Ahead of their preliminary final against Belconnen Magpies, Queanbeyan Tigers coach Kade Klemke said the competitiveness of the local Australian Football League will improve.
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Equalisation within the six-team competition has been an issue this season with the gap between the top three of Ainslie Tricolours, Tigers and Magpies and the rest at times being as great as 200 points.
However, Klemke said the re-entry of teams previously playing in the NEAFL was always going to be difficult but the trailing clubs will bridge the gap through youth development.
"People have got to realise it's going to take time, it's not going to be a quick fix here or there, it is all about junior footy and having the right pathway coming up.
"Tuggeranong for example didn't do too well on the weekend but they've got two or three junior clubs out there and it would be great to see those junior guys coming through."
The Gungahlin Jets won just two games this season but Klemke said they too have development potential.
"By all reports their juniors are pretty strong so give them five or six years and if they have a good culture and good brand then those juniors will flow in to their seniors and they'll be successful," he said.
"It's just about hanging in there and hopefully we'll see a much tighter competition in a couple of years time."
Klemke has spent time with both the GWS Giants and the Essendon Bombers throughout the year to further develop his coaching and was asked by the Canberra Demons to apply for the vacant head coach position.
The Demons, too, have drawn criticism for their inaugural season but the Tigers coach said the measure of the NEAFL club's success is related to its youth development and creating pathway opportunities to the AFL.
"They've got a really young team and if they can top them up with a handful of AFL Canberra players with a little bit more experience then there's no question next year they could be playing finals.
"Look at the players that got drafted last year from the NEAFL competition, you want a pathway to the AFL and it's really working and hopefully someone like Jordan Harper can get drafted this year."
But for now, Klemke is focused on his side's blockbuster clash with the Magpies Saturday.
"We've had some close games against Belco this year, it's two and two and we're expecting a tough encounter again this weekend, every game we play against them has never been easy."
AFL CANBERRA PRELIMINARY FINAL
Saturday: Belconnen Magpies v Queanbeyan Tigers (Manuka Oval, 2.30pm)