South Australian football's reserves is a ticking time bomb THIS is on the quiet, strictly so, because it is dangerous to scream from the rooftops when delicate negotiations are under way - unofficially and in an embryonic manner. South Australian football is sitting on a time bomb and it will detonate some time this season. It concerns the prospect of Adelaide - and by extension Port - being able to field its own reserves side next season. A picture is taking shape. Crows' football operations manager Phil Harper has had one quick catch-up with SANFL football general manager Chris Davies over what the Crows in the SANFL might look like. This follows conversations between the two organisations late last year. Adelaide chairman and acting chief executive Rob Chapman has described the initial chat as "very fruitful." The Crows' view of a reserves team for next year is becoming clearer, and they prefer it to happen without a takeover of Sturt, a proud old SANFL club with enormous financial difficulties. They want to go at it on their own, without trampling on anybody's toes, and preferably in the SANFL. As one senior league administrator said: "Where else are they going to play?" The amateurs would be a logistical headache. Whether they'll be allowed to join the competition that created the Crows is still several all-night meetings ahead. This much is clear: it will come down to whether the eight stand-alone SANFL clubs can be convinced of the benefits. It will be a hard sell: these old clubs have been around for generations and a complete revamp threatens the essence of what the competition stands for. It could also drag the original clubs out of a deep financial hole. Meetings will not be sanctioned until the divorce proceedings between the two South Australian AFL clubs and the SANFL have been finalised. Adelaide might convince the clubs it should be allowed to play in the league. Or in the reserves. The last bit sounds ridiculous, having AFL-listed players and rookies have a kick in the twos of a state comp but it may be the only concession the old league clubs are prepared to give. The official word from the SANFL is that no discussions will be entered into until the licence handover has been sorted out, and that may take longer than first expected, even though it is understood there is an agreement in principle. The Crows are marching ahead, and they have the financial muscle to at least get the ear of the local league. Port Adelaide is already sold on the idea; it wants its seconds to be the Magpies. If anything fruitful will come out of this, a decision has to be made considering both emotion and economics, because of what economic rationalism did to Fitzroy when it merged with Brisbane and killed off a culture. On the other hand, there are still Swans colours flying in South Melbourne, proof that changes don't always trample on the past.