2016 Women's Premier League

[Goatscheese]

Cant work out what the age grades discussion will be. Cant add U12 as will clash with SAP.
Dont want to drop any grades.
Maybe change U18 to U20, or add U20?

Who knows.

They may want to again push to drop the U14 side like they pushed for last year, though thankfully all clubs voted against it. Not that you should be dropping U14 it's the feeder side and you want to start moulding them into WPL players you lose a couple years there starting them at 15-16. Glad you're already saying no, that stops them dropping a grade already

You can't add a 5th grade there just isn't the depth in Newcastle to ensure the quality remains and strengthens. Same reason why you can't bring in an 8th team in the Newcastle area, there just aren't the girls at the same level especially in the junior grades.

My main issue with all of this is why we don't have these discussions in June or July.

Club have already planned trials, coaches etc.

It is like the problem in the NPL where clubs are trying to recruit coaches for next year, but they don't know what competition they will be in....

You expect Northern to be organised? It's amateur hour over there most of the time, there was that whole debacle over the regulations early 2015 after teams had started pre-season training they were still discussing and looking at changing regulations. As you say this should all be done in June-July so clubs know what is in store for them not this waiting around business with plans in place and now not sure exactly what will happen.

[chocolate soldier]

if one club only registered 54 out of the 64 allowed, then that isnt something that everyone else needs to pay the price for.

can't someone go down there and knock sense into these peoples heads, we are not a capital city and do not have the abundance in numbers to cater for the 13,15,17,res and 1st grade.

agree that another inner city team will water things down a bit, but it seems there is an agenda for this, and someone is pushing this over the line.

cannot see the subs rule in first grade working to be honest. clubs can register up to 16 per team to have some depth for sickness, injuries etc. glad to see the federation wants to make up to 2 girls miss out on playing each week and severely hamper any chance of letting some 18's get a bit of 1st grade experience FFS

[late_to_the_game]

Proposal was only 3 grades U15, U17 and 1st Grade.

[Bremsstrahlung]

Ignore my ignorance and lack of knowledge, what are the age groups currently?

And what does macquarie/NPS/HV currently do in terms of syl for the girls?

[connery]

Proposal was only 3 grades U15, U17 and 1st Grade.

So to get this right , drop a grade and bring another club in , dont make sense if all clubs are happy with current set up and ages , 1st ,20s ,17s ,15s sounds feasible , can still have 14s and below in clubs as development, Newfm have 11 teams and a bye why change if its working , unless this inner city club can bring 4 competitive teams in , very unlikely without weakening other clubs if some clubs can only register 54 players

[late_to_the_game]

Ignore my ignorance and lack of knowledge, what are the age groups currently?

And what does macquarie/NPS/HV currently do in terms of syl for the girls?

U14, U16, U18 (with 5 over age) and First

SAP up to U12's at NF/Macq/HFV

[late_to_the_game]

Merewether Womens Premier League Trials for 2017 - Myamblah Oval

U14 and U16 trials will be on Tuesday 20th of September and Thursday 22nd.

U14 will be at 5pm for an hour, U16 will be at 6pm for an hour.

If you are not a current Merewether WPL player, you will need to register by email to: wpl@mufc.asn.au

Please include your age and your playing history for the last three years, plus your preferred position - if you have one(s).

U18 and 1st grade trials will be notified shortly.

See club web site for more details. www.mufc.asn.au

[Barry Dawson]

Excuse my ignorance - but can I assume from reading previous posts that "guess who" in point 3 - refers to New Lambton?
If they have as they claim (in excess of 300 female players) wouldn't this mean they have more female players than most other clubs and more than many clubs combined? If so, why wouldn't NNSW want them in the comp? They must be doing something right.
While I understand existing WPL clubs wanting the Comp to remain as is - with New Lambtons claimed numbers, are these clubs gaining advantage by not having the New Lambton the comp? Ie. Benefiting from registering New Lambton developed players every year?
Isn't this position of WPL clubs self serving?

[late_to_the_game]

My understanding is that there are not many ex New Lambton players in the WPL - they tend to hang onto them tightly. (I could be wrong on how many!)

The issue is not so much about the juniors, but about 1st grade.

Where are the players going to come from? New Lambton don't have them. (If they were winning A grade in All age Women's they would have a stronger case - they have C and K grade)
They will be able to buy a team, no problem, they have the resources - but long term it is not sustainable.
They will be pulling them from existing WPL clubs.
The competition in 1st grade was the strongest it has ever been this year, with most of the teams quite close.

I would like to see Warners Bay play the Emerging Jets U17's team that has been playing in Sydney for a comparison.

Personally I think they will be and need to be in the competition, but not next year.

[Bremsstrahlung]

Do you think the league is doing enough in creating awareness of the WPL?
In terms of, will junior girls coming through, see this as a stepping stone, or do some not know about it?
Do clubs go to nearby club teams to scout/invite to train/inform them about the league?

I'm just thinking, from my own perspective, I didn't really have a grasp or understanding of "elite" competitions until I was 15 and basically told that I could get trials with 2-3 clubs if I was interested (I'd missed out on SYL selection and kind of conceded that that was it, my parents weren't privvy to the options available). And I went on to hold my own quite comfortably through the grades against players that had been in the SYL setup.
I guess I'm intrigued as to whether 12,13,14,15 year old girls are aware of this competition and understanding how attainable it is. Like any competition there are players capable probably playing at a much lower level (ID comps) than they could be.

[late_to_the_game]

Do you think the league is doing enough in creating awareness of the WPL?

In general no. I have been out scouting over the last 10 weeks and a large number of the girls I talk to don't know what the WPL is. It is currently better than 2 years ago, but we have some work to do.

NNSW have promised to help out by emailing all girls playing in the region of the trial dates for all clubs, so maybe that will help.

[late_to_the_game]

Merewether Womens Premier League Trials for 2017 - Myamblah Oval - ADDITIONAL TO ABOVE

U18 are on Monday 19th September at 5pm.

1st grade, trials will be held at a later date, please make contact as below and it will be passed on to Cass.

If you are not a current Merewether WPL player, you will need to register by email to: wpl@mufc.asn.au

Please include your age and your playing history for the last three years, plus your preferred position - if you have one(s).

See club web site for more details. www.mufc.asn.au

[chocolate soldier]

No 1st grade trials...??

[late_to_the_game]

No 1st grade trials...??

Just got changed, yes, but not for a while.

[chocolate soldier]

Gonna say, even if you thought you had all you needed, what is the harm of doing some trials anyway

[Goatscheese]

1) That he would like to see a change to U15, U17 and First grade, as there are not enough players to support 4 grades. One club only registered 54 players instead of the 64 allowed. Sydney are U13, U15, U17, Reserve Grade and 1st grade. (Clubs against this, we want to get hold of the girls sooner not later)

3) They want to bring in another (Inner city - guess who) club to get rid of the bye. Again a bye is considered less professional.
(Clubs disagreed, we don't have the depth of players for 1st grade, we have just had the best WPL season on record, lets build on that)

These two points by Northern are a contradiction in terms, how can they say that they want to drop a grade because there aren't enough quality players and then say that they want to bring in another team. If there isn't the quality now bringing in another team isn't going to mean that magically be quality players.

2) That we need to increase the professionalism in order for us to push towards becoming a Women's NPL competition in the future. Most of this revolves around facilities, with Adamstown probably the only club that would meet the criteria. It also would require minimum coaching accreditation levels for coaches.
(Clubs agree, but would like a planned timetable so we can improve over time, and know where the goal posts are)

I would say Mid North Coast would meet the criteria if they only play at Taree, all they need is a scoreboard. Most clubs are below par. Should bring in requirements to bring about a better quality of coach, some teams knew nothing else but kick and chase. One would also hope that Northern bring up the quality of their referees as well if they were really serious about this.

3) They want to bring in another (Inner city - guess who) club to get rid of the bye. Again a bye is considered less professional.

How is a bye unprofessional? Plenty of big money, highly professional leagues around the world have byes not to mentions Northern's own NewFM league and their YPL. Sounds like an excuse to get an eighth team in to make more money.

Alan's comment was that he felt that a decision in August was plenty of time for clubs to adapt.

Did anyone tell Alan that he is a numpty and because the clubs are trying to be professional aren't leaving everything to the last minute? Just because it's amateur hour over at Northern doesn't mean everyone else follows their lead.

[Goatscheese]

Excuse my ignorance - but can I assume from reading previous posts that "guess who" in point 3 - refers to New Lambton?
If they have as they claim (in excess of 300 female players) wouldn't this mean they have more female players than most other clubs and more than many clubs combined? If so, why wouldn't NNSW want them in the comp? They must be doing something right.

How good are these players?

Three U12 teams; 2 in the top league and 1 in the other. 1 finished top and the other two failed to make finals

One U14 team; Finished second 9 points behind the leader and that was in the second grade league

One U16 team; In top U16 grade but finished 18 points behind the leader

One U18 team; In top U18 grade and finished 26 points behind the leader (late_to_the_game, looking at bringing any girls from your undefeated side into the WPL?)

Sure they may have heaps of players but are they up to the standard of the current WPL players or even the standard that Northern wants the WPL to be? I would say looking at the results that would be a no.

[Goatscheese]

Just got minutes back from WPL meeting with NNSW.

Age grades to remain unchanged.
Extra club still being considered.

Any word on the substitution?

Alan Nisbit considers the current competition after 7 years to still be "community football", and needing to become more professional on and off the park to attain womens npl status.

For once Alan is talking some sense wonder if his plans will be as sensible, bringing in an eighth team next season won't achieve that. You still see some parents and players treat it as such the number of times I have heard about whinging about not getting equal game time or how the player is entitled to a spot because they have played there the past three years is amazing. Of course clubs need to bring up their standards when you see players from one club rock up wearing whatever they like it looks more community than semi-professional.

[chocolate soldier]

seems we should be getting ready to see an 8th team then

[late_to_the_game]

(late_to_the_game, looking at bringing any girls from your undefeated side into the WPL?)

There are two girls in that team who should be playing Wpl and I would have them in a minute. One played wpl 18s 4 years ago! She is however recovering from an ACL injury and the other just wants to turn up and play.

Realistically there may be one other player of WPL standard. Gives you an idea of the gap.