Clubs say a new-look nine-team Southern Football League will strengthen the competition

SOME Southern Football League presidents say reducing the competition by two teams will help make it more even this season.

Noarlunga (navy) and Flagstaff Hill (red/white) players battle during the SFL grand final last year at Noarlunga Oval. Picture AAP/Keryn Stevens.

SOME Southern Football League presidents say reducing the competition by two teams will help make it more even this season.

The SFL’s A grade went from 11 clubs to nine during the off-season after last year’s bottom two – Marion and O’Sullivan Beach – joined the Adelaide Footy League.

The competition will have 18 minor rounds for a third consecutive season, a weekly bye and all teams playing each other twice.

Noarlunga president Trevor Mitton said having nine clubs was a positive for the league.

“I think … playing everybody twice will make the competition more even,” Mitton said.

“It still gives us a platform to build a better competition and hopefully attract some more teams in the future.”

The SFL featured 15 teams in 2015 but also lost Edwardstown (2015), Brighton and Morphettville Park (2016) to the amateurs, while Hackham moved to the C-grade competition last year.

Christies Beach president Paul Daly also believed having fewer sides would strengthen the league.

“It would be nice to get a strong 10th team to come into the comp, but it’s not essential – it’s quite nice having the bye,” Daly said.

“It’s probably the most exciting competition we’ve had for probably close to 20 years.”

Morphett Vale president Michael Mango was pleased with the competition’s size.

“We are happy to see the nine teams that are in the SFL because they are all competitive teams,” Mango said.

But Aldinga president Danny Wilde said the new structure could be a negative for his club, which finished ninth last season with a 5-11 record.

“For clubs that are at the bottom of the ladder, it’s obviously not a good thing,” Wilde said.

“It will be harder initially and you’re always up against stronger competition, and you won’t get those games that you go in knowing that you’re possibly going to win.”

SFL president Craig Warman said he did not like losing teams but believed a nine-team competition was sustainable.

“It gives us a competition that is going to be very tight and very competitive across all grades,” Warman said.

The SFL’s opening round is on Saturday, April 14.