The interesting point raised for mine is, what have NPL clubs done in the last 5 years (or however long) to justify their existence in the top league.
On the flip sides, what clubs have used the last 5 years to build their HIT clubs to be “NPL” standard?
Has the no relegation/promotion had its desired effect?
As somone that has coached NPL and NL1 (and still does) I can categorically state that this is bs. I have witnessed far more hacking in NPL than NL1. In fact, i don't believe that I have encountered a single team in NL1 that hacks. Is the football bad? At times, yes, and that is no different to the NPL. The players in NL1 are doing their best. Do NL1 sides hack NPL sides in trials? Not ones I coach and I have never heard NPL coaches complaining about it. If they were unhappy with the way their teams were treated by NL1 teams, trials between them would have stopped long ago.
Match NPL kids? You are blowing smoke up bums there which is half the problem. The NPL Youth has one or two teams in each grade that you would call quality and the rest is on par with better NL1 sides. De couple it all now. There is a massive gap in NPL and NL1 has the same gaps with some clubs making up numbers or folding. Loads of kids in NL1 with NPL and even Jets resumes. Retained by NPL clubs but their eyes and their parents eyes were opened by NPL clubs draining cash year on year to pay wages in 1st grade whilst treating Youth with disrespect. Pre season fact check. NL 18s 4 - Weston 18s 2. (Basically NL's 16s from 2020).
No.2 Sportsground
Cooks Hill v Thornton.
All Snr grades washed out.
Funny that...
Just a general fyi for NL1 punters, Athfield out till 1st May due to recent irrigation works.
1 off Cup game scheduled mid April the exception.
All opinions expressed here are my own.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin
New Lambton vs Singleton @ LMRFF
1st: 3-1
Res: 3-0
18's: 3-0
Just decouple the youth grades from the seniors and have promotion relegation of 2 teams each year.
Instant relegation last NPL and promotion top NPL1. Then have a playoff between 2nd last NPL and 2nd NPL1.
Rewards investment into youth teams.
Not a bad idea and at least rewards effort and investment. Round 2 is due and NL1 U 15s is still to be decided. 2 BYES for New Lambton 15s to start the season and NNSWF have done zero. No communication to parents. No new draw. Instead we get some pissant Season Launch at a Jets game and the first thing the CEO talks about is how much money they managed to make despite Covid. Classy. Then we get a promise from one of the foot soldiers that next year will be strict? Next year? It's been happening for 3. You can guarantee more teams will bail out before the season ends. Singleton 14s, beaten 11-0 Rnd 1, poor kids...... NNSWF is ineptitude of the highest degree.
So Singleton, NIAS & Toronto couldn't field teams in all grades? And I'm assuming NNSWF intention is just to dish out punishment on those who can't field teams.
Not sure what that incentivizes? If you just throw kids out there to make up a team they are going to get smashed every week which is no good for anyone involved.
I like Jim's suggestion above- de-couple the youth from the Seniors.
It's not like they have days where the grades all play back to back. The competition scheduling splits them all up anyway. With teams such as NIAS, FNC and MNC only competing in U13's to U16's anyway it's easy to justify
Wouldn't this allow for more pro/rel options with ZFL as well?
If say Cardiff, Dudley, Azzurri or Suns win the comp, they'll have 1st and reserves sorted. They'll just need to work on getting an Under 18's team to be ready for NL1.
All opinions expressed here are my own.
"Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -Benjamin Franklin
Thornton vs New Lambton
1st: 1-3
Res: 2-2
18s: 0-4
Sth Cardiff v Cooks Hill
Ulinga Oval
16s 2-4
18s 1-3
Res 0-3
1st 1-6 (1-4)
N Mac came off towards end of 2nd half with a knee injury. ACL?
All the best Nath...
13s, 14s and 15s then played concurrently after 1st grade
(2nd field deemed unplayable today)
13s 2 all
14s 1-5
15's 0-1 after 15? last I heard from our 14s coach departing the complex.
Cookers 11-0 Cessnock :0