Subtracting from division: Southern Football League to decide its future as blowouts take their toll
IT’S one of the state’s oldest and proudest football leagues. But ongoing score blowouts and concerns about its reputation have prompted officials to consider a makeover.
THE future of the Southern Football League might be decided as early as next week when club presidents meet to vote on a raft of moves aimed at reviving the 131-year-old competition.
Clubs are set to meet on August 21 after they discussed the options earlier this month.
It is understood splitting the league into two separate divisions, overhauling junior and women’s football, as well as shifting struggling A-grade sides to the Sunday C-grade competition was explored at a league meeting on August 8.
The SFL said agenda was prompted by concerns about the stability of the competition following score blowouts.
Marion, bottom of the ladder without a win, is losing by an average of 100 points while O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale is second bottom with just two victories.
O’SB/Lonsdale was beaten by 166 points by fourth-ranked Cove in Round 12 before defeating Marion by 45 points a fortnight ago. Marion lost its weekend game against eighth-placed Happy Valley by 186 points.
The blowouts come after Hackham, now in the C-grade competition, and Aldinga, which has improved this season, struggled to be competitive in past years. Aldinga’s plight drew national attention in 2014, prompting Hawthorn champion Shane Crawford to lend a hand and deliver the club’s first win of that season.
LEAGUE SPLIT ON HOW TO MAKE COMPETITION MORE EVEN
CRAWFORD LEADS LOWLY SHARKS TO FIRST WIN OF 2014
ALDINGA COMES ALIVE THANKS TO HAWKS CHAMPION
TEARS AS COACH PROVES DOUBTERS WRONG
League president Craig Warman would not be drawn on what options would be put to a vote at next Monday’s meeting.
“I’m not at liberty to say what was discussed (last week),” Warman said.
“I’m quite happy to talk about it after the vote on the 21st (of August).”
Morphett Vale president Michael Mango said his club, a perennial powerhouse and currently sitting third with 11 wins, supported reducing the number of teams from the current 11 in the league.
“Morphett Vale would like to see a 10-team competition,” Mr Mango said.
However, he would not be drawn on which team should leave the league.
“That’s something for the SFL to investigate in talking with each club but we’d like to see a stronger competition for 2018,” Mr Mango said.
Reynella president Dave Denyer agreed, saying the league needed to strengthen its competition to avoid losing more top teams.
Brighton and Morphettville left the SFL last year after deciding Adelaide’s amateur league would be a better fit.
“Some of the weaker clubs have been struggling for a while — it’s time they start thinking about leaving the league and potentially coming back in the future,” Mr Denyer said.
“It is a very complex solution we’re looking at.”
Flagstaff Hill president Brett Charlesworth, whose side sits just behind top-placed Noarlunga on percentage, said the clubs needed to focus on the “bigger picture”.
“I’m waiting to see a lot more detail on the proposal,” Mr Charlesworth said.
“Some clubs tend to look at what things mean for themselves but we need to focus on the betterment of the league.”
O’SB/Lonsdale president Heidi Condon remained reluctant to comment ahead of the vote.
“A discussion was had (at the meeting of presidents) and the league is taking steps to improve the competition,” Ms Condon said.
Aldinga president Danny Wilde said he had not “had time to think about” the matter.
Hackham president David Jarrett said he would not vote on the league’s future after his club was dumped from the top grade last year.
“I think this is a knee-jerk reaction from the SFL to look like it’s coming to a solution on something that was originally meant to be a meeting between presidents,” Mr Jarrett said.
“It’s a kick in the teeth for the weaker clubs.”