Adelaide Footy League explains decision to reject Elizabeth Football Club regrade

The Adelaide Footy League has explained why it rejected an Elizabeth Football Club plea to move down multiple grades ahead of the 2024 season.

The Adelaide Footy League has explained why it rejected an Elizabeth Football Club plea to move down multiple grades ahead of the 2024 season.

The Eagles, who had been relegated to division six at the end of 2023, experienced a mass player and coach exodus just weeks out from the season and requested to be moved down a division or to C Grade competition.

League chief John Kernahan said the request was rejected by the competition and member clubs after it was concluded other outfits and divisions would be impacted as a result of Elizabeth being downgraded.

“There has clearly been some narrative on the plight of the Elizabeth Football Club in recent days and weeks, but for any to suggest the league has not explored alternative solutions to avoid this attention is naive at best, ignorant at worst,” Kernahan said.

Adelaide Footy League chief John Kernahan said the league and member clubs rejected Elizabeth’s regrade plea to prevent a domino effect across the competition. Picture: Emma Brasier

“While ours is not to speak on behalf of the EFC, on the surface it has endured an exodus of players of monumental proportions and the reasons for that are theirs to navigate.

“We pleaded with all clubs to prioritise the registration process along to offer us a greater level of comfort in competition composition and it became apparent the EFC wasn’t the only club enduring challenges and our dilemma had been how to separate one club over the other.

“In February and March, approaches were made by the league to other clubs to gauge their appetites to allow any of the clubs who had indicated challenges to move to lower graded competition and in turn for those clubs to move to higher graded competitions. As was their right, those clubs chose to remain in the divisions their 2023 performances suggested they should be.

Elizabeth has received an outpouring of support across Australia after its record loss to Fitzroy. Picture: File

“While it may suit some to suggest the league and the club are at odds over this matter, the EFC is acutely aware that whether timing, logistics or governance, there was little we could do short of them moving to division seven and a division seven club moving up, and that required co-operation.”

Elizabeth has recorded four major defeats to begin the season, including a league record 516-0 loss to Fitzroy last Saturday.

The club recently made a statement assuring fans it was “looking to grow in 2025 and beyond” and has received an outpouring of support since the weekend’s result.

Kernahan said the position of the Eagles was secure for 2024 and 2025 but they would have to meet the ‘notable’ condition of fielding two senior teams next season.

The scoreboard after Fitzroy's record AdFL win over Elizabeth on Saturday. Picture: Facebook

“Those conditions are also relative to at least one other club and while two of the four clubs who were advised of this earlier in the year have recovered to field two teams, all clubs are aware of what is required per the Rules and Regulations and the league has gone to great pains to ensure they are,” he said.

“While to be discussed further, this should serve as an example of the need to have clubs and players understand the importance of registration and if the lessons here are for clubs to implement higher levels of discipline so they might at the very least give themselves a chance to avoid similar, then it’s a valuable lesson.

“The league does not enjoy a focus of this genre on one of its member clubs or the league itself … but all clubs should be under no illusion that alternatives were explored.”

The Elizabeth Football Club’s past players group showed its support for the Eagles in a statement after the cluub’s record loss on Saturday.

“This is not failure, this is a heartbeat,” they said.

“This is a bunch of guys giving their all to keep a football club alive and kicking. These men are the future of the Elizabeth Football Club.

“It is time for those past players who can to get to the club and show their support to these guys, let them know we appreciate them keeping the flame alive.”