well done to the woodville girls team. very big step up from even last year i would think. great job girls

They didn't, the poster must have just missed them. South did miss out though, as 2 NSW teams are heading over.

6 in under 12 girls - that is deep

yes well done woodville

es[pecially in u18 girls - they have only won 2 or 3 games the last couple of seasons there

what happened to norwood in u16 girls

Pity South U18B didn't make it as they were the only team to beat Sturt (State Champs) on the weekend.

Too many teams out of their depth and will be absolutely flogged. Is the Classic tournament starting to loose it gloss as so many SA teams have been invited, and honestly, some should not be going. i realize everybody wants to get there, but the question is are you better taking your team to the Nunawading tournament and being competitive, or, take your team to the Classics and get flogged and not gain a lot out of it.

Norwood girls did not nominate. Injuries?

In the Know

That comment almost sounds the same as promotion/relegation. I agree with you. Classics is for teams that are going to be competitive.

I don't know about pro/rel but i think if Victoria want to maintain prestige at this event they can't just take anyone. I am not having a go at anyone here but Southern in 14 boys who sit third bottom here, Woodville 18 and 12 girls sit down the table, are all going to struggle big time, (I could be proven wrong), and thought one of the best things at our States champs is that making the top 4 meant the team had earn the right to play over there. Seems that doesn't matter anymore and anyone can go. A lot of interstate teams including Tasmania were there last year, and have not come back. Is the reason teams are not competing because money is getting tighter or in the 16s comp, is it because 16 nationals are 2 weeks later.

SA are always likely to get up to 6 teams in U12s & U14s because ACT don't bring teams over, which opens up an extra spot.

You're not going to get 16 teams that are at the same level. The gap from 1st to 8th in Vic is likely to be nearly as pronounced as the gap from 1st to 5th/6th here. Yes, our 5th & 6th ranked sides are probably on a hiding to nothing, but who should go in their place? 9th & 10th from Vic?

If the option is available, then I think an SA team is better off going to Classics, playing tougher opponents, and getting an idea of what it's like to compete at the higher-end of the sport than play a 2nd-tier competition at Nunawading.

ITK,

Well, in those cases, you're probaby right... if you're 3rd to bottom in SA, Classics probably isn't for you. In those cases, it's fun to laugh at those clubs. :)

But there are competitions where it's very competitive right down to 5th & 6th spot, and in those cases, if a team is accepted into Classics despite missing top 4 at States, then I believe they're better off going.

Re : "anyone can go" - that's not entirely true. See South U18 boys. State Champs results still matter. It would have been interesting had South defeated Norwood for 5th place to see if they accepted the top 5 from State Champs, or given Norwood preference for being Summer Premiers. Technically, I think any team below top 4 are "wildcards" and only fill in spots if they're available.

re: Classics 2006 (#82296)

"In the Know"

did you ever consider that the experience of going to the classics and the development of the players is just as important as the results. the woodville U18 girls finished 6th in the state champs and there where 5 teams going, norwood pulled out. i think its going to do nothing but good for the girls.

didnt west 18 boys finish high enough 2 make it 2 classics..?

Norwood u18 girls have NOT pulled out of classics

Woodville Balla

Weat 18 Boys? Is that a joke? They are terrible!!

I'm not sure that the crossover situation is correct as stated. Some posters have said that if we win our group in 12's and 16's that we will likely crossover with Vic 1 (Werribee in 12's and Sandringham in 16's, both good but beatable!).

However last year in 14's we went as the 2nd seed, won our group, QF and crossed over with Dandenong who were Vic 1. West Adelaide were SA 1 and they won every game and crossed over against Melbourne (Vic 2).

I think you will find that if SA 1 and Vic 1 win all their games they will not meet until the final. That means (unless I am mistaken) that if all goes according to plan the 12's will crossover with Knox who they beat in OT at Eltham. The winner of that game (another epic encounter expected?) will likely get Weribee in the final.

Yes my mistake, but I still think that SA 1 and Vic 1 are on opposite sides of the draw if they win their group. From memory Norwood came down with some injuries and didn't make top 8. West finished 2nd in their group, beat the top side from Norwood's group and ended up in the position Norwood (as SA 1) would have been in.

My belief was that SA 1 (in group D) would cross over in the QF with 2nd from group B (this is assuming SA 1 win their pool), then they would cross with the winner of the group A 1st/group C 2nd QF (Vic 1 is in group A) in the semi. I think this is because going by the 1st line of seedings, this would mean the 1st seed plays the 4th seed in 1 semi, while 2nd plays the 3rd in the other. Of course SA 1 is technically the 5th seed, so in making it the to semi, they'd be taking the 4th seeds place.

That was my understanding, and I could very well be wrong. I'm sure we'll all find out soon enough when they release the draw.