So a month or so ago I had a ramble about Regionals. Today I forwarded off to the AFDA the formal bid to host Regionals again at Griffith Nathan (same as last year), and that got me thinking more about Regionals and Nationals.
Since the advent of Regionals, in the North, we've worked out how many teams we are allowed to send to Nationals, and then formed ourselves into the right number of teams (so in 2005 we had two plus one slots and went as Buggers, Dojo and Flood; and in 2006 we had three slots but only sent Firestorm and Thor). Its not clear yet as to whether we'll get 3 or 2 slots in 2008.
John McNaughton let me know that there's thought that Firestorm will aim to get two squads to Nationals next year. This is good, and I’m glad to see people thinking about it all early for once. Presumably, Firestorm's goal will be to get the 44 or so best players in SEQ (if not all of Queensland and Northern NSW) together, training and working hard and down to Nationals.
The only problem with this though is it probably bollocks' up Regionals as an event worth having (particularly if the Region only gets two slots to Nationals). Players instead will focus on getting onto one of the Firestorm squads.
Under the rules, we have to have Regionals to ensure we get our full number of Nationals slots, but if the top 44 or so players are in two teams, I don't think the event will attract many other players, which makes it a bit of a dud (might as well just call it Firestorm Training Camp 2 and be done with it).
For growing the future though (and noting that as time goes by, the AFDA will start adjusting slot offers based on Regionals participation, so we will probably soon really need to make Regionals have more teams), I want Regionals to be a good event in itself, and I think this involves getting more teams involved.
So here's a vision for Open Regionals 2008 – six teams, based around:
1. Brisbane A (Firestorm Core A)
2. Brisbane B (Firestorm Core B)
3. Townsville
4. Byron Bay (plus Armidale?)
5. Gold Coast
6. Brisbane University Rookies / Pickup (can we use Regionals as part of UQs O-Week recruitment strategy?)
There could of course be some merging of two groups from 3-6. I'm also going to have a go an encouraging some folk from Darwin to come. We might also be able to generate another Brisbane/YUFL/Capalaba/pickup team.
To get these non-Firestorm teams to happen, particularly if the Northern Region only gets two slots to Nationals, would require some careful management by Firestorm.
This is the challenge, really.
What I'm getting at is that there are senior players in Townsville, Byron Bay, the Gold Coast and the Unis, who will want to go to Nationals and do well and will see the best way to do this is with Firestorm. But if they play for Firestorm at Regionals then teams from those areas won't happen, or will get thoroughly smashed by stacked Firestorm squads and not bother again.
Given that teams at Regionals must have minimum 10 players, but may take up to 28 to Nationals (although 18-22 are more usual), there's plenty of potential for use of the rule that players who's Regionals team do not qualify for Nationals may join other teams that do qualify for Nationals.
A way forward could be for Firestorm to select its teams (say 44 players (I assume that to develop us in long term, you'd agree North needs to start sending big teams to Nats as soon as possible)), but then release some players (10-12?) to organise and play for other teams at Regionals (with a gentlemen's agreement that if in the unlikely circumstance that one of these teams beat Firestorm A or B into 1st and 2nd place, they would not take up a Nationals slot).
There are obvious people from those locations who might do this (with enough support from Firestorm of course), but the Firestorm brains trust might also pass on some Brisbane fellas to increase the value of getting better teams happening.
All of the above is pretty much in the 'only two North slots' scenario. If the AFDA gives three slots to the North region, then I'd suggest:
- Gentlemen's agreement that Firestorm A, Firestorm B and Townsville/Byron would attend Nationals
- Firestorm release players to help generate Gold Coast and University teams for Regionals
- Byron and Townsville compete at Regionals separately, but merge into Thor for Nationals.
8 comments:
It is quite possible that, if North does get Nationals 2008, we will get 1 or 2 wildcard spots which would open up places for other teams.
I had no idea anyone from North was bidding to host Nats!
wetty whats your source?
have you ben smelling jangles'farts again?
doesn't mean that someone isnt looking into it. wetty shhh!!
the trouble is that firestorm will only really take players who will come train with the team. so that rules out players from townsville and Byron. Not that i dont think they are good enough but we are starting a club based in brisbane and thus taking in player from brisbane who want to train and compete at a high level.
sorry if it sounds mean it is just we are looking to the future.
that said i think that there are plenty of good players who dont fall into the firestorm mold. Thus firestorm may not take 2 slots. Unlikely but THOR beat the firefighters (firestorm 2) team last year.
Just from an email from aus-ultimate yahoo groups that says that no one from North region has bid yet but there have been some possible interest.
That was all.
Well UQ has had the option suggested to us, but we feel that with all the other building and rebuilding we have to do, that if we do make a bid for one of the nationals it would probably be mixed nats.
Also JDR, you suggested that we use regionals as an O-Week advertisement? What dates will Regionals be falling in 08?
re O-Week
Regionals will be 15-16 March.
I think UQ O-Week is 18-22 Feb.
This makes Regionals at the end of Week 3 of lectures.
My suggestion was to make Regionals part of your rego and retention strategy:
"Sign up to our Club, we won Uni Games last year. Uni games is in August, so you've got time to learn. We have a Wednesday League starting in week 2, and there's a great weekend tournament with party at the end of week 3, to help you get into it."
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