Port Adelaide chief Keith Thomas vows to keep full-scale Magpies in SANFL PORT Adelaide chief executive Keith Thomas has vowed to maintain lobbying for the full-scale Magpies to stay in the SANFL, arguing SA football is weaker without them. The Magpies' club system of a league, reserves, under-age teams and recruiting zones, is at risk as the push for AFL reserves teams in the SANFL comes to a vote among the league directors in the next month. The SA Football Commission is favouring introducing the Crows reserves team as the SANFL's 10th team. The Power's reserves team would take the Magpies' position in the SANFL league series. The Magpies reserves, under-18s and academy teams would be scrapped and the Magpies' metropolitan and country recruiting zones would be reassigned to SANFL rivals. Thomas on Thursday night argued against this to the SANFL league directors and maintained this stance tonight. "The Port Adelaide Football Club is deeply committed to the Magpies and the SANFL and is prepared to continue to invest heavily in game development," he said. We are prepared to do that, without cost to the SANFL. The full-scale Magpies model was not accepted by the SA Football Commission last week. "Following the feedback we received, we re- shaped our presentation to the league directors last night," Thomas said. The key features of our presentation were: The Port Adelaide Football Club has a genuine commitment to - and an important role to play - at both the SANFL and AFL levels. RUCCI: It's time for the Port Adelaide Magpies to move on The integrity of the SANFL competition is best served with a strong, united highly committed Magpies. It is impossible to argue that the SANFL competition will not be diminished if the Magpies are not in it. Thomas's presentation asked the league directors to approve the Power keeping the Magpies reserves and junior teams. "We offered to reduce our recruiting zone to 75 per cent of its current size in recognition of the fact that less opportunities will be available at league level for local players," Thomas said. We would work to a reduced salary cap, still to be confirmed, in recognition of the fact that less local players will need to be paid. The Magpies would return their dividend to the SANFL -$600,000 or $75,000 to each SANFL club. To protect the integrity of the competition there would be a second opinion injury assessment by SANFL doctors at finals time. We accept this proposal being reviewed after two years to ensure we are neither too strong nor too weak. We will have a long-term commitment to the SANFL. Our reasoning is the Power needs to be able to provide best-practice, player development. This can only be achieved with full-time access to all players. The Port Adelaide Magpies are entrenched in the very fabric of SA football. The Magpies have ranked in the top-three for attendances since 2005 - without on field success. The Magpies remain as relevant and as popular as any other SANFL club. What's at risk in this debate? The existence of the Port Adelaide Magpies - and 143 years of proud, successful contribution to the SANFL and a deep community connection with 3500 dedicated Magpies members. They have no affiliation to the Power at all. This is significant. Why would you aim to diminish Port Adelaide, just as it is regaining momentum (in the AFL)  Does the reserves solution need to be the same for both the Crows and the Power? Port Adelaide and Adelaide are not the sameome from vastly different origins. Wouldn't an SANFL club want to maintain the great rivalries that the SANFL competition has been built on - Port v Norwood, Port v Sturt, Port v Glenelg, Port v West, Port v Central District? Retaining the Port Adelaide Magpies in full provides opportunities for growth. Removing the Magpies diminishes the Port Adelaide Football Club and the SANFL competition. The directors and the SA Football Commission have re-affirmed they will not endorse the Power placing all of its AFL players in the Magpies SANFL league team AND continuing to run the Magpies with reserves, under-age teams and recruiting zones. Earlier today, North Adelaide president and league director Bohdan Jaworskyj maintained there must be "equality" with the AFL reserves model in the SANFL.