News emerging that Essendon will cut ties with their Bendigo affiliate after season 2012 in order to enter its own reserves team, a la Collingwood and Geelong, seems to strengthen the argument for the same model to emerge in the SANFL.
At the time of the Port Adelaide merger between the SANFL-based Magpies and the AFL-based Power, the discussion in SA football circles centered on reserves teams.
The basic argument was that two reserves teams – one for the Power, one for the Crows – would help the two AFL teams in developing their younger players, while also stopping the problem of players being taken from the SANFL teams’ line-ups week to week, while also removing the hated bye round.
Those arguing this case used the VFL as an example, with several Melbourne-based clubs using VFL teams as ‘affiliate’ clubs, such as Carlton with the Northern Bullants, and Essendon with Bendigo.
This topic is a controversial one among diehard SANFL fans, many of whom argue the move would ‘trivialize’ the competition, turning it into nothing more than a draft or reserves pool, rather than the strong and proud state-based competition it has always been.
The benefits for the Crows and Power would be the luxury of being able to play their developing players in any position and for as long as needed, without having to endure the needs of another coach using their player.
They will also be able to keep their full squad in a single club, something Neil Craig was publicly in favor of during his time at the Crows, using the example of Taylor Walker.
Craig once stated a reserves team would allow him to (if he chose to) play Walker at centre half back, which may increase his defensive capacity, a trait lacking in his game, and something which saw him out of Craig’s favor.
The only benefits apparent to SANFL fans are stable line-ups, with all the AFL recruits being based in either the Port reserves (Magpies) or the Crows reserves, and no more byes with the new Adelaide team making up the tenth club.
And really, that’s about it for the fans and SANFL.
Another team would mean an end to the dreaded bye, but would probably cost more to establish than it would make; really, how many fans would turn up at West Lakes to watch a Crows’ beta team when they could watch the A team?
Perhaps the team could play in ‘curtain-raiser’ matches prior to AFL games, but these have always been unpopular with SANFL fans as they would need to pay AFL prices to see their team play.
Remember, not all SA footy fans follow the Power or Crows, especially in the state the two teams are currently in.
The Magpies have one of the strongest and most passionate supporter-bases outside the AFL, and will never be lacking for crowds, but the Crows draw their support from across the other eight SANFL teams.
Expecting people to break their tribal allegiances for a reserves team is unrealistic, perhaps even arrogant.
Perhaps the best option for increasing SANFL attendance and removing the bye is simply introducing a tenth team into the competition.
Every so often, a new candidate emerges, but the problem of assigning drafting zones and compensating the other clubs is usually too large.
The best solution to this issue is introducing a regional team, from either the south coast (Victor Harbor) or river land areas, which would need to travel a fair distance for games but draw strong local support.
In my opinion (and South Australians will best understand the area I refer to) it is the North East, the Tea Tree Gulley, Golden Grove and Modbury areas.
Across this region, there are (depending how far the drafting zones would extend) up to five strong amateur clubs, and has been a happy hunting-ground for AFL scouts for many years, with current players including up and comers Ryan Shoenmakers, Daniela Menzal, and Adelaide’s Matthew Wright, who have all come out of this zone. Sydney stalwart Heath Grundy has also come out of the North East.
The problem apparent with this plan would be the halving of Norwood’s current draft zone, and a complete realignment of that club’s drafting zones.
If this could be managed, it would serve as a better option for fans and the SANFL than a VFL-style reserves and affiliates model.
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