Crows reserves 'set up' for 2014

Adelaide Football Club chairman Rob Chapman, left, at a press conference with currently suspended chief executive Steven Trigg last year. Chapman says the Crows will have a reserves side by next season. Picture: Sarah Reed. Source: The Advertiser

CROWS chairman Rob Chapman is promising to deliver a reserves team for the Adelaide Football Club by mid-season - and it will be ready to play in 2014.

But whether it is as a stand-alone team playing in the SANFL league or reserves competitions or through a merger with an ailing SANFL club such as Sturt remains in question.

Talks between the SANFL and Crows on the long-running reserves question have resumed, with Chapman declaring: "We're quite optimistic we'll have a solution that works for everybody by the middle of this year.

"And I'm very optimistic it will be set up for 2014.

"(But) it's too early to say how it will look."

There are only three options for Adelaide:

FORMING the SANFL's 10th league team. This could cost the Crows between $170,000-$300,000 a season to manage.

PLAYING in the SANFL reserves competition to protect the integrity of the SANFL league premiership.

A MERGER with the financially challenged Sturt, provided the SANFL clears the $2.2 million of debt at Unley.

"It will meet our requirements," said Chapman.

"(They are) having our players who miss out on AFL selection working as a unit in one team, for one club, in the same jumper, with one set of resources looking at one game.

"It has to work for the SANFL too. I'd like to think it will help them generate extra revenue."

Chapman last night opened the AFL premiership season at AAMI Stadium with the first club president's speech.

Beyond declaring Adelaide will have a reserves team next season, Chapman also promised club members the much-anticipated independence from the SANFL was near.

The AFL is close to sealing negotiations with the SANFL to buy back the Crows and Port Adelaide licences. Both clubs will have formal independence on November 1.

Independence could cost the Crows a fee to the SANFL of $650,000 a season for 15 years.

"It's been a personal goal to deliver to the Adelaide Football Club its independence," Chapman said.

He noted "it has been difficult" for Adelaide to serve two agendas - its own on the national stage and the SANFL's in the local arena.

"It's hard to serve two masters," he said.

"Once we get the licence back, our relationship with the SANFL will change. But what won't change is our respect for the SANFL competition, our heritage and where we came from. We want to work with the SANFL to ensure it's a strong competition.

"The money we pay back to the SANFL for the licence will be directed into the development of the local game.

"Over the years, it's been difficult for the club because we've had to line up to both a local and national AFL agenda.

"We have a parent in the SANFL - and if it wasn't for the SANFL we wouldn't exist.

"They were the ones who took the risk and had the foresight, but it's time for us to move on."

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