An AFL team in Western Sydney? There’s no market for it
Roar Pro
By Rich_daddy, 2 Aug 2008 Rich_daddy is a Roar Pro
The reason the AFL wants to establish teams on the Gold Coast and in Western Sydney is because these areas have experienced rapid population growth in recent areas.
However, when analysing this decision against other criteria such as “level of interest in Australian Football” and “Australian Football history”, the decision to expand the AFL into these two areas looks a little dubious.
The Gold Coast has some connections to Australian Rules Football: the Brisbane Bears played their home matches there in the 90s and there are some teams from that area that play in the QAFL, such as Southport and Broadbeach.
Still, in the grand scheme of things, Queensland and the Gold Coast are very much rugby league dominated.
In the first match at Carrara stadium this season between North Melbourne and West Coast, the crowd was a dismal 6000.
If I were Andrew Demetriou, I would be a little concerned, even if fans were boycotting the match purely out of spite for North Melbourne.
It seems in some ways the AFL is going to ram the concept of Australian Rules Football down the Gold Coast’s throat. In essence, their attitude seems to be “We are going to force you to watch and enjoy AFL being played up there so we can make more profits.”
Western Sydney is even worse.
Measuring Australian Rules’ popularity in Western Sydney is like measurng water levels in the Sahara dessert: non existent.
The only justification for the move into Western Sydney, apart from the reason outlined at the start, is Demetriou’s claim that 30 percent of people who watch the Swans on TV in Sydney are from the Western Suburbs. However, as a newspaper article pointed out at the start of the year, this 30 percent of bugger all.
The ramifications for setting up teams in these two areas could be significant.
I believe since there is not a massive interest in AFL in these two areas, the new sides will only be successful as a business if they perform consistently well on the field. Just ask the Sydney Swans on this pressure to perform well just to make ends meet, year-in, year-out.
Expanding the competition to eighteen teams will also make the game more competitive, cut throat and ruthless than it is now.
It will also put further pressure on struggling Melbourne teams.
At the moment, teams such as Melbourne and North Melbourne have a get out of jail free card if they are prepared to relocate. But both clubs are extremely reluctant to do so.
Once the Gold Coast and Western Sydney teams are set up, this option will disappear, which will leave struggling Melbourne teams in a precious position. If fans expect the AFL to bail their club out, my advice would be not to get your hopes up. Just ask any Fitzroy fans.
Ultimately I believe the best solution would be for the competition to remain at sixteen teams with some of the struggling Melbourne teams to relocate. But it appears that hell freezing over is more likely to happen than that scenario.
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Redb said | August 2nd 2008 @ 10:55pm | Report comment
I dont agree with your analysis of the Gold Coast and the AFL. I think you’ll find there is a foundation there from the Southport Sharks to a large number of expats from AFL states and a domestic comp. Whether rugby league dominates the landscape is not the point for the AFL. The GC has a growing population and times change. The AFL would not look to be dominating the GC but share it.
I agree Western Sydney is troubling as there are not the foundations that exist on the Gold Coast. It is purely virgin territory and I hope the AFL has not been thumbing through the demographics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics and hey presto lets create a team there. It seems too early on many front. Yes there is growth from a small base, yes Auskick is expanding, yes the Blacktown stadium deal is promising, but these are foundations yet to be established. I actually agree with roy Masters, 2020 is a more sensible option.
However, the TV deal will be negotiated in 2011 and the AFL wants to take it to the next level even if that means short term pain. i’d rather see GC and Tassy by 2012. When western Sydney show they have the foundations then add the team.
However, the concept of ramming Australian football down anyones throat sounds defensive in nature to me, that is, you don’t sound like you would want to work anyway.
Redb
Michael C said | August 3rd 2008 @ 9:22pm | Report comment
Redb,
given that this post is on a RL tab, then, I presume your last point is pretty right.
At any rate – - anyone with half an ounce of understanding of AFL in Queensland – and it’s A. history, B. development and C. role in relation PNG and NT – - would understand that a ‘brand new’ and ‘home grown’ team on the Gold Coast is probably – - 10-20 yrs on – the most necessary arrangement possible.
West Sydney – - the AFL is looking on a 25 yr time frame – - the AFL have a level of self confidence (either in product and/or strategy) to ‘back itself’. I reckon, on the 2020 front – - the aim is that the concept will be bedded in by 2020 and ready to capitalise. And, obviously, the notion of a game a week in the Sydney AND QLD markets (Each) – - is obviously deemed super important (as that is a major objective.
Now – many folk abuse the AFL for showing even the slightest interest in footy overseas – - and berate the ‘national game’ for having not ‘won over’ Sydney – - – and, then, from others the AFL is abused for presenting the opportunity to Sydney to have 2…..gee….2 teams…..gosh, that’ll drive the NRL to ruin…………….sheesh.
btw – very happy that Tassie is getting mobilised, previously it’s been a nice idea, but in reality, they need to ‘unify’.
Midfielder said | August 3rd 2008 @ 10:44pm | Report comment
Redb & Rich Daddy
The AFL is after people from all over Sydney with the second team based in WS, so the article is wrong as its not only WS the AFL is after. Rich Daddy it is foolish to believe what you are told WS will be the base to build from but not the only fan drawing base.
To build only in WS would be hard, Redb just some info on football and league in WS as per your 2020 post.
Current level 1 down from A-League teams playing in WS, team with a * played in the old NSL.
*Sydney Olympic, *Sydney United, *Marconi Stallions, *Blacktown City Demons, Bankstown City, West Sydney Berries, Penrith Nepean United Macarthur Rams.
Associations in WS only not counting those associations that boarder WS:
Granville ,Bankstown ,Blacktown , Macarthur ,Nepean ,North West Sydney Womens Soccer, Southern Districts.
In league there is are Parramatta, West’s Tigers, Penrith Panthers, plus Guildford, Wentworthville, St Mary’s, Mountie’s, Fairfield City playing in the next league down. Junior leagues Parramatta, Penrith & Nepean & Blacktown.
Rich_daddy said | August 4th 2008 @ 12:41pm | Report comment
Red b,
Your point on the tab is noted. I think it has been posted in the Rugby Union section for some reason, I have no idea why. As far as I see it, this is purely an AFL issue and I’m certainly not a nervous Rugby league supporter worried about the AFL stealing NRL’s thunder. Personally I’d love to see the NRL go under. I just wouldn’t want to see the AFL get too commercial and dazzled by the money.
Michael C- agree with you on the Tassie argument- I believe a team there would be successful regardless of on field performance because they support Australian Football, not just winners like the good people of Sydney.
Norm said | August 4th 2008 @ 10:17pm | Report comment
re – “Personally I’d love to see the NRL go under” – don’t hold your breath sugar daddy.
Michael C said | August 5th 2008 @ 10:25am | Report comment
What the AFL can gain from West Sydney :
North Melbourne’s Gavin Urquhart has been rewarded for his career-best performance last weekend with the AFL’s Round 18 Rising Star award nomination.
The 20-year-old Queenslander gathered 22 disposals in the Kangaroos come-from-behind win at Carrara on Saturday night against the Brisbane Lions as North Melbourne leapt to fifth spot on the ladder.
Recruited from Morningside Football Club, Urquhart has slotted into defence since making his AFL debut in Round 10.
In nine matches this season he has averaged 17 possessions.
He was a second-round pick at the 2006 Draft and was taken at No.21 overall.
A rugby league and union player as a junior, Urquhart has made a massive improvement in the past 12 months.
“A year ago Gav was a long way off playing senior football, and this nomination is a credit to the hard work he has done since that time,” North Melbourne assistant coach Darren Crocker said on Tuesday.
“He has been a valuable player since coming into the side and we are looking forward to his continued development.”
Urquhart is North Melbourne’s first Rising Star Nominee in 2008.
——-
Now, my Rooboys presently have from QLD guys like David Hale, Daniel Pratt and Gavin Urquhart, and we released Brad Moran (ex Eng age 15 to QLD) to the CRows – - he had his breakthru senior performance on Sat with 4 goals, rucking/forward.
North, over the years have had players such as Wayne Carey (Wagga), Mark Roberts (St George, Syd), Brett Allison and Shaun SMith (ACT), John Longmire (Corowa) – - –
a tremendous legacy of players from NSW and QLD.
The AFL need not dominate a rugby zone – - – however, the AFL needs to be WITHIN the market to allow kids to apply choice and to gravitate to their strengths.
Redb said | August 5th 2008 @ 8:11pm | Report comment
From Fox Sports….
“Gold Coast sign Rocky teen
August 05, 2008 THE proposed Gold Coast AFL club’s latest player signing Zac Smith dreamt about one day playing soccer for Australia.
Smith didn’t touch an AFL football until just 21 months ago but the 204cm Rockhampton teenager took to it instantly.
Now he has signed his name to a three-year contract with the fledgling Gold Coast club, which hopes to land the AFL’s 17th licence in October.
“My head is still spinning – I can’t quite believe what has happened and how quickly it has happened,” Smith said.
When he reports for duty with the Gold Coast on November 1 it will complete a football fairytale which began when a bunch of mates asked him to play Australian football at North Rockhampton High School in October 2006.
“I just liked the whole AFL package – the speed of the game, the varied skills and the competitiveness,” said Smith, a former Queensland junior soccer and indoor soccer representative.
“I’d always played soccer and I guess my long-term goal was to play for Australia.”
Biloela-born Smith is rated a real AFL talent given his limited time in the game.
He plays for the Zillmere Eagles in the AFL Queensland Velocity Sports Cup and becomes only the third Rockhampton product to make it into the AFL.
He joins impressive Kangaroos youngster Gavin Urquhart, who this week captured the AFL’s Rising Star Award nomination.
The other Rockhampton player is Paul O’Shea, a second-year player at the Western Bulldogs, who is yet to play at senior level. “
Michael C said | August 6th 2008 @ 9:23am | Report comment
off worldfootynews.com today:
http://www.worldfootynews.com/article.php/20080803203729819
Cardiff Rugby junior relishing high marking for British Bulldogs
“17 year old Ed Doe is a Cardiff schoolboy who has played representative underage Rugby for the Cardiff Blues in the professional Rugby Celtic League. He is now one of the first two Welshman who has learnt the game playing in the WARFL (Welsh Australian Rules Football League) to be selected for the British Bulldogs.”
Now – the important cross code benefit bit that anyone in West Sydney who derides the AFL should be mindful of:
“WFN: What is your sporting background?
Ed: Mainly Rugby. I play for the St Peter’s Rugby club in Cardiff and also for the Cardiff Blues under-16’s in the Celtic League. I play outside-half, so get a lot of kicking in the game, and I’ve also played full-back so have had to catch the high ball too. That seems to have prepared me well for Aussie Rules.
WFN: Has playing footy helped your Rugby in anyway?
Ed: Definitely! I’ve noticed an enormous improvement in my kicking, I can now kick 30 yards straight to the man (e.g. the running winger) and my kicking to touch is so much more accurate – I can aim for a spot and hit it. I’ve never been able to kick like that before (playing Aussie Rules). Also my catching of the high ball has improved too.
WFN: Has your Rugby coach noticed?
Ed: Yes they’ve noticed and give me much more of the responsibility with the kicking in the matches (rather than to the full-back or number 10).”
LIke some Rugby boys in NZ – playing Aust Footy in the off season is the ideal cross training to further their rugby careers – - – and, if a couple here and there decide that Aust Footy is the way for them to go, so be it – - if it helps improved the overall Rugby standard – that may not be too bad a trade off.
Ideally though, you don’t just want to source the same pool of participants, and, hopefully West Sydney will see more active participants in all sports/codes.