Salary cap concessions for premier Norwood leave a bitter taste for rival clubs
NORWOOD voting to allow the Crows into the SANFL in return for a better deal on salary cap penalties has allowed it to recruit top talent.
NORWOOD voting to allow the Crows into the SANFL next year in return for a better deal on its salary cap penalties has ultimately delivered a former AFL midfielder and triple Magarey Medallist for next season.
The two-time reigning premier which lost just five games in the past two years, pleaded guilty to breaching salary cap rules in 2012, which was its second salary cap offence in four years.
The Redlegs were fined $60,000 and banned from signing any player from outside their zone until the end of the 2014 season.
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But before voting on the move to allow the Crows into the competition next year, Norwood asked the SA Football Commission to relax its recruiting ban and the SANFL agreed, as well as allowing West Adelaide - which was also serving a salary cap penalty - to replace their home-grown Crows players from wherever they wanted.
Every club had the opportunity to provide submissions to the SANFL on the entry regulations of the Crows and Port Adelaide reserves teams.
Norwood was then able to sign former Brisbane Lions midfielder Callum Bartlett who was sought by rival SANFL clubs and triple Magarey Medallist James Allan who declined an offer to return to his former club North Adelaide.
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On August 16, Norwood released a statement explaining why it had supported a proposal to allow the Crows into the SANFL:
"In doing so the NFC Board was able to gain concessions that will significantly assist the club in maintaining its position in the competition," Norwood president Joe Tripodi said in the statement.
The following day on August 17, the SANFL announced its decision to ease Norwood and West's salary cap penalties.
"When the SA Football Commission handed down the recruiting bans to West Adelaide and Norwood, the removal of AFC listed players from these clubs was not contemplated," SANFL general manager Chris Davies said at the time.
"Therefore, an exception has been made in this circumstance where the current bans would see both clubs further penalised. It should be stressed that all other penalties for both clubs remain in place."
The decision angered some SANFL clubs including South Adelaide, which sent a letter to the SANFL wanting further explanation.
Other clubs expressed their disappointment to The Advertiser this week but were not prepared to comment publicly.
Tripodi said he first raised the idea of voting yes to the Crows reserves if his club could replace the players it would lose, at a director's meeting and he was "laughed at".
"Then after the meeting at the Old Lion (on August 7), I sent the request to the commission and they called us in and agreed to give us two picks (to replace Brown and Grigg)," Tripodi said.
"We knew we could lose up to 13 players from this year so we had to fight for it.
"We worry about Norwood and we always want to be one of the front-runners."
Tripodi said Norwood again approached the SANFL about replacing its Power players after Port's reserves plan was approved, but was rejected.
Norwood chief executive Geoff Baynes said it was important his club got the best possible outcome.
"The view of the Norwood Football Club board was that it was important to have a process in place where all clubs could put forward their point of view about how the competition would affect them in terms of playing squad, financial considerations and attendances," Baynes said.
"That was important for us to feel comfortable to continue the process to vote on the introduction of the new teams.
"And one of our most important issues was the replacement of players we would lose under those circumances, and we did apply to the commission and they granted us the chance to recruit two players."
Despite the concession granted by the SANFL, then West Adelaide president Paul Sperling told The Advertiser his club would abide by its original salary cap penalties, banning it from recruiting from outside its zone until December 31, 2013.
But the Bloods have since signed former Central District and Port Adelaide defender Andrew Hayes and former Brisbane Lion Richard Newell.
South Adelaide chairman Andrew Luckhurst-Smith said his club had a good relationship with the SANFL but he was "disappointed" with the decision, and he has addressed the issue in his chairman's report to be presented to members next week.
South Adelaide found itself in salary cap strife in 2006 when the SANFL fined the club $50,000 for breaching rules in the 2005 season.
"My club, which is the sole remaining foundation club and inaugural (SANFL) premiers, places the integrity of the competition as a very high priority," Luckhurst-Smith said.
"In the case of the salary cap, the only point of having a salary cap is if clubs are required to honour it. And if penalties are imposed for a breach, the purpose is for punishment and reform."
Luckhurst-Smith said South Adelaide's letter asked the SANFL three questions including whether it would ban Norwood from recruiting from rival SANFL clubs in 2014, what sanctions would replace the changes to the penalties and what concessions would be awarded to the Panthers.
Luckhurst-Smith said the answers were "no", "nothing" and "none".
HOW SANFL CLUBS HAVE REPLACED AFL-LISTED PLAYERS:
CENTRAL DISTRICT
Gone: Sam Colquhoun, Ricky Henderson, Jack Osborn
Main signings: Bryce Retzlaff, Ben Mabon, Justin Hoskin, Tim McIntyre
"We haven't been affected quite as much as the other clubs but we had to replace midfielders and a ruckman," general manager Kris Grant said.
"Bryce was delisted by Brisbane at the end of 2012 and played in a Box Hill premiership this year and Ben Mabon is a ruckman from North Melbourne.
"We're looking at another four that we will hopefully be able to announce very shortly.
"It's hard to recruit full stop nowadays. From our point of view, Osborn was injured most of the year and only played a couple, Colquhoun played a bit and Henderson only had a couple but Ian Callinan is a massive loss given the calibre of the player he is."
GLENELG
Gone: Jarryd Lyons, Tom Logan, Cameron Hitchcock, Shaun McKernan
Main signings: Sam Lonergan, Aaron Joseph, Josh Scott, Nathan Stark, Patrick McCarthy
"We had Hitchcock and Tom Logan who late in the season didn't play too many games, but we got McKernan across from South and had Lyons," head of football development Matthew Lokan said.
"We've also had a fair turnaround of our more experienced players with Ben Mules, Jason Davenport and Kane Tenace leaving the footy club so it was a big re-building stage anyway.
"We lost some real quality players and leaders so to have everyone new at the same time probably isn't a bad thing.
"We recruited well, Sam Lonergan and Aaron Joseph bring AFL experience and cover a Logan and Lyons because they're tough, inside midfielders and we get them full-time.
"And to have two AFL sides in the competition shows guys who want to get in the system where you have to be to compete with those guys."
NORTH ADELAIDE
Gone: Lewis Johnston, Andrew Moore, Matthew Wright
Main signings: Jesse O'Brien, Rhys O'Keefe, Corey Grove, Alan Obst, Luke Mitchell
"Our whole emphasis was on replacing our tall forwards. Obviously losing Lewis Johnston, but also Daniel Stewart was delisted and we also lost Tom Langford, Matthew Westhoff, Johnny Boras and Daniel Archer, then Nathan Gordon was drafted," football manager Daryl Wintle said.
"We tried to be selective and cover the losses of the forwardline, but to get Jesse O'Brien and Rhys O'Keefe back as returning juniors to bolster the midfield where Andrew Moore and Matthew Wright played is a good result for the football club.
"We've also gone down the track of keeping opportunities open for the talented juniors coming through our development program."
NORWOOD
Gone: Mitch Grigg, Lewis Stevenson, Brent Renouf
Main signings: James Allan, Callum Bartlett, Alex Forster, Angus Clarke
"To be competitive, the two picks (outside recruiting zone) were vital because we need depth in the midfield," football manager Mark Ross said.
"It's the AFL players that have hurt us, Matt Thomas, Darren Pfeiffer and any guys who would have come back from the Crows and Power - Grigg, Stevensen, are no longer available.
"Having said that, the other clubs don't have them either, but we've also lost 23 players in four years to the national or rookie draft.
"That makes a clear statement to anyone playing at Norwood that you're being watched and have a chance to be drafted, but that doesn't help our stocks."
SOUTH ADELAIDE
Gone: Kyle Hartigan, Mason Shaw, David Mackay
Main signings: Matthew Rose, Brent Macleod, Lachie Boyd
"We've targeted some key position players and depth in our midfield," football manager Neill Sharpe said.
"Hartigan is our biggest loss, he came third in our best-and-fairest but there's no guarantee we would have seen him next year.
"We keep Darcy Hourigan who wasn't drafted and he'll get an opportunity, and Boyd will play key defence."
STURT
Gone: Rory Atkins, Angus Graham, Sam Kerridge, Matthew Jaensch, Brodie Martin, Jack Hombsch
Main signings: Kory Beard, Richard Tambling, Zane Kirkwood, James Watt, Jed Burdin
"For us, given the club's financial situation, we've been fortunate that we've had the AFL-listed players in a sense that we now have to use close to our full salary cap to combat the loss of six or seven blokes," football manager Paul Sandercock.
"It has been difficult but we're confident the guys we've signed will help us cover the loss of some of those players, and we'll also rely heavily on the youngsters who we gave half-a-dozen games to this year.
"With every club being affected there has been a lot more competition out there for signatures, and a lot of clubs chasing the same blokes."
WEST ADELAIDE
Gone: Jason Porplyzia, Rory Laird, Brad Crouch, Robbie Gray, Dom Cassisi
Main signings: Andrew Hayes, Richard Newell
"It wasn't all that big a deal for us given they didn't play much footy for us, and they certainly didn't play in our finals," football manager Andrew Marks said.
"We felt as though we didn't have them realistically, and the finals showed that North got Johnston and Stewart and Norwood got a few back, where as we didn't get any back.
"We feel like we've got a fair few inside mids, where as Richard (Newell) will play more outside for us. He's got amazing endurance and speed.
"With Mangan and Ferguson going interstate and Tippett being drafted, Hayes comes in to replace one of those guys."
WOODVILLE-WEST TORRENS
Gone: Luke Thompson, Jared Petrenko, Brodie Smith, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen, Kane Mitchell, Campbell Heath, Jarrad Redden
Main signings: Michael Wundke, James Boyd, Jacob Templeton, Josh Growden
"If you look at the blokes who played consistently, then really it's only Luke Thompson, Cameron Ellis-Yolmen and Campbell Heath," football manager Trent Hentschel said.
"Jarad Redden before he got injured could be on that list as well, so there are three backmen there which has left us short but we knew that was going to be the case so we had enough time to plan for those losses.
"A key defender was a target of ours and Jacob Templeton fits that bill, then with Lee Staple, Zac Fitzgerald, Aaron Day and Nick Salter all leaving, that left a hole up forward which will be alleviated a bit with a fit Adam Grocke and signing Wundke."