Demons coach fears exodus Australian football James Hall Eastlake's Anthony Watt takes on Gungahlin at Phillip on Saturday. Photo: ROHAN THOMSON Results - Page 53 Eastlake Demons coach Dan Ryall has called on AFL Canberra to equalise the capital's first grade competition. 
The gap between the top three teams - Ainslie Tri-Colours, Belconnen Magpies, and Queanbeyan Tigers - and the rest has been significant this year as the league continues to struggle to find a balance post NEAFL. The gap is so great it has become common for those top teams to win by 100 points and sometimes much more, and Ryall said the league was at risk of losing players to rival regions.
"They're going to have to make a decision on what's going to equalise the competition as quick as they can so that players stay in Canberra and play footy, because otherwise we'll have people driving down the highway again and playing in the Riverina.
"The league probably needs to decide what their vision is for the league. Is it to strengthen the league and make it a strong league?
Or is it to equalise the league and make it an even competition where all teams can compete against each other?   Maybe something needs to happen where they sacrifice the quality of the competition just to get some equalisation so they get people playing here for five and 10 years, not just coming and going."
Considering this, Ryall said his side's runaway 144-81 victory on Saturday against the Gungahlin Jets was significant for the morale of his players. "When you play against good sides like Belconnen, Queanbeyan and Ainslie it can take a bit of toll on the contest for the group pretty quick.
"It's just important for our confidence with our young group, knowing that what we do is good enough when we put it all together, and it gives us as a club a bit of a reassurance that we're on the right track."
Meanwhile, the Tigers and Magpies played out another tight match as they battle for a position in the top two.
Queanbeyan eventually took control in the last quarter to win 81-57 and continued their undefeated season at home in what coach Kade Klemke called "a great win".
"For the first 10-15 minutes Belco were in control, their pressure was outstanding they really came out ready to play. But we pretty much controlled the next three quarters. We just made it really tough on ourselves through the amount of points we kicked, if we turned those points into goals than I think it would have been an easy win for us.
The Tigers have now beaten both their rivals at the top of the table and will turn their attention to a push for a place in the all- important top two.
"Top two would be great, you get a second chance which is always good but we just want to focus on each game and I'm just happy with the way we're playing," Klemke said. "If we keep playing the way we are we'll finish top two."