SFL – MSJFL proposed merger. Has the VAFA been stiffed?

[Value Added]

Crikey, talk about a self serving report littered with errors.

For example, the VAFA has no experience in running junior football. What the f#*k is the under 19 competition if it isn't junior football. Arguably the best run junior comp in the State. Toss in the under 18 comp which is going from strength to strength.

The better question is what experience the SFL has in running a junior competion. Answer is an under 18 one which is struggling and going nowhere.

If a table of the top suburban comps was put together the VAFA would be at or near the top and the SFL at or near the bottom.

I have two kids playing in the MSJFL and I want to see it remain a stand alone competition. The MSJFL don't need the SFL but I the SFL does need the MSJFL for its continued viability and that's why it's doing all in its power to take control of it.

I hope those who feel as I do won't let the MSJFL be taken over by the SFL and will fight the people on the interim board who are mouthing independence but seem to be doing the bidding of the SFL.

 

[Cardio Carl]

Interesting development that I imagine won't go down too well at VAFA HQ.

Somewhat contradictory as I read it. On the one hand they claim the MSJFL, although to be located at Linton Street, would be entirely independent of the SFL yet they seemed to be leaning very much toward to the SFL when it came to what was on offer in terms of administrative support.

Clearly the proposal the VAFA put on the table didn't match that of the SFL so far as most of the interim board were concerned. Though clearly not unanimous as the reference to the heated discussion demonstrates.

Let's hope the VAFA maintains a helpful presence around the MSJFL in order to ensure common sense prevails and the MSJFL doesn't just become a handmaiden to the SFL as was - and probably still is - the SFL plan.

Let's hope the VAFA maintains a helpful presence around the MSJFL in order to ensure common sense prevails and the MSJFL doesn't just become a handmaiden to the SFL/AFL as was - and probably still is - the SFL/AFL plan.

 

[MATT DILLON]

how come it is still an interim board,thought all this rubbish was to provide stability,if they have been voted in by the clubs,which they have,then why are they interim????

in the update on the msjfl website it states that the take over by sfl is off the table,sure it is;look at what we have,msjfl admin back at linton st with sfl,david cannizo now general manager of msjfl he was general manager admin at sfl,the umpires advisor now is a senior sfl umpire,;if it looks like a duck,walks like a duck,and quacks like a duck,its a duck!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Uwe The Goat]

how come it is still an interim board,thought all this rubbish was to provide stability,if they have been voted in by the clubs,which they have,then why are they interim????

in the update on the msjfl website it states that the take over by sfl is off the table,sure it is;look at what we have,msjfl admin back at linton st with sfl,david cannizo now general manager of msjfl he was general manager admin at sfl,the umpires advisor now is a senior sfl umpire,;if it looks like a duck,walks like a duck,and quacks like a duck,its a duck!!!!!!!!!!!!

sfl just being proactive,stepping with cash to assist doveton a great move, may need to assist caulfield at some stage. couldn't see vafa doing the same. how cashed up is msjfl?

 

[pazza]

Having just started to return to the VAFA umpiring fraternity as it were, I have noticed changes with how umpires are being sourced.

The surprise is that the VAFA is now associating itself with Melbourne's west. Pre-season training groups have been working at Werribee for instance. The foundation work between itself and the Riddell FL over the last decade, plus problems in the WRFL and the EDFL has been part of this too.

 

[AM]

Having just started to return to the VAFA umpiring fraternity as it were, I have noticed changes with how umpires are being sourced.

The surprise is that the VAFA is now associating itself with Melbourne's west for. Pre-season training groups have been working at Werribee for instance. The foundation work between itself and the Riddell FL over the last decade, plus problems in the WRFL and the EDFL has been part of this too.

As you say the VAFA has had a presence in the west for sometime. Until last season many Riddell League umpires officiated at VAFA games. I'm not sure whether the association that has developed with the SFL whereby they now play representative football against Riddell has diluted that relationship but I noticed there were virtually no Riddell League umps running with the VAFA last season.

Anyhoo, it seems the SFL has gazumped the VAFA in relation to the MSJFL. There was a time when the MSJFL was a very fruitful recruiting source for umpires for the VAFA. That hasn't been the case in more recent times and the events of the last week or so don't augur well for the future in that regard. The VAFA would be disappointed I suspect.

 

[moore]

I believe Holdsworth and his mates are attempting to take over the MSJFL board by putting up their own people. Two from East Malvern and a couple more from SFL sympthetic clubs. The meeting tomorrow night to elect these board members will be interesting. The SFL should just piss off and run their own pathetic competition that only has about 8 strong clubs in three divisions.

 

[AM]

Interesting 'moore'.

The VAFA has had plenty of notice on this whole matter and know that the SFL has form in relation to it. If they haven't got their act together by now they deserve whatever result they cop. That comment applies to the membership of the MSJFL too.

 

[james05]

It appears you are right Moore, isnt it interesting that all that was prposed last year ie: shared facility, Cannozzo GM of MSJFL, new rules, canteen at Moorleigh run properly and SFL umpire running the MSJFL umpires has come true the next bit will be that the 2 boards get together.... only 1 person voted against the rules being chnaged all the vote for the new board was 100% .. VAFA has lost big time out of this.. Notice Holdsworth has been reappointed for 2 years as Head of Southern... appears he gets want he wants.

 

[Rooster 24]

It appears you are right Moore, isnt it interesting that all that was prposed last year ie: shared facility, Cannozzo GM of MSJFL, new rules, canteen at Moorleigh run properly and SFL umpire running the MSJFL umpires has come true the next bit will be that the 2 boards get together.... only 1 person voted against the rules being chnaged all the vote for the new board was 100% .. VAFA has lost big time out of this.. Notice Holdsworth has been reappointed for 2 years as Head of Southern... appears he gets want he wants.

It will be junior football that will lose out James not the VAFA.

I took great interest in these developments in the off season as I was curious how it would impact my current VAFA club and my old stand alone junior club. I am now of the belief that if the SFL are intent on this takeover then so be it and that any junior club that joins an SFL managed junior competition deserves exactly what they get. My mail is that VAFA HQ are in fact aware and prepared for these developments. If the MSJFL is not run as a stand-alone junior comp and the SFL essentially takes it over then it is almost certain that 2 junior comps will operate in the south next year. Is it continues as it currently does with SFL admin support then it will be ok but if the SFL are still intent on taking the whole thing over then just like last time the VAFA aligned clubs and many stand alone junior clubs want no part of it. The likely outcome would be is 2 comps would operate which is not a great outcome. Most of the stronger MSJFL clubs are VAFA or stand alone - St Bedes, Hampton Rovers, St Peters, Beauy, Ormond, Oakleigh, Mordi-Brae etc so there is no doubt which will be the stronger league.

Maybe the SFL should try and do something about their own U18 comp before they impose their will on an entire junior competition. Only about a third of SFL clubs have U18s and it alters radically from year to year. The 2011 version has 10 teams made up of 2 from Skye, 1 combined team, 1 team from the DDJFL and 1 from the VAFA (Parkdale). VAFA by comparison has 46 x U19s teams and 8 x U18s. So which competition is best placed to operate a junior league? VAFA is still by the far the competition of choice for juniors coming out of the MSJFL and that won’t change.

 

[bedford]

Very well put Rooster. If it happens i hope those strong clubs that you mention break away to form a strong club, but it would not include St Peters who were hoodwinked by the SFL, just like Ajax were , being promised Princes Park full time.

 

[Rooster 24]

Very well put Rooster. If it happens i hope those strong clubs that you mention break away to form a strong club, but it would not include St Peters who were hoodwinked by the SFL, just like Ajax were , being promised Princes Park full time.

Cheers Bedford. My recent mail is that St Peters are happy for the SFL to assist with admin support as they have done previously and have no objection to Cannizzo being the main etc but are far less keen on a complete takeover. Many at the club with strong ties to VAFA clubs. As 90% of their U17s end up in the Ammos (usually De La, St Bedes, Ormond & Oakleigh) they don’t want to burn existing links with VAFA clubs. Mind you even if they do align with any proposed SFL run comp 90% of their juniors will still end up with the VAFA and may even come across earlier and choice to play 19s rather than 17s.

 

[james05]

The only problem that exists with the whole situation is that the AFL according to new the men have gone on record to MSJFL Exec saying they want alignments and hubs and that should be happening sooner than later... Sandringham Dragons, St Kilda Reserves, Junior and senior community footy under the 1 roof at ....Linton st, also the new rules strongly opposed by only 1 VAFA club your club Bomber Ormond have been adopted that allow the new Board to make decisions moving away from the old archaic delegate system... mmmm and how many on that new Board are VAFA aligned? Take a close look at the composition of the Board looks like the VAFA have been "stiffed".

 

[Rooster 24]

The only problem that exists with the whole situation is that the AFL according to new the men have gone on record to MSJFL Exec saying they want alignments and hubs and that should be happening sooner than later... Sandringham Dragons, St Kilda Reserves, Junior and senior community footy under the 1 roof at ....Linton st, also the new rules strongly opposed by only 1 VAFA club your club Bomber Ormond have been adopted that allow the new Board to make decisions moving away from the old archaic delegate system... mmmm and how many on that new Board are VAFA aligned? Take a close look at the composition of the Board looks like the VAFA have been "stiffed".

Agreeing on a board composition is entirely different from agreeing on the SFL taking over the MSFL. (By the way who is on this new board?) It is two completely separate issues. Everyone, VAFA clubs included, agreed that a shake up of the old MSJFL admin was required and that has been progressively occurring for 4 years now. If you think this is an indication that most VAFA aligned and stand-alone junior clubs are rubber stamping an SFL take over then you are delusional. Just wait and see what happens if the SFL try that on again. It will lead to seperate comps and diluting of the standard. The VAFA are keen to have some input but don’t want or need to run the MSJFL as they have the biggest football competition in Australia to operate. At the end of the day it won’t really matter who is running the MSFL. Most kids will still go the VAFA because it is a far superior competition.

 

[Privateye]

Who said the VAFA weren't in expansionary mode:

http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?c=1-3232-0-0-0&a=CLUBS

My tips for R4 (progressive score 15/15 - Worksafe VCFL have abandoned all 3 of their games so far).

AZUMA to beat ALLIANZ WORKERS COMPENSATION in 3 rounds.
UNISOFT to go hard against that bunch of daffodils at CHERRY TREE FLORIST.
MELBOURNE EMBROIDERY to stitch up PAL HOSIERY.
FLANNERY'S WINDOW CLEANING to wipe the floor with those 2nd raters VISY RECYCLING.
MYKI v WORKSAFE VCFL (game postponed).

 

[james05]

Rooster you miss the point, the current MSJFL Board do not need a club vote anymore to make decisions, even big decisions, and I am not saying that a takeover is on anyones agenda but think about it logically and take your VAFA blinkers ofF, a junior/senior comp in the south is logical seeing that that model is successful in every other region in Melbourne. The AFL Victoria aAppointed Craig Brady who was interim chairman of the MSJFL recently orchestrated the deal to get Knox Juniors and Eastern District leagues together to form the mighty EFL. This is what will happen here as well regardless of what 8 of 26 junior clubs that share a ground with the VAFA think. It may not happen now but will happen within 2 years. Isnt it interesting/coincidental that Holsworth has been appointed for 2 years at SFL... He has been in AFL's pocket for a while now waving the SFL banner..The AFL has the money and will drive change dont be naive..Of course the VAFA is a larger comp and the standard is superior in most cases but ask the Bomber from Ormond as to how the VAFA treat local clubs against old schoolboy clubs..the VAFA is NOT run better than most comps in Melbourne including the SFL.

 

[moore]

This is an example of how bad the set up is at Moorabbin. An official from a junior club rang the MSJFL only to have the phone answered by Aidrian Fisher who now is part of the SFL !
These two juniors in the office are at the mercy of Holdsworth and his henchmen.

 

[bedford]

This is an example of how bad the set up is at Moorabbin. An official from a junior club rang the MSJFL only to have the phone answered by Aidrian Fisher who now is part of the SFL !
These two juniors in the office are at the mercy of Holdsworth and his henchmen.

Now that is a worry, the first thing the new board should be doing is moving away from Moorabbin.

 

[Rooster 24]

Rooster you miss the point, the current MSJFL Board do not need a club vote anymore to make decisions, even big decisions, and I am not saying that a takeover is on anyones agenda but think about it logically and take your VAFA blinkers ofF, a junior/senior comp in the south is logical seeing that that model is successful in every other region in Melbourne. The AFL Victoria aAppointed Craig Brady who was interim chairman of the MSJFL recently orchestrated the deal to get Knox Juniors and Eastern District leagues together to form the mighty EFL. This is what will happen here as well regardless of what 8 of 26 junior clubs that share a ground with the VAFA think. It may not happen now but will happen within 2 years. Isnt it interesting/coincidental that Holsworth has been appointed for 2 years at SFL... He has been in AFL's pocket for a while now waving the SFL banner..The AFL has the money and will drive change dont be naive..Of course the VAFA is a larger comp and the standard is superior in most cases but ask the Bomber from Ormond as to how the VAFA treat local clubs against old schoolboy clubs..the VAFA is NOT run better than most comps in Melbourne including the SFL.

Believe me I get the point. I am well aware of the EFL junior/senior merger however that was an entirely different situation due to geography and all junior clubs with seniors were already affiliated with the EFL. And joining the EFL is vastly different to joining the SFL. (I see a post that has reference to Arian Fisher answering the phone. Now that alone is a terrifying thought)

DDJFL or whatever they are called is not adminstedered by the MPNFL and either is the Frankston Junior league. The WRFL is and that comp has been going backwards for years.

The strongest and best run junior footy comp in metro Melbourne is the YJFL. A stand-alone junior league. Clubs in that comp have alignments to senior clubs from the EFL, VAFA and NFL and it all works exceptionally well. They don’t want or need a senior body interfering in their operations.

And this new board can make all the decisions they want but if one of those decisions is to let the SFL take them over against the will of the majority then be ready for an exodus of your biggest and best clubs.

No issue with the SFL or anyone else running a junior comp if they have a proven track record of administering competitions successfully over a sustained period. Sadly the SFL fall well short of that at the moment. By the way as asked previously who is the new board? Is it still the 4 persons appointed in February?

 

[james05]

Too late bombs whilst your club was the only club to oppose the rules during the week the other clubs voted in favour which means that clubs have only a say in the appointment of the board not any other decisions. Muzza you should know that what the AFL want they get and the SFL is apart of that plan..ha ha . Moore so you rang the msjfl and fischer answered how funny....

 

[james05]

Rooster you need to get up with the times and are up to speed with the progress that has happened since February...btw AFL Victoria have to sanction any club going from one league to another and do you thnk they would allow that if they have as there agenda to have a strong junior/senior league combined in this area. Oh the VAFA have less than 10% of clubs supporting the under 18 comp the SFL have 12 clubs which looking at the number of clubs they have is 40% and growing with Bentleigh, end hills, southern dragons, hallam and oh yes the Parkdale Vultures playing there under 18's in the SFL, what an indictment on the VAFA they cannot even entice one of there own clubs to play in their own comp ...they chose to play locally in the SFL.. Why dont you ask Bentleigh how they feel about the VAFA and the lack of service they received over the years...

 

[moore]

You want to get your facts right . Parkdale do not have juniors and are trying to develop their own players from surrounding clubs. Nothing to do with the VAFA.
Just wondering what your interest is coming from a Divy 3 SFL club.

 

[Rooster 24]

Rooster you need to get up with the times and are up to speed with the progress that has happened since February...btw AFL Victoria have to sanction any club going from one league to another and do you thnk they would allow that if they have as there agenda to have a strong junior/senior league combined in this area. Oh the VAFA have less than 10% of clubs supporting the under 18 comp the SFL have 12 clubs which looking at the number of clubs they have is 40% and growing with Bentleigh, end hills, southern dragons, hallam and oh yes the Parkdale Vultures playing there under 18's in the SFL, what an indictment on the VAFA they cannot even entice one of there own clubs to play in their own comp ...they chose to play locally in the SFL.. Why dont you ask Bentleigh how they feel about the VAFA and the lack of service they received over the years...

James. I’m all for a bit of balanced argument and you do raise some reasonable points however when you start comparing the SFL U18s to the VAFA underage comps you immediately lose all credibility. Yes the U18s comp is not well supported in the VAFA because the VAFA has 46 under 19 teams. Now lets examine your thriving U18 comp….

29 clubs in the SFL and a 12 team U18 comp. 1 of those is a VAFA club and another a DDJFL club so that leaves 10. One club has 2 sides so that leaves 9. Hampton and Highett have a merged side so we give them ½ each. 8. One team had to forfeit last week and looks in real danger of falling over completely. 7. How does your 40% look now? More 25%. Of your top division only 5 have a colts and one of those is Mordi, which had to forfeit last week. Yep the competition is travelling beautifully. I am also aware of Bentleigh’s reasons for leaving and reckon those reasons were pretty sound. In 2010 they were a mid table D2 side (5th VAFA division) and realistically could not see themselves climbing though the grades. A good club and I reckon they will do well in the SFL and are probably better suited to local based comp.

In regard to Parkdale they are in the SFL for a combination of reasons. They were uncompetitive in the lowest U19 grades and when you can’t win a game in the lowest grade of the VAFA the logical thing is to go to the SFL. Mind you their seniors (D1- 4th grade in the VAFA) had no trouble flogging a couple of Div 1 SFL sides in consecutive practice games.

You might be surprised about how much I do actually know.

 

[james05]

Ah Rooster then why did you not know about the new Board at the MSJFL. Articulate yes informed not. But why does that not surprise anyone.... Oh btw I am not a fan of either the SFL or VAFA I remain firm in the stance that there will be a combined Junior and senior comp in the southern region and as you well know if you are as informed as you think you are - the AFL want it and they get what they want and will use the SFL heirarcy to get it. Maybe not in 2012 but just you watch in 2013. Oh there is a comparison between the VAFA and the SFL both pay players.... Oh the morotorium what a joke, oh the stat dec what a joke. Just call yourselves the VFA you cant be serious calling yourselves Amateurs and your wealth of knowledge would surely tell you that this is the case at least other comps are honest and present themselves as they are even though they are not at the same level as the VAFA clubs that most provide and inducement or actually pay players... good bye

 

[bedford]

Good, piss off back where you have been the last two years