Parramatta Eels chief executive Paul Osborne has laughed off suggestions the new Greater Western Sydney (GWS) AFL franchise will have any affect on NRL clubs in the region.
The GWS, which will enter the AFL in 2012, unveiled four-time premiership-winning mentor Kevin Sheedy as their inaugural head coach on Monday, but Osborne said he’s unconcerned by the appointment.
“I am not particularly worried by it,” Osborne told the Ten Network.
“It’s a pretty ordinary game and we’ve got a much better product.”
And the former Canberra prop is also unfazed by the prospect of losing young talent to the rival code.
“I am not too concerned as I am sure they will come back when they see how boring it is. They are quite intelligent in Western Sydney.”
However, Osborne did admit he had held discussions with local rivals the Bulldogs and Penrith about the new AFL club and said the three clubs all share the same opinion about the new team.
“We’ve had a couple of chats with the Panthers and the Bulldogs and we all believe we have the much better product and that our heartland is very much here,” he said.
However, North Queensland chief executive Peter Parr cautioned against dismissing the professional manner in which the AFL go about their business.
Parr said rugby league already had programs in place to protect the game in Sydney’s west and on the Gold Coast where a new AFL team will enter the league in 2011, and as long as it didn’t drop the ball, it should meet the latest challenge.
“They have shown a lot of initiative and once the AFL decide something, hats off to them, they pursue it at 100 miles an hour,” he said.
“They’re targeting two very tough areas to crack because of what Searley (Gold Coast chief executive Michael Searle) has done it will be particularly difficult on the Gold Coast and they’ll find it just as hard in West Sydney.
“I don’t think we’ve got anything to be fearful of as long as we’re doing all the right things.”
NRL chief executive David Gallop refused to comment on the appointment of Sheedy or the threat of the new AFL club when contacted.
© AAP 2012Recommend this story.
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November 10th 2009 @ 8:03am
stillmissit said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:03am | Report comment
Guys – I am a RU fan and have no axe to grind either way. We lost the West donkeys years ago.
If you think like Osbourn that AFL is boring and the game not being RL, will stop youngsters from joining them think again. My take on young guys in the West is that they don’t care what we think. If it is promoted enough and attracts the $$$’s then it will get them. Sure there will be the die hard family ties but if the CEO of Parramatta doesn’t think this is a big threat then more fool him.
November 10th 2009 @ 5:59pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 5:59pm | Report comment
Ok, i ask you this, stillmissit, if the AFL is so good at attracting islanders, why has there been bugger all islanders and kiwis who live down Melbourne, into the game.??? Go on, just answer that, no they are all waiting for Rugby League and Rugby Union to hit melbourne, and i mean hit it, for six. The Storm has been warming the benches now for 10 years, union will just walk in and take whatever is left, good on them.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:03am
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:03am | Report comment
Hey Paul, rugby league was very happy to be a small sport in 2 states and nth England, but these other codes have given us a challenge, and they dont like what they see, we are just building a arsenal to take this lot on, we have the backing of the NFL in America to do so, they are right behind us and are going to be part of the new Commission and help build rugby league into a world force.
Hollywood is backing this move, rusty has been door knocking the hobknobs and they love rugby league, they love what they see on Spiky, and they also, dont mince words, bring it on. This is going to be good,.
Their is more happening in America behind the scenes than any person can realise. They have taken the book on rugby leagues injustises over the last century, and want to put it right. After all, NFL and rugby league are brothers my son, as the hulkster would say.
November 10th 2009 @ 11:02am
King of the Gorganites said | November 10th 2009 @ 11:02am | Report comment
your dreamining. rugby in the states is bigger then you can ever imagine league will be. league is non-existant. rugby in the US is played in colleges and high schools at an increasing rate. when did u last see the US play a league international. i mean actually see it?
November 10th 2009 @ 6:02pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:02pm | Report comment
I will see it in about 2 weeks, Jamaica are taking on the Tomahawks in their 1st ever international game, golly , league is growing over their, right under your nose.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:04am
MyGeneration said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:04am | Report comment
Look, I honestly think Osborne’s having a bit of fun with the media. He’s been around the block a few times (footballer, policeman, politician, now administrator) and know how the game works. In eighteen months time, this is fish-and-chip wrapping.
Funny that the headline of this article focuses on one negative comment. Apart from Peter Parr’s conciliatory tone, there have been comments from Todd Greenberg of the Bulldogs:
“Kevin Sheedy is the Wayne Bennett of AFL. It is a big play. This again highlights the AFL’s intention to break into western Sydney. We will have to fight hard for our patch of turf. We would be silly not to think of them as a threat. But I’m confident we will continue to retain western Sydney if we work hard and don’t rest on our laurels.” Hardly dismissive of the game.
And Michael Leary from Penrith:
“We have to take the view that AFL is here for the long haul and that they won’t go away. We have to continue what we are doing and do it bigger and better. Look, to be honest, we have to be very cautious and wary. We cannot afford to sit back and not promote our game. Money isn’t a problem for them. We have to implement strategies to combat, not so much their invasion, but their presence. We cannot put our heads in the sand.”
Peter Doust from the Dragons is a bit more narky:
“The AFL’s drive into western Sydney, you might say, has been built on public relations and a lot of grandstanding. You could argue it has been all smoke and mirrors. The real battle though will be on the ground and that is our strength. But you cannot discount they want to deliver on a lot of their strategies and they have the financial reserves to do it. We have to take them seriously.”
But which comments get highlighted? The most negative ones. This sells papers and excites internet bloggers. In the end, it only feeds a future AFL narrative of “They said you’d never make it…”. The AFL marketing department has already pencilled it in for the 25-year anniversary celebrations. Paul Osborne might be on the GWS board by then if the Eels don’t win a premiership soon.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:11am
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:11am | Report comment
Paul Osbourne is a master at this game, he has united rugby league fans in one small interveiw, weather it is just a funny quote or underlined warning. He has done more in one interveiw than Fitzgerald could do in 25 years at the club. Ozzie Rocks, in both worlds, ours and black sabbeths.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:35am
MyGeneration said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:35am | Report comment
Leave me out of your war games, oikee. I’m a lover, not a fighter.
(there, raised your smiley)
November 10th 2009 @ 7:05pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 7:05pm | Report comment
I thought by the look of you Gen-x-er you might have been a Black Sabbeth fan.
November 10th 2009 @ 12:42pm
The man said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:42pm | Report comment
Wise words from Doust – the signing of a washed up Sheeds smacks of the Hunt publicity stunt in the continuing AFL desparate battle to get column inches in the Sydney press.
May work in a slow off-season (timed to no doubt avoid clashing with the Tiger show later in the week) but it will be interesting to see how much coverage the westies get mid season up against Origin…..
November 10th 2009 @ 1:12pm
Redb said | November 10th 2009 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
Ahem…..
“Desperate battle to get column inches in the Sydney press”
I have a copy of the Daily Tele in front of me:
Back page (60) – “Now its War”
Page 59 – column from Sheedy.
Page 54 – entire page devoted to Sheedy appointment (3 articles).
Editorial – “fight for the code” – just loving it the Daily Terror, stoke the fire, break out the popcorn….
yeah really struggling
Redb
November 10th 2009 @ 8:06am
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:06am | Report comment
I love your response Redb, AFL is not targeting rugby league, EG;- we are going to steal your players, we are going to take over rugby league heartland, we are going to eat your babies, yeah right, not targeting rugby league. As i mentioned folks, they started the war, not rugby league. Its on, the WAR has started.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:23am
Pippinu said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:23am | Report comment
The war started back in 1858 when a New South Welshman, schooled at Rugby, declared that we would have a game of our own (to paraphrase).
November 10th 2009 @ 8:25am
Pippinu said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:25am | Report comment
Indeed – the time has now come to honour the true origins of the game and call it “NSW Football” or maybe “Premier State Football”?
November 10th 2009 @ 9:03am
Mick from Giralang said | November 10th 2009 @ 9:03am | Report comment
Or even more accurately…”The Southern Game” or “Melbourne Football”?
November 10th 2009 @ 10:33am
Steve said | November 10th 2009 @ 10:33am | Report comment
http://www.FootballNSW.com.au
November 10th 2009 @ 12:21pm
Pippinu said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:21pm | Report comment
Is that a futsal site?
November 10th 2009 @ 8:25am
Michael C said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:25am | Report comment
oikee -
point to where the AFL people have said any of these things.
all that talk is from NRL journos in Sydney Daily’s,
running AFL storys over and over in the NRL pages with fear mongering and sensationlist headlines.
Even yesterday – a story on the Sheedy press conference with a headline along the lines of “How AFL will win Western Sydney”……and we look into the article and there’s not one single mention of ‘winning’, or anything of that nature…….just a hollow headline totally unrelated to the article/press conference.
All this ‘winning’ talk exists in the offices of newspapers in Sydney.
but, please – if you’ve got some juice quotes from AFL folk on this – - please, provide the links.
November 10th 2009 @ 6:06pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:06pm | Report comment
M.C give it up son, i went onto your footy site and all the stories are run on their, you know its war, now, put your dukes up.
Well you stated it, not me.
November 10th 2009 @ 6:11pm
bever fever said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:11pm | Report comment
They should be on their as its about a new AFL coach at GWS but the silly/war stories are written by Ritchie and co…. (league boffins)
November 10th 2009 @ 7:08pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 7:08pm | Report comment
Well stop putting them on their , if you want to be part of the War, you had better learn the rules.
Just remember, i never mentioned the War, it was faulty, not me,
November 10th 2009 @ 9:16pm
Michael C said | November 10th 2009 @ 9:16pm | Report comment
what footy site???
November 10th 2009 @ 8:33am
bever fever said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:33am | Report comment
No.. the AFL is targeting everything league , soccer and union we are also targeting xbox, playstation and the salvation army and people at Parramatta city council will recieve paper bags full of notes to get more evil empire ovals open.
The AFL will not stop untill everyone has a sherrin in Sydney, we will not let any illegal immigrants out of detention centres untill they kick left foot bananas and 60 metre torps on the fly.
The AFL is so flush with funds they will pay Paul Osborne to come to the dark side.
This is war … i have seen the sites on the tele….. prepare to man the guns oikee.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:38am
Michael B said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:38am | Report comment
The AFL are putting a team in a area that’s Rugby League and Football (Soccer) heartland. There is no demand for AFL in Western Sydney, however the they’ve gone ahead with their expansion plans regardless.
The AFL can sugarcoat it all it likes (giving kids an opportunity, creating jobs, blah, blah blah) but if people think there isn’t a battle for the hearts and minds of Western Sydney , then they’re either completely deluded or just another staunch supporter of the AFL propaganda machine.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:40am
Pippinu said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:40am | Report comment
MB
It’s a non- issue – it’s such a boring, dull game.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:48am
Michael B said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:48am | Report comment
But it doesn’t matter what the game’s like – The AFL are masters of media saturation and marketing.
Its all about getting Aus Kick into all the schools, marketing the game (League of their own, Game that made Aus), getting FTA coverage… This is where they are king
November 10th 2009 @ 8:43am
bever fever said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:43am | Report comment
You forgot to mention the AFL was a evil empire flush with money to steal your kids and bed your wife.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:50am
Michael B said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:50am | Report comment
What your kidding me? We better barricade the southern borders!
November 10th 2009 @ 8:43am
sheek said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:43am | Report comment
Arrogance, ignorance & complacency are three great killers of constant vigilance. And Paul Osborne has demonstrated all 3.
This kind of bravado only lasts so long. If Osborne is smart (highly debatable) he would be out there ensuring Parramatta’s junior program is watertight, & that the clubs & players are getting every wish & all concerns properly processed.
The AFL is the wealthiest sport in Australia, with a massive war chest of money. Osborne & others can choose to ignore their threat, but only at their own peril. And to their own sport.
November 10th 2009 @ 9:08am
Mick from Giralang said | November 10th 2009 @ 9:08am | Report comment
“If Osborne is smart (highly debatable) he would be out there ensuring Parramatta’s junior program is watertight, & that the clubs & players are getting every wish & all concerns properly processed.”
He’s doing even better than that.
November 10th 2009 @ 2:09pm
Michael C said | November 10th 2009 @ 2:09pm | Report comment
correct in that,
the smart people in West Sydney will (and have, like Leo Kelly and Blacktown CC) embrace the AFL and welcome them, and their investment and their vote of confidence in the community and their putting the region back on the national map for all the right reasons.
If the side effect is that the NRL is forced to fight a bit harder for what it has taken for granted…..then fine……because, the AFL has had to do likewise in Melbourne and that’s a good thing.
November 10th 2009 @ 3:40pm
The Link said | November 10th 2009 @ 3:40pm | Report comment
Western Sydney doesn’t need an AFL team to be on the national map.
Its decided the last 4-5 federal elections for starters
November 10th 2009 @ 9:13pm
Michael C said | November 10th 2009 @ 9:13pm | Report comment
what?? so West Sydney was John Howards power base…..I never realised…….
November 10th 2009 @ 3:57pm
Mick from Giralang said | November 10th 2009 @ 3:57pm | Report comment
Is that the same Leo Kelly that was voted out of office after being the “face” of AFL in the west?
November 10th 2009 @ 4:12pm
Pippinu said | November 10th 2009 @ 4:12pm | Report comment
For those interested, here is an interesting interview with Leo Kelly from about 18 months ago about the GWS venture.
http://blogs.abc.net.au/grandstand/2008/07/interview-leo-k.html
November 10th 2009 @ 9:14pm
Michael C said | November 10th 2009 @ 9:14pm | Report comment
I do believe that Leo Kelly actually retained his council ‘seat’ at the next election…despite some NRL blowhards vowing a voter backlash….that didn’t eventuate…..however, he was shuffled out of the mayoral role, and replaced by another fellow who re-affirmed the councils support of the AFL.
November 11th 2009 @ 10:07am
Craig said | November 11th 2009 @ 10:07am | Report comment
the money was already committed. What else could they do? They’d look pretty silly if he announced “no, the council now doesn’t support AFL”.
November 10th 2009 @ 4:51pm
Simmo said | November 10th 2009 @ 4:51pm | Report comment
MC, you spin more beautfiully than Mr Demtrieou ever could. Sublime.
November 11th 2009 @ 1:08pm
Robbos said | November 11th 2009 @ 1:08pm | Report comment
King of the spinners!!!
November 10th 2009 @ 6:12pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:12pm | Report comment
Likewise in Melbourne? you have had 150 years of brainwashing down in Melbourne with only the 1 code played their, dont tell me soccer, you let them eat themselves. Level playing ground, the AFL wont mind when rugby league and union walk into Melbourne and unite the People, we are coming. Perth Aderlaide next, it might take 20 years to un-wash their brains, but we will succeed.
November 10th 2009 @ 6:14pm
bever fever said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:14pm | Report comment
Oikee, do you write columns for the daily telegraph ? .
November 10th 2009 @ 6:27pm
Deja Roo said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:27pm | Report comment
oikee – “…………… Melbourne and unite the People, we are coming. Perth Aderlaide next, it might take 20 years to un-wash their brains, but we will succeed ”
LOL, RL is probably 100 years behind the AFL and broke. Not to mention No one even attends NRL games in it’s home states so what makes you think anyone down here will take any notice!
Keep dreaming Oikee, meanwhile the AFL is paving the way and there’s nothing you can do but watch.
November 10th 2009 @ 7:18pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 7:18pm | Report comment
I am doing something,, the games one long boring marathon, and i want to stay married,., 4 hours to replay one game, give it up. Your adds are better entertainment.
Sure you are going to wake up the People of Sydney who live in the real world, they have better things to do than watch a snoozefest.
Hey, you are trying to sell the game to me, and i just told you its a snoozefest, what you going to do?, i’ll get ozzie to help you snooze. ? Hehhee, soon as i mention ozzie, not a word from AFL followers, even your boss has gone quite, real quite, normally he is out sprouting his mouth off.
Ozzie Ozzie Ozzie, Oi Oi OI. run rabbits run rabbits run run run.
Ozzie???
November 11th 2009 @ 9:15am
The Link said | November 11th 2009 @ 9:15am | Report comment
Michael C – does the phrase “Howards Battlers” ring a bell?
November 11th 2009 @ 10:05am
Craig said | November 11th 2009 @ 10:05am | Report comment
how did that all work out for Leo Kelly?
November 10th 2009 @ 10:13am
prowling panther said | November 10th 2009 @ 10:13am | Report comment
some of these comments are gold. oikee is a legend.
November 10th 2009 @ 10:20am
Pippinu said | November 10th 2009 @ 10:20am | Report comment
Oikee for PM!!
(at least then we wouldn’t have to put up with the charade of a PM enjoying aussie rules games!!)
November 10th 2009 @ 5:08pm
bever fever said | November 10th 2009 @ 5:08pm | Report comment
Is it a charade pip, i have heard that our PM was watching the lions years ago and his family were fans and had season tickets 5 to 6 years ago., actually i think it was on this site that a lions fan pointed this out … dont get me wrong i am not a big fan of Rudd.
November 10th 2009 @ 10:29am
cuzybros cuz said | November 10th 2009 @ 10:29am | Report comment
another problem for the AFL will be the bullying of AFL playing school children by non AFL kids (majority). You may laugh but this will be an issue.
November 10th 2009 @ 12:05pm
Republican said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
Yes, Osborne was a very’ conservative poli’ at that.
He appealed to the insular sort of voter so he knows how to incite any cringe element in a community, to be sure.
He will help in exploiting the bigotry in GWS but whether it will be to Leagues advantage long term is a moot point.
November 10th 2009 @ 12:11pm
Republican said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:11pm | Report comment
Cuzybros cuz
Are you an authority on bullying?
November 10th 2009 @ 12:33pm
cuzybros cuz said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
being a woman, most certainly not. you are making an assumption that could get you into dangerous waters my friend. Bullying is a topical issue of the day and the AFL are targeting school age children.Republican, Are you picking on me for being a woman?????
November 10th 2009 @ 6:16pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:16pm | Report comment
The only bullies i know are AFL supporters, us league followers are a gentle bunch. We also watch womens netball,
November 10th 2009 @ 12:23pm
Republican said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:23pm | Report comment
Oikee
‘Indigenous’ refers to origin in respect of the Aust footy code as you are aware.
The indigenous of this country do play all manner of sport and our home grown game certainly has NO monopoly in that respect.
League is a Sasaanac game and there is no changing that.
More power to you Oikee in your fervour for the foreign code over the Australian one. Variety is the spice of life and long may it flourish.
November 10th 2009 @ 12:37pm
mitzter said | November 10th 2009 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
I would say modern rugby league has as much to credit to aussie interpretations and rule changes as afl does. It may of originated from northern england but it is hardly foreign as it was adapted by aussies. Much like afl really
November 10th 2009 @ 1:15pm
Redb said | November 10th 2009 @ 1:15pm | Report comment
keep dreaming.
November 10th 2009 @ 1:47pm
Michael C said | November 10th 2009 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
mitzter -
the RLIF may be based in Sydney – but, RL is still an ‘international’ game…..note the current 4 nations. It was founded from the Northern Union in England in 1895 and took 13 years to come to Australia (via NZ and the All-Golds).
You can’t claim that RL is as much ‘Australian’ or even as much ‘Australian flavoured’ as AFL is. Just not possible.
That RL is MORE Australain flavoured than RU and Soccer…..goes without saying.
It’s a scalar measure, and AFL is 99.9875% Australian and it’s adaptation is 99.9875% Australian. RL ain’t.
November 10th 2009 @ 6:30pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:30pm | Report comment
The AFL game is not indigernous to anywhere, it is a bastadised version of Gaelic, they never had any soccer balls so they used Rugby balls. Its that simple, so they play the game on round ovals, only because they were to stupid to introduce rugby into Melbourne.
November 10th 2009 @ 6:42pm
bever fever said | November 10th 2009 @ 6:42pm | Report comment
You do realise that the first rugby balls were round.
You are Dean Richie aren’t you.
November 10th 2009 @ 8:43pm
oikee said | November 10th 2009 @ 8:43pm | Report comment
Rugby balls round?? next you will be telling me that soccer balls are square.