Yes -  I want to see an Adelaide, Brisbane and Canberra bids to be considered.  

For mine it's a bit of a double edged sword getting a high number of bids.

1. Positively - more to cull means stronger field instead of just scraping together the numbers and the risk that entails.

2. Negatively - if anything, having a very large number of bids AND those bids making the grade actually increases the chance of this "champions league" (NPL finals+ series, rather) model coming to fruition. To "keep the costs down".  They wouldn't be doing that with 10 clubs.

While the AL and these clubs have been at loggerheads for the entire ALs existence, there's still an opportunity for each to learn from each other. I think the best avenue would be to replicate JON's original AL model of small league, small season (but more compact - not going around 3x in the season). Make it nice and compact not to fatigue the audience. Sure we want players getting games in their legs, but with a shorter season we're still getting a crucial step up in standards compared to NPL level football, so we're still winning.

Would be entirely happy with 10 team/18 round season. Like it or not (I don't), there will be a finals series. So we're still looking at 18-20 higher standard matches for ~200 players or so (assuming 20 player squads minimum). We're also not scraping the bottom of the playing pool just to get the numbers and for the sake of "making them more pro, therefore better". There has to be a bit of both here.... we need better resourcing for developing via this league, but the players have to at least be something worthwhile spending it on.

Interesting when some here shit bagged the A League attendances encompassing the pandemic, there was a silence

You're just a negative person

To point out the hypocrisy? Whatever you reckon.

This was my original prediction at the start of the year and may be way off. Still, the diversity isn't bad. Melbourne is an issue.

Region	No.	Club
Adel	2	FSA, Adel City
Brisb	2	Brisb City, Brisb United
Melb	2	South Melb, Heidelberg / MKnights
Syd	3	Syd Olympic, Marconi, Sutherland / Cronulla
WA	1	Spearwood/Cockburn City
Hunter	1	Valentine
Gold Coast	1	GCoast United
Wollongong	1	W Wolves
ACT	1	Gungahlin United
	14

The "great pity" is despite you knowing better you label the AAFC (a voluntary group of passionate football clubs) as having some sort of say in the governance at the FFA......

• the fact that after 20 odd years the racism of Lowy is about to be erased and ALL Australian clubs, regardless of race creed or colour can finally compete nationally again
• or that choads like you who have spent two decades basking in your apartheid are shedding tears of frustration that the tin pot effniks finally got their act together.

Don't bring up the "scam-demic" Some special people dont believe it actually happened :)

Yeah especially if the combine geographic AND effnik diversity.....   hahahahah poor Paulie cant win..... 

Heidelberg along with WA and SA aren't going any further.
Well done to those clubs who have submitted their applications.

Especially as they faced FA incompetence during this process. So many unnecessary hurdles.

FA didn't have the documentation ready and were late in producing it. You will start hearing more on this as there will be leaks.

FA have set a ridiculously high bar on some areas regarding criteria.

FA actually knows very little about their Clubs. I suppose that's to be expected when FA employees earn $300K and overs.

Credit to the Clubs who have had to go through this ridiculous process and creidit to the Clubs who have said the will put in strategies to get there.

Do you have a source, or just a hunch?

I mean.. bit of a valid point.

But that table runs from 2017-2019...

Poor excuses from Heidelberg and the SA clubs if so... ALL clubs faced the same "FA incompetence" during the process. 

If Bergers cant meet the "ridiculously high bar" yet Avondale and South Hobart can than they are farcical.

That table could have been drawn up since 2006 and wouldn't have made a difference. 

AAFC had/have no more decision making capabilities than any random poster on this forum. 

TBH don't FA look after the State bodies the NPL clubs are the state bodies' clubs. 

This is not about making excuses this is providing an insight into what is happening.
Along with 20 years of policy, the scorched earth of everything below ALM.
The introduction of NPL, to limit Clubs and have them produce players for ALM and NT.
Then to remove them from that purpose by introducing AL into NPL.
Not to mention NCIP.
And yet Clubs do what they are meant to do, represent their community.

Clubs will do what they can, and not do what they can't, this doesn't mean that aspiration, the future, won't see Clubs put in policies and stratagies to get to the next level.
They will and some have already announced that they will.
And for those Clubs that haven't taken the next step, I thank them for pushing for a NSD therough thei support of the AAFC.

It's a shame that FA didn't take more notice of the AAFC report and implement its report rather than diverge. But then administrators like to take credit for themselves.

The NPL is the FA's baby, they just outsource the operational part to the Federations.

Read some of my other posts I'm usually on to the point.

Will pre-madonas Brisbane (any), Adelaide City, Canberra Croatia  & Gold Coast Utd ever Submitt?
They've made they're point of being fashionably late.

Fair enough Arthur, I understand and agree with your points. Just disappointed with Heidelberg's decision I guess. 

Especially considering the wonderful achievements they have made over the past 4-5 years with OV, their performances on the pitch both in VIC and in A-Cup and the worthy history and soccer culture they bring to the table.... They project a "more worthy" addition to this league than quite a few others I guess and I know many of their faithful would be disappointed.

WA dropped out during EOI phase

I don't think so. I think a lot of people underestimate the cost involved for a club to do this and it will put at risk some of the participants.
A high bar on criteria will hopefully weed out those that can't realistically participate - because there's no point in them joining only to drop out half way through the season.
My concern also is that some clubs might well look good now, but in a season's time the money runs out and they start dropping out.

how are you or we to know without the facts what areas we're OTT and not in the first place, unless you have some inside facts to pass on.
Obviously stds are meant to be high, due diligence and all but some requirements could be way more than required.
I think all have an idea of costs involved, its been in reports and estimations for quite sometime.
It was also quoted not every Club could be full Pro that they would rinse through which Club/s could participate still as semi pro that you expect with agreed guidlines and target dates to be met turning pro in due course.
IF the funds are running low during the 1st season well that should have been picked up through all the process's in the first place prior to commencement.
I'm sure the FA and the Clubs involved are very aware about having to last the pioneering journey but nothing can/could be garanteed like any new venture.
Nothing ventured nothing gained RoyalDave, OR do you sit back wait another 10yrs OR entie a ME orgarlord to fund the whole game.

I think that was mentioned in that early AAFC white paper, but in the NST requirements, it clearly states fully pro from the start.
1.3 Overview of the National Second Tier
(d) NST Clubs will enter into a Club Participation Agreement setting out the terms of participation, including but not limited to the following requirements:

• (i) professional playing contracts for all players, with salaries paid 52 weeks of the year;
• (ii) ‘off field’ operations run by employed staff throughout 12 months of the year;
• (iii) investment in and operation of a full talent development pathway within their club structure; and
• (iv) access to a suitable high-quality match day facility 12 months of the year.

Thanks someguyfc - all the better in this case......
I hadn't reviewed due to so many doc updates and the time passed but appreciate seeing the above.

are there any more rumoured submissions?

11 is cutting it fine!

Silence from Brisbane United is bizzarre 

I think this is a borderline-fatal mistake, IMHO; the NSL accommodated both semi-pro and fully-pro clubs, so why can’t this NSD do the same, at least in the beginning❓ As time goes on then yes, you can amend the regulations to fit a higher standard but it’s a disingenuous cop-out to be so stringent about it to start off with💡

Rabiehs silence is deafening, usually has a video or two posted by now.

Can only conclude there's problems there

Nothing from Cameron Atfield either

hopefully at least 3 more bids submitted. Then we are pretty likely to get at least 10 team comp starting next year