NTFA: Parrots continue push for premier league inclusion
Bridgenorth hopes there’s still time to convince officials they deserve to be included in next year’s inaugural NTFA Premier League. Read the basis behind their push to get a seat at the table.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Bridgenorth coach Oliver Cook has urged AFL Tasmania not to slam the door shut on their desire to be in the NTFA Premier League, adamant there’s time to convince them they should be included.
The Parrots were considered by many to be the unluckiest club to miss the cut in the inaugural six-team competition, which will begin next year.
Cook believes the club meets the majority of criteria, on-field and off, and hopes the governing body can be convinced there’s room for more than six teams in the top division.
Cook stressed the club doesn’t want any teams pushed out who have already had their submissions rubber stamped. Scottsdale, Deloraine, Longford and South Launceston will join current TSL teams North Launceston and Launceston in the league.
“We think we’re in a really good spot to be in that competition, but it looks like there’s not going to be much budging there,” Cook said.
“In a best-case scenario we’d love for them to say we’ll open it up for one or two more teams, and I think we can (show we can).
“I don’t think we have a shield across all the grades but us, Longford and South Launceston would be up there.
“All those three clubs are setting the standards in terms of moving forward and progressing, but unfortunately we’re the ones who have been left out.
“We don’t want to create a fight, we just want to be included and recognised for the work everyone has put in at our footy club. We still feel like there is time for that to happen.”
Cook said they had worked hard to improve their off-field structure and support systems for players and staff.
“We’ve got a full time physio, a full time exercise physiologist, we’re leading the way with Premier Data where all games are filmed and cut up for vision and stats.
“We have a club welfare coordinator as well as a club councillor, so we’re very well structured in the mental health space.
“Financially we’re strong, we’ve got good sponsorship and income to cope with the step up. We’re unfunded and completely sustainable.”
The Parrots are also walking the walk on field. They sit fourth on the NTFA premier men’s division ladder, third in reserves, their women are unbeaten and the under-18s second.
“We’ve got really strong 18s numbers, I think we have 96 players across three (male) teams and had 12 players missing out on reserves last weekend,” Cook said.
“We’ve built our program to be really strong across our three men’s grades and our women, depending on what metrics you look at, it’s almost the leading women’s program in the state if you’re looking at NTFA and state rep selections.”
Cook said their improved set up allowed them to convince star recruits like Jake Hinds and Ryan Tyrell to join the club this year.
“I coached the D-League at Launceston when Jake and Ryan were young senior players coming through,” he said.
“We’ve been exposed to what it looks like to not be successful, to build towards that and the structures you need to do that,” he said.
“It’s the 18 or 19 year olds that take the money, it’s the 24 to 28 guys that ask how else are you supporting me.
“A few hundred dollars isn’t going to change their life, but a good environment, culture and structure is.
“That’s the path we went down and that’s why we were able to sign these guys. We had a plan and structure in place that suited them, and that they were familiar with.”
A couple of the major reasons Bridgenorth didn’t make the Premier League cut was their proximity to Launceston Football Club, as well as the fact they don’t have juniors from under-11 to under-16s.
But Cook believes the club is well placed to overcome those obstacles.
“Legana is one of the biggest growth areas in Tasmania. They’ve just invested $34 million to build a brand new primary school, and you don’t do that unless there’s significant population growth forecast in the area,” he said.
“We’re not officially aligned with the Tamar Demons but it is in the West Tamar region, and a lot of the Demons do come up from their under 16s to our under 18s program.”
After booting nine goals in a win at Deloraine in late April, Hinds felt the Parrots were untitled to be felt hard done by.
“I think the club did everything they could to be a part of the premier league. I think it’s fair enough they’re disappointed to miss out,” he said.
“I’ve only been there five minutes, but walking in the door I’d say they deserve to be in that premier league competition.
“With the 18s, the women, the reserves, they get a good crowd at every game, it’s a pretty good organisation.
“They’ve got welfare people in place, strength and conditioning coaches and all the roles filled. It’s pretty professional for an NTFA club.”