Salisbury West will sit out 2019 but hopes to return in 2020 and change its ways

Banished football club Salisbury West will focus on its junior program and “keeping the doors open” in 2019 after its senior sides’ expulsion from the Adelaide Footy League was confirmed.

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Banished football club Salisbury West will focus on its junior program and “keeping the doors open” in 2019 after its senior sides’ expulsion from the Adelaide Footy League was confirmed.

Salisbury West’s last shot at overturning the league’s decision to ban it failed on Monday night when the competition’s other clubs overwhelmingly voted down its appeal.

The club was turfed following a violent series of incidents in a match in August, the latest in a history of on-field indiscretions.

The Tigers will not take to the field next season – although players will be able to move to other clubs – as they prepare to re-apply to the competition for 2020.

Posted by Salisbury West Seniors Football Club on Monday, 6 August 2018

But Salisbury West is well aware of the change which is required to happen before it can be accepted back into Adelaide’s only metropolitan amateur football league. It committed to working its way back in a statement released on Wednesday.

“The SWFC will continue to work on and improve its policies and procedures to reinstate confidence and trust with the Adelaide Football League and its delegates,” the statement read.

“We are committed to put the right people in the right positions with the correlating qualifications to stamp out radical acts and enforce a strict code of conduct amongst all of our members.”

It had to clean up its act, the club conceded, or “our doors will close forever”.

The Tigers were kicked out of the league in August for breaking an affiliation agreement when captain Adam Jones received a life ban and 27-week suspension over four violent incidents in one game.

Salisbury West captain Adam Jones arriving at the league tribunal. Picture: Brad Fleet.

The league then rejected the club’s application for re-entry in last month. Salisbury West’s appeal against this ruling failed on Monday night.

Changes have already been made at the club, including expanding the committee and bringing in a player welfare manager.

Its junior teams will be able to continue next season, as they are run by the SANFL.

“The SWFC focus will be to retain its junior teams in 2019 … we are committed to the development and training of those teams and committing resources for junior development programs, especially those approaching senior football in the years to come,” the statement read.

“A shift in energy must happen for our sporting club to ensure its survivability to fill the void of missing out on senior football and reducing the overall impacts.

Adelaide Football League chief executive John Kernahan. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

“We will work hard in the coming weeks and months to make sure our doors remain open to provide a vibrant sporting hub for all in our surrounding community and those who visit our club.”

League chief executive John Kernahan said Salisbury West would be able to re-apply to join the league for 2020.

“Our member clubs will still need to ratify the entry of a new club just as they did with others that have joined or re-joined the league in the last couple of years,” Kernahan said.

“The reason for denying their entry was largely due to a lack of confidence of the SWFC having the resources and or skill set to manage a football club to the very basic standards we expect.

“So that should be the most significant consideration as they move forward.”

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