DARREN MONCRIEFF
Tuesday 1 May 2012
THE integrity of the AFL's national club Foxtel Cup competition must surely come into question following West Adelaide's capitulation to Claremont at the weekend.
The knockout competition, which pits the best-performed State league clubs against each other, is barely two years old but already clubs are treating it lightly.
Clubs play their Foxtel Cup matches during their scheduled State league byes.
The top three highest ranked teams from the previous season were originally invited to compete but in December 2010, months before the first season was to begin, the SANFL's Central Districts, Woodville-West Torrens and Norwood declined, citing schedule concerns, sponsorship conflicts, prizemoney and salary cap implications. Those three clubs, the top three again in 2011, declined to play in the Foxtel Cup in 2012.
Their absence was filled by West Adelaide, North Adelaide and Port Adelaide, teams which have mostly failed to push deep into September.
The AFL and pay-TV provider Foxtel, on which games are televised, have committed to the competition for the next five years.
Prizemoney total is $250,000; $40,000 for the winners. The remaining $190,000 is divided among the semi finalists.
On Saturday, ahead of their match with reigning WAFL premier Claremont, West Adelaide fielded a second-string side and were unsurprisingly thrashed by the Tigers by 101 points.
The Bloods' coach openly stated he was fielding a second-string side, keeping just six senior players in the team that defeated Sturt the week before.
Claremont contested last year's Foxtel Cup grand final and were defeated by an AFL-aligned club, Williamstown. In that team were Western Bulldogs players Nathan Djerrkura and Josh Hill, and Brett Goodes.
The Tasmanian sides are hardly ever competitive against the traditional football State sides, neither are the NSW and Queensland teams.
The players can't be faulted. Their competitve juices boil over once the umpire bounces the Sherrin in anger. And the rare exposure for their talents on national television and other media would be most welcome. Rather, the finger must be pointed at the coaches, however all they're doing is keeping one eye firmly fixed on club success at home.
The incentive, therefore, needs to be greater, starting with the winners' bounty: in the shceme of things, $40,000 would be quickly swallowed up by a club's operations.
One can only hope the Foxtel Cup doesn't go the way of State of Origin.
Competing 2012 Foxtel Cup clubs
Ainslie (ACT), Burnie (TSL), Claremont (WAFL), Launceston (TSL), Morningside (Qld), Mt Gravatt (Qld), NT Thunder (NT), Port Adelaide (SANFL), Port Melbourne (VFL), South Adelaide (SANFL), Subiaco (WAFL), Sydney Hills Eagles (NSW), Werribee (VFL), West Adelaide (SANFL), West Perth (WAFL), Williamstown (VFL).
AboriginalFootball@westnet.com.au
Last Modified on 01/05/2012 13:12