TOPIC:

Swan42 correct
Baz: correct -- and that was down to Kevin Merrifield strenous efforts.

We also got lucky, because, at the same time, from 1980-4 the zone produced some good footballers.

The club truely is in trouble and I thank JT for bothering to write about our plight. The problem I think and I stress only think comes from our weak zone and the sort of family support the players coming from these zones get. Further I like most WAFL supporters think there is a lot of under the counter payments being made to players from one or two certain clubs. A third problem I see with our situation is how our lack of success has made too many of our supporters look inwards to the club and blame people there for the lack of success. My firs two points are aimed at the WAFC. People are always on here hating one person or another at the Club. I could never understand the hate levelled against McMahon. Before that it was Jarmon, now it's Darryl Mann and Marty Atkins. I can even remember the last Pres who put shit loads of his own money and time into the club (Vince Pendal RIP) copping it big time. Before him it was the previous Pres who's name eludes me atm. But enough with hating the club people. It is a WAFC issue.
PS McMahon well and truely has the best win / loss ratio than any coach at Perth for 18 or 19 years

TFF: Perth has won one Colts flag in the last thirty years. Poverty coutns I am afraid in this debate, Perth having some of the most deprived areas in the state in their zone. Claremont has good middle-class boys in thier zone whom are encouraged to play football.

TFAF It's a PFC issue!
Make it a WAFC issue and it will be last one out the door turn off the lights.
We have recruited badly and tbh rarely recruit to our needs.

However I do think the footy zones needs to be sorted.
The country zones need to be looked at.

In 2009, Perth had the largest number of 17s teams in any of the metro districts.
Perth 9
South Freo 8
East Freo 7
Subiaco 5
East Perth 4
West Perth 4
Claremont 3
Peel 0
Swans 0

Where are all of these 17s graduates from 2009 that are now 25 and should be the core of the Perth league team? Perth have 12 junior clubs in their area with some having a good history producing very good players. They also have 12 amateur clubs including two of the bigger A Grade clubs in Wesley Curtin and Trinity Aquinas in their district, and a couple of private schools to draw from.

What's wrong with the football program at Perth?

That is the question TT.
I am overseas ATM. Perhaps some one can organise a Friends Of The Demons meeting so that those who really care about the club can come together and form a united front to address all the issues with the aim to Save Our Club.
I will be back in town by end of month and will attend. Perhaps our Moderator Dazzler could start the ball rolling otherwise I will speak with friends and colleagues who share our fears on my return.

Time For a Flag wrote: The club truely is in trouble and I thank JT for bothering to write about our plight. The problem I think and I stress only think comes from our weak zone and the sort of family support the players coming from these zones get. Further I like most WAFL supporters think there is a lot of under the counter payments being made to players from one or two certain clubs. A third problem I see with our situation is how our lack of success has made too many of our supporters look inwards to the club and blame people there for the lack of success. My firs two points are aimed at the WAFC. People are always on here hating one person or another at the Club. I could never understand the hate levelled against McMahon. Before that it was Jarmon, now it's Darryl Mann and Marty Atkins. I can even remember the last Pres who put shit loads of his own money and time into the club (Vince Pendal RIP) copping it big time. Before him it was the previous Pres who's name eludes me atm. But enough with hating the club people. It is a WAFC issue.
PS McMahon well and truely has the best win / loss ratio than any coach at Perth for 18 or 19 years

Sorry but I think a lot of the sentiment raised here of blaming everyone and thing outside the club is the reason why Perth has no success, as posted Perth have a huge amount of Junior Clubs, some highly successful Private Schools and associated Club, Trinity Aquinas/ Wesley in their zones, to say no other clubs have deprived areas is a cop out, South and Swans both have struggling areas in their zones, Coolbellup, Hamilton Hlll, Spearwood, Hilton Park, are not what you would call elite areas , nor is Tambellup.

Time For a Flag wrote: The club truely is in trouble and I thank JT for bothering to write about our plight. The problem I think and I stress only think comes from our weak zone and the sort of family support the players coming from these zones get. Further I like most WAFL supporters think there is a lot of under the counter payments being made to players from one or two certain clubs. A third problem I see with our situation is how our lack of success has made too many of our supporters look inwards to the club and blame people there for the lack of success. My firs two points are aimed at the WAFC. People are always on here hating one person or another at the Club. I could never understand the hate levelled against McMahon. Before that it was Jarmon, now it's Darryl Mann and Marty Atkins. I can even remember the last Pres who put shit loads of his own money and time into the club (Vince Pendal RIP) copping it big time. Before him it was the previous Pres who's name eludes me atm. But enough with hating the club people. It is a WAFC issue.
PS McMahon well and truely has the best win / loss ratio than any coach at Perth for 18 or 19 years

If these people want to be in charge as a president or CEO or senior coach then if you don't produce results you got to be prepared to cop the criticism. Our clubs on field record is appalling and indefensible. I've got no doubt many of these people have done good things and given their best but some of their efforts and intentions have been misdirected and not in the best interest of the club and some of these people are far too sensitive to any criticism and stubbornly dig their heals in and don't want to let any outsiders in.

I know one passionate supporter who is as dedicated as any supporter I know and has very good credentials and made a serious approach to the club to apply for nomination to the board. He was invited in to submit his ideas and put it in writing. Met with senior club officials and told we will get back to you well over a year ago and is still waiting.

That is typical of the lack of professionalism in this club and why it is perceived as a little boys club. People in charge more worried about their own insecurities than the best interests of the Perth FC. Anyone who defends this mob is wasting everyone's time.

Tiger Tales wrote: In 2009, Perth had the largest number of 17s teams in any of the metro districts.
Perth 9
South Freo 8
East Freo 7
Subiaco 5
East Perth 4
West Perth 4
Claremont 3
Peel 0
Swans 0

Where are all of these 17s graduates from 2009 that are now 25 and should be the core of the Perth league team? Perth have 12 junior clubs in their area with some having a good history producing very good players. They also have 12 amateur clubs including two of the bigger A Grade clubs in Wesley Curtin and Trinity Aquinas in their district, and a couple of private schools to draw from.

What's wrong with the football program at Perth?

That's been my point ever since the zones started being talked about on here. Yes we may not have as many talented kids per head that other clubs have in their zone but are we maximising the potential of the kids that are in our zone. Over time we get one or two in yes but are we moving heaven and earth, going to see four or five games a weekend to try and entice players that show potential to want to come down and give it a crack.

This is not to be at the detriment to the junior or senior clubs within or zone either but are we squeezing the life and getting the absolute most out of our zone? My answer is no.

Three to four years ago I know of a group of 16/17 year olds were informed via text message that they hadn't made the colts group. Now if that was you would you want to come back and try again at a club that couldn't even be bothered to have a face to face conversation with you. As I said on another topic a while back it would not have been hard to pull the child aside at training and speak to him for a couple of minutes and point out why he wasn't getting selected and what he needed to work on. Maybe even go as far as checking in on him half way through the season.

Everyone's born with the same amount of talent Mr AFL. It's how kids are developed and how dedicated they are that sets them apart from their peers.

Perth has over the years had a number of quality players move through the junior development system, into colts and onto AFL list. Maybe this was achieved by these players inspite of the club they were zoned to rather than as a result of a good development pathway. Where Perth seem to have struggled over the last 30 years is developing the second tier of players which should form your League squad.

Does anyone know how many players each WAFL club currently has on AFL lists? Or how many AFL players each WAFL club has produced over the last 20 years?