too costly for smaller clubs. I assume clubs would rather spend this amount on juniors

Will be interesting to see if any other interstate clubs come into the SEABL in the next couple of years.

If they do Happy Days, they won't want to be clubs complaining about it being too expensive to be in the ABA!

The ABA was not overly expensive in the big picture as most leagues equalised the national fee within their league. It might have added a grand per team to playing costs, but it was not like the club was lumped with the total costs of flying and staying IF they won their league.

I think it died due to lack of relevance.

i liked the concept but the cost vrs benefits did not appeal from what i understand

Great concept!!! Would love to see BA and the state associations subsides it to make it feasible...

Would be great to see it return

Anon, thats a little like saying its not a true Under 14's because NT do not send a club side.

WA as I understood CHOSE not to compete at the time, that was their choice.

It does not mean that it undervalues those who did win it during its time. I recall Rockhampton or similar winning the last one - they have the right to be called national club champions that year.

Except that NT sends 2 teams to U14 Nationals.

Azza, they do now, and they are club sides, but there was a time in the past when they didn't...

That would be going a fair way back though.

Sure... does it substantially change the point I made to Anon?

A couple of clubs in Melb are trying to get it back up and running....I have spoken with 1 coach who is working to get an ABA/Champ tourney happening for 2014.

that would be awesome if they did. I'm sure all the state bodies could wear the cost of sending teams in their entry fee. For instance there are now over 120 Big V Teams. Charge them an extra $100 each and it would cover the cost.

Also make it so teams really want to go to it. Create prestige, put it on TV and radio so club sponsors get more exposure, market it....

Hope it happens

WA always said they didn't have the money to compete on a regular basis but we could never understand why the SBL Champions couldn't play the SA Champs and then have the winner proceed etc. Of course the further the team went,the more it cost the Club or the State Body. How would WA fare against SA on a State League basis?

There are currently talks happening between the State Leagues to see if there is interest.

There were a few reasons why it died back then.

1. SA pulled out because their local rules were such that they wouldn't be able to compete with the other Leagues whom all had 2+ imports.

2. The SEABL were marketing themselves as the Premier Winter comp in Australia, yet they kept getting beaten by the Queensland teams so they took their ball and left.

3. WA never joined the league due to higher travel costs. How many Eastern leagues would pull out if the finals were always played in WA..?

4. Both NSW leagues were thinking of leaving due to clubs struggling with extra fees.

5. While each league may have subsidized the entry cost to be in the ABA and to send a team or two to the finals there were always additional costs such as accommodation and food during the event.

Nice line about SEABL's attitude MAXX.

Cainrs Marlins won a couple as well.

While that Wiki might have winners and losers correct for the years it has it, it is also quite misleading.

The competition structure altered quite a bit over the years.

Still it does show Qld teams won the last 2 mens titles, and 3 of the last 5 ABA titles.

#389786, I think the other Anon's post was in good humour, although at the time the SEABL hierarchy did not like it, as the competition was always seeded in the latter years so the SEABL had at least two teams, while other conferences rotated wildcards.

The last time two seabl teams made the GF (which their league used to think was their right...) was in 2003.

Ironically 2003 was probably the last time any SEABL team took the nationals seriously too.

Yep, and that was the same excuse they said when they lost - funny, they celebrated pretty big when they won! Far too big for teams that were not taking it seriously!