National Second Tier (NST) 

National Second Tier (NST) 
 
Dear South Hobart Football Club members
 
Overview – National Second Tier (NST)

  • Football Australia (FA) has released an Expression of Interest (EOI) for clubs to express interest in participating in a men’s National Second Tier competition (see full details here). 

  • While the details are still to be confirmed, FA suggests the competition will see a national club competition comprised of between 10 to 16 club teams with 24 to 36 games (including finals), playing home and away across Australia, potentially starting as early as March 2024.

  •  The tier or league would in effect be a selection of the ‘best’ NPL clubs playing at a national level (one level above current state NPL, and one level below A-League)

  • Football Australia says a second tier is a key component of their “15-year vision for the game and (their) efforts to reconnect and realign Australian football competitions”.

 
SHFC understanding and positioning

  • Significantly, South Hobart Football Club (SHFC) has been following developments in this space for a number of years and is one of 30 clubs that are part of the Association of Australian Football Clubs (AAFC). The AAFC has developed a number of papers that make the case for a national second division and also present the capability of AAFC member clubs who (arguably) will be primarily responsible for the success a National Second Division and to identify the best possible model 1. These papers and related advocacy have contributed to FA’s decision to establish an NST.

  • Based on this work to date, and review of the EOI documentation, the establishment of the NST represents a number of positives for the Club, Tasmania and football in Australia: 

    1. The National Second Tier competition has the potential to transform men’s soccer in Australia and support the development of a promotion/relegation system between the A-league and the National Second Tier, and between the National Second Tier and jurisdictional NPL competitions. This will mirror what occurs in other national football leagues around the world.

    2. For Tasmania and the Club, participation in the National Second Tier would provide a genuine pathway to elite national men’s competition to be established in Tasmania. This does not currently exist.

    3. Having South Hobart Football Club in the National Second Tier would see a Tasmanian club team playing in Tasmania and interstate against top club teams from across Australia as part of a national competition.

    4. For women’s football, successful participation in the men’s National Second Tier would support and position SHFC and Tasmania for inclusion in any future Women’s National Second Tier. 
      (Note – the current EOI process does not reference or consider future arrangements for women’s football)

Response to EOI
Based on the above factors and following discussion by the SHFC Board at a board meeting 16 February, the decision was made to progress with the development of an EOI submission. Our submission was completed and submitted on the due date of Friday 3 March. 
 
Next steps
If we are successful in being shortlisted from the EOI stage, the Club would be in a position to respond to  and progress in the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage. FA has indicated this stage will commence in April 2023 through to June and would require a detailed written proposal indicating how the Club would satisfy the requirements for operating an NST team and related club infrastructure. This stage will provide substantial detail from FA about the requirements for participation, and details of the competition and club requirements/expectations. 
 
Further information 
There has been some media about the NST and clubs that have submitted an EOI response. Some of this media includes and notes South Hobart Football Club. We anticipate further media coverage as the EOI and RFP process of establishing the NST progresses. 
 
We will intend to provide further information to members as details are confirmed and significant decision points are reached. 
 
If you would like to discuss further please contact Vicki Morton, President (0417 597 643) or Edward Swan, Vice-President (0409 555 010). 
 

A Genuine National Second Division of Football in Australia, Final Report of the NSD Partner Group of Clubs

Press; Mercury Newspaper

Abbey Doggett