PDL B can hardly be called senior football though, more like a top youth league for clubs that don't (or can't) actively compete in u18's div 1. Trouble is in christchurch as soon as a team can't cope with skill they respond by trying to kick the other team off the park, as opposed to just trying to play better. Its a real shame that a group of lads had to be pulled from a competition (if this is the reason) because a team took exception to them being talented, you have to wonder what was going through their heads if they were trying to pick fights with a group of 15 year olds :/
Not a good look at all if its true
Bit harsh, 99% of the burwood, varsity & pap redwood teams would be 19-20something, while the remaining clubs are all in PDL A and U/18 D1.
And I wouldn't say it was them trying to pick fights with 15 year olds either. Having been around the game long enough I've seen time and time again some of the young players who get fast tracked through the grades are cocky little sh*ts who throw the toys when things don't go their way and lash out.
One of the benefits of bringing a few talented players into senior club teams (as opposed to playing together en masse) is that there is a bit of experience around them to help them adjust - and pull their head in if need be.
Woops, didn't seem so harsh at the time of writing...
I am quite familiar with a lot of the guys at pap redwood, I'm not saying they are bad people but if the game got niggly I can guarantee that they would have initiated it, its just the way they play. Plus the Selwyn lads are taught to be really disciplined on the pitch.
Its not good to speculate about this sort of thing but you can probably now see where my last post was coming from, although 'picking fights' was probably the wrong phrase to use.
And the PDL B not being a senior league was not a reflection on the age of the guys involved, more the style of play in the league. There's more emphasis on technical play and the physicality/speed is not that full on. I certainly wouldnt compare it to most of Div 1 (let alone MPL) based on what i have seen in terms of speed and physicality.
All in all I guess I'm a bit sick of seeing older players in general trying foul younger, more skillful players out of the game. I understand people are trying to counteract their ability but I think chopping them at every oppurtunity is foolish (especially the way some seem to see a great deal of glory in it), there has to be another way.
Fair enough now your point makes more sense.
Does Bateson working for mainland take him out of his CSFC positions?