SA punters not happy

General
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Looks like the afl have got right up their noses, and rightly so, WA clubs were lucky…this year. Maybe every state league punter should send a similar letter to them, flood them!

Stolen from the outerseagull-

Interesting post on a SANFL page

WAFL clubs got lucky this midseason draft and weren’t raided.

Mid-Season Draft - Draft Letter written from an SANFL perspective directed toward AFL administrators and clubs.

To the AFL Commission, AFL Clubs, and AFL Administrators,

We write to you not in opposition to the AFL, but in defence of the SANFL competition, its clubs, its supporters, and its long-standing football culture that continues to play a vital role in Australian football.

We understand the purpose of the AFL Mid-Season Draft. We understand that AFL clubs face injuries, list pressures, and the need for flexibility throughout a demanding season. We also understand that every SANFL player dreams of an AFL opportunity, and no one within our league wishes to deny players the chance to reach the highest level.

However, what appears from the AFL perspective as a practical list-management tool is having a deeply damaging effect on SANFL clubs and the integrity of our competition.

The SANFL is not simply a holding ground for AFL recruitment. It is one of the oldest and proudest football competitions in Australia. Our clubs are built on generations of history, volunteers, members, local communities, and fierce rivalries that existed long before the AFL became a national competition.

When the Mid-Season Draft removes players from SANFL clubs during the heart of our season, the damage extends far beyond a player leaving for opportunity.

SANFL clubs spend months building their lists, structures, leadership groups, and game plans. Coaches shape systems around key players. Teammates build chemistry and trust. Supporters invest emotionally in their clubs and their premiership campaigns.

Then, midway through the season, clubs can suddenly lose a key defender, leading goal kicker, ruckman, or midfield leader overnight, with no meaningful ability to replace them.

AFL clubs may gain depth and injury cover, but SANFL clubs lose stability, continuity, and often their premiership aspirations.

Unlike AFL clubs, SANFL teams do not have the financial resources, reserves of depth, or recruiting reach to simply replace elite talent immediately. One player lost through the Mid-Season Draft can fundamentally alter the direction of an entire season.

This creates an imbalance where SANFL clubs carry the burden of developing and supporting players, while AFL clubs receive the benefit at the most critical point of the year.

The emotional impact on supporters must also be understood. SANFL supporters do not view their clubs as temporary feeder systems. They view them as proud football institutions with their own identities, histories, and premiership ambitions.

When players are removed mid-season, many supporters feel the SANFL is being treated as secondary to AFL interests rather than as a respected competition deserving protection in its own right.

We are not asking the AFL to remove opportunity from players. We are asking for balance, respect, and acknowledgement of the consequences being imposed on state league competitions.

There are reasonable compromises that deserve serious consideration, including:

• Compensation mechanisms for SANFL clubs losing players mid-season;

• Replacement recruiting windows for affected clubs;

• Limits on the number of players recruited from one SANFL club;

• Greater consultation with SANFL clubs and administrators before future expansion of the system.

The SANFL remains a critical part of Australian football’s foundation. It develops players, coaches, administrators, volunteers, and communities that continue to strengthen the game nationally.

But a foundation cannot remain strong if it is continually weakened to serve the needs of the level above it.

We ask the AFL to recognise that protecting the health and integrity of state leagues is not separate from protecting Australian football, it is essential to it.

Respectfully,

Supporters, Members, Volunteers, Players, and Clubs of the SANFL

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Pretty much Nails it and is just as much applicable to the WAFL as well.

Unfortunately,there doesn’t seem to be quite the same level of passion here,defending the competition.

Indeed,it seems from even surprising quarters of WA Football,that we are just a breeding ground for the AFL,rather than a Legitimate,Good State League Competition.

That line of thinking rubs off on Public Perceptions and people tend to take the easy way out and not attend,despite a Day at WAFL being Far cheaper than one at an AFL Game.

They also don’t follow through on their so called anti “Victorian AFL”feelings by supporting a WAFL Club,not even their own Reserves Teams.

Last Sunday was an Appalling Example of that!

We dodged a Bullet when AFL Clubs didn’t pick players DIRECTLY out of Our State League Competition.

The SANFL Clubs copped Several,especially Woodville/West Torrens.They Wonyesterday after a Bad Loss to a Top Side last week.

But losing 3 players at once in May is going to take it’s toll and I wish someone with Real Legal Nous in Trade Practices or something along those lines,could put an Injunction on the msd,to FORCE the AFL to come to the table to at least Compensate Various Competition Clubs a Great Deal more than they do!

We’re talking $20 Grand Transfer Fees or more,Reasonable,but not excessive that should convince the AFL NOT to raid other Competitions at this time of year,without giving something more back!

Good Letter,but I fear the AFL will just blow it off,so the next step is a Legal One,such as an INJUNCTION on the msd!

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In the game’s days before the AFL and having 2 player interchange benches:

was there a mid season draft? - no

did clubs bitch and moan about their plight? - no

did a season run it’s course? - yes

did clubs manage their load? - yes

was football tougher and more harsh in comparison? - oh yes by far

The VFL is a weak , ordinary , jelly-like parody that cannot sustain itself past the next week’s TV show

It has become a parasite that eats everything in it’s path due to selling itself to TV so that it’s executives can have their multi-million dollar salaries for jobs that do not exist in the real world scheme of life

Drafts outside of the regular avenues should only ever be state by state - ie: WA organisations only allowed to take from WA , SA organisations only allowed to take from SA and so on

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Even there,if they don’t come to the Table,I’d put an INJUNCTION on THEM too!

After all,they’re only really Franchises as opposed to Clubs,as their own members can’t have much say on which direction they think their Supposed Club goes!

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Pretty much spot on Southy with all of the above. But I will add despite all of the points you have listed football has never been at a poorer standard than it currently is across every level and considering the afl dilutes every level for all of its talent and yet is still ordinary says a lot about where the game is at and is going……..

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The poor , confused , over-complicated , lack of clear standard is solely due to the never- ending stream of rule changes mate

It has become a Victorian play thing due to compromised administrators that are biased and purchased by Victorians

They’ve even purchased a newspaper here in WA that is only good enough to spew out daily tripe about one player and just about every single human in WA that takes in oxygen knows who that will be

The game has been reduced to warped compromised multi-drafts and now yet another new team (Tasmania) that has been given ultimatums to trade , and pay up to 5 million outside the rulebook , for other club’s Players because there are next to no ready-made players anymore

There still remains 5 to 6 , and probably more , fake teams that require financial consideration every single year just so Victoria can keep it false competition alive

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Yep if they wanted to bring in a side from Tassie it should have been a merger with one of the vicco leaches

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Mate they should be reducing teams not adding more as the standard is ordinary as it is with 18 sides, god help us all when they bring in TASSIE and then the inevitable 20th team!

Less and less male teenagers are playing the proper game, dont be fooled by the afl/wafc figures that now include female, veterans, integrated and every other category they can get their hands on to make the figures look better than the real number that feed and fuel senior football - teenage boys!

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and that leads Captain Hanky , Mr I don’t do bad press I simply issue statements on my own websites Dillon , to India

India is the new frontier I tell you

after New Zealand

China

USA

Great Britain

and every other dead end the mighty Victoria has slinked to

And the latest wonderful socially gorgeous Alcohol Ad that tells us about the 1368 people have been premiership players so quickly get out and get you some of that and you’ll be one of 3 champions to get a ticket to something deceptively Victorian

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Yes mate I recon almost 50% of the current players are duds, hence why there are so many shit teams atm

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You forget,there are 3 sets of AFL CENTRIC SUITS that dance to HMV(His Master’s Voice).

West Coast,Fremantle and the WA Football Commission.It isn’t just a Victorian thing.

Add the ones from Adelaide Crows and Port as well.There’s no doubting what an infernal Pest the AFL Commission is,but you don’t Seriously think the suits in the 4 AFL Clubs,West of Nhill are out to do State League Football any Major Favours,do you?!

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purchased in the early 2000’s Grassy

The bloated salaries that individuals like Nisbett gorged on would have vaporised if they stood up and actually did something - and besides there were serious drug issues to be hidden which was the ultimate compromise here in WA

If you or anyone believes that these CEO’s and their ridiculous pay packets will stand up or would have then you really need assistance

It’s far too late and the TV contracts have bundled up everything beautifully as far as Victoria is concerned

The state is that far past bankruptcy it simply cannot trade in it’s own name legally - and hence the TV rights and socially irresponsible adverts

They can’t even act on racial vilification in the event it’s proven true as in the case of one of their darling untouchables who also had player(s) on a drugs charge in the USA

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Don’t doubt much of what you just said,but I’ll add We also had a Western Australian at the head of the AFL for years,but didn’t really do much for the WAFL as far as I know.

He might claim otherwise,but it hasn’t really made much difference for the betterment of the WAFL.

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well he certainly didn’t invent Gold Coast , Greater Western who gives a rat’s , and something that that will bankrupt Tasmania within 5 years if it isn’t already

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Actually the other thing he didn’t do was ruin Port Adelaide FC to the point that they do not even have a colts side and barely survive from year to year now without serious assistance measures internally

Civil war still rages to this day over the Victorian journey

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At the end of the day these clowns all have reserve sides, poach from there

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Well that was certain Port Power SUIT,one D.Koch who took them in the direction he did and is still doing.

The REAL Port Adelaide Died at his hands and in the process,had several Magpie Supporters quit in disgust,or sending a further message to Power in doing the unthinkable and joining up with Norwood.

Something that NEVER would have happened before!

Never Tear Us Apart?

What a Joke line that is by Power.

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We could really do with a Visit by SA Matt in this thread’

He’ll bring us up to Speed on SANFL matters!

Where are you Matt?

The Welcome Mat(pardon the pun)awaits your good self!

:slightly_smiling_face:

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Thing is DG, if that’s what the AFL sides are made to do due to a WAFL and SANFL revolt….then the better players from each of those leagues, who harbour desires of playing AFL, will head over to the VFL to play for alignment teams. Look at young Artemis, played in a WAFL premiership side in 2025, heads to play in the VFL for Tassie……and now on an AFL list.

Can’t blame players for wanting to play at the highest level, and set themselves up financially if successful……EF out of all the WA clubs over the last 2-4 years have been burnt the most…..lost 3 players 2 weeks before the season started in 2022, lost 2 ruckman to MSD in consecutive years, plus their premier mid this year, plus another promising forward this year as well.

You can’t stop players from getting an opportunity to better themselves, but any player losses in a SSP or MSD to the AFL, should be recompensed $50K minimum for the hardship/disruption to the club affected. Losing them for nothing, just adds further salt to the wound.

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Yes Freeze it has to be a monetary solution no doubt about it. 50-100k

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