EDFL Premier Discussion 2025

[NeutralNuffie78]

You clearly weren’t at the game, Aberfeldie in typical fashion were kissed by the umps all game. Yesterday’s game only showed us that APW had more heart than Abers.
looks like Abers need to spend another couple hundred thousand aberdollars next year

Hope you feel better after getting that petty bulls$!t off your chest Only thing I agree with is that APW had more heart.

Every club in the league spends big. You have to to be competitive. Keilor has only made it worse by getting off scot-free after being caught out. If you want to have a sook, go after the EDFL.

 

[NeutralNuffie78]

Young & Gentile had big last quarters but geez Thompson was huge for Abers. Without him in the last they wouldn’t have been a chance.
Will Abers have fireworks for a Reserves flag?

I bloody hope not. I don't live too far from their ground and my dog hated the last display!

 

[flagrilla]

Young & Gentile had big last quarters but geez Thompson was huge for Abers. Without him in the last they wouldn’t have been a chance.
Will Abers have fireworks for a Reserves flag?

Very funny.
In all seriousness regardless of the reserves result we will celebrate the great season they have had.

Reserves sides dont get enough credit, playing for no money and are the backbone of local footy clubs and for people to discredit a reserves flag is a massive slap in the face to local football

 

[BC04]

That’s fair enough, I take it you were a legend footballer right? Seem to know a lot about winning games.

Humphrey is one of the best local footballers you’ll ever see. Won 7 flags and 9 club best and fairests… so yeah, he probably knows a bit about big games and winning moments. haha.

 

[Gremlin77]

Keilor, Deer Park and Abers ignore the salary cap. All would’ve paid a fortune off the books, so the other teams that stick to the cap like to see them lose. Keilor got caught, are supposedly on a reduced cap compared to other teams and they went and improved their list even more with players known to ask for a fair bit of cash to go somewhere.

Keilor just got better at hiding it since being caught. Deer Park pay in TAB vouchers.

You left out Strathmore. You reckon they are spending $150k ? Cmon!

 

[danger_wood]

Did you see the Abers coach holding up the stupid AFL inspired signs at the end of quarters. Maybe he should have held up the “stop number 1 streaming through the middle and winning the game”

Very funny.
In all seriousness regardless of the reserves result we will celebrate the great season they have had.

Reserves sides dont get enough credit, playing for no money and are the backbone of local footy clubs and for people to discredit a reserves flag is a massive slap in the face to local football

Couldn’t have deflected better if you tried flagrilla!

Yep, let’s put everything to the side that your team also rorts the salary cap and doesn’t even reach a prelim final.

Clay is on borrowed time. Should reach into his bag of signs (the ones he was holding up on the bench yesterday, like there was a crowd of 70,000 at Salesian) to see if there’s one with directions to his next coaching gig!

 

[Gremlin77]

Highly likely to get at least two, but might be irrelevant. People near the bench saying as he came off Mick grabbed him by the neck and sprayed him then Honey walked straight in the rooms, grabbed his bag and left…

Also hearing O’Kearney won’t play again after another knock, and is a bit shattered he got talked into playing with his concussion issues.

Brand pretty unwell after the ribs and puncture to the lung. Still in hospital, you’d think Brand is out for the rest of finals.

Then McGuane didn’t even go shake hands with the opposition coach which is disappointing considered everytime they win a game he runs over and makes sure he lets the opposition coach know. And all this after ongoing questionable payments. Not sure anyone believes after their breaches they magically got a better team list despite being supposedly on a reduced cap as punishment.. who at the league bought that candy that Keilor’s been selling?…

Think it’s all catching up to Keilor, Eagles for the W, here we go!

In other news, Abers forward Cal Moore has already signed a huge deal to move elsewhere, so premier defenders can relax a little next season on that front.

The Cal Moore news was on here at least a few weeks back. No secret he’s off to Diggers. Won’t be the only one that leaves Clifton Park. They have points room and will go even harder in 2026!

For what’s it worth I’m backing Mick to get Keilor back to the GF and will win it. The best to do it

 

[flagrilla]

Couldn’t have deflected better if you tried flagrilla!

Yep, let’s put everything to the side that your team also rorts the salary cap and doesn’t even reach a prelim final.

Clay is on borrowed time. Should reach into his bag of signs (the ones he was holding up on the bench yesterday, like there was a crowd of 70,000 at Salesian) to see if there’s one with directions to his next coaching gig!

Every team in premier is over mate, and if you are denying it then you have no clue whatsoever.

For what its worth we have quite alot of younger players who are on the minimum, so makes sense that we can splash out on bigger name players. This would be the same with keilor and strathmore.

Dont hate the player hate the game.

Won’t make comment on the coach, think its pretty disrespectful to comment anonymously on the coach coach of the club i support

 

[Gremlin77]

Can guarantee you a couple of premier teams are not paying over.

Guarantee ?
Can you spill the beans and tell us all how much each club spends ?

Like Flagrilla said, it’s on the EDFL/AFLVic who can’t catch them and punish them accordingly.

 

[Captain Grumpy]

Can guarantee you a couple of premier teams are not paying over.

The uncompetitive ones maybe....but all the clubs in the finals plus PV would be over at least. The salary cap has been a flop in many leagues. Player points work to a degree but the cap is far too easy to get around.

 

[NeutralNuffie78]

With the unlimited cap, im sure he has a shot, probably still paying through finals haha.

Meanwhile, spends the year poaching quality juniors from other clubs too. Not technically illegal, but pretty grubby act to go after kids playing U12 footy to try and stack your future senior side with 1pt players lol.

You are a dead set flog if you think anyone has time to go scout and recruit 11 year olds. The people giving up their time at clubs are busy dealing with the everyday demands of running the season and they do it for free.
My kids don;t play footy but I have friends involved at all different clubs across this league and others. Sorry to squash your big conspiracy theory but movement is due to kids wanting to play with their mates, or parents with big dreams angling to be at what they think is the best club. I know of several parents who have approached the "Big 3" because they think their little cherubs are the next big thing (always delusionally) and they think he/she will be noticed more at a Strathmore than at an East Keilor.

 

[danger_wood]

Every team in premier is over mate, and if you are denying it then you have no clue whatsoever.

For what its worth we have quite alot of younger players who are on the minimum, so makes sense that we can splash out on bigger name players. This would be the same with keilor and strathmore.

Dont hate the player hate the game.

Won’t make comment on the coach, think its pretty disrespectful to comment anonymously on the coach coach of the club i support

A few clubs are over no doubt!

However, none spend as big and choke on the big stage quite like Abers!

 

[NeutralNuffie78]

You might want to apologise, because I spoke to the boys father about this, and their team.

In the grading period, Keilor played a game against an opponent’s first team U12 side. That evening, the player received a call from McGuane saying he has great potential and how good keilors program is and that he can turn him into a quality footballer. Two days later they organised a clearance and the following week he played in Keilors U12 one side. So it does happen, and they do pursue these kids. The advantages of paying your coach enough that he doesn’t need a day job and spends his entire week on footy. As I said, not illegal, but bad behaviour if you ask me. And DOES AND HAS HAPPENED.

That's absolutely shocking - apologies. I know the Junior coordinator quite well from one of the other big clubs and I can guarantee you that he's far too busy to do that sort of crap. I don't know anyone at Keilor so assumed they were like other clubs. I think Keilor would be the only club that would be in a position to do this due to McGuane's role. I do know they are doing a "Keilor Academy" as well this year where you have to pay for the privilege of McGuane coaching your kid in the preseason. I would guess they are using that as a recruiting tool as well.
Sorry for hijacking this thread with junior discussion.

 

[flagrilla]

A few clubs are over no doubt!

However, none spend as big and choke on the big stage quite like Abers!

Saying none spend bigger then abers is a stretch.

Not denying we choked, lost it fair and square and we will go back to the drawing board for next season, so I’m happy to cop that.

But wont cop the same salary cap bs that is constant in this thread as if most other prem teams aren't also over, everyone in here is throwing stones in a glass house.

 

[PortVic]

You might want to apologise, because I spoke to the boys father about this, and their team.

In the grading period, Keilor played a game against an opponent’s first team U12 side. That evening, the player received a call from McGuane saying he has great potential and how good keilors program is and that he can turn him into a quality footballer. Two days later they organised a clearance and the following week he played in Keilors U12 one side. So it does happen, and they do pursue these kids. The advantages of paying your coach enough that he doesn’t need a day job and spends his entire week on footy. As I said, not illegal, but bad behaviour if you ask me. And DOES AND HAS HAPPENED.

I hope the kids original club are making the league aware of it. U/12s is way to young for this crap. Have heard junior soccer leagues in Melbourne have a poaching rule which is taken very seriously. Hard to do in junior footy with teams so close, but it needs to addressed.

 

[Doona2]

Still yet to know of, or find any junior aged footballer who drives themselves to training and games.

100% on the parents all this, it's a yes/no life lessons part of parenting ... in which children merely become a by product of, depending on how the journey unfolds and what route, and the reasons (for/against) parents choose.

 

[BC04]

Still yet to know of, or find any junior aged footballer who drives themselves to training and games.

100% on the parents all this, it's a yes/no life lessons part of parenting ... in which children merely become a by product of, depending on how the journey unfolds and what route, and the reasons (for/against) parents choose.

Yeh, and thats fine. If the kids parents are reaching out to find another club for some reason. I do not like that members of one club are cold calling players from other clubs, ones they are technically an opposition to and promising to make them better players if they leave.

If the player and his family contact you, sure, not a problem. If you’re contacting them because you saw them play well, Nup.

 

[danger_wood]

Saying none spend bigger then abers is a stretch.

Not denying we choked, lost it fair and square and we will go back to the drawing board for next season, so I’m happy to cop that.

But wont cop the same salary cap bs that is constant in this thread as if most other prem teams aren't also over, everyone in here is throwing stones in a glass house.

Abers won a few flags in the mid 2010’s before the caps came in, thanks to a bottomless pit of cash.

Prior to that, and then since the caps came in, perennial underachievers.

Just make sure Clay hands his signs in following his exit meeting…

 

[Doona2]

Yeh, and thats fine. If the kids parents are reaching out to find another club for some reason. I do not like that members of one club are cold calling players from other clubs, ones they are technically an opposition to and promising to make them better players if they leave.

If the player and his family contact you, sure, not a problem. If you’re contacting them because you saw them play well, Nup.

Happens in the NFNL also, a family who I grew up with had their child picked off a month into a season from an opposition club in same division to make another stronger - warned them not to, they did, reap what you sew.
All because they lent a "name" to an extra program and claimed they could get him a look in

Poor kid was never going to make anything other than local as long as my ar$e poionted to the ground ha ha.

Parents must understand the difference between earnt invitations to above standard/next level opportunities and the actual traits/attributes required - and that of the "user pays" world where outcomes aren't guaranteed.

 

[flagrilla]

Abers won a few flags in the mid 2010’s before the caps came in, thanks to a bottomless pit of cash.

Prior to that, and then since the caps came in, perennial underachievers.

Just make sure Clay hands his signs in following his exit meeting…

View attachment 2420208

Runners up in 2019, no grand finals were played in 20 and 21, lost a grand final after extra time in 2022.

If making grand finals is an underachievement then I’d like to know what club you’re associated with, sure our last 3 years havent been great with a younger list and new coach but I’m happy to hold my head up knowing I’m apart of a successful club that is competitive across all levels.

 

[Captain Grumpy]

Happens in the NFNL also, a family who I grew up with had their child picked off a month into a season from an opposition club in same division to make another stronger - warned them not to, they did, reap what you sew.
All because they lent a "name" to an extra program and claimed they could get him a look in

Poor kid was never going to make anything other than local as long as my ar$e poionted to the ground ha ha.

Parents must understand the difference between earnt invitations to above standard/next level opportunities and the actual traits/attributes required - and that of the "user pays" world where outcomes aren't guaranteed.

Happens everywhere....Newport and Yarraville do it in the WRFL. They offer kids a clearer pathway to the Western Jets, who in turn demand players they are interested in play at Div 1 clubs. It's a grubby circle.

 

[Doona2]

They offer kids a clearer pathway to the Western Jets, who in turn demand players they are interested in play at Div 1 clubs. It's a grubby circle.

Demand? What a ridiculous route to suggest when there's so much more involved in all this than that narrow minded approach.
Especially when pathway clubs can generally seel anywhere from 200-250 kids from an initial U14 try out age to the final draft age category roll through ... all for what on a good day might see 3-5 off that 200 odd find an AFL list spot.

 

[BC04]

Saying none spend bigger then abers is a stretch.

Not denying we choked, lost it fair and square and we will go back to the drawing board for next season, so I’m happy to cop that.

But wont cop the same salary cap bs that is constant in this thread as if most other prem teams aren't also over, everyone in here is throwing stones in a glass house.

I’d say Keilor, Abers, Deer Park the top 3 spenders for the se

Demand? What a ridiculous route to suggest when there's so much more involved in all this than that narrow minded approach.
Especially when pathway clubs can generally seel anywhere from 200-250 kids from an initial U14 try out age to the final draft age category roll through ... all for what on a good day might see 3-5 off that 200 odd find an AFL list spot.

I know VFL clubs have more or less demanded players involved on RDFNL move to stronger leagues. Not sure Calder has gone that far though at U18 level.

 

[Doona2]

I’d say Keilor, Abers, Deer Park the top 3 spenders for the se

I know VFL clubs have more or less demanded players involved on RDFNL move to stronger leagues. Not sure Calder has gone that far though at U18 level.

Yeh couldn't say, never used to be a thing but since I never got to return post Covid I can't say if the situation or direction's have changed.

Outside of school football, many levels of underage football are quite underwhelming at present due to establishing "super squads" locally.
This IMO actually diminishes competition standards holistically and does little to genuinely showcase many of the attributes and traits people who are experienced in talent and/or volunteering in recruiting seek.

It does however appease adult coaches ego's and in a business sense, yes tick the "home grown" one point box once kids get to that next layer of football.

 

[ItsAllAboutMe]

The uncompetitive ones maybe....but all the clubs in the finals plus PV would be over at least. The salary cap has been a flop in many leagues. Player points work to a degree but the cap is far too easy to get around.

Player points is worse than the salary cap, it simply solidifies the strong teams who all have strong junior programs at the top and makes it almost impossible for the smaller clubs to challenge. The league was arguably enriched by Marby Park, Oak Park & Greenvale's success in the 00s, but since then it's just been a rotation between Abers, Keillor & Strathmore.