SANFL Clubs wait for Foxtel Cup details

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/clubs-wait-for-foxtel-cup-details/story-e6freckc-1226191640244

NORWOOD and the Eagles will await more detail before deciding whether to play in the 2012 Foxtel Cup but Central has virtually ruled out playing.

The SANFL is yet to receive details on the 2012 competition but it is likely the top three clubs - who all rejected offers to play in the competition in 2011 - would again receive first bite at the cherry next year.

Woodville-West Torrens chief executive Chris Davies said the reigning SANFL premier did not have a "closed mindset" to the AFL run competition which pits state league clubs from across Australia against one another.

But Davies said winning the SANFL premiership would again be top priority, and the club remained concerned the Cup would place too great a workload on players.

He said player welfare would be placed ahead of any increased prizemoney or financial incentives.

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"At this stage our position has not changed (form last season) but we're yet to receive any detail from the AFL or SANFL," Davies said.

"It (financial reward) is part of the decision making process but it's not an integral part of it.

"We have greater concerns over things like player welfare and our players' ability to recover week to week from games."

In 2011, clubs were not allowed to display their own sponsors on guernseys in the Foxtel Cup, limiting the commercial appeal of the knockout league, which is televised Australia-wide by Foxtel.

There was also limited prizemoney on offer. All of the SANFL's top five ranked clubs from the previous season rejected offers to play, leaving sixth, seventh and eighth ranked West, North and Port to play.

SANFL chief officer football and corporate operations Darren Chandler expected more detail on the competition from the AFL within a week.

He was hopeful greater incentives would be offered to clubs.

Norwood's football manager Mark Ross said the club would review the proposal before making a decision but stressed the Legs' main goal was to win the 2012 SANFL premiership.

Central CEO Kris Grant all but ruled out playing the competition, saying the club's horror 2011 injury toll could have been even worse had it played the Foxtel Cup.

"At this stage, we won't be in it," Grant said.

"It totally compromises the SANFL competition and your ability to be successful.

"In some of those of those Foxtel Cup games last season we would have been almost fielding an under-18 side because our injury list was that long."