Now some will pull out

Others will complain that they would've applied 

Then it'll be Champions League format

Then there'll be another excuse.......


Everyone who applied knew it was for 2024
Everyone who applied is already going to have a team and a ground ready for 2024
Why not name the teams today ?  unless there's something going on


There's more of this story to come

Nick Galatas, Chair of AAFC

"The fact is FA has now given the green light to it to start in 2025 and have identified starting teams.

And more will join before kick-off, I'm sure."

they have argued against it in the past. 
My money is on some not wanting to be relegated and blocking rel from NSD

Of course some will oppose it - the level of infighting across all levels of football in Australia shows that self-interest in a primary motivator for far too many. Clubs are first and foremost concerned about themselves and so will naturally be inclined to defend themselves against perceived threats.

The rising tide is a nice metaphor but doesn't negate the potential threat of P&R. While rising tides might lift total boats in the aggregate, some boats might lose their prime position in the harbour, while other boats might even get washed onto the rocks and sink.  Undoubtedly football as a whole benefits through P&R, but individual clubs don't necessarily as there will always be limited spaces and by design some clubs have to become worse off for others to rise.

I am hopeful that the delay will mean that the competition will be on a firm footing from day 1. There is a lot of excitement in the making of the NSD.

As an aside, I wonder if the delay may also assist in some of the clubs that were reticent to sign up could be persuaded to sign up in the near term, enhancing the competitiveness of the overall competition. Others have mentioned a few names of clubs that did not appear in the initial list of names that had registered EOI's yet would seem to fit the criteria. Playing favourites is not something I like, but it may in this instance serve a useful purpose to let some sneak into the first year.

Given the FQ actions 
no R from the A2 until we are ready for  A3 the states feds can go fuck themselves

oh FFS ,the NSD is being packaged in with the next  FA national teams/Australia Cup broadcast rights whose's current deal ends at the end of 24 no need to conspirial twat

At the risk of giving myself some PTSD for a TV ad in Australia that went over and over 10 years ago (and strangely, having lived abroad since, is suddenly coming into my head)

A ship is safe in the harbour, but that's not what ships are built for.

Interesting rumour going on knights fans insta that they've been accepted.  Could the delay possibly be because they want more than the rumoured 10 teams and with the extra year knights have changed their mind

I wouldn't hold too much stock in that 10 team rumor. FA have been excellent and keeping information private. Media has been largely blind when it comes to the NST. Reasons for the delay are very simple. There is an absolute mountain of work to do. FA may have floated a spring/summer 2024 but I'm sure the clubs would have been pretty firm on a winter comp. Getting 11 blokes on a pitch is the easy part. It's all the off-field work that needs to happen that's going to take the time. In particular at FA. The administration and legal side of things for both the FA and the clubs is no small task. 5 months just isn't very long. It would be rushed and corners would be cut in that timeline. 18 months will provide ample opportunity for all involved to tick every box.

Doubt it and can't see how they can even try, they have no blocking power

1. 95% of the applicants are members of the AAFC, who vocally advocated for P&R with the NPL from day 1
2. FA run this league, not the participating clubs, so FA will have to agree with the whingers somehow
3. FA would then have to explain to the whole of the State NPL why qualifying for Promotion doesn't qualify for Promotion

They didn't say that, they said other things for some reason
and there's nothing to stop them doing it in 2025 either way

Again
If they know the Format why not say it ?
If they know the Teams why not tell us ?

What's 2 weeks silence for

Announcing the teams and format first is a sound move, makes 2024 a pilot year to iron out the key issues before a ball gets kicked in 2025.

Ill take some of that action....... You dId say clubs though yeah?  I agree that of some of the "cpnglomerates" may very well want to keep it a closed shop but currently existing clubs have been pretty adamant they dont.

I guess, hoping to drag a few more clubs over the line, kicking and screaming.... My optimistic side is hoping this means 12-14 clubs in 2025.... on the other hand could be becuase only a handful of clubs have actually "passed" and JJ is procrastinating on the bad news.

Wasn't this competition suppose to start 2 years ago??

The dates just keep getting pushed back until we get a final verdict that it just isn't happening.

I gave up hope for Australian football years ago.

Now i just watch the a-league games that have the most promising young players in it.

This is how i would play it out:

2024/2025 A league season - October to May - Auckland and Canberra Introduced
2025 A League 2 season - April to October

2025/2026 A league season - August to March 
2026 A League 2 season - April to October

2026/2027 A league season - June to January 
2027 A League 2 season - April to October

Competitions timeframes aligned
2027 A league season - April to October
2027 A league 2 Season - April to October

Pro/Rel introduced 
2028 A league season - February to October (Mid-season Break Introduced)
2028 A league 2 Season - February to October (Mid-season Break Introduced) 

These seasons basically align with the rest of Asia (Japan should be the yardstick).

For anyone concerned about ground availability, from my calculations, 4 teams are heavily impacted (MVFC, SYD, BRI and WSW). all others are fine. This can be worked around. And for those saying crowd numbers will be impacted, they can't go much lower. It's all about scheduling and all about promotion. Winter is the absolute key. If it drops 10% to go forward 30% over the following 5 years then its a winner. Football in this country needs to realise its place. It will never overtake AFL in terms of popularity, but it can be a great competition with solid support if given the opportunity, and that opportunity is in winter. 

Sorry, we shouldn't be having that big of a break in the lead up to a World Cup, and starting the new season as the World Cup is on

I hear you matey - but I can’t not keep having faith this screwed up country of ours football wise finally makes a step forward League wise especially for the NPL more than anything else for me and I’m sure many more out there will get back on board supporting these clubs for we’re in desperate need to cater and grow whats underneath and see what can finally build sooner or later under Al.
I recall you followed your local Hawks that my son used to play against and my passion will never waver and believe me I could have given up but I can’t.
It will come it just has to for the game period.

There is no way on god's green earth that pro/rel will be a thing when you are paying $25 million for a license. If you were Canberra or Auckland would you pay $25 million for a license with the risk of being relegated?

Of course you wouldn't.

 It just won't happen. If they're paying that much they're getting protections built in. And it's not rocket surgery to work out what those 'protections' would be.

People around here are absolutely deluded. 

If they actually wanted a pyramid they'd play the NSD and promote the winner into the A-League, subject to criteria being met, for the next 4 years to get to 16 teams. Each time a team moving up would be replaced in the NSD until they get to 16. Then go pro/rel.

But that won't happen because they'd rather sell licenses than do what's right.

The only way I can see pro/rel being a thing is if the NSD starts to rival the A League and they're forced to do something about it.

Thats a very good point. Thats just how i would structure it should it actually be a possibility. 

Completely agree with your point regarding the licence fees, that's why these organisations will not be allowed to be relegated below the second tier, as was outlined months ago. 

Even if the second tier is as far as you can go Canberra and Auckland are not paying $25 million to play in the NSD. 

It won't happen.

You guys wouldn't even want a Kiwi team in your NSD, would you?

This 100%

I'm thinking A-League dying is the best chance

FA are doing all they can to drag the chain, making up new hurdles as they go

It feels like trying to qualify for a cashback

I bunked off Rocket Science, explain it to me

Im as impatient as anyone... its been 20 years for some of these clubs (mine included) FFS but I dont think the FFA IS dragging the chain... It seems like they really want to give this thing every chance to be successful. It really will be a one time deal, if it doesn't work soccer in this country, outside of the franchise system, has nowhere else to go.... 

Start your counter again mate, 11 days to go... With any luck we'll have a decent amount of clubs, a laid out pathway to pro/rel with tiers below, a name for the league (hope it comes with a juicy sponsorship deal) and details on broadcasting.... Whatever else, the coming trade period is going to be electric..... Some interesting murmours coming out at South for next season which seem, at least to me, as ALL about the NSD and not really caring for our, (hopefully) last season of state league. watch this space.

100%

Clubs that have screamed for pro/rel will request clauses that they cannot be relegated from NSD, it;s probably already been done tbh. 

It's history repeating itself. They only want promotion, just not the relegation part. 

Nail head, nail head....

The wonder of those who look at our structure and not like what they see so lets destroy, are beyond inept, we need to work within and adjust existing structures for it to work, 

As an aside, JJ, won Australia the WC, he oversaw the rebranding of the Miralda's, he looks to cleverly have saw we will bid for the 2034 WC, then pulled out for in return it  seems to be the Womens Asian Cup in 27 and the next World Club Competition. 

If he can pull out some investment dollars into the competition then thats great....

Puts on helmet, I am a big fan of P & R, however within the Australian context it has some real challenges. because you need to have a reasonable market / base in the first place and Australia simply does not have this, and secondly there is a sound argument that Melbourne & Sydney teams would make up most of the teams, and in a code trying for national footprint that is not a good thing... 

So if he can get a pathway to P & R, that is great news, as long as the pathway is achievable... 

Sorry mate, disagree... Countries with populations 1/4 the size of ours have pro/rel and crowds no better than Macarthur and WU.... The ONLY thing stopping it happening in Australia (apart from geographical spread which is a fairly small and easily overcome hurdle) is the foreign ownership of APL franchises..

Pro/Rel is COMING to this country, from NSD down ... JJ wants it, FA wants it, AFC and FIFA want it ..... the APL will NEVER link up to the rest of the pyramid ... at least not without being forced to to survive....