Zebs to continue as Saints' affiliate

[WellardSaint]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-08-04/f ... ear-hiatus

Frankston joins the North Melbourne reserves as new teams in the competition for 2018, with Werribee to be a standalone club.

St Kilda and Sandringham's alignment will continue, meaning there will be 16 clubs in the competition next year.

Sigh of relief heard at Belvedere Park.

Having 16 teams means the fixture won't be as messy as this year;
I think Zebs played the Filth in Rds 3 and 7, Coburg in Rds 5 and 10
and the VFL season started 15 April, where the AFL Rd 1 was 23 March.

[Sainternist]

Yep, good news. I think our affiliation with Sandy annoyed the likes of CityWest. Another reason to like it

[thejiggingsaint]

I thought I heard an item on the SEN " sports central" segment this week, that Sandy had put in a request to withdraw from its affiliation with the Saints, and that the AFL had knocked them back?

[saint-stu]

North Melbourne can afford reserves and we can't?

[Jacks Back]

North Melbourne can afford reserves and we can't?

And they don't have any poker machines.

[thejiggingsaint]

North Melbourne can afford reserves and we can't?

And they don't have any poker machines.

Interesting. It doesn't seem all that long ago, that North were an absolute basket case financially. At one stage contemplating a relocation to the Gold Coast!

[WellardSaint]

North Melbourne can afford reserves and we can't?

Perhaps, maybe the club is spending money on RSEA Park at Linton St, and that's a big dollar mission.
Just one suggestion

[GregPackhamsHeadband]

Bugger!

[thejiggingsaint]

North Melbourne can afford reserves and we can't?

Perhaps, maybe the club is spending money on RSEA Park at Linton St, and that's a big dollar mission.
Just one suggestion

Good point companero! I must admit to feeling a wee bit concerned that Sandy want out of our affiliation arrangement. I'm of the opinion that the Saints admin want to have a stand-alone reserves side, but have put this on the back burner while Moorabbin is redeveloped. To have a stand alone reserves side playing out of Moorabbin is a great strategy, but it could be a matter of just taking it one step at a time?

[Con Gorozidis]

Seems pointless to have all three of Sandy, Frankston and Saints reserves. A 16 team comp seems sufficient.
More sides will just disperse the talent pool and create some really weak VFL sides.

[WellardSaint]

Seems pointless to have all three of Sandy, Frankston and Saints reserves. A 16 team comp seems sufficient.
More sides will just disperse the talent pool and create some really weak VFL sides.

The loss of the development league is a strange one.
Will one or two extra clubs dilute the VFL, or are there lots of Tier 2 (dev) players that are good enough for VFL but can't squeeze in?
I have no idea, and there would be a lot of VFL officials who would argue one or other.

[skeptic]

Happy to continue with Sandy

Good outcome