Originally Posted by
Macca
There's already plenty of players that have played higher levels that are playing in zone leagues. Where players go when they decide to take a step back from the higher levels has little to do with the comp (imo) and more to do with where they live, the time they are willing to commit and their personal preferences (ie if they already have half a dozen good mates playing in a team somewhere).
Personally I think you are fixating on rego fees too much, these are somewhat under the club's control - and if people are willing to drop from zone league to all age to save $30-$50 over a season, I think there's other issues there.
Good post by Ranger, and think if more clubs with a few all age teams had these discussions and dialogues between teams and club, more could be achieved.
While I feel for the guys in ZL3 who are playing in a thinned out comp and understand this is frustrating, I think you are somewhat laying the blame at the wrong feet by saying the association needs to provide [incentive for] more teams for the comp. No doubt it could do more work in addressing concerns of big clubs who are not fielding teams in the zone leagues and approaching them to ask why. But things as simple as a rule change here or there or saying regos are too high is not the answer. For every rule change you make that someone agrees with, there will be the same number of people against it and you won't find a one size fits all approach. Clubs with all age teams and no ZL teams should be asking members of those teams - "Are you interested in progressing this club further and being a part of this (by joining into the ZL system) - if not, why not?" And seeing what actual concerns they have (this will be different for each team, although common themes may arise), as some will be able to be addressed easily.
