2014 NEW FM League Thread

[NewFM 2014]

An 18 game league season + Cup + 4-6 Trials (maybe more) + Finals for those who make it, that's 23-30 games a year already. That's in a 6-7month time span, which doesn't take into account inevitable washouts to fit in mid-week somewhere. That is a tight schedule & if you look at the maths EPL is 38 in 10months (3.8/month) so for a 6-7 month season 23-27 is about the right fit. If you need more then that go play Friday nights as well, or indoor or create your own mid-week pick-up league.

We are not talking about trial games we are talking about competitive league games and 18 is way too short most teams in NPL other than Jets Youth think so , we have just recently been relegated from their and had the league been over a slightly longer format I question if Valo would have gone down but fair enough after 18 games we were bottom and the table does not lie.

Also cup games ? The state cup pretty much no newfm team ever play more than 1 round due to the stupid way it is drawn so again kind of irrelivant to this conversation.

And as you say yourself + finals only for those that make it so vast majority of teams in both leagues again makes no difference so yep again 18 game comp does not cut it even using your calculation

Based on a 10 teams newfm comp in total (not including state cup) newfm

Only 2 teams will make it to Grand final and so they have maximum 21 game comp (18 league games & 3 finals games)
2 teams (losing semi finalists) will have a 20 game season
the other 6 will remain on 18 game competitive season.

[Leftback at Home]

You can't look at the 18 game league season in isolation. It has been said many times that you don't have ground availability to facilitate that length of season. If you could get all the grounds available from the first weekend in March until the last weekend in September, then yeah 27 games can work if you for go some trials, but you don't have that availability and to squeez 27 comp games into 21-24 weekends (accounting for finals) is a hard ask when you have to factor in wash out catch ups as well. That's a lot of mid-week games, a lot more time required from players and volunteers & a taxing playing load for guys who have to back up and go to work for a living in a short space of time. Don't get me wrong I'd rather play twice a week and for go training but how realistic is it?

[curious_fan]

There was issue I think will also see current clubs concerned about a decrease in rounds (if that was in fact the end result of an increase in numbers) is the income home games generate.

Currently each club has either 10 or 11 home games, now with clubs generating between $1300 to $2000 (gate takings/canteen & alcohol sales) in profit a home game id that dropped to 9 home games clubs are looking at a possible loss of up to $4000 from their bank accounts.

And in return the only real saving is not marking a ground 2 times a year compared to current, so savings of under $80.

And for many NewFm clubs that is not an insignificant amount of money to potentially lose.

Personally, I think Northern will have a big job selling any potential increase in numbers in NewFm to the current clubs for two simple reasons: 1) current clubs have already invested in the current criteria and won't want to see those levels lowered for new clubs and 2) clubs will not want to see any reduction in their ability to generate the same levels of income they have been.

[Cunning stunts]

hey guys

just thinking does anyone know where the Newfm grandfinal is being played this year?

[NewFM 2014]

hey guys

just thinking does anyone know where the Newfm grandfinal is being played this year?

Based on spectator viewing I would say either West Wallsend or Toronto .

Based on who will more than likely be in it you would have to think Valentine or Maitland although anything can happen over two legs in the semi's.

Will be nice to see it played outside of Newcastle for a change as Adamstown Held it last few years.

[Imyourhero]

If Cessnocks ground maintains itself could be a good choice.

[pv4]

Lakes pls

[curious_fan]

hey guys

just thinking does anyone know where the Newfm grandfinal is being played this year?

I'd hope the decision was still some weeks off, playing surface can change dramatically within a few weeks and so can the top 4.

I think we can rule out Maitland, Valentine and Belswans due to being top 4 certainties.

Thornton and Toronto fighting for 4th currently, but Thorton is just not suited for many reasons....... parking, damn cricket pitch, no covered seating etc. Toronto I honestly don't know if they have access to the field that late in the year.

Leaves Cessnock, Singleton and West Wallsend.

Singelton I think is a no go just for distance from other clubs so maybe Cessnock or West Wallsend as the most likely, maybe it will be announced after next weeks meeting?

[outdated]

Tips anyone
valo 2 belswans 0
maitland 5 trono 0
thornton 3 cessnock 0
singleton 2 westy 1

[seldom]

valo easy if shayne paul doesnt play
maitland( heard tronna have lost a couple more 1st graders for the season)...are these injuries ?
thornton cessnock... i'll go draw
singo westy...have no idea..so whoever the home side is

so when do valo and maitland meet again ?

[Bull65]

1sts Singo 4 Westy 0
23s Singo 3 Westy 2
Youth Singo 4 Westy 2

Good day for Singo!

[outdated]

1sts Singo 4 Westy 0
23s Singo 3 Westy 2
Youth Singo 4 Westy 2

Good day for Singo!

Thornton 2-2 cessnick
Bailey would have to be coach of the year!

[seldom]

Thornton 2-2 cessnick
Bailey would have to be coach of the year!

[sancho_theswan]

BelSwans V's Valo

19's…. 1-0
23's…. 0-2
1st's… 0-1

[JCBT]

I'd hope the decision was still some weeks off, playing surface can change dramatically within a few weeks and so can the top 4.

I think we can rule out Maitland, Valentine and Belswans due to being top 4 certainties.

Thornton and Toronto fighting for 4th currently, but Thorton is just not suited for many reasons....... parking, damn cricket pitch, no covered seating etc. Toronto I honestly don't know if they have access to the field that late in the year.

Leaves Cessnock, Singleton and West Wallsend.

Singelton I think is a no go just for distance from other clubs so maybe Cessnock or West Wallsend as the most likely, maybe it will be announced after next weeks meeting?

Cessnock's outer ground is far to small to host the Grand Final and West Wallsend's complex (while they have held it before) isn't up to scratch and with a very small group of volunteers it would be almost impossible for them to host it.

Why can't a side in the top 4 host it? Adamstown and Westy have both hosted the GF's while their first grade side was in it.

Maitland
Big club with plenty of support from Old Boys and a strong committee that would easily host GF, the complex is currently having improvements and from what I hear extra seating is going in, good size warm up area and plenty of parking on (outside of complex on parkland), plenty of outer ground area for club marquees etc and plenty of work has gone into making the playing surface the best it has been in recent memory. Only problem I can see is the Fed wanting a Newcastle based Grand Final venue.

Toronto
Much to my surprise the surface is still in very good shape and a very good viewing ground with plenty of outer ground area for club marquees etc but parking would be an issue and the old sheds are poor. Unsure about the size of the committee etc and ground sharing with the Scorpions could be a problem.

Valentine No issue with parking or size of club, plenty of outer ground area for club marquees etc but the only Issues I see is with the surface (cricket pitch) and the distance out of Newcastle.

Belswans
Surface and complex not up to it

Thornton
Complex not up to it

Singleton
Distance from Newy and complex not up to it

My opinion is that the Grand Final should go to a club in the NewFM and not a NPL club so I can only really see Maitland, Valentine or Toronto being given the Hosting rights although the Fed may try to give Westy a helping hand by throwing it their way to give them some extra cash which I don't agree with.

[pv4]

If Phoenix are given the Grand Final I will be so upset. Cahill, Thorntons and Singos ground are not up to hosting 2nd division football at all, let alone the biggest game of the season IMO - solely because of the cricket pitches.

Maitland is a great field and venue, would love it there.

Same with Westy - they hosted the ID2s Final last year and it was a great day! They seem to have a bunch of players who really love the club there so I'm pretty confident if Westy were given hosting rights that a few of their players would help run the day as needed.

Torontos pitch has held up so much better than it usually does after the schoolboys rugby play on it, I'm genuinely surprised. I don't really see the parking issue - there's a heap of street parking all surrounding the field as well as the big carpark (and big grassed area that cars can park on) at the Workers Club across the road - I would say it has more parking spaces available than any other team, probably.

If it goes to a NEWFM team, I'd like to see Maitland, Westy or Toronto get a go at it (so probably Westy or Toronto to keep it neutral - assuming neither get into the final). If it goes to a NBN team, Lakes is my favourite ground for it.

[De-Champ]

May go to Westy...one way for the federation to help out the club...that almost could not field teams at the beginning of the year

[outdated]

May go to Westy...one way for the federation to help out the club...that almost could not field teams at the beginning of the year

Toronto wouldnt be able to garentee thier ground. Scorpions might need it for a match. Wembly is a great facility. Beats the crap out of all the other cricket pitches. atown or broadmedow?
Is tgere a rule that says the ground must be a newfm field?

[curious_fan]

Cessnock's outer ground is far to small to host the Grand Final and

I wouldn't rule then out totally, there is more than ample parking and the car park at the top and leave the ground for officials etc. They have the two covered grandstands which are good and people can watch from the other side of the field as well. And the warm up area is very closely located but away from the playing area. And they are possibly the best for media (ie camera and reporting) with the second tier room above the canteen.

The area may not lend itself easily to maybe having marquees etc erected but really its NewFm not NBN.

[curious_fan]

Other news - On Northerns website today is a notice Westy are asking for Expressions of Interest for all grades for 2015