RDFL 2016 Season discussion

[Doona2]

Unfortunately, only Brett Chambers and Kev stayed back with a few of the older club supporters, no other senior player stuck around which was pretty disappointing.

We've had a rough old year no doubt, but we've prided ourselves on doing the right thing by our opposition sides and will continue to do so.

Was great that the two field umpires were there for an hour, great to have a good chat with them and get some feedback.

And no, haven't done much in the deleting department this week

Welcome back old mate, now all I want is a good old fashioned OMNI post and I'll be one happy chappy.

 

[inerclacker]

Mate when they're now getting upwards of $600-700 a game ($1k in some cases) as well as earning a weekly wage footy aint the be all and end all anymore.

Agreed however if clubs are willing to commit that kind of $$$ it would be frustrating if it cost them a finals spot or reserves a finals spot!!! I guess it's just the way of the footy world these days. I would hope they give the club the heads up when they sign on!!!

 

[inerclacker]

Unfortunately, only Brett Chambers and Kev stayed back with a few of the older club supporters, no other senior player stuck around which was pretty disappointing.

We've had a rough old year no doubt, but we've prided ourselves on doing the right thing by our opposition sides and will continue to do so.

Was great that the two field umpires were there for an hour, great to have a good chat with them and get some feedback.

And no, haven't done much in the deleting department this week

Good on you and your boys for sticking it out week in week out buddy!!! I hope yours and the clubs fortunes turn around in the near future! Ps stop hassling your brother he is as past it as you and I

 

[jim boy]

I hope yours and the clubs fortunes turn around in the near future!

Rockbank will be right, will struggle for a few years, but the league have talked about the strategic importance of Rockbank, the likely growth of the surrounding area and the need to keep the club established.

 

[Doona2]

Rockbank will be right, will struggle for a few years, but the league have talked about the strategic importance of Rockbank, the likely growth of the surrounding area and the need to keep the club established.

WRFL may think the same

 

[Keston]

WRFL may think the same

Agree doona
1. distance re travel is less vs going to broadford , wallan ,etc
2. drawing player pool is greater Werribee district is the biggest growth area in the Southern Hemisphere ....
3. potential sponsorship coverage area has merit industrie is massive in the west
and ability to play div 3 or 2 with success ongoing is more lucrative
Would be interested to know what the benefits are staying in the rdfl

Any thoughts

 

[jim boy]

WRFL may think the same

That is the danger for the league - they do not want to lose Rockbank. Short term, ie next year, they will probably get a pretty generous points allocation and salary cap relief, but they will need money obviously. Not sure what the league can do there. After next year, the changes from the big review of the league kick in.

 

[AFLL]

With so many clubs in the immediate area as said before, just so tough for them to recruit and the development in Rockbank is ten + years off having an immediate effect on their club. They do not have juniors, so that's an entire junior club to be developed before it impacts senior level. Majority of recruits appear to have been from the Western region so got to ask why would a player playing western region footy no matter what the division, who travels no more than 30 minutes all year round on average travel to Rockbank to then put another 30mins to an hour on their drive to those players Keston mentioned. Unless their is success, there is only 1 reason...$$$$. Tough going, they done a marvelous job just hanging in there. As long as they are still in existence no matter what league is the goal. The league review jimboy has been coming for a long long time, going to be interesting to see how the clubs react to it, especially with the shuffling of second and first division. I know you can't stop progress but gonna be a shame to lose the RDFL community footy that the RDFL clubs built so successfully over the last 10 years.

 

[Keston]

With so many clubs in the immediate area as said before, just so tough for them to recruit and the development in Rockbank is ten + years off having an immediate effect on their club. They do not have juniors, so that's an entire junior club to be developed before it impacts senior level. Majority of recruits appear to have been from the Western region so got to ask why would a player playing western region footy no matter what the division, who travels no more than 30 minutes all year round on average travel to Rockbank to then put another 30mins to an hour on their drive to those players Keston mentioned. Unless their is success, there is only 1 reason...$$$$. Tough going, they done a marvelous job just hanging in there. As long as they are still in existence no matter what league is the goal. The league review jimboy has been coming for a long long time, going to be interesting to see how the clubs react to it, especially with the shuffling of second and first division. I know you can't stop progress but gonna be a shame to lose the RDFL community footy that the RDFL clubs built so successfully over the last 10 years.

Tarniet expansion area is heading towards rockbank no more than 12-15 minutes drive now
the divisions available to attain success until the area has developed say in ten years would insure they can survive
also less $$$ in div 3 wrfl the side they have now would be a top four side.
The rdfl unless all presidents agree can't help them with $$$$$ yes points etc but what's the point if you have no $$$$ ...
If this club is to not go into possible resses in the near future till the new developments have there affect then WRFL div 3 is the best business decision
Better drawing pool better business opurtunity demographically is the correct decision
What of the above benefits does the rdfl offer ?
If I ran a business in rock bank I would be looking into the biggest growth area in the Southern Hemisphere rather than a smaller draw pool just food for thought .....

 

[jim boy]

The rdfl unless all presidents agree can't help them with $$$$$

Which will never happen, the RDFNL could help in other wys such as helping establish sponsorship opportunities and getting people like Aaron Nunn to spend time with the club in generating that as well as promotion in the immediate vicinity, granting of finals matches, potentially also establishing a junior side.

 

[Turbos mail]

Tarniet expansion area is heading towards rockbank no more than 12-15 minutes drive now
the divisions available to attain success until the area has developed say in ten years would insure they can survive
also less $$$ in div 3 wrfl the side they have now would be a top four side.
The rdfl unless all presidents agree can't help them with $$$$$ yes points etc but what's the point if you have no $$$$ ...
If this club is to not go into possible resses in the near future till the new developments have there affect then WRFL div 3 is the best business decision
Better drawing pool better business opurtunity demographically is the correct decision
What of the above benefits does the rdfl offer ?
If I ran a business in rock bank I would be looking into the biggest growth area in the Southern Hemisphere rather than a smaller draw pool just food for thought .....

Interesting discussion. They have been going for a few years now and continue to roll along. Can I ask do they have a good supporter base home & away??

 

[Lemms]

From chatting with the guys there on Sat it appears council does not want Rocky to relocate to the new estate as they have it earmarked for a new start up team - Possibly Eynesbury ??. Sounds terribly unfair to me as they have been working their clacks off to grow the club under trying circumstances for many years.

 

[Halffullonfence]

That is the danger for the league - they do not want to lose Rockbank. Short term, ie next year, they will probably get a pretty generous points allocation and salary cap relief, but they will need money obviously. Not sure what the league can do there. After next year, the changes from the big review of the league kick in.

And these changes would be????

 

[THESPYCRITIC]

And these changes would be????

I'm tipping 2 divisions

 

[Jack_Bauer]

I'm tipping 2 divisions

Might need some more teams then

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[RDFLNUT]

Rockbanks fortunes appeared to have nose dived, did they not finish 6th and be extremely only 18months ago ?

What has changed to find themselves in the position they are ?

All the best to them, hope it turn the other way just as quickly.

 

[THESPYCRITIC]

Might need some more teams then

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Yeah I agree
Possibly some of the Ballarat teams
But I would think teams over in the east wouldn't want to travel 2 hours to play football on a Saturday
I just hope if the Goldfields decide to go that way or 2 divisions then teams like Wallan, Lancefield, Broadford would given the opportunity to look elsewhere

 

[bronco88]

Might need some more teams then

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I think it's only a matter of time before we see the eastern block sides of the BFL including B/Marsh return to the Rdfl in a 2 division competition.

 

[olly21]

I think it's only a matter of time before we see the eastern block sides of the BFL including B/Marsh return to the Rdfl in a 2 division competition.

I personally don't understand all this eastern ballarat crap. the clubs from melton darley sunbury ect moved away from the rdfl to go to a bigger league with clubs/towns that have the same population numbers. so the rdfl reinvents itself, makes it a great league and the clubs feel like a real community (credit must go to the current clubs/communities) and now the meltons, marsh ect wanna come back. give me a break, you make your bed you lie in it. leave the rdfl clubs/communities alone!

 

[AFLL]

I personally don't understand all this eastern ballarat crap. the clubs from melton darley sunbury ect moved away from the rdfl to go to a bigger league with clubs/towns that have the same population numbers. so the rdfl reinvents itself, makes it a great league and the clubs feel like a real community (credit must go to the current clubs/communities) and now the meltons, marsh ect wanna come back. give me a break, you make your bed you lie in it. leave the rdfl clubs/communities alone!

I am all about supporting improving the standard of the competition but I got to say agree absolutely 100% olly21. Those clubs did not give a stuff about the rdfl and left sticking their fingers up at those that remained. Now some are finding it extremely tough to compete they and goldfields seem to be pushing to return to a 2 div concept. Well when they initially left and dominated the ballarat league they did not care about this region. The clubs that remained have built a fantastic community competition with great support both on field and within the community including local business. It is almost as though they will be penalised for the clubs that now need something to generate interest in their existence. The existing clubs need to be very careful as my view is once you start calling div 1 div 2 it changes the whole perception and capacity of a club. Thing to is the top rdfl clubs would beat in my view the two melton clubs right now so what gives any of them the right to walk back in and automatically be a div 1 club. I have heard the same as I am sure all you have with gisborne and kyneton involved to?

 

[Keston]

I personally don't understand all this eastern ballarat crap. the clubs from melton darley sunbury ect moved away from the rdfl to go to a bigger league with clubs/towns that have the same population numbers. so the rdfl reinvents itself, makes it a great league and the clubs feel like a real community (credit must go to the current clubs/communities) and now the meltons, marsh ect wanna come back. give me a break, you make your bed you lie in it. leave the rdfl clubs/communities alone!

Agree you make your bed lie in it Well the rdfl clubs voted to join these other clubs in the goldfield league and when time comes whatever they decide will be will be see there really is no rdfl or Ballarat leagues it's the goldfields

 

[bronco88]

I personally don't understand all this eastern ballarat crap. the clubs from melton darley sunbury ect moved away from the rdfl to go to a bigger league with clubs/towns that have the same population numbers. so the rdfl reinvents itself, makes it a great league and the clubs feel like a real community (credit must go to the current clubs/communities) and now the meltons, marsh ect wanna come back. give me a break, you make your bed you lie in it. leave the rdfl clubs/communities alone!

I think you will find that this will be an AFL goldfields decision to re structure their competitions rather than a push by these clubs to rejoin the Rdfl.
Add Gisborne to the list as well.

 

[jim boy]

Its all speculation, the RDFL is generally in good health, with only Rockbank just about ready 'to raise the white flag'. This is contrast to other goldfield leagues where the spend between clubs can be as much as six times higher than the lower teams and as many as five clubs are struggling.

Also the league and the clubs have very different agendas. There has been a big a emphasis on improving the lamentable participation rates in Melton, but from my club's point of view, I dont really see any benefit to us whether Melton succeeds or fails

 

[Doona2]

Had to chuckle at this on the final page of the recent Goldfields document ....

We will be honest – and sometimes Club interests don’t always align with League / Regional interests. But rather than have a "smart a**** crack at us""(which is seriously counter productive to mutually respective and productive relationships between your Club, the RDFNL and AFL Goldfields) ring us or ask us to visit for a chat.

Don't think I've ever sighted a swear word on something official like this ha ha!!!

 

[Doona2]

Its all speculation, the RDFL is generally in good health, with only Rockbank just about ready 'to raise the white flag'. This is contrast to other goldfield leagues where the spend between clubs can be as much as six times higher than the lower teams and as many as five clubs are struggling.

Also the league and the clubs have very different agendas. There has been a big a emphasis on improving the lamentable participation rates in Melton, but from my club's point of view, I dont really see any benefit to us whether Melton succeeds or fails

White flag as in shut up shop, or white flag as in a potential move elsewhere? If it's the latter then I'm hearing otherwise.