AFL legend Mick McGuane has slammed a junior footy league over its resolution to play an all inclusive finals sequence.
The South Metro Junior Football League’s Under-14 Division 1 modified its finals format to permit all 10 groups to participate within the finals.
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The change meant the finals have been compelled to be performed through the week with the highest of the ladder crew coming off second finest.
At the tip of the season the East Brighton Vampires sat comfortably atop the ladder having received all 10 video games and holding a monstrous share of 368.78.
But the transfer to incorporate each crew within the finals noticed their first remaining scheduled for a Tuesday evening.
A Brighton Grammar faculty camp noticed greater than half the crew out for the sport which finally resulted within the crew having to forfeit the match, as first reported by the Herald Sun.
The league’s resolution to modify up the finals format was made in July and went down like a lead balloon with McGuane delivering each barrels to the competitors.
“Really. Stop the rot. Stop peddling out bullsh*t as to why decisions are made of this nature. Give the kids a chance to become resilient and understand what winning and losing is all about,” he wrote.
Rule 24 of the SMJFL bylaws state the CEO, Matthew Brown, can resolve the way and venue of the finals how he sees match.
Brown responded to the criticism and addressed the reasoning behind the choice on Thursday, frequently telling 3AW’s Neil Mitchell it was primarily based on retaining gamers for future seasons.
Stating the choice was made in order that gamers in groups that will have completed outdoors of the common finals can maintain taking part in and be concerned in a finals sequence.
“About a month ago we resolved that based on the results that had come through the season, we split the league further into Division 1, Division 1 reserve, Division 2, Division 2 reserve,” Brown stated on 3AW’s Mornings with Neil Mitchell.
“With five teams playing four different finals series each.
“Our focus has been around maintaining retention in sport as there are a number of competing challengers.”
Neil Mitchell: “Sorry I don’t understand how that works. If my team finishes 10th do they still play finals?”
Brown responded: “They play in their own finals series with the bottom five qualifiers from that group. What we’ve done is we’ve revised and modified the finals format to accomodate all five of those teams on the ladder (6-10) into their own final series.
“The feedback we have had has been really positive, the kids have been playing night finals over the past week or so and now they’ll progress through to the qualifying and Grand Finals.”
Mitchell then put it to Brown that the children who have been within the prime of the desk crew have been being laborious performed by with the change to the format.
“We provided a number of options to the team around player exemptions from other sides to play up,” Brown stated.
“The Vampires are probably one of South Metro’s largest clubs and they’ve got a huge roster from which they can draw.”
Mitchell frequently pressed Brown on the choice to change the format which finally resulted within the finals having to be performed by means of the week as an alternative of on the weekend. A transfer that price the Vampires dearly.
Despite the backlash and reported anger from mother and father, Brown stated the choice isn’t being checked out as a mistake.
“We’ll take some learnings from this. We’ll reflect on the season and the post-season and see what worked and what didn’t work,” Brown stated.
Source: www.news.com.au
