Adelaide’s proposal to field a team in the SANFL next year has been endorsed by the South Australian Football Commission.

The SANFL tonight announced that the League Directors had agreed to present the model to their respective club boards for consideration.

Adelaide released a statement tonight: 

“We are encouraged by the SANFL Commission’s recommendation to the SANFL clubs to allow the Adelaide Football Club to enter a team in the SANFL from the 2014 season.

“We believe unanimous SANFL club support is required for the proposal to be successful for all involved.

“We will now work closely with the SANFL clubs to refine our proposal and make sure it is understood by all stakeholders, including SANFL members.”

The SANFL said the Commission had “endorsed a negotiated model which delivers financial benefits for the SANFL clubs while protecting the integrity of the competition”.

Key points of the model include: 

  • One league team from the Adelaide Football Club enters the SANFL from 2014, forming a 10-team competition. The Port Adelaide Magpies become the second team of the Port Adelaide Football Club;
  • The 2014 SANFL competition would become an 18-round home-and-away season with all clubs playing each other twice;
  • Each of the nine existing SANFL clubs would have 10 home games – the Adelaide Football Club’s SANFL team would play all its games ‘away’;
  • The AFL clubs would pay each SANFL club a guaranteed uplift per annum;
  • The AFL clubs would work closely with the SANFL and clubs on game development throughout the community; and
  • The AFL clubs’ SANFL teams would not wear the AFL club’s jumper, will not be called by the AFL club’s nickname and would carry no AFL club sponsorship partners.

Top up players required by the AFL clubs’ SANFL teams would be provided by the other SANFL clubs on an as-needs basis. These would be 18-22 year-old players not currently playing league football. 

The model commits the AFL clubs to the SANFL for a minimum of 15 years with the SANFL to review annually.  

“It is the Commission’s belief that the recommended model protects the integrity, the relevance, game development and club and competition viability,” SA Football Commission Chairman John Olsen said. 

“It provides the SANFL and its clubs with certainty about the future of our competition while also providing the Adelaide and Port Adelaide football clubs the best competition outside of the AFL in which to test themselves.

“The alternative to this course of action exposes the SANFL to reduced corporate interest and reduced media coverage while also threatening the relevance of the competition as the best outside of the AFL.”  

MODEL IN DETAIL

Listed players

  • All AFL listed players (including Rookie listed) to play with AFL support team should they not be in their AFL team. 

Top Up players – leadership player

 AFL clubs can contract one ‘leadership’ player per season. 

    •  28 years and over, must have been on AFC or PAFC respective lists.

Top Up players – other

  • 18 – 22 years old, on an SANFL Club list. 
  •  Players selected at start of pre-season in conjunction with SANFL clubs.
  • AFL and SANFL clubs to review at agreed points throughout season.
  • Top-up players cannot play against their home SANFL club.
  •  SANFL club has first rights to any top up player at League level during the minor round.

SANFL League Finals qualification

  • No qualification criteria for AFL listed players during the SANFL finals series when AFC/PAFC are still involved at AFL level.
  •  Should AFC/PAFC not be involved in AFL finals, a player must have played the majority of his football at SANFL level, or 3 of the last 5 games at SANFL level to qualify.

Competition commitment 

  • AFL clubs to commit to ‘playing to the line’. 
  •  Will not rest players and take up elective surgery options.
  •  SANFL doctor to provide 2nd opinion on surgeries before end of season.
  •  Will commit in writing to these points, to be in club and head coach charters.

Support Staff

  • AFL clubs to commit to not recruiting support staff directly from SANFL clubs.

Home Venue

  •  AFC will not have a home venue; will play as away team throughout the minor round. 

COMMERCIAL STRUCTURE

Licence Fee

  • AFL clubs to pay a licence fee to the SANFL for their involvement.

Membership

  • AFL clubs will not sell SANFL team membership.
  • SANFL to explore joint membership options with AFL clubs, including access to SANFL games.

Branding 

  • AFC support team not to be branded Crows.
  • AFC support team not to wear Crows-style AFL guernsey in the SANFL.

Sponsorship

  • AFL clubs not to attract sponsors for their SANFL team.

Media

  • AFL clubs to generate interest in SANFL competition and other SANFL clubs through media activation, social media and online.

Community Engagement

  • AFL clubs to commit to working with SANFL clubs in promoting pathways to AFL Football. 
  • In lead up to SANFL games, AFL clubs will help promote the game in tandem with the SANFL club within their promotional zone. 

Commitment

  • AFL clubs to commit to the SANFL competition for 15 years, reviewed by the SANFL on a yearly basis.