Question for the forum:
if you put Drummoyne or Petersham down into Division 2, how many of the DIv 2 clubs would have stay there or ask to go down to Div 3?
For this scenario -
and I say that as I don't know the final structure of Divs 2 and 3 - let's say it was Drummoyne who dropped, and use Ned's Div 2 list for reference in the absence of anything final:
Div 2: (7 Clubs - Starts April 1)
1 - Briars, 2 - Hawkesbury Valley, 3 - Hills, 4 - Lindfield, 5 - Newport, 6 - UNSW, 7 - Knox* (May swap D3)
I'm sure a few of those clubs would love the challenge of taking on Drummoyne. The first time around, at least.
Some might decide discretion is the better part of valour, and ask to go to Div 3.
Remember: some clubs weren't going to stay in Div 2 back in 2022 if Pats and HH stayed for a 6-club comp.
If two clubs want out (Knox surely), we are now at a 6-club Div 2, which is 15 rounds and a potential hammering of all and sundry by an angry Drummoyne across the Grades (I well remember Beecroft dropping to 4th Division and winning absolutely everything).
You've gone from 9-7 to 8-6 in pretty short order for 2023. And maybe wrecked a couple of clubs for 2024 into the deal. Bargain.
Of course, the Board could force someone to stay there to make 7 minimum, in which case the cries of "Subbies are destroying this great club!" will be heard from Mawson Station to the South China Sea, but let's move on, hmm?
Looking at Ned's other list (again, in the absence of anything final):
Div 3: (7 Clubs - Starts April 1)
1 - Barker, 2 - Beecroft, 3 - Epping, 4 - Harlequins, 5 - Manly, 6 - Old Ignatians, 7 - Harbour* (May swap D2)
In our scenario, two of the clubs from Div 2 drop into here, giving us 9. We'd prefer no more than 8, right? Of those 9 clubs, 3 don't have Colts at last report (Epping, Savers, Harbour), which probably means they're on the list to go before the others.
Which one do we pick?
* Epping won't want to go because they want their 3 Grades playing together. And fair enough.
* Savers want to grow as well, and getting 3 Grades is the quickest way to stabilise that.
* Nobody in the lower Divisions really wants to play Harbour any more because they're waaaaay too good.
Good luck sorting that out. Maybe find a Colts side to backfill Epping and Savers and relegate Harbour again. Sucks if they end up in your division as everyone is playing for silver at that point.
Whatever happens, you have moved from 9-7-7 (23) to 8-6-8 (22) to satisfy this need for even numbers. Maybe it could stick at 8-7-8 if only one club left Div 2 after Drummoyne showed up.
The likely outcome is Drummoyne lay waste to Div 2, go back up, and promotion/relegation resumes with someone coming down.
IF there is a Div 2 left to come down into ...
