By Sam Lienert
October 28th 2009 @ 1:26am
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Swans to help pave way for Sydney rivals
The Sydney Swans will help pave the way for their new AFL rivals in the city’s western suburbs with a pre-season game there next year.
The Swans will host Carlton at Blacktown Olympic Park in the NAB Cup opening round on February 20, the league announced on Tuesday.
It will be the first senior AFL match at the venue, the headquarters for the new western Sydney club due to join the league in 2012.
The Swans have previously expressed reservations about the idea of being used as a publicity driver for the AFL newcomers.
Coach Paul Roos in May expressed dismay that “suddenly the Swans are supposed to be the PR machine flying the flag for future cross-town rivals”.
They were also understood to have mixed feelings about the AFL using a Swans home game against Geelong at ANZ Stadium in August to launch the western Sydney club’s logo.
But Sydney chief executive Andrew Ireland said they did not view the pre-season match as a promotional vehicle for the expansion club.
Ireland welcomed the rare chance to play a home game in Sydney during the cricket season – when the SCG is unavailable – and cater to their own supporters in the area.
“Part of our membership base is out around that region, we’ve got 8-9,000 people buying three-game passes to games we play at ANZ Stadium,” Ireland said.
“It’s just part of playing games in the greater Sydney region.
“We’re a Sydney team and we don’t see it as necessarily a part of the promotion of a new team, we don’t see it in that way whatsoever.”
But the AFL clearly has a different view, highlighting the connection to the western Sydney club.
“This will be the first time the home of Team GWS will host elite level football,” AFL NSW general manager Dale Holmes said on the Swans’ website.
“This is a terrific way to bring the elite AFL competition to the greater west of Sydney.”
The Swans could also play a pre-season semi-final at the 10,000-capacity venue, although history suggests that is unlikely, given their lack of emphasis on the pre-season cup under Roos.
But Ireland said next year might be different, after the Swans this year missed the AFL finals for the first time in Roos’ seven full seasons.
“Our pre-season has started earlier and we’ll be in a slightly better position in terms of preparation than Carlton, given they played in the first week of the finals,” he said.
” … We’re hopeful we can put in a strong team at that time.”
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lauboy said | October 28th 2009 @ 6:43am | Report comment
The AFL had better hope it doesn’t rain on the day.
Grandstand capacity at that ground is around 1500; the rest is grass
Pippinu said | October 28th 2009 @ 6:45am | Report comment
That’s ok – 1,500 should be enough!
Firestarter Bob said | October 28th 2009 @ 8:30am | Report comment
Exactly! The AFL will then acclaim it as a “Blacktown AFL Sell Out!”
Redb said | October 28th 2009 @ 9:56am | Report comment
Dont tell me it is likely to be raining again in Sydney – how do people get anything done
Heard on SEN (you Sydney suckers miss out on this great radio station), the AFL are hopeful for about 5,000.
Redb
M1tch said | October 28th 2009 @ 11:20am | Report comment
4000 swans fans, 1000 carlton fans
Redb said | October 28th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Are you here just to troll?
M1tch said | October 28th 2009 @ 6:43pm | Report comment
dont you just hate people that do that?
Firestarter Bob said | October 28th 2009 @ 8:10am | Report comment
Groundbreaking! Moving a pre season match from suburban North Sydney Oval to suburban Blacktown Heights.
Pippinu said | October 28th 2009 @ 11:25am | Report comment
Mate – it’s jut a pre-season game – who cares??
lauboy said | October 28th 2009 @ 9:52pm | Report comment
The AFL will.
It will be their first chance to gauge how strong the sport is followed in western Sydney
Pippinu said | October 28th 2009 @ 10:10pm | Report comment
Yes, maybe, but to be honest, it won’t really offer much of an indicator about anything.
Even hard core AFL fans in Melbourne give the pre-season games a miss.
Dave1 said | October 28th 2009 @ 5:26pm | Report comment
They aren’t moving a match from suburban North Sydney Oval to suburban Blacktown Heights.
Theyve never played a NAB game at North Sydney Oval.
Redb said | October 29th 2009 @ 6:59am | Report comment
That’s right. Essendon use to play the Swans in a practice match on North Sydney Oval every year up until recently.
Dave1 said | November 6th 2009 @ 4:23pm | Report comment
Swans have played games everywhere. I watched them play the Crows in 98 at Macquarie Fields in a trial game. Dale Lewis wore a hat and the Swans won easily.