Opinion New AFC HQ (Part 2): Dale dug a hole

[1970crow]

To save West. They are in dire financial trouble.

But why is that our problem, the last thing we need to be doing is picking up the tab on an extra surface/facility that isn't part of our core operation. What could be considered is for Westies to sell off whatever they can at their existing site and have the council buy them out of whatever peppercorn lease they have and they can then fill the site with ratepaying townhouses. Westies can then play out of our Thebarton. Our players are full time and almost entirely train during business hours, they can have the oval after we've finished with it. And it increases overall exposure and foot traffic to the F&B operation on the site.

There's no reason that a SANFL football club has to control and maintain an oval and independent offices. No different to a golf club. Strip the business model down to the absolute minimum cost base and that's the best chance for ongoing survival. And if that doesn't work, well then tough crappola.

 

[1970crow]

Still don't see why they'd want it.

Or Adelaide for that matter

They'd want it for survival and to maintain control over whatever aspects of the operation they can. I've been involved in similar discussions in a few committee controlled organisations. Every individual club fights and claws to retain autonomy from the centralised power, even if that individual argument is against their best ongoing interests. It's generally a committee voted in by a membership that is entrenched in nothing changing, ever. They rarely understand anything other than how to continue to implement the same operational and strategic strategy that has existed for years.

And periodically they get a government grant to update their plan, which is nothing more than a 'find and replace' of their existing document that provides $50k to some half-arsed chartered accounting consultancy firm that has zero idea on the challenges of running the enterprise that they're providing the strategic plan for. Most chartered accountants have never worked inside of a business. But you need one of these sham 'plans' to be eligible to apply for grants.

 

[glengowan]

But why is that our problem, the last thing we need to be doing is picking up the tab on an extra surface/facility that isn't part of our core operation. What could be considered is for Westies to sell off whatever they can at their existing site and have the council buy them out of whatever peppercorn lease they have and they can then fill the site with ratepaying townhouses. Westies can then play out of our Thebarton. Our players are full time and almost entirely train during business hours, they can have the oval after we've finished with it. And it increases overall exposure and foot traffic to the F&B operation on the site.

There's no reason that a SANFL football club has to control and maintain an oval and independent offices. No different to a golf club. Strip the business model down to the absolute minimum cost base and that's the best chance for ongoing survival. And if that doesn't, work, well then tough crappola.

From my understanding, the 2nd oval at Thebarton isn't going to be built until after the South Road works are finished. At best 2031. And the 2nd oval is compromised for size as well.

What if there was a deal up until then, whereby West Adelaide have an injection of cash to pay off debt by selling off the Richmond Oval clubrooms and save on senior football expenses by having the Crows take on the salaries of players, coaching staff, trainers etc to run the senior football program. They would still run a junior program and Reserves with a pathway to league football as top up players for the Crows.

My understanding is Richmond Oval itself would already be owned by the West Torrens council and leased to West Adelaide, just like Thebarton Oval.

From the Crows point of view - all they need is a Reserves side to prepare their players to play AFL. Do the right thing by West Adelaide by playing under their Guernsey, at Richmond Oval and providing a pathway for their junior footballers as top up players.

It frees up Football Park and later Thebarton Oval for use by the Crows AFL and AFLW squads and provides a 2nd option should it be needed, only 3km down the road and with the same council, prior to 2031. Potentially, if it all works, Crows could save money on the building of the 2nd stage/2nd oval. It gives a "home ground" for the SANFL side and a supporter base.

Perhaps, by 2031 or so, West Adelaide find a sustainable solution and can take back their senior side and the Crows can build their 2nd oval as planned and go back to being the 10th SANFL team.

I think it could certainly be beneficial to the Crows as they transition to Thebarton and possibly a long term solution.

I think it could be stomached by other SANFL clubs if it saved West Adelaide. If 8 SANFL clubs went to 7, then to 6, then what happens?

 

[GrommoT]

Is alberton open to the public?

 

[Slime Roy]

G.Cornes "will you be able to walk your dog there?"

Olsen "yes"

G.C "Will you have to pick up their poo"

J.O "Yes, but I'd like to think people would do that anyhow"

 

[Cap]

From my understanding, the 2nd oval at Thebarton isn't going to be built until after the South Road works are finished. At best 2031. And the 2nd oval is compromised for size as well.

What if there was a deal up until then, whereby West Adelaide have an injection of cash to pay off debt by selling off the Richmond Oval clubrooms and save on senior football expenses by having the Crows take on the salaries of players, coaching staff, trainers etc to run the senior football program. They would still run a junior program and Reserves with a pathway to league football as top up players for the Crows.

My understanding is Richmond Oval itself would already be owned by the West Torrens council and leased to West Adelaide, just like Thebarton Oval.

From the Crows point of view - all they need is a Reserves side to prepare their players to play AFL. Do the right thing by West Adelaide by playing under their Guernsey, at Richmond Oval and providing a pathway for their junior footballers as top up players.

It frees up Football Park and later Thebarton Oval for use by the Crows AFL and AFLW squads and provides a 2nd option should it be needed, only 3km down the road and with the same council, prior to 2031. Potentially, if it all works, Crows could save money on the building of the 2nd stage/2nd oval. It gives a "home ground" for the SANFL side and a supporter base.

Perhaps, by 2031 or so, West Adelaide find a sustainable solution and can take back their senior side and the Crows can build their 2nd oval as planned and go back to being the 10th SANFL team.

I think it could certainly be beneficial to the Crows as they transition to Thebarton and possibly a long term solution.

I think it could be stomached by other SANFL clubs if it saved West Adelaide. If 8 SANFL clubs went to 7, then to 6, then what happens?

Perhaps it's time to introduce promotion and relegation into the SANFL

West are irrelevant to the majority of the state.

Id love to see an SANFL with a team from the Hills, playing a team from the Barossa in a GF at AO

Imagine the passion

 

[glengowan]

Perhaps it's time to introduce promotion and relegation into the SANFL

West are irrelevant to the majority of the state.

Id love to see an SANFL with a team from the Hills, playing a team from the Barossa in a GF at AO

Imagine the passion

I tend to agree. You could go one of two ways. Keep the SANFL as that elite pathway as is, with zones etc, or just streamline the junior pathways, maybe 6 new junior clubs like the Vics do, and send the SANFL clubs to the Adelaide Footy League.

Create 2 promotion/relegation divisions of SANFL which could include clubs that earn promotion from the AdFL, SFL, GSFL, Hills, Barossa etc. to join the existing SANFL clubs.

Who cares about the concept of being the 2nd best league in the country. Lower the salary cap to be sustainable. Bring back that tribalism, which has now extended out from the inner-city where most SANFL clubs are based.

The problem being, the SANFL is controlled by the 8 clubs.

 

[Cap]

I tend to agree. You could go one of two ways. Keep the SANFL as that elite pathway as is, with zones etc, or just streamline the junior pathways, maybe 6 new junior clubs like the Vics do, and send the SANFL clubs to the Adelaide Footy League.

Create 2 promotion/relegation divisions of SANFL which could include clubs that earn promotion from the AdFL, SFL, GSFL, Hills, Barossa etc. to join the existing SANFL clubs.

Who cares about the concept of being the 2nd best league in the country. Lower the salary cap to be sustainable. Bring back that tribalism, which has now extended out from the inner-city where most SANFL clubs are based.

The problem being, the SANFL is controlled by the 8 clubs.

Thats biggest problem the SANFL has, it knows it's best way to survive in its current form is as a pathway to the AFL.

But it's held back by people who still want to think it's a viable professional alternative to the AFL.

Don't get me wrong, I still attend the SANFL and love watching Norwood, but they should be battling it out in the AFL or at least some legitimate competition that is created to allow them to be the best.

Edit - I like your idea though, I'm not sure how it would work, but it would give clubs incentives to be the best

 

[Slime Roy]

G.Cornes "will you be able to walk your dog there?"

Olsen "yes"

G.C "Will you have to pick up their poo"

J.O "Yes, but I'd like to think people would do that anyhow"

I think Johnny might underrate the pettiness of the "5031 Affirmative Action Group!"

 

[FR0GGY]

G.Cornes "will you be able to walk your dog there?"

Olsen "yes"

G.C "Will you have to pick up their poo"

J.O "Yes, but I'd like to think people would do that anyhow"

I still can’t believe it’ll be an open facility. Sure give them access to the second oval.

 

[Cap]

I still can’t believe it’ll be an open facility. Sure give them access to the second oval.

Isn't that sourh road until 2031?

I mean, I still agree with you either way

 

[FR0GGY]

Isn't that sourh road until 2031?

I mean, I still agree with you either way

I think so, but they didn’t have access to the oval before, so bad luck you don’t get access to it when it’s done.

 

[Cap]

I think so, but they didn’t have access to the oval before, so bad luck you don’t get access to it when it’s done.

Yep 100% agree

My horrible sense of humour assumed you were telling them to walk their dogs on the road

 

[FR0GGY]

Yep 100% agree

My horrible sense of humour assumed you were telling them to walk their dogs on the road

All 2 of them can!

 

[robboaustralia]

Coopers Stout in winter

It's as good a stout you can get mass produced in Australia IMO.

I reckon Southwark Old Stout has it covered. I do like Coopers Stout, though.

 

[robboaustralia]

West Thebbie Hotel to close.

172K views · 670 reactions | After years of uncertainty the West Thebarton Hotel is closing to make way for the South Road project. Download the 7NEWS app: 7news.link/7newsapp #7NEWS | 7NEWS Adelaide

After years of uncertainty the West Thebarton Hotel is closing to make way for the South Road project. Download the 7NEWS app: 7news.link/7newsapp #7NEWS

www.facebook.com

 

[Cap]

I reckon Southwark Old Stout has it covered. I do like Coopers Stout, though.

Will grab some for winter and report back

 

[relapse]

But why is that our problem, the last thing we need to be doing is picking up the tab on an extra surface/facility that isn't part of our core operation. What could be considered is for Westies to sell off whatever they can at their existing site and have the council buy them out of whatever peppercorn lease they have and they can then fill the site with ratepaying townhouses. Westies can then play out of our Thebarton. Our players are full time and almost entirely train during business hours, they can have the oval after we've finished with it. And it increases overall exposure and foot traffic to the F&B operation on the site.

There's no reason that a SANFL football club has to control and maintain an oval and independent offices. No different to a golf club. Strip the business model down to the absolute minimum cost base and that's the best chance for ongoing survival. And if that doesn't, work, well then tough crappola.

I'm of the opinion that we shouldn't be anywhere near any of the conversations about West Adelaide.

If they're struggling to survive then it's up to the SANFL to try and save them or they fold.

We've already given millions over the years to the SANFL and if the SANFL hasn't used that money to shore up the futures of the SANFL clubs then that's not our problem.

 

[MarcusP2]

West Thebbie Hotel to close.

172K views · 670 reactions | After years of uncertainty the West Thebarton Hotel is closing to make way for the South Road project. Download the 7NEWS app: 7news.link/7newsapp #7NEWS | 7NEWS Adelaide

After years of uncertainty the West Thebarton Hotel is closing to make way for the South Road project. Download the 7NEWS app: 7news.link/7newsapp #7NEWS

www.facebook.com

Thought that was Known for ages, it has been shown as demolished on the public 3D map linked earlier in this thread.

Isn't that sourh road until 2031?

I mean, I still agree with you either way

I think there's a mini oval immediately with future expansion plans later.

 

[GreyCrow]

West Thebbie Hotel to close.

172K views · 670 reactions | After years of uncertainty the West Thebarton Hotel is closing to make way for the South Road project. Download the 7NEWS app: 7news.link/7newsapp #7NEWS | 7NEWS Adelaide

After years of uncertainty the West Thebarton Hotel is closing to make way for the South Road project. Download the 7NEWS app: 7news.link/7newsapp #7NEWS

www.facebook.com

Not surprised - it was as dead as Westies

I think the owners were hanging on for a Government payday

 

[robboaustralia]

Will grab some for winter and report back

Be careful 7.4%

 

[relapse]

Not surprised - it was as dead as Westies

I think the owners were hanging on for a Government payday

It's a shame because it's directly opposite to Thebby it might have been a potential venue for the Crows to take over

 

[GreyCrow]

It's a shame because it's directly opposite to Thebby it might have been a potential venue for the Crows to take over

Yeah I think I mentioned something like this early in the thread/s

 

[Cromulant]

It's a shame because it's directly opposite to Thebby it might have been a potential venue for the Crows to take over

i think the club may have even looked into it in the very early days of Thebby, but owning a pub these days is a tough business.

Hopefully the bistro we've got is a good one. I probably won't use it a great day, but for those who do it needs to be quality

 

[George CantStandYa]

i think the club may have even looked into it in the very early days of Thebby, but owning a pub these days is a tough business.

Hopefully the bistro we've got is a good one. I probably won't use it a great day, but for those who do it needs to be quality

To think we weren’t originally going to have a licence before Olsen, this has to be another tick.

Once SANFL and AFLW games start it will get decent patronage. Plus there will be some hardcore supporters that use it and I’m on the road a bit for work, would be good to stop in have a bite to eat and a drink and watch a bit of training.

Definitely don’t need a pub.