Glenelg, South Adelaide and West Adelaide reject concept of triple merger to form “super club”
SANFL clubs are still optimistic of standing alone with Football Park funds despite speculation of a triple merger between Glenelg, South Adelaide and West Adelaide.
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THREE SANFL clubs - Glenelg, South Adelaide and West Adelaide - are not in merger talks to form a State league “Super club”.
And West Adelaide is increasingly confident it can stand alone as all eight traditional SANFL clubs work to debt-busting strategies with the sale of the league’s Football Park asset at West Lakes.
A radio report on Monday morning declaring the Tigers, Bloods and Panthers are in amalgamation talks - as an answer to their financial challenges - has been dismissed by both the clubs and SANFL. The unfounded proposal would leave the SANFL as an eight-team competition, including the two AFL reserves teams from Port Adelaide and Adelaide.
Glenelg president Nick Chigwidden told The Advertiser: “It’s not happening - certainly not with Glenelg. We are in no (merger) discussions.”
West Adelaide chief executive David Grenvold declared no need to move away the Bloods’ new business plan, despite the recent financial difficulties at Richmond Oval where the club has freehold control on the real estate.
“We can categorically deny that we are looking to merge,” Grenvold told The Advertiser.
“Amalgamations are not part of our plans.
“We have a degree of optimism in the upside in our business. We have put a strategic plan in place with the SANFL. It is based on conservative projections - and they stack up.
“The finances from the SANFL in the sale of Football Park are important to all SANFL clubs.
“We also have a venue on freehold land that will be a solid asset on our balance sheet in the next five years. So a merger is not part of our planning.”
The SANFL has not had mergers on its agenda since the second AFL licence was debated in the early 1990s when Norwood and Sturt considered an alliance.
The State league does have one merged unit - the successful amalgamation of the Woodville and West Torrens football clubs at the end of 1990.
michelangelo.rucci@news.com.au
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