THE initiative by the SFNL to start the season with a one-off game between Imperials and Robinvale Euston is certainly an interesting one.
However, with the human highlight reel and former Essendon cult hero Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti front and centre in his debut for the green and white, it should be a decision that will pay off handsomely.
There has been quite the influx of star power into our competition in recent years with former AFL stars returning to their home clubs, including Sam Kerridge at Mildura, Jarrod Brander and Ben McGlynn at Wentworth, Dallas Willsmore at Ouyen United and Matt Dea last year at Imps.
But 2024 is the year of the ‘Bonza Boys’!
Who are the Bonza Boys? Well, they are the players flying in and out each week from Queensland, and most of them will be on display in the first game of the year between Imps and the Eagles.
Flying in for this game alone will be Ryley Buntain and Aaron Laskey for Imperials, and for Robinvale the lovely Bonza flight attendants will be welcoming Dylan Adkins, Isaac Corvo, Jack Taylor and last season’s McLeod Medallist Benji Neal to their seats.
Oh and don’t forget, Jonah Licht who has signed with South Mildura, too.
This is a big commitment from clubs to fly players in and out each week. Robinvale proved last season that it definitely can work with a Grand Final appearance. However, other pundits would disagree and say it didn’t work as the ultimate success was not achieved.
I’ve seen first-hand that success can be had by recruiting in this manner, however I am yet to see long-term sustainable success from this plan, because I have also seen the after-effects of this style of recruitment.
It’s a long, long road back when players leave in bulk, especially when they are the key players to your success.
Some examples are my own Red Cliffs teams of 2014 and ’15 and the drought since those flags, the flags won by Merbein under Merv Neagle in 2002/03 and their drought since then, and the most famous of them all is the 1998 flag South Mildura won and their near 30-year drought since.
It’s not only the effect of players you’ve recruited leaving in bulk that hurts, but also the local players who were starved of opportunities during that successful period and left to other clubs.
The focus of the senior team can also lead to neglect (in some cases) of the junior development programs.
Robinvale are very healthy in their junior ranks and consistently field strong junior sides. But just be aware that some of these kids on the cusp of senior selection could be targeted by other clubs who are more willing to give them opportunities that you can’t while players are being flown in.
So I find it very interesting that sides such as Imperials who have never really done this in the past have now opted to go down this route, especially given that they finished on the bottom last season.
Will the two new recruits be enough to take them to ultimate success this year, because, in my opinion, this is what they will now need to do for it to be labelled a success.
Based on Imps’ age demographic and lack of players coming up in the junior ranks, the move raises a few questions.
With the likes of Brad and Colby Hards, Jarrod McNally, Brad Vallance and Simon Callahan coming to the end of their careers, is it better to keep blooding juniors now with their experience and knowledge along with the once in a generation recruit like ‘Tippa’ on board? Would getting quality game time into the kids now be more important than a rapid rise up the ladder with a few fly ins instead?
Either way I am excited by the top end talent coming into the competition.
Whether it is for the short or long term success of these clubs, only time will tell.
