NFNL Div 1 2021

[Thunder1]

4 out of 5, missing on the Eagles beating Mont.

Great work by the young Eagles, certainly a great reward for them and gives them confidence and belief for rest of 2021 and 2022.

Mont would be very disappointed after kicking the first 4 goals.

Good wins by West Preston, Bundoora, Greensborough and Heidelberg. Let’s hope Lloyd’s injury isn’t too bad for the Bulls.

Disappointing day for both Hurstbridge and Northcote Park, not sure where the cougars are headed, crushing losses in both seniors and reserves.

Last spot open for Nth Heidelberg and Monty, who wants it?

 

[nflfan]

4 out of 5, missing on the Eagles beating Mont.

Great work by the young Eagles, certainly a great reward for them and gives them confidence and belief for rest of 2021 and 2022.

Mont would be very disappointed after kicking the first 4 goals.

Good wins by West Preston, Bundoora, Greensborough and Heidelberg. Let’s hope Lloyd’s injury isn’t too bad for the Bulls.

Disappointing day for both Hurstbridge and Northcote Park, not sure where the cougars are headed, crushing losses in both seniors and reserves.

Last spot open for Nth Heidelberg and Monty, who wants it?

Both have a similar degree of difficulty for their run home, should be interesting to see who grabs 5th spot.

 

[roosterslife]

Just read that Lloyd is out for the year. That makes it really tough for Bundoora to contend now.

West vs Greensbourough is nearly a moral!

 

[10571z]

Just read that Lloyd is out for the year. That makes it really tough for Bundoora to contend now.

West vs Greensbourough is nearly a moral!

Got a pretty decent replacement in the 2s. Shocking luck for Bundoora though.

 

[Swoopingtime]

Just read that Lloyd is out for the year. That makes it really tough for Bundoora to contend now.

West vs Greensbourough is nearly a moral!

Where did you read that?

 

[roosterslife]

Got a pretty decent replacement in the 2s. Shocking luck for Bundoora though.

Yes still goes good. But not the player he was and not in the class as Lloyd anymore.

It was on leader local. Unlikely to play again this year

 

[delishus]

Doggies lack of depth really starting to bite with boomer starevich nunan tardio Morris all missing starting to find it hard with their younger blokes struggling to finish the games out strong hopefully get some of them back soon to add a lot of interest to final series if they can hang on to a spot in the five

 

[Regular Punter]

I'm still very bullish on the Bulls.
Big men come to the party in September and I reckon Shepard has it in him to tear it apart, like a couple of former big bundoora blokes have done in past finals campaigns. Also wouldn't rule out Lloyd returning earlier as well, in the meantime it seems that Gaz will still cause headaches for defenders.

Norths lack of depth was always going to be a big worry.

 

[delishus]

Well when Bundoora and north met each other earlier in the year it was one of the great games of nfl footy with north hanging on to win a thriller

 

[Denny Crane]

Wonder if NP would even want to stay up

Was it NP that went to the NFNL? The decision not to demote is surprising to say the least and will really effect season 2022 and I have no idea why it was made.

NP have been comfortably beaten all year in both grades. The reserves only had 19 for the game and that included their senior coach. No U19s.

 

[Denny Crane]

Just read this in the Herald Sun: Northern football scores: NFL scraps relegation in 2021, promotion remains | Herald Sun


The Northern Football League and its two most impacted clubs have explained why scrapping relegation was the only fair decision.
The NFL announced last week it would not relegate any team from Division 1 or 2 due to this season’s two COVID-19 lockdown breaks.

The most recent lockdown saw critical games between bottom teams Northcote Park and Whittlesea and Epping and Fitzroy Stars cancelled.

The break further impacting the integrity of the competition after two rounds were also lost in May-June.

NFL chairman Peter McDougall said the lost games greatly impacted the relegation battle.

“The decision to remove relegation from the Division 1 and 2 men’s football competition was based on the premise that the rounds lost due to the two COVID lockdowns during the 2021 season had the potential to have too great an impact on which sides stayed up and who would have gone down,” he said.

“This was highlighted by the bottom two teams not playing against each other in Division 1 and Division 2 due to the rounds lost to the lockdowns.”

Importantly, the Division 2 and 3 premiers will still be promoted meaning the top two tiers will be 11-team competitions in 2022.

Two teams will then be relegated next season to return the league to the preferred 10-10-8 structure.

Northcote Park and Fitzroy Stars are the clubs set to benefit most from the decision with the Cougars and Stars otherwise facing the dreaded drop.

Fitzroy Stars is arguably the most affected club in the league having lost a host of key players.

President Simon Minton-Connell said while he was disappointed his club was sitting last, the impact of COVID-19 had made 2021 and incredibly hard season on and off the field.

“With the COVID-19 situation we’ve lost eight or nine players, families moving back to country, and our depth doesn’t run all that deep.

“To lose our best players it’s put us in a tough predicament.

“Epping and us were in the conversation and not to play each other makes it really difficult depending on what draw you’ve got.

“If we’d beaten by Epping or vice versa you cop it but we didn’t get to play for that relegation day.

“We’ve got to pull our socks up for next year because there’s two that go down, we don’t want to be in that position, there’s a lot of history of us vying for the top spots.”

Northcote Park haven’t won a game this season, cruelled by injuries to key players.

Cougars president Joe Amad admitted his club didn’t have the necessary depth to cover injuries but the decision now allowed them to plan for 2022.

“There’s a bit of self interest but the season was compromised,” he said.

“We didn’t get to play everyone twice, Whittlesea were only one game ahead of us and we’d only played them once.

“The good thing about it is they didn’t penalise the second division sides, that’s a fair outcome.

“I think we’re the first comp that’s done it, so we’ve shown some good leadership.

“It gives us a bit of certainty so we can build our list, all the boys know they’re going to be in Division 1 next year.”

The NFL finals are due to start this weekend with Division 1 Women’s elimination and qualifying finals.

Finals in the men’s competitions begin August 21-22 with the season wrapping with on September 18 with the Division 1 grand final.

 

[nosecondprize]

Just read this in the Herald Sun: Northern football scores: NFL scraps relegation in 2021, promotion remains | Herald Sun


The Northern Football League and its two most impacted clubs have explained why scrapping relegation was the only fair decision.
The NFL announced last week it would not relegate any team from Division 1 or 2 due to this season’s two COVID-19 lockdown breaks.

The most recent lockdown saw critical games between bottom teams Northcote Park and Whittlesea and Epping and Fitzroy Stars cancelled.

The break further impacting the integrity of the competition after two rounds were also lost in May-June.

NFL chairman Peter McDougall said the lost games greatly impacted the relegation battle.

“The decision to remove relegation from the Division 1 and 2 men’s football competition was based on the premise that the rounds lost due to the two COVID lockdowns during the 2021 season had the potential to have too great an impact on which sides stayed up and who would have gone down,” he said.

“This was highlighted by the bottom two teams not playing against each other in Division 1 and Division 2 due to the rounds lost to the lockdowns.”

Importantly, the Division 2 and 3 premiers will still be promoted meaning the top two tiers will be 11-team competitions in 2022.

Two teams will then be relegated next season to return the league to the preferred 10-10-8 structure.

Northcote Park and Fitzroy Stars are the clubs set to benefit most from the decision with the Cougars and Stars otherwise facing the dreaded drop.

Fitzroy Stars is arguably the most affected club in the league having lost a host of key players.

President Simon Minton-Connell said while he was disappointed his club was sitting last, the impact of COVID-19 had made 2021 and incredibly hard season on and off the field.

“With the COVID-19 situation we’ve lost eight or nine players, families moving back to country, and our depth doesn’t run all that deep.

“To lose our best players it’s put us in a tough predicament.

“Epping and us were in the conversation and not to play each other makes it really difficult depending on what draw you’ve got.

“If we’d beaten by Epping or vice versa you cop it but we didn’t get to play for that relegation day.

“We’ve got to pull our socks up for next year because there’s two that go down, we don’t want to be in that position, there’s a lot of history of us vying for the top spots.”

Northcote Park haven’t won a game this season, cruelled by injuries to key players.

Cougars president Joe Amad admitted his club didn’t have the necessary depth to cover injuries but the decision now allowed them to plan for 2022.

“There’s a bit of self interest but the season was compromised,” he said.

“We didn’t get to play everyone twice, Whittlesea were only one game ahead of us and we’d only played them once.

“The good thing about it is they didn’t penalise the second division sides, that’s a fair outcome.

“I think we’re the first comp that’s done it, so we’ve shown some good leadership.

“It gives us a bit of certainty so we can build our list, all the boys know they’re going to be in Division 1 next year.”

The NFL finals are due to start this weekend with Division 1 Women’s elimination and qualifying finals.

Finals in the men’s competitions begin August 21-22 with the season wrapping with on September 18 with the Division 1 grand final.

Peter McDougall needs to finally step down. He is well and truly past his use by date and has his hands over so many things that make the competition a laughing stock. It's his way or the highway. They need some fresh blood in there

 

[richo's dodgy hammy]

Season on the brink if we go into another lockdown.
Hopefully the rumours are not true.

 

[HBFlanker]

Season on the brink if we go into another lockdown.
Hopefully the rumours are not true.

What rumours??

 

[just ask!!!]

What rumours??

Heraldsun

 

[Iceman27]

Heraldsun

Andrews having press conference later this afternoon which normally suggests lockdown is on its way.

3 days there saying but it never only last 3 days. Tends to last 2 weeks minimum.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[just ask!!!]

Andrews having press conference later this afternoon which normally suggests lockdown is on its way.

3 days there saying but it never only last 3 days. Tends to last 2 weeks minimum.


On iPhone using BigFooty.com mobile app

Yeah not good, Heraldsun usually is on the money.

 

[tigerkelly]

No relegation is a complete joke. Looks like the tail is wagging the dog.

 

[Number 9]

Long time reader, first time poster as i've recently taken an interest in the NFNL as a parent of a player.

Just offering another opinion as everyone here has one.

12 games have been played and four abandoned (this week is the 4th) and the likelihood that no game will be played next week or the week after...or even after that!

So if it gets to the end of the year and no finals are played, is it really fair on Northcote to be relegated because they just so happen to finish on the bottom (regardless of how bad they have been) having only played 66% of games?

If lockdown means cessation of football for the rest of the year and no finals are played, how would clubs in 2nd to 5th feel if the team on top were awarded the Premiership? IMO, just as unfair as what would happen at the other end of the table, especially if it comes down to percentage.

By the looks, the league are a bit like the Government in that they're on a hiding to nothing as there is no roadmap and things are being made up on the spot.

Hindsight would say that if the season gets canned, they jumped the gun in making their announcement regarding relegation and promotion for 2022.

If the season does not conclude as it should, can they now go back on what they've said and make no change to Division structures?

Which ever way it goes, let's just be hopeful that the occurrences of the last two years don't carry on in to a third so all players can get out there and play the game.

 

[Fridge42]

You would imagine next week game is also cancelled so Mont would need to upset West or the Dogs do a Steve Bradbury into the finals.

 

[delishus]

Good on the league np is still a very good divi one club who have been badly impacted by injury and the COVID interrupted season next year with 12 teams instead of ten and hopefully enough people vaccinated to put lockdowns behind us it might make it a very exciting year with two teams fighting to avoid relegation

 

[nfnlegend]

Can anyone with a higher functioning brain than mine explain how the league says “games will not be rescheduled” then send a email out asking if teams want to reschedule these rounds if lockdown lifts next week.

Surely clubs out of finals just want to finish the season and plan for next year.

Start finals and be done. The way covid is spreading finals should be started urgently if it allows

 

[delishus]

I agree entirely rescheduling in this environment ridiculous let’s just get to the finals and hope we can get them played I know some sides will be disappointed and disadvantaged but a pandemic we hopefully will get past and never have to experience another year like this one and last year

 

[Denny Crane]

Can anyone with a higher functioning brain than mine explain how the league says “games will not be rescheduled” then send a email out asking if teams want to reschedule these rounds if lockdown lifts next week.

Surely clubs out of finals just want to finish the season and plan for next year.

Start finals and be done. The way covid is spreading finals should be started urgently if it allows

That's the indecision decision we are used to. I know running a league like this is not easy in these times, especially coming up to finals and with Women and Juniors about to start (maybe)

Clearly a Club or two have contacted them to complain how this is unfair and we have to fix it, despite previous announcements. Would be interesting to see the email asking what they are proposing, clearly this week has to just be classed and done and we move on (like originally detailed at start of the year).

But who knows, maybe we start the finals early and let everyone have a shot.....maybe invent a rule that no one will be relegated one year but two will be the year after.

In the end I genuinely feel for all players and supporters but also all volunteers that try so hard to get a Club running and watch it possibly burn away for another year. I also feel mostly for the kids that missed football and the older players that this could be their last year. I know there is bigger issues in society but people are missing important parts of their lifes, football cannot be played forever and a Club environment is awesome for all.

Finally, stay safe and healthy everyone. As someone that deals with mental health issues everyday and tries to find help for a lot of people, I see the next week being very hard on many, despite us having to deal with this five previous times its getting harder and harder.

 

[nosecondprize]

Given the season is so compromised and we may not see another home and away game. Is there any reason to have a promotion or relegation? Why not just keep he same divisions next year?

Or at least give the option to the bottom sides from Div 1 and 2 to drop down if they thinks its best for there club

Cant have a bye in Div 1. Its meant to be the showcase of the league