Port Adelaide pushing for national reserves competition, set to leave SANFL by 2025

After Port Adelaide officially took the first steps towards dumping the SANFL to join a national reserves competition, Power CEO Matthew Richardson says it is critical to make the league even.

Nick Moore.

Port Adelaide says the AFL needs to establish a national reserves competition before it and other non-eastern seaboard clubs fall behind.

Power chief executive Matthew Richardson said if the AFL wanted to make the league as “even as it possibly can be” then the second-tier competition needed to be reimagined.

“If you look at the AFL competition there are clubs that we believe have an advantage in terms of talent development for their existing players, as well as future players,” he said.

“And our concern is that if we stay in a structure that we consider to be compromised that will get to a point where it will become a disadvantage for us in terms of how we develop our talent.

“We are saying we need to work with the AFL, because this is really an issue for the AFL in terms of how they are thinking on second-tier competitions around the country.

“I think inevitably the differences are getting bigger and bigger, so I think inevitably the best thing for the game nationally is that there is a national reserves competition and then you can work out what is best for the state leagues and leagues below that.”

Port Adelaide’s Ollie Lord’s puts pressure on Crow Hugh Bond in the SANFL. Picture: Sarah Reed

The AFL has appointed veteran football administrator Geoff Walsh as a consultant as part of the reshaping of the league’s football department.

As part of this he will be reviewing second-tier competitions.

The Power, Adelaide, Fremantle and West Coast are the only AFL sides that aren’t in the expanded VFL following its amalgamation of it and the NEAFL.

The Eagles’ agreement with the WAFL ends at the end of 2024, creating the potential of a national reserves competition beginning as early as 2025.

Port Adelaide recently had another meeting with the AFL where it reaffirmed its desire to join a national reserves competition, should the league establish one.

If they are to leave the SANFL, the SA AFL clubs would have to provide 12-months notice.

In a statement, the SANFL said Port Adelaide still had a contract until 2028 and nothing had changed from the league’s perspective.

“The last discussion we had with the AFL mid year was that an AFL Reserves competition was not a priority,” it said.

“We review the licence conditions that apply to the AFL clubs playing in the SANFL on an annual basis to provide all clubs with an opportunity to be competitive.

“The SANFL competition is considered the best outside of the AFL, and as a League we will continue to balance what’s best for football in South Australia.”

On Thursday Adelaide said it would also explore what competition was best for the development of its players.

“Our club carries a responsibility to our players, coaches, staff, members and supporters to ensure we maximise our chances of sustained success both on and off the field,” the Crows said in a statement.

“While we have a formal commitment to play in the SANFL until 2028, we are always exploring opportunities which enhance player development and ultimately, our high performance outcomes.”

But Richardson said there was no timeline for the Power, it was just hoping to have the conversation around what is the best second-tier competition for its players.

“With Tasmania coming in soon, issues happening in Western Australia the reality is there are 14 clubs at the moment who are operating in a second-tier structure. There are four clubs that are operating in a different second-tier structure and that is the conversation we will continue to have,” he said.

Magpies players run onto the field during ahead of the SANFL elimination final in September. Picture: David Mariuz/SANFL

“I’m not going to put a timeline on it, what we would like though … our role is to make sure we are providing an environment that gives our best players the best chance to develop and perform at AFL level and there are 14 clubs that are operating in a very different structure to the one we are in.

“We have been having this conversation in one form or another for a couple of years, we met recently with the AFL and there were a number of strategic priorities that we discussed with them and second-tier competitions were one of those.”

Under current SANFL rules, AFL-listed players must be picked ahead of SANFL-contracted players at selection, meaning that Adelaide and Port Adelaide must play its youth every week.

There are also restrictions on who the teams can attract as “top-up” players with community footballers usually parachuted in to plug gaps.

Additionally, with no junior teams available to the two clubs, father-son and Next Generation Academy products are forced to play for rival clubs where selection isn’t guaranteed.

Richardson said it was important the AFL addressed the second-tier situation.

“The AFL competition is one of the most equalised professional sports leagues in the world,” he said.

“You look at all the measures across the league that are used to drive equalisation. The AFL has done an incredible job when you look at the competition and how close it is.

“But you look at NGA academies in Queensland and NSW and the talent that is starting to come out of those academies, you look at father/son rules that are different from club to club and state to state and second tier competitions are a part of that.

“It is fundamentally more about if the AFL are serious about equalisation second tier competitions have to be a part of that.”

Port makes shock push to leave SANFL

– Scott Gullan

Port Adelaide has officially started the first steps towards dumping the SANFL in preference for a national reserves competition.

The AFL confirmed on Wednesday night the Power had approached the league about joining the elite second tier competition, potentially as early as 2025.

“Port has made an initial approach about the second tier competition,” an AFL spokesman said.

The issue has been a hot topic in Adelaide with Power chairman David Koch further fuelling speculation at the club’s best and fairest count last month.

“The two AFL clubs (including Adelaide) play under different rules to the other SANFL clubs which makes success difficult and frankly, has a detrimental impact on the development of our AFL players,” Koch said.

“No other AFL clubs have this imposition on their player development. It is an issue we are working to solve in the near future one way or another, and we will solve it.

“We need to be in the best second tier competition which allows us to develop our players.”

David Koch says Port Adelaide’s player development in the SANFL is an issue. Picture: Jonathan Ng

It would be a dramatic move by Port given the Magpies have been the most dominant force in the country’s oldest league since its inception in 1877.

The AFL is keen to have a full national reserves league which would force both WA clubs to remove themselves from the WAFL with Port and Adelaide cutting their ties with the SANFL.

Under current SANFL rules, AFL-listed players must be picked ahead of SANFL-contracted players at selection, meaning that Adelaide and Port Adelaide must play their youth every week.

If the clubs’ have a young demographic on their primary list, it means that they are mostly uncompetitive against the mature bodies at other state league clubs.

Additionally, with no junior teams available to the SANFL’s AFL-licensed clubs, father-son and Next Generation Academy products are forced to play for rival clubs where selection isn’t guaranteed.

Cameron Sutcliffe leads Port Adelaide out for a match this year. Picture: Sarah Reed

The push for a national second tier competition comes off the back of the successful amalgamation of the VFL and NEAFL which was highlighted by the Gold Coast Suns winning the premiership.

West Coast has led the way on pushing for change with Eagles CEO Trevor Nisbett telling WAFL club presidents that the Eagles would consider moving to a national reserves competition in the future.

The news comes as the WAFL plans to make more list concessions for the struggling Eagles, who have finished bottom in each of their last three seasons.

A move into a national second-tier would allow the club to play under the same rules as the other AFL clubs, and potentially aid in the development of a young West Coast list.

Originally published as Port Adelaide pushing for national reserves competition, set to leave SANFL by 2025