing out the punishment not afl Victoria

 

[BEST OF EDFL]

I am hearing keilor are going to get off with a slap on the wrist as edfl is handing out the punishment not afl Victoria

Adrian Anderson representing EDFL for a reason so decision is neutral and fits the crime of 162k over for past two seasons ( plus plus ..thanks to the juniors for assisting with their parents hard earned )

 

[ontheroadagain]

So what time does the white van get to AFL Vic headquarters tomorrow night? Do you think the price of a stubby will have gone up?

 

[ontheroadagain]

I am hearing keilor are going to get off with a slap on the wrist as edfl is handing out the punishment not afl Victoria

Still tarnishes a flag win doesn’t it? The good old Admin error

 

[Chipparelli]

Adrian Anderson representing EDFL for a reason so decision is neutral and fits the crime of 162k over for past two seasons ( plus plus ..thanks to the juniors for assisting with their parents hard earned )

Being told they will get done for 2022 and 2023 seasons. Not 2024 season. Will play for no points for the first 2 games this season and a fine.

 

[F6Typhoon]

This isn't anything new, happens at most clubs.

Except Deer Park.

DP use chaff bags (paper bags don’t hold enough)