Adelaide Footy League to consider Salisbury West Tigers’ application for re-entry with two other teams
Almost a year after it was banned from the Adelaide Footy League, the Salisbury West Football Club is one of three teams which could potentially join the competition next season.
- Salisbury West banned from Adelaide Footy League
- Clubs vote against allowing Salisbury West back in the competition
- North Pines could withdraw teams from league
- Hackham leaves SFL A grade
Banished football club Salisbury West is attempting to rejoin the Adelaide Footy League next season as two other teams eye a move.
The Tigers have formally applied for re-entry after they were removed from the competition last August, when captain Adam Jones was suspended for 27 games after being found guilty of four reports in a division six match.
It was the latest in a series of violent on-field incidents involving the club dating back to 2005.
New Salisbury West president Matthew Bates said the events of last year were “not us” and the club’s number one priority was to change its culture and on-field behaviour.
“Without senior football the club isn’t going to survive ... it really is bleeding at the moment,” Bates said.
“We’ve brought out our own club rules to bring a lot more discipline and a long list of things we’ve made changes to.”
Fellow northern suburbs club North Pines and Southern Football League battlers Hackham have lodged registrations of interest with the league.
They would need to formally apply by August 31 to be considered for the 2020 season.
Adelaide Footy League chief executive John Kernahan said a date had not been set to consider any new club applications for next season.
He also said there was no constitutional requirement for the league to consult its clubs about any applications from new teams.
“Though we believe it to be entirely appropriate to seek their views, if only informal, given the role they were asked to play by during the special general meeting,” Kernahan said.
The league’s clubs are due to meet this Monday night for a general committee meeting, where the three potential new teams are on the agenda for discussion.
Salisbury West appealed the league’s decision to remove it from the competition at a special general meeting in November but the motion was overwhelmingly voted down by the other clubs.
Parafield Gardens-based North Pines last played in the league’s division seven in 2017 but chose to withdraw its two senior men’s teams before last season, due to a lack of players and being owed more than $10,000 in fees.
Redbacks president Chad Buchanan said the time away from the league had given the club an opportunity to review its football operations and change aspects of the club culture.
“We’ve gone through that process and now, after a couple of years, the majority of board members and a number of members are keen to explore the opportunities to re-enter the Adelaide Footy League next year,” Buchanan said.
“We want to continue providing senior football opportunities for people in Parafield Gardens and the surrounding suburbs.”
Hackham president Glenn Rowe said the club was still in the early stages of determining where it would play next season.
The Hawks currently field one team in the SFL’s Sunday C grade competition, down from two sides in 2018.
He said returning to Saturday football and two teams was the Hawks’ main priority.
“Whether that’s in the SFL or the amateurs, we’re seeing what our options are,” Rowe said.
“We could have had two teams again this season but it was more due to volunteers being stretched with teams at two different ovals. We’re confident we can put together two teams next season if we move back to playing on Saturday.”
Rowe said Hackham was also in talks with the SFL about how it could be integrated back into Saturday football.
patrick.keam@news.com.au