IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR DIVISION ONE 2015

An important development to come from the recent club Annual General Meeting involves Division One football for 2015.

Due to the decision by Gridiron NSW to merge the Colts season to the same time of year as the Division One season, the Sutherland Seahawks have decided to not enter a team in the 2015 Division One competition. Alternatively, the club will organize some exhibition games for the end of 2015 and beginning of 2016.

It was a decision made with great sadness as the club had just experienced a very competitive 2014 season, making the semi finals for the first time since 2010 and winning the most number of games (8) since 2001. The change in season structure, laid on the clubs without any meeting by GNSW, will push the scarce resources of the club to one time of the year instead of the previous structure of Colts Football in the first half of the year and Division One in the second half.

In order to maintain the quality of the club's Colts program, which has won the last 2 State Championships, and ensure that the Division One program was run to an acceptable standard of coaching, playing, administration and officiating; matching the Colts program, the club members have passed a motion to not enter a Division One team for 2015.

This will be the first year since the start of the club in 1987 (28 consecutive seasons) that this has happened. The positives will be that the club will continue to work to improve its Colts program and also further develop Junior football; and initiative that is sorely under-developed in the sport in Australia and the source of the lack of development in the 31 years of the sport in Australia.

Preparations for the 2016 Division One season will instead be spread now over the next 18 months, as the club will aim to re-enter a team at that time. This will only happen if the standards set in 2014 can be reached again and developed beyond. The starting point for this will be taking on rookie Division One players in October and veterans returning to practice at that time as well in preparation for a series of exhibition games. More news to follow.

Peter Upham
President
Sutherland Seahawks
24/03/2015