Grow the game’s grassroots

Look after the kids who pull on the footy boots each week, says Steve Balmforth

IT was another slapdown for Tasmanian football with the weasel- worded announcement from the AFL on its commitment, or token commitment, to make changes and reinvigorate football in Tasmania.

The spin doctors from the AFL have again shown a total disregard to making any significant changes to the areas in the most need. Tassie has again been treated as the poor relation and the sentiments of many football supporters has been echoed by Bob Cheek (Talking Point, July 3).

While I support the considerations being made in Tasmania for change, I believe there are some fundamental issues that need to be addressed to ensure the longterm future and viability of Aussie Rules football in Tasmania.

I grew up in the Derwent Valley and attended primary and high school at New Norfolk and although not a very talented footballer, I was part of a close-knit community whose football season was embraced with an almost allconsuming passion.

In the mid-1960s at primary school there was a grade 6 team that played the other local schools on a Friday afternoon. The small Molesworth School had only a few boys, so the other schools including the New Norfolk State School of which I was attending, regularly loaned a few players to make up the numbers.

Usually a teacher would take on the role of coach and was supported by parents.

While at high school there was a very supportive Education Department that gave great support to football in the high school fraternity, with teams from the four-year groups playing against Hobart schools on a Saturday morning with local coaches drawn from a dedicated parent and teacher group.

The New Norfolk Football Club supported four teams each week with the Under 17s, Under 19s, a reserve team as well as a senior team that competed in the TFL competition.

Support from the TFL, the community, and a few sponsors enabled the NNDFC and other clubs in Tasmania to prosper during the ‘60s and into the ‘80s with a strong supporter base and with talented players who strived to play at the higher levels.

I vividly remember the 1968 Grand Final at North Hobart and being in the crowd of 19,236 spectators for New Norfolk’s Grand Final win and again in 1982 when a crowd of 16,124 saw the Eagles win another Grand Final flag.

The talented and honoured players who played with New Norfolk in those glory days are still cult heroes in the valley, as is likely the same for those fellow greats who played in the other statewide teams.

Names such as Hudson, Leo, Browning, Fox, Garwood, Taylor, Wilton, Glover, Dykes, Dac, Hunnibell, Chisnall, Latham and many others made local football an integral part of the district’s culture and community.

Those heady days are long gone and are likely never to return, however it’s pleasing to see that even under major restraints the local footy club is surviving. Although it has faced many challenges with its survival in the past, it is most likely to see more if circumstances don’t change.

The cost of putting three teams on the ground each week is a major drain on club finances and without a dedicated team of volunteers and the much-appreciated sponsors, the future would look very grim.

The costs of umpires, ground hire, support staff, coaching payments, and players payments each week are not covered by revenue on game day, including entry fees, canteen and bar takings. For every home game the financial loss is up to $1000 and this needs to be covered by fundraising and sponsors.

This highlights the role of those who volunteers their time and effort to support clubs like New Norfolk to remain viable but only just. Most clubs run in a state of constant debt management.

With attendances at most games in the high hundreds at best, and a long way short of the 2000 to 4000 of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, the maths shows the financial shortfall.

Should the AFL look at supporting grassroots football with some cash support to put teams on the ground each week that would be a major step forward.

From what I understand, there are no school football teams in New Norfolk and have not been for many years. There is an active junior league supported by dedicated volunteers who should be congratulated for their efforts each week as well as the parental support given.

Should the AFL provide financial and physical support to junior football development, even just covering costs such as ground hire, footy jumpers and insurance, this would provide a major boost to ensuring more participation.

Support and cash poured in n at the top level won’t make a lot of difference if the lower levels are not supported.

It’s at this level that those kids who pull on the footy boots each week have something to aim for as did those mates of mine I went to school with. It was almostt a standard progression with support all the way from high school football, then the under 17s and then Under 19s to the Reserves and then a game with the Seniors.

To be selected in a state team was a highlight and usually with that honour came the opportunity to be targeted by a VFL team, as did the likes of Peter Hudson and Cameron Clayton.

Aussie Rules is under threat from other sports such as soccer and basketball and unless the governing body, the AFL changes its strategy and supports junior and local football competitions and clubs like New Norfolk there will be more of an exodus from Aussie Rules to the other codes.

It’s fantastic to see country football in Tasmania is some areas still surviving and full credit to those involved, however should the AFL not get back to supporting football at the grassroots level, the long-term future must surely be in doubt.

To those involved with country football, junior football and the teams in the SFL, I would suggest that because you are all somewhat removed from the current AFL/ Tasmania football future discussions, that a collaborative approach be made to the AFL direct for some consideration towards running costs in the first instance and then seek their support and expertise to invigorate football at your level. The AFL has the cash, and lots of it, as has been seen with support provided to the Greater Western Sydney and the likes, so a few million dollars distributed to country

and junior football in Tasmania would be a sound football investment.

Let’s hope the powerbrokers in the AFL don’t forget that a senior elite level footballer helping to draw big crowds for the AFL mega company, and boosting the massive revenues generated, most likely started his career as a young player somewhere in a junior competition or in a team run by volunteers such as the New Norfolk District Football Club.

This is the area where the support is needed.

The talented and honoured players who played with New Norfolk in those glory days are still cult heroes in the valley