If that was allowed there could be many trophies going North!

Whyalla have entered an Under 14 girls team this year in the Div 1 competetion. As for an iron triangle team, the idea has been discussed between the associations but that is as far as it has gone so far. Its a top notion though.

that would be a great idea. The only question is, would metro allow it?????

THe trophies presented to the winners say - Champion Club not Champion Association. The two groups under discussion are association teams with capture areas and player numbers greater than some of the local Club. Also the local Clubs play their regular players where the associations can pick the biggest, strongest and oldest group. Local Clubs can have kids who are just 13 depending on there birthdate playing in under 16 while the associations can have the majority kids who are 15 and 11 months playing. Not a level playing field.
Same thing happens with Classics. Dandenong is a rep team of the huge Dandenong Association. I understand that the Dandenong Association is larger than BASA. THat is the same as South Aust playing their State team at the classics. When our Club teams do well at the classics then they are really doing EXTREMLY well.

I have been out of touch with the junior competition for a while so my knowledge is a bit old. However several years ago (5?) country players only had to be in the age group at the time of the competition. If a kid turned 16 on the day after the competition then they could play U16. If that has changed then so be it. But it does not alter the fact that local teams play their regular players with a wide age group while rep teams can pick older, stronger players. The difference is most noticable in U16 girls. A local Club team with several 'just 13yo girls' playing against a rep team where all of the players are 'almost 16yo young women'is not a level playing field. There is large difference in the physical development of a 'just 13yo' to an 'almost 16yo'

i believe the riverland and barossa associations are having serious discussions about combining as well - aka limestone coast style for 2007 as well

The country association idea is a good idea but how are you going to do it? Could you field sides in all grades? I think not!That means Boys and Girls! We have found it hard with just one boys side (16 boys) with country kids and their commitment to all sports in the winter, eg: footy, soccer, hockey etc. See my point. Just leave it to the sides that are good enough to compete. Just be proud of the country sides effort to compete in the competion. It doesnt happen every day that sides have exceptional talent and size in one side.
I think all ideas such this is good but you really need to look at the big picture. By the way, GO PIRIE PANTHERS.

yep game at the dome should be a cracker. Will either be good or bad for Norwood. For Pirie it will be all good cose we got nothing to lose. Just bragging rights.

yep game at the dome should be a cracker. Will either be good or bad for Norwood. For Pirie it will be all good cose we got nothing to lose. Just bragging rights.

how about grading the stoners - should they be in state next year?

if the country crews push the competition harder - why not include them?


if you look at adelaid 1.1 mill - with 10 clubs - approx 110,000 per slub ratio

mt gambier 30,000, millicent 9,000, naracoorte 8,000 - plus a scattering of another 5-10,000 in that area - still means adelaide has more ratio per club.

i am all for it

however there is a legality - that it is the "champion club" - however the country crews can register their group as a "club" (claytons' club) or the junior committee can override this and allow dispensation


an iron triangle and barossa / riverland representative teams would do well and
warrent joining state in some grades

lets not get too carried away, they already have the country champs a couple motns before state champs.

anon 81523 Good at talk, but results?
I think you have been lost in your own dream. Sure the hype was there to do well but in the end the experience and development the kids got you cant buy. The results spoke for themselves, they just needed to be tested and that they did and they will benifit from it because they havent being out of 2nd gear all year. I must congats to Arnie for being so well organised and he was a pleasure to deal with.

When it comes to Port Pirie's representation at the State Country Championships it was be absurd for a individual club to be expected to enter into a divsion on their own.

In my club for u16 Boys, we were just able to scratch together 5 legal aged players & up filling the team with 2 top age u14 boys & 1 bottom age u14 boy. We are currently sitting second with 9 wins & 3 losses.
Our entire u16 competition consists of just 6 teams, which is equal to a playing number of just 48 players then you take my 3 u14's out of it = 45 & on average each team would consist of 1 u14 development player so exclude another 5 players from the toal availability & you would have 40 players to select a team of 10 combined representatives who would then be competing against Adelaide clubs who probably turn away 40 players who would make a country representative side.

Think about the numbers guys..... It's no different to the Olympics America has how ball players nationally to select from & how many does Australia have? Yet we are competitive.....