I have a few confessions to make before we really get into the essence of this article.
I have never lived in a city and seldom have I had any desire to do so.
I have played nearly every sport that the average country community has to offer. Apart from a couple of brief sojourns to try my hand at the big league of SANFL football for Central Districts, I have played country football at quite a few clubs in various associations throughout SA and loved every moment of it.
Saleyards in any jurisdiction in Southern Australia are a melting pot of opinions about football, this will come as no surprise to people who populate the weekly sales.
The talk of football will occasionally be interrupted by the less than usual sight of a pen of lambs making $200 or some cattle achieving $2 a kilogram or more but the conversation will almost certainly return to football.
At this point I will take the opportunity to apologise to those adherents of less popular, yet equally important sports, like netball, golf, hockey or even, heaven forbid soccer, not to mention the game that was spawned at some obscure college in England, rugby union.
I often wonder if people realise the scale that country footy has reached? The finances involved in running a country footy club would have Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey rubbing his hands in delight if he found a way to tax the proceeds. When money rumours were tallied it would not surprise many that a reasonable tax on clubs could go a long way to addressing the national budget deficit!
There are few words to describe adequately the passion surrounding the success, or failure, that the local footy team can engender in a local community.
I know of one player that was being paid a massive $1200 a game to play for a certain Yorke Peninsula club, on the face of it this was a patently ridiculous figure to pay one player who was not even required to train with his team mates.
I am reliably informed that this example is only a drop in the ocean compared to some clubs who have multiple players in this financial league.
I can only imagine the huge amount of hard work that clubs must go through to sustain these sort of financial commitments, how many chook raffles are run and how many sponsors sign a substantial cheque to keep these clubs going.
I realise that many clubs are fighting extinction and that the injection of outside blood, even with the accompanying cost is a must, however the cost to the community could well sound the death knell of some country footy clubs.
If you are wondering where all of this is leading?
There seems to be a persistent rumour that in the not too distant future a livestock agent will emerge who will be offering a 1 per cent rebate to any sports club for any livestock consigned.
Apparently the deal applies to any sporting body or registered charity.
Now 1pc does not sound much, until you do the sums of the livestock sold by members or supporters of your local club.
It sounds like a nice initiative, some will say that the offer is just a cynical approach to garner business for the agent, others will say they are paying the commission anyway so why not get some local advantage out of the whole system?
* Full report in Stock Journal, April 17, 2014 issue.
