So based on last season's results, who would have made the play-offs this year?
Also, is it fair that the Phoenix Reserves who were poor in the Central League and finished well out of the top 3 automatically make the play-offs each year?
Based on the season just gone (bear in mind the Northern League only had 8 games) the make up would be
Auckland United
Central United
Eastern Suburbs
Bay Olympic
Miramar Rangers
Western Suburbs
Wellington Olympic
Wellington Phoenix
Cashmere Technical
Green Island
On the womans side it would initially be (with the entry in brackets being the club in a year or twos time)
Eastern Suburbs
Hamilton Wanderers
Forest Hill Milford (Northern Rovers)
Auckland United
Central (Marist Palmerston North)
Capital (Wellington United)
Canterbury Pride (Coastal Spirit)
Southern (Dunedin Tech)
I mention this in the mens thread because it illustrates the potential importance of loan or perhaps the proper terminology is guest players. Of the 4 northern clubs listed, I don't think any their goalkeepers are currently playing in the NWL. Only Central Fed and Canterbury Pride would have the same keeper and even then Central Fed keeper went off injured so might not be on park this weekend.
4 of the AFF that started on Saturday play for WS and Ellerslie and so would either be missing out or looking to move next season.
IMHO you need to have an effective guest mechanism so that a) it is the best against the best.and b) you lessen the annual cannibalisation of the clubs that do not make the championship phase.
In the session we had with NZF they were adamant this would not happen - IE the team that gets you qualified for the National League part of the season is what you stick with. That question was asked several times.