Dude its like at the Australian championships, NZ has a team entered it happans all over the place.

Because its closer to Adelaide then Sydney that is why. I believe was the reason behind it.

Broken Hill is on SA time, gets our ABC radio, gets the Advertiser and is closer in ties to Adelaide than Sydney. In lots of ways we are lucky to get them because some do decide to go to Vic Country thru Mildura. Let's face it, a kid who is that dedicated to do the travel involved is made of the right stuff. Now Mt Barker being country, that's another story!

Mumps you are exactly right! i agree mt barker should definately be considered metro! and CONGRATULATIONS to the kids from broken hill who are dedicated to do the travel involved with being part of SA country.

Gold!

Under the original plans of federation it was required that all men would wear bowler hats, starched collars and button up boots, but hey... times are a changing. Let NSW look after Broken Hill and give another SA kid a chance to play for SA.

Horsham is not to far away either, where does it stop. Prehaps NSW is just not willing to look after Broken Hill, that aint our problem!

"I was just looking around on the net and I noticed that Broken Hill is infact in NSW."

Anyone who knows ther geography knows BH are in NSW!

Broken Hill contribute a lot to SA Country basketball. Some of the best coaches, players and referees in the past decade are from that little mining village.
Bravo!

Well I heard a rumor that the Australian Government was going to build a bridge from Victoria to Tasmania. So the mainland can use it as a car park.

(#129890) I understand this; however lets face it, they are from NSW and a NSW association should be looking after them. Yeah sure they may have contributed heaps both in personell and financial terms; they would want to seeing as they are interstaters!

Sorry, SA country should mean SA Country, not NSW Country, or Mt Barker or Eastern Hills.

so by Mount Barker being made metro we are giving less kids the opportunity to represent state? There are more chances to make state. This would also make SA Country weaker? How can all of this be beneficial?????????

South east, I don't think that making Mt Barker metro would decrease the chances of fewer kids getting representative spots as it would just be a redistribution and others would get opportunities.
Where would you send the Broken Hills girls for their opportunities? Sydney?
I'm as far from a country fan as you can get but in the case of kids from broken Hills and places of similar distances I am one hundred percent behind them and Im in awe of their dedication to the sport.
Apart from those who have done a trip like this regularly, most couldn't possiby understand the issues that these kids and their parents face. They need and deserve our support.
What continues to amaze me is that places 25 to 30 minutes away and which are in every way metro are stll zoned country and this is laughable.
These kids from our suburbs play district and get the benefits of that comp plus get rep opportunities a little to easy when you consider the far country areas where kids don't get the opportuity to play in the district comp, dont develop as much and miss the rep chances because of it.
I know country take two team in every age group to Albury but the nationals, which is one team, is made up almost exclusively by country kids who play in the district comp.
I'd argue country need more development officers and more camps in bush.

South East, it would seem the only people not supporting Mt Barker being rezoned as metro are people with an interest in it.

Time for that to change. Your argument that it would make SA Country weaker just does not make sense. Would you not agree that by being rezoned metro it would give the kids from Mt Barker a chance to make the Metro squad, which for the moment seems stronger than country, and this by defult would give those same kids a chance to prove themselves against the best this state has? Would this not then give other country kids in other areas a chance to crack the SAC squad?

Or are you just happy that these kids have a chance to make a rep squad?

Ditch SA Country taking a NSW town under it's wing and be an association for ALL South Australian's. We dont need NSW kids in our squad to make us feel good about what we are doing, do we?

I think that the broken hill kids are most deserving of their places in SA country! with all of the travelling that these kids have to do it shows that they are committed and dedicated! Broken Hill bring alot of competition to our carnivals and are very supportive of SA country and I think that we need to show them that same support back! Good luck to the Broken Hill kids that are in the nationals squads and I hope you all make the final team!

#057,
I don't think too many are confused with the Mount Barker/Mavericks thing.
I think its safe to say almost all the kid at Mavericks come from around the Mt Barker area and some from Murray Bridge or near towns.
Not too many that I am aware of come from the plains. By comparison, a heap of Mt Barker and environs kids play for Sturt, Southern and even norwood which is a great shame for Mavericks.
Maybe country needs to develop zones for country areas to foster
development so that the district clubs could have some certainty in developing their talent rather than it being open season.
Each district club should be assigned a geographical zone and be responsible for developing the
country players in that zone and in turn those players would need to play for that district club if they came to town to play district.

Geographical zone may not work given the great distances and low population involved. eg Murraylands compared with iron triangle. The Broken Hill / NSW / SAC division is interesting,in the past they have had it both ways,SAPSASA kids represent NSW and then 2 months later step up to play for SA, so it is time a clear division is made and IMO it is SA that they should be affiliated with due to distance etc and keeping players involved in the game and giving them opportunities to strive to play at a high level if they chose.
#026 sums it up , these are very dedicated people who sacrifice heaps to play ball.

Here's a question: Should Mildura be allowed to compete in SA Country Champs? That's more of a problem then Broken Hill.