HDFL Season 2025

[Purrfect Pussies]

Interesting to see Jai Thompson come 4th in HB's B&F (with a 3 way tie for 1st!!!) after topping the HDFNL count by 9 votes

 

[SpecialBruce]

hearing the two's are in just as bad a position with players leaving, whats gone wrong at north park

Insane mass exodus

 

[Purrfect Pussies]

Insane mass exodus

Great Western have also announced a few signings from Swifts. Very interesting.

 

[SpecialBruce]

Great Western have also announced a few signings from Swifts. Very interesting.

most are reserve players I thought? Still, its senior players. If they lose up to 20, that's massive

 

[Purrfect Pussies]

most are reserve players I thought? Still, its senior players. If they lose up to 20, that's massive

Yeah, hurts depth 100%. Swifts Senior & Reserves teams were very competitive all year. The Seniors stiff not to play finals with the uneven draw in the HDFL. Something must be up for such an exodus.

 

[ItsJustaGame]

Yeah, hurts depth 100%. Swifts Senior & Reserves teams were very competitive all year. The Seniors stiff not to play finals with the uneven draw in the HDFL. Something must be up for such an exodus.

New coach could be the reason??

 

[SnPshaker]

New coach could be the reason??

Possibly not having him signed until recently may also be the reason. A lot of players not knowing whats going on so they move on.

Hearing that a lot of these players leaving have been offered $600-800 a game at new clubs (maybe not the ones stepping up leagues but others going to smaller leagues), I don't think any club can compete with that if others are cherry picking for the lack of a better term "depth players" or the 14th-26th man pick with that sort of cash.

Makes it incredibly difficult to keep the loyal blokes and then also bring in any big name recruits if needing to match these figures to just keep a player.

 

[onekickwonder]

Possibly not having him signed until recently may also be the reason. A lot of players not knowing whats going on so they move on.

Hearing that a lot of these players leaving have been offered $600-800 a game at new clubs (maybe not the ones stepping up leagues but others going to smaller leagues), I don't think any club can compete with that if others are cherry picking for the lack of a better term "depth players" or the 14th-26th man pick with that sort of cash.

Makes it incredibly difficult to keep the loyal blokes and then also bring in any big name recruits if needing to match these figures to just keep a player.

What good swifts players are recommitted for next year ?

 

[SpecialBruce]

What good swifts players are recommitted for next year ?

Not many

 

[dazzler101]

Not many

Believe it’s now in the number of 20+. Surely club is in serious strife unless it’s absolutely paying overs. Most people playing a standard with some cash go Wimmera. Unless the offer is a big one won’t be getting names through the door at swifts.

League of 2 again? Looking that way unless pimpinio or Laharum pick up players.

 

[SpecialBruce]

Believe it’s now in the number of 20+. Surely club is in serious strife unless it’s absolutely paying overs. Most people playing a standard with some cash go Wimmera. Unless the offer is a big one won’t be getting names through the door at swifts.

League of 2 again? Looking that way unless pimpinio or Laharum pick up players.

20+ leaving? Wow. That's massive.

Laharum has just picked up a good key forward. They are going to be strong next year.

 

[dazzler101]

20+ leaving? Wow. That's massive.

Laharum has just picked up a good key forward. They are going to be strong next year.

20+ leaving inclusive of all levels of football. Big dent in the club for them to lose so many. We’re competitive too on a weekly basis. Be a tough road back.

 

[Animal]

I think there’s been some BS been fed to certain players about this time each year, around what was coming to the club next year.

I know that one of notable players that has left for 2026 only stayed because the club had strung a few of them along that Brent Macaffer

Brent Macaffer

Age

38

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.7

3star

K

7.7

3star

HB

5.0

4star

M

3.4

3star

T

4.0

5star

CL

1.4

4star

No current season stats available

D

12.6

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.6

5star

T

4.6

5star

CL

1.2

4star

was going to sign for 2025.

You’ve gotta sell something big to players that want to build on last year but you can’t continuously over-sell year on year. Locals/loyals get jack of it eventually.

 

[dazzler101]

I think there’s been some BS been fed to certain players about this time each year, around what was coming to the club next year.

I know that one of notable players that has left for 2026 only stayed because the club had strung a few of them along that Brent Macaffer was going to sign for 2025.

You’ve gotta sell something big to players that want to build on last year but you can’t continuously over-sell year on year. Locals/loyals get jack of it eventually.

Which club?

 

[Animal]

Which club?

Swifts

 

[SnPshaker]

I think there’s been some BS been fed to certain players about this time each year, around what was coming to the club next year.

I know that one of notable players that has left for 2026 only stayed because the club had strung a few of them along that Brent Macaffer was going to sign for 2025.

You’ve gotta sell something big to players that want to build on last year but you can’t continuously over-sell year on year. Locals/loyals get jack of it eventually.

I think the issue comes from the this time last year (and again this year) when clubs come sniffing as I mentioned above and putting prices on blokes heads that are ridiculous amounts per game for not even the top line players. If you were chasing Folkes or Murray with that money sure but not some of the others that have moved on.

In turn they go back to the club and say Club X offered me $500 a game and I'm only getting $100 here. So club A up players payment to $300 keep him happy (a lot of these are locals and loyals that you have mentioned so they "accept" the discounted rate) and then don't have any left in the coffers to sign any big name recruits. I wouldn't say it is mismanagement by any stretch like everyone there is a limit in which a club can spend if they don't have the money and they agree to terms with a player its a worse look.

It comes down a lot to the players self worth and almost greed that they are the ones hurting the bigger picture. And I am sure I am not just speaking about Swifts in the instance I am sure it has happened at many other clubs this same thing.

Salary cap isn't working (only keeps the honest ones honest) and the money for players is ridiculous. The amount I heard Rup were paying someone this year astounds me and I would class him as about the 18th player on the list and still gives me hope that I could get paid as a player even though those days are long gone.

 

[Animal]

I think the issue comes from the this time last year (and again this year) when clubs come sniffing as I mentioned above and putting prices on blokes heads that are ridiculous amounts per game for not even the top line players. If you were chasing Folkes or Murray with that money sure but not some of the others that have moved on.

In turn they go back to the club and say Club X offered me $500 a game and I'm only getting $100 here. So club A up players payment to $300 keep him happy (a lot of these are locals and loyals that you have mentioned so they "accept" the discounted rate) and then don't have any left in the coffers to sign any big name recruits. I wouldn't say it is mismanagement by any stretch like everyone there is a limit in which a club can spend if they don't have the money and they agree to terms with a player its a worse look.

It comes down a lot to the players self worth and almost greed that they are the ones hurting the bigger picture. And I am sure I am not just speaking about Swifts in the instance I am sure it has happened at many other clubs this same thing.

Salary cap isn't working (only keeps the honest ones honest) and the money for players is ridiculous. The amount I heard Rup were paying someone this year astounds me and I would class him as about the 18th player on the list and still gives me hope that I could get paid as a player even though those days are long gone.

Folkes wouldn’t be getting half of what you think he is. Learmonth aren’t a wealthy club but they have a great culture.

Unfortunately salary cap is a necessary evil, you’d lose half the competition overnight if they aggressively cut the salary cap.

It seems there’s 2 ways to success in country footy now.

1. You try and buy a successful team - rarely pays off

2. Get a respected leader and call upon your ex-local talent over the last 15-20 years to come home for 2-3 years to build success - the hard road, easier said than done

 

[SnPshaker]

Folkes wouldn’t be getting half of what you think he is. Learmonth aren’t a wealthy club but they have a great culture.

Unfortunately salary cap is a necessary evil, you’d lose half the competition overnight if they aggressively cut the salary cap.

It seems there’s 2 ways to success in country footy now.

1. You try and buy a successful team - rarely pays off

2. Get a respected leader and call upon your ex-local talent over the last 15-20 years to come home for 2-3 years to build success - the hard road, easier said than done

I'm not willing to guess what Folkes is was or will be offered by anyone. What I did say is that some of the $$ amounts thrown around to blokes that aren't as good as Folkes is mind boggling. If it costs that much to keep these types of players (mid rangers/solid players) I'd hate to know what the guns are costing these days which goes to your point 1 about buying a team in.

Your two points are valid but the problem is that as the cherry pickers come along and try and poach players (which is part and parcel of any sport I know) for stupid offers its hard to not go down path 1 as path 2 is a very similar path to get the old crew back together.

The salary cap law isn't worth the paper its written on. I am not for cutting it down but lets not bring a law in that clearly isn't working or has so many loopholes in it that it may as well not be there to begin with. And again I'd hazard a guess that every club is guilty of this whether they'd admit to it or not, it is the only way to keep moving forward unfortunately.

 

[jwshrive]

The best argument I have heard in favour of the salary cap is it gives clubs some leverage when saying "no" to player demands. The hard part for clubs is actually having the backbone (or the survivability) to tell players they are not worth X amount. But when the club down the road is willing to pay X, that becomes a difficult argument to make too.

 

[Footyz Life]

Believe it’s now in the number of 20+. Surely club is in serious strife unless it’s absolutely paying overs. Most people playing a standard with some cash go Wimmera. Unless the offer is a big one won’t be getting names through the door at swifts.

League of 2 again? Looking that way unless pimpinio or Laharum pick up players.

I wouldn't be so sure about a league of two again. HB would have to lose some players to come back to the field. I have only heard players leaving N/Q for many different reasons. Including A few home-grown boys disgruntled with the failed premiership tilt inc Travelling recruits, $ spent etc. Cameron re-appointed early, coaches are hard to find but maybe a new voice/leader is what they need to re-vitalise things. Laharum could be the one too improve as i believe Pimpinio are still a fair way off. The draw might have made Pimpinio`s ladder position look a bit better than what they were.

 

[chimp2022]

I think if Laharum can add 2-4 quality recruits they’ll definitely be contending again. They announced a big recruit last night which always helps this early recruiting other quality players.

Really concerning scenes down at North Park though. Will be interesting what type of senior side they’ll field next season.

 

[dazzler101]

I wouldn't be so sure about a league of two again. HB would have to lose some players to come back to the field. I have only heard players leaving N/Q for many different reasons. Including A few home-grown boys disgruntled with the failed premiership tilt inc Travelling recruits, $ spent etc. Cameron re-appointed early, coaches are hard to find but maybe a new voice/leader is what they need to re-vitalise things. Laharum could be the one too improve as i believe Pimpinio are still a fair way off. The draw might have made Pimpinio`s ladder position look a bit better than what they were.

Just seemed that way this year is the thing, have other sides on socials been signing. Pimp had an easy fixture you are not the first to say that. If anyone can make the jump it is probably Kaniva? home ground advantage for those that internally inside horsham have to travel let alone people from round the state.

 

[dazzler101]

I think if Laharum can add 2-4 quality recruits they’ll definitely be contending again. They announced a big recruit last night which always helps this early recruiting other quality players.

Really concerning scenes down at North Park though. Will be interesting what type of senior side they’ll field next season.

Hopefully they have a couple in the works, good to get one through the door early.
I reckon down at NP we are in for a dramatic freefall

 

[dazzler101]

Hopefully they have a couple in the works, good to get one through the door early.
I reckon down at NP we are in for a dramatic freefall

seem to be the only club active on socials, is only october though and am sure the higher end clubs are offering money around. Besides swifts is is true that another club in the mid table has a few players departing for either travel or non playing reasons?

 

[sharpshooter98]

seem to be the only club active on socials, is only october though and am sure the higher end clubs are offering money around. Besides swifts is is true that another club in the mid table has a few players departing for either travel or non playing reasons?

happy to name the other club? i think were still pretty early in the off season, some people are happy to sign, and some clubs also rush these decisions too I believe, some don't care who they sign, and others have pretty solid Club foundations that probably narrow who they talk to also. the ones that are looking to build on what they have may be the ones to look out for , Laharum going about things well, although a few older fellas still carrying a lot of the weight! Nati lost a few back to saints already Showing you can't force or buy loyalty. Kaniva I'm sure will pick up a couple more traveller's , but who knows. Hearing Pimp may have lost a couple/few? but not sure on Pickups either. Kalkee Signing of Smith is big , makes there team look totally differnt , interesting to see if any other ex players or new players head back. T/Lake started well with roberts signing, see what happens with them from here on in may lose a couple too ? Not hearing a lot out of Rup , Harrow or Noradj , anyone got info ?