4 NOV 2015 - 12:08PM
The grassroots club aiming to revolutionise Australian football

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The talent pool for the next Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill or Tom Rogic may be about to grow – thanks to a trailblazing grassroots club which has booted out the business model that forces parents to pay thousands of dollars to fund their kids' dreams.
By David Lewis
14 NOV 2015 - 11:58 AM UPDATED 3 HOURS AGO
   
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Sydney-based fledging NPL side Dunbar Rovers have eradicated all fees for youngsters who sign for their junior teams leading a revolution that, if other clubs were to follow, would open elite pathways slammed shut for years to those unable to afford costs sometimes well in excess of $3000 per season.

Clubs across Australia’s lower tiers siphon millions of dollars from junior programs to pay first team players up to $800 for per match.

But pioneering Dunbar don’t pay their players a cent. Nor do they charge parents of their junior teams a cent either.

Instead, the football visionaries who run the eastern suburbs-based club dream of seeing a future Socceroo rise through their ranks thanks to a policy of inclusion rather than exclusion.

In the wake of SBS analyst and former Socceroo Craig Foster highlighting Dunbar’s drive to challenge the prevailing pay-for-play wisdom in a recent Fairfax column, Dunbar's Facebook page has been inundated and kids are queing to sign up. It's beginning to look more Roy of the Rovers than Dunbar Rovers.

Peter Hennessy, one of five directors of the NPL Division Three side, has a utopian vision that one day it will be the model all follow and the age of Australia being most expensive country in the world for kids to play at the elite levels will be over.

“It would be nice to think we could change things from the bottom up," he says. “The system at the moment is broken. There is no doubt the cost of elite youth football is astronomically expensive and is getting worse.

“It might be fine if the registration fees (now capped at $2400 in NSW) actually went towards the infrstructure for the kids, but it's actually siphoned off to paying wages for first grade players. And that makes the situation even worse.

“There's absolutely no doubt talented kids are being lost to the game because of the costs involved.

"Imagine if we can get a player who would otherwise have gone to another code who goes on to play for the Socceroos .... that would be a real feather in our cap."

Instead of paying their players, Dunbar offer career guidance and provide networks to tap into through their contacts amid acknowledging that plenty of players will take their services elsewhere in search of a payday.

Hennessy welcomes what he describes as an "aura" which is developing around the club. it's reaching the point where sponsors are lining up to be associated with them.

“I think we’re also attracting players who ordinarily would play at a higher standard but because they want to be associated with our club and our ideals are prepared to play at a slightly lower level," he said.

“My utopia is that we create a unique football community. It would be great to see what we’re doing happening all over the country.

“But you need the people on board with the passion and skills to do it right. We will need to $200,000 this year and we already have $120,000 locked in.”

And that’s without parents paying a penny
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http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/article/2015/11/13/grassroots-club-aiming-revolutionise-australian-football

Good to hear, I was actually thinking about this a couple of days ago.

I find the current player payment system absolutely ridiculous.

How can clubs justify paying 3rd division hacks hundreds of dollars a week while the kids are charged hundreds to play.

The FFA really need to look into this.

I know of one ( and I'm sure a number of ) Brisbane premier league club who 2 seasons ago paid their senior coach $30k with their assistant on $15k and because of their success, they didn't have the money to pay their players their win bonuses so the majority of the squad left, they were relegated the next season.

By my estimates the first team wage bill was in excess of $100k. That money I feel would have been much better spent on developing the youth players.

But I'm not sure how sustainable it is for the players to be paying nothing.

As the club grows how are they going to cover the FFA fees and insurance costs that every player has. Plus the cost of maintenance and upgrades.

Maybe charging $50-$100 sign on would be better. That still makes the club very appealing to parents.

Yes good initiative by Dunbar but as you mention Roar how is it sustainable to have a 1st team.
Sponsers I expect - and many of them, plus funding from FNSW and other governing bodies.
Will be interesting to see how this pans out.
My kid will be playing against Dunbar in Tier 2 Youth - I'm paying $1500 for the season, thankfully same cost as last season.

With the huge costs involved playing and even coaching the game at youth its has made football a business money making machine which has taken the fun and enjoyment out of the game. I.e Private Academies especially

Morally and ethically wrong, what Dunbar Rovers have shown is there is a way to overcome this as an alternative to fix the current system and i hope many more follow their lead.

Far too many kids are lost in the system because of the huge costs involved, something has to be done.

Barca, agree those private academies are money grabbing business's full stop as most of us know.
Thank fuck I didn't get sucked in, my lad was asked to join one here in Syd by his coach I knew pretty well, we went for a trial out and meet, lets just say looking around I thought is was all OTT and the academy not having regular football games really irked my train of thought that every kid to develop should be playing competitive games every week, glad we declined.
A friend of my son's did end up joining up, the father poured in $10k over 2 seasons to be told his son wasn't invited back - can you imagine that !? and how many others are raped as such. Sure their decision but both are in the wrong imo.

Yes fellas we are losing so many talented kids or end up staying at club level as mentioned below, single parents or low income couples I can understand not affording $1500 and + depending on the club.
Its so wrong.

I was never involved in grassroots soccer as I was from an AFL background and was never allowed to play it as a kid but it seems like they are similar problems to grassroots aussie rules clubs.

Are player fees cheaper for clubs that are purely junior clubs?
I.e junior playing fees aren't funnelled to the seniors match payments.

I know a lot of suburban Victorian aussie rules clubs separate the committees of junior & senior clubs to avoid this problem.

The parents are the ones making the mistakes thinking this can make their kid achieve their dreams by thinking he/she will play overseas where the it should be about benefiting development about making him a better footballer whatever how far he goes.

They waste so much money when it could be spent on other things, some silly parents out there.

Dunbar Rovers continuing their fee free youth football next year @ NPL2 Youth.  Accepting expressions of interest now for 2017 players  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10D6xdFexjSGzPqH9aA1TS_qahYd1PPE1AXCCzZrMtFU/edit 

Bang

Hopefully their teams play better football next season. A lot of long ball/ hacking football in the 18's and 15's. I haven't watched the other youth teams but I've heard the 16's are similar. 

agree mate, I watch the 15's before my lad in 16's, their 16's show a better structure than the other grades but lacking in defense, their mids work hard and create but they lack finishing off. Seems aggro is increasing amongst most YL teams nowadays.
They looked promising start of the season but I suppose its been a big learning curve as expected.

13, 14's and 20's all have done well though so given it's their first year thats pretty impressive.  some of the goals they have shared on their facebook page of the youth have been fantastic

as I said - been a big learning curve first time up, could be worse so done good overall.
YL to date
13's 5th
14's 4th
15's 12th
16's 10th

yep 20's in 3rd - 18's 2nd last 1sts 3rd.

A few clubs in NPL Youth 2 started from scratch this year. No excuse for playing a long ball/ hacking game. I'm glad that they are providing a free football education but is there any benefit if that's what the kids are learning to do?

Table positions are great and all but it doesn't paint the full picture. 

table positions don't lie.  which other teams started from scratch this year? i watched their games against hawkesberry and 13s-15's certainly didn't play a long ball hacking game. I was extremely impressed with u13/14s, and less so with the rest but since the players most important development age is 9-13 I think it's fair to say they are doing a good job as those are the age groups prevailing.  The u15s/16s have come from other clubs which would have developed them and may have implemented that long ball hacking game you speak off into their game.

Mmmmm.
Of the 15 clubs in NPLYL2 I don't see any other new clubs.
The club list did change from 2015 but those not in it the previous season certainly were not new competing at that level unless I'm mistaken.
Have you a bone with them ? lol....
Hacking, man we see it near on every week, played Stanmore last night, ref was handing out yellows soon enough 1st half, many tackles from behind, followed by some lip a red was handed prior HT.
I could name 5 other hacking squads in 16's but others may see it differently.
Hoof ball, yep another few who play this way more so I feel due to what they had at selection time so have to play to their strength for they haven't the skill playing out from the back.
Who's to blame for this ? as said what cattle they were dealt with at selection time ? or coachs not following the curriculan ? or both.
cacs, you obviously have vested interest - I think the club is looking pretty good imo. Helps getting the $$$$$$$'s. Good luck to you and club.
By the way, there are countless impressive goals scored from all these youth teams.

I know for sure that Dulwich Hill FC didn't have youth last season and since FNSW cut youth in the third tier a few years ago. 

As I said, I know Dulwich Hill are one of the teams that didn't have youth. I have no issue with Dunbar. All I said is that it's great that it is free and I wish every club went down that route but the football education provided (from what I've seen in the 15's and 18's) isn't great. I'm sure the club will be looking to improve it in their second season. 

Clubs have had a full season to implement a new philosophy and there should be visible signs of that whether these boys played for other clubs or not. However, what you'll notice is a lot of mistakes occurring through this new philosophy. What should be visible in their attempt to play. 

Should have probably mentioned that the last time I saw their 15's was late last year when the squad was put together so hopefully there has been some improvement. But I coached against their 18's only a few weeks ago and nothing has improved. 

Dulwich hill lost 4-0 to them earlier in the season at u18s.  Were you coaching then?

Yes, I played for them in ESFA and hope to send my kids through there when they finish SAP so have been watching their progress.

Yep. It was my third week back at the club. Bit of a disaster - tried to play football but a lot of mistakes and Dunbar's pressing was very good. Dully 18's lost the first 6 games before I took over in round 7. 

oh understand, those 2-3 clubs that came into YL2 this season your right like Dully didn't have youth, I looked at it as Dunbar being newer/fresh - Dully for me been around for yonks but didn't consider no youth.
Look all clubs will improve from this season I hope, went up another level from last, well some imo.
Main thing is do the coachs from xyz clubs really push the playing from the back - possession instead of hoof ball.
Some are just playing the way that suits the squad they have ie size, pace, a couple of sound capable players but the rest being aggressive to stifle those teams that can play from the back and retain possession.

I agree. As long as clubs are trying to improve, that is the main thing. No club is doing everything perfectly. I'm by no means a perfect coach either and will never claim to be. 

just to add a little balance to the discussion - I have been watching Dunbar very closely as I am involved in Eastern Suburbs football.
if you look at the combined final league tables (based on points) across the 4 grades, Dunbar placed 7th from 16 clubs. pretty solid for their first season.
most importantly they finished ahead of ALL of their local rivals - Sydney Uni, Dulwich Hill, Balmain Tigers, Stanmore Hawks, Inter Lions.
also their team with the least number of points (U16) finished with the 3rd highest points from each club's weakest teams (35 points). only Bankstown United (37) and Hills Brumbies (36) were ahead of them. in Youth 2 most clubs had one team that was significantly better than the rest - e.g. Nepean U13 and the rest were poor, Stanmore U14 and the rest were average. Dunbar had two very decent teams (U13 and U14) and two teams that were not quite as strong but still managed 36 and 37 points each. you could argue that across the club, in its first season Dunbar outperformed many of its more illustrious rivals who have been in this game a lot longer.
in terms of playing style, it probably takes a while to roll out a playing style across a club. when a club is in it's first season, with 16 players in each grade who are totally unfamiliar with each other, the most important thing is to quickly make sure you are competitive. be interesting to find out if other clubs found Dunbar competitive this season.
now that the club knows it can be competitive, their plan is to recruit well in the off season and then focus on establishing a club style of play.
clubs will try to discredit Dunbar with a 'you get what you pay for' attitude but if you look at the quality of their facilities, playing kit, apparel and coaching staff, the players are not treated as second class citizens - in fact, even though their parents pay ZERO, Dunbar actually appear to run a better youth programme than many of its rivals.
would be interested in people's thoughts to these points...

Just looking at one of their better sides and their last four results suggests they have beaten some established teams very comprehensivly.  Sydney Uni beaten 5-0?  What happened there?  Through school my boys have said they wont get into Dunbar  easily as alot of players want to stay with them which is a good sign.

Dunbar Rovers 5  Inter Lions SC 2   
Dunbar Rovers 6     SD Raiders FC 1
Dunbar Rovers 5  Sydney University SFC 0 
Dunbar Rovers 1  Stanmore Hawks FC 1    

apparently the club has a policy of wanting to push players up into NPL Youth 1 clubs if they feel they are good enough. Mid season an U16 player left for Macarthur Rams in NPLY1. they don't seem to want to build a fifedom - but want to develop players and then pass them on to bigger clubs to develop further. that is very refreshing.

I don't buy into that as I doubt they would develop better at macarthur rams.  The top NPL 2 clubs are better than the bottom half of NPL1.  Moving clubs at youth level is an ego problem with the player.  Some of those NPL1 clubs don't care about developing players and just care about the $.  If Dunbar are not charging their youth, then they care about the player development and should want to retain them right through to first grade and reap the benefits there.