The Reserves situation

[SWANNIES RULE]

There's been a bit of talk lately about our reserves and how bad the competition is that they're currently playing in. 200 point wins are a regular thing which can't be helthy for the development of our youngsters.

Personally I think it's a joke and it's something that needs to be looked at. The difference between the AFL and the Canberra comp is ridiculously big and it's hard for kids to adjust when promoted to the senior side. I'm a firm believer that for a player to improve, they need to be challenged. At the moment our reserves aren't being challenged, whichever way you look at it.

The first option is to have our reserves in the VFL instead of the Canberra comp. The standard of the VFL is much higher and would provide a much more realistic learning enviroment for our young guys. But flying players up there every weekend would be a hassle.

Another option would be scrapping the "Sydney Swans" team in the Canberra comp and allocating our players to different teams. This would strengthen the Comp itself in terms of evening up teams on paper and would get rid of the bye.

Thoughts?

 

[SimonH]

My first thought is that there should be a lot more options in the poll!

Among them are:
1. Shred our players among the SFL (if we're going to lose control of our players, we might as well do it locally?)
2. Create a NSW/ACT joint comp for a stronger competition
3. Get together with the AFL and the state administrators and create an Eastern States Football League with the stronger sides and/or composite teams from Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas (and Vic if the VFL is to be re-structured).
4. Join the SANFL
5. Pressure the AFL to (re-)create a proper AFL reserves comp (at least for the 12 eastern-seaboard teams)

Etcetera...

 

[TheMase]

My first thought is that there should be a lot more options in the poll!

Among them are:

2. Create a NSW/ACT joint comp for a stronger competition

Etcetera...

This is the one I suppose. I think the AFL needs to really get behind this. They may need to bankroll it for a while until it is fully operational and sponsors fully get behind it. This may mean upgrading of council grounds to decent conditions.

If they are serious about AFL in NSW/ACT then this is the answer. A statewide league similar to the VFL, SANFL and WAFL.

Clubs spread all over the state. The AFL can allocate money to clubs for travel expenses etc.

It may not be extremely strong at first, but it is the only option for the long term future of the Swans 2nds outside of them returning to the VFL.

 

[grimlock]

Bring back the reserves comp! I can remember watching Benny Mathews and Paul Licuria running around in #36 and #38 respectively.

 

[rotto]

Maybe have a combined QLD/NSW/ACT league. I have a six team league
Swans Reserves
Western Sydney Team
Canberra Team
Gold Coast Team
Lions Reserves
Bribane Team

Play each other 4 times each = 20 games
Final 3 - with 2st v 3rd play off to meet 1st in the grand final

 

[SimonH]

Maybe have a combined QLD/NSW/ACT league. I have a six team league
Swans Reserves
Western Sydney Team
Canberra Team
Gold Coast Team
Lions Reserves
Bribane Team

Play each other 4 times each = 20 games
Final 3 - with 2st v 3rd play off to meet 1st in the grand final

At the moment, Queensland would dominate that comp too strongly. The Blions 2nds are getting pumped at the moment (15 goal and 8 goal losses to start the year) by the opposition in an 8-team state comp; imagine how ugly it would be (also for the ACT and Sydney teams) if you combined all of that talent into 2 teams.

Realistically, to have any kind of evenness of comp, you would have the existing standalone Qld sides (or at least the best 4 or 5 of them) playing composite or rep sides from Syd and ACT.

 

[Tuco]

I think the move of the reserves to the VFL was shown to be a bit of a failure in the past. Just too much distance, and the players that were being elevated to the seniors just weren't as effective once they came into the side. I agree 200pt slammings does little. But training with the seniors and being close enough to have some input from the selection committee and senior coaching staff etc outweighs this problem. And I reckon it's the performances on the training track that are taken notice of more than actual performances in the Reserves, anyway.

This issue won't go away though. It's an indication of just how far the development of Aussie Rules still has to go in our region.

 

[Corpuscles]

There is a lot of effort to create a new footy team or a new league. It is generally unpaid tedious work. Any brand new league is unlikely!

I believe it would be better to seed our reserves in a Sydney comp. Maybe but unlikely able to include a true composite or very strong ACT & Riverina team
-Strengthen and even out competition
-Make players compete with more even opportunity for prime senior position spots - develop leadership flair
-Young Ressies get a more rounded footy experience... ie a possible HFF or benchie might play midfield but have stints in KP at ressie club
- Develop more interest in grass level footy locally where the main support centres are

So that for example: Swans supporters might go see Vogels play CHB on Grundy CHF oR Moore V Okeefe midfield etc. This has the impact of developing more interest in local league attendance. The stronger the comp the more fans would go! That means more kids playing second tier footy knowing they might rub shoulders with a future B Kirk!

The AFL should inject money by paying reasonable salary incentives for delisted AFL players to move to Sydney to play/coach eg S Wowoden(sp?) C Cloke to stengthen the comp!

The downside is
-the Swans coaches have slightly less control direct in gameday but like SANFL WAFL they get to "advise" team coaches
- The resssies have less "common gameplan" knowledge/practice but this surely can be taught? However they come in to seniors from a potentially much stronger level of regular competive preparation

IMO it is NO ACCIDENT that Crows and Eagles have the best lists and depth... this is what happens in SANFL & WAFL!!!!

Rant off!

 

[melbournemartin]

I'm all for an Eastern Australian reserves competition which would severe our current ties with the VFL and go back to nearly what it was before.

 

[smasher]

I have been concerned about the ressies for some time now.The number of games they play is a joke and the opposition is not at the level of the VFL or interstate leagues.A large number of Swannies playing in this comp are playing at a much lower level than what they were drafted from.How on earth are they meant to improve.
It has been said that players in the draft do not want to go to Sydney as they see what previous draftees have gone through.This clearly needs to be acted on and NOW.

 

[SWANNIES RULE]

The only way guys will REALLY improve is if we give them games in the seniors, because that's the only thing that tests them.

It's good what we are doing with Schmidt at the moment. Just keep playing him, he will only get better.

 

[chammond]

My first thought is that there should be a lot more options in the poll!

Among them are:
1. Shred our players among the SFL (if we're going to lose control of our players, we might as well do it locally?)
2. Create a NSW/ACT joint comp for a stronger competition
3. Get together with the AFL and the state administrators and create an Eastern States Football League with the stronger sides and/or composite teams from Qld, NSW, ACT, Tas (and Vic if the VFL is to be re-structured).
4. Join the SANFL
5. Pressure the AFL to (re-)create a proper AFL reserves comp (at least for the 12 eastern-seaboard teams)

Etcetera...

From memory, Simon, something like option 3 was on the table around the time that the Swans split with Port Melb. I think it was just too complex to set up in the time available.

If we are looking at possible future scenarios, I'd throw in the following:
2007 to 2010 - Swans players spread around the ACTAFL teams
2011 - Kangaroos relocate to Q'land. Kangaroos and Swans reserves join the Q'land league.
2012 - West Sydney joins the AFL, and reserves team joins Q'land league (renamed to East Coast AFL league).

 

[MightyFighting]

I doubt that the VFL would allow the Sydney reserves to join.

Port Melbourne v Sydney games would be huge though.

 

[CharlieG]

I don't care how much it costs. Get the kids into the VFL. I have been saying this for four years now. Going to the Canberra league was a mistake.

 

[Da Swannys Kid]

Changing cud upset da playas tho, sum of em mite not wanna fly down 2 Melburn evry 2nd week...

 

[CharlieG]

Changing cud upset da playas tho, sum of em mite not wanna fly down 2 Melburn evry 2nd week...

Id mayb no wat u r talkn bout if u didnt use dis msn crap

 

[SouthSwans]

Id mayb no wat u r talkn bout if u didnt use dis msn crap

He does raise a half-decent point though.

But DSK, I think the players arent gonna be that concerned about the differenc between Canberra and Melbourne.

 

[SWANNIES RULE]

Another win in excess of 200 points. What a joke.

 

[smasher]

I don't care how much it costs. Get the kids into the VFL. I have been saying this for four years now. Going to the Canberra league was a mistake.

I totally agree with the above idea.It would be the best way to bring our players into matches where they are tried and tested.

 

[SWANNIES RULE]

For the people who voted to keep things unchanged, I would love to hear an argument as to why you think that.

 

[Benevolent Ert]

5. Pressure the AFL to (re-)create a proper AFL reserves comp (at least for the 12 eastern-seaboard teams)

This

It was very enjoyable to rock up early before the game and have a look at how our youngsters were going against the youngsters of other AFL clubs. I understand it's a costly process to pay 44 airfares every second week (and that's just the players) but I used to love watching the reserves in action and I really miss it

 

[CAS79]

Possibly see if you can get a Canberra side in the VFL, so you get the kids with some of Canberra's better players running around toghether as a twos, Dont think its going to happen but so I think they need to get at least some fringe players playing for a VFL side, like they did with Port Melbourne for a couple of years.