Fans give resounding vote of approval for Adelaide Crows and Port Adelaide to keep AFL reserves in SANFL competition
AFL reserves teams in the SANFL is a divisive issue among footy fans — but not as deep as many might believe, says Michelangelo Rucci.
A NATIONAL AFL reserves competition still appears unlikely — and less pressing because of the strong support for the Crows and Power to keep stand-alone teams in the SANFL.
As divisive as the long-running debate on AFL players and AFL reserves teams in the state league has become, The Advertiser Footy Fans Survey shows resounding approval to keep the Crows and Power Bs in the SANFL.
There is a 70 per cent approval for the AFL reserves teams in the SANFL.
Since the AFL entered the SA market — with the advent of the Crows in 1991 — there have been two models used for giving match practice to AFL players not getting a national league game at the Crows or the Power.
First, “excess” players would return to their original SANFL clubs — setting up difficulties for SANFL coaches being told where on the field to place them.
Since 2014, the SANFL has reverted to a 10-team competition, with the Crows establishing a reserves team and Port Adelaide keeping all its players together in the Power (AFL) or Magpies (SANFL) line-ups.
No AFL reserves team has won the SANFL premiership, however.
Port Adelaide did reach the grand final — and lost to Norwood — in 2014.
But there has been unease with traditional diehard SANFL fans who want the Crows and Power out of the State league and in a national reserves series.
The 30 per cent disapproval of AFL reserves teams in the SANFL — from the 9970 respondents to the annual Footy Fans Survey — does not push the case to evict the Crows and Power from the State league.
However, there are lingering question on whether the Crows are delivering all they have promised to the SANFL clubs — such as 3000 fans to games, new corporate backing and the pre-match media conferences to promote state league games involving the Crows reserves.
The model for AFL reserves in the SANFL is reviewed at the end of every season, although the Crows have signed a 15-year agreement to play in the competition while paying $420,000-a-season for a state league licence.
Port Adelaide is free of this expense as an original member of the SANFL competition.
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