Big player departures from SANFL clubs fuel fears over talent retention, future of the league

A string of high-quality players leaving the SANFL this off-season has sparked calls for more to be done to retain talent. See the list of significant outs.

An exodus of high-profile SANFL players is fuelling concerns the standard of the competition could be at risk if more is not done to retain talent.

Several clubs have already been hit hard this off-season by the departures of a string of quality footballers, who have either left for community clubs or retired altogether.

The majority are experienced campaigners between 25 and 30 years old and have cited increasing time and physical demands as a key reason for leaving.

It comes after the semi-professional league’s salary cap was slashed from $400,000 in 2019 to $210,000 this year.

It is understood players have sought to open a conversation with the league and its clubs about solutions to retain talent, with all sides sharing a common goal to preserve the SANFL’s status as the best competition in Australia outside of the AFL.

A number of quality SANFL players have left the competition this off-season.

Current and recently retired players, some who did not wish to be named, have told The Advertiser they feared the standard of the competition could begin to drop should the trend of this off-season continue.

Almost 40 league experienced players have announced they will not play on next season, headlined by more than 10 at Norwood, including ex-AFL talents Mitch Grigg, Richard Douglas, Paul Puopolo, Brad McKenzie, Cam Shenton and Michael Talia.

North Adelaide has also been hit hard with premiership players Alex Barns, Mitch Clisby and Tom Schwarz calling time at SANFL level.

Ruckman Barns, who will line up with brother Chris at Morphettville Park next season, said the commitment of playing SANFL was tough when players also need to build a career outside football.

“There comes a time where it becomes pretty difficult to give enough to the SANFL to make a proper fist of it,” Barns said.

North Adelaide premiership player Alex Barns has signed at Adelaide Footy League club Morphettville Park. Picture: Morphettville Park Football Club

Norwood champion Mitch Grigg will play for HFL club Lobethal next season. Picture: Lobethal Football Club

“The competition wants to be as strong as possible but we’re playing against professional athletes on a semi-professional schedule but we’re expected to hold professional standards.

“And it’s not all about money but input versus output over the years has skewed a bit towards asking a lot of people that aren’t getting as much in return.”

Between trainings, weight sessions, recovery and other obligations, SANFL players are required at their clubs at least four times per week on top of weekend matches.

Dual Magarey Medallist Grigg will play for Hills Football League club Lobethal in 2022 and said earlier this month he didn’t want to go through the mental and physical strains of the SANFL for another season.

“(Lobethal) ties in with work and starting a family as well – I can go from work to training and back home – it’s just an easier lifestyle,” Grigg said.

The Advertiser revealed last month the SANFL would not be in a financial position to lift next year’s salary cap to pre-Covid levels and was in the process of finding ways to keep its competition strong and viable after two Covid-hit years.

The league hoped to introduce some financial and support incentives to “continue to grow the (SANFL) game” and stop more players exiting.

SANFL players are required at their clubs at least four times per week for training and other obligations on top of weekend matches. Picture: Matt Loxton

It planned to introduce a $45,000 support scheme for each club, funded by the clubs and the league, along with milestone incentives.

The player milestone scheme, funded by the league and therefore also falling outside of the salary cap, would offer financial rewards for milestone games.

Former Norwood captain Jace Bode, who has worked in player development with the AFL Players Association and now SACA, said incentives were a good start but agreed more needed to be done.

“The changing of the guard was when the AFL teams came in (to the SANFL) and you’re now competing against full-time athletes,” Bode said.

“And so the requirement to train from 2013 to now, I would say, has increased significantly.

“Coupled with a lower salary cap, two years of restricted or no pay due to Covid … guys are just going to get to the point where enough is enough.

“I think the days of players coming into the system and having 10 year careers are going to be few and far between.”

KEY SANFL DEPARTURES

CENTRAL DISTRICT

N/A

GLENELG

Chris Curran, Marlon Motlop

NORTH ADELAIDE

Mitch Clisby, Tom Schwarz (Flinders Park), Alex Barns (Morphettville Park), James Craig

NORWOOD

Mitch Grigg (Lobethal), Richard Douglas, Paul Puopolo (Virginia), Cameron Shenton (Golden Grove), Brad McKenzie, Michael Talia, Zac Richards, Michael Knoll, Emmanuel Irra, Peter Bampton, Henry Crauford

SOUTH ADELAIDE

Joel Cross, Nic Schwarz (Flinders Park), Alex Cailotto, Tyson Brown, Ben Haren, Anthony Biemans, Jake Tarca (Encounter Bay)

STURT

Zane Kirkwood, Matthew Crocker, Mark Evans, Jake Sutcliffe (St Peter’s Old Collegians)

WEST ADELAIDE

Kaine Stevens, Josh Schiller, Kieran Lovell, Nathan Batley, Thomas Murphy, Patrick Levicki

WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS

Patrick Giuffreda, Angus Poole, Ben Jungfer