Williams Boys a disgrace to the family name

[LongBombFromOutside50]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Williams Boys a disgrace to the family name

Originally posted by raboyle
Just think about this... the VFL wanted to expand. We didn't have to become a part of it but we did and there is not a bloody thing you or any other un-intelligent freak can do about it.

Have to agree with you here. The VFL really began expanding in the 1970s when it's clubs began poaching several of the best WANFL and SANFL players. This resulted in the VFL being a significantly stronger competition than the WAFL and SANFL and resulted in more players from WA and SA wanting to play in Victoria, where the league was stronger and depth of quality was much greater.

With the reduced standard of the WAFL and SANFL, it was only a matter of time before a team from Western Australia and South Australia would be admitted into the expanded VFL/AFL.

 

[Vindaloo Mat]

Originally posted by MightyFighting
Since I just claimed to not be a croweater-basher I'll have to be diplomatic... Victorians always felt that their premiership was the be-all and end-all of top level football. Therefore these interstate matches were pointless, in over eyes, because our premier couldn't be knocked off their pedestal in non-VFL match. Having said that, Carlton would have been expected to win, (hence the co.ckiness) and so losing would have been painfull.

I am a passionate SANFL follower, but I agree with you. There was nothing to gain by Vic sides in beating North or Port or Norwood...something to lose but nothing to gain.

There is a line often dragged out when discussing Barrie Robran from that game in 72. It goes that one of the Carlton players (Jezza ?) stood and clapped a particularly brilliant piece of Robran play. I have never seen that on a football field during a match and it perhaps gives an indication of his state of mind at the time.

These matches do however demonstrate one thing. The best SANFL sides were competitive with the best VFL sides...better, worse who knows but they could hold their own. If you put the West Augusta Hawks up against Carlton in 1972 then they would have been flogged....Carlton could have had 12 men on the field and still got up by 12 goals. SANFL sides (state and club) beat VFL sides often enough IMHO to demonstrate that the standard of the best sides was comparable....normally the VFL sides were stronger but that does not mean always, and nor does it mean they were not comparable.

VM

 

[LongBombFromOutside50]

Originally posted by Vindaloo Mat
SANFL sides (state and club) beat VFL sides often enough IMHO to demonstrate that the standard of the best sides was comparable....

Are you kidding? The SANFL won just the ONE inter-league carnival from 1908 - 1975 compared to the VFL's sixteen and the WAFL's two.

History in these carnivals show the SANFL to be the third strongest league in Australia.

Hardly 'comparable.'

http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/carnival_summary_1908_to_1975.htm

and

http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/carnival_results.htm