Comments on: AFL, NRL get tough over football World Cup

By: Tom

Tom — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:07:29 +0000

Australia under – developed and backward? According to the UN human development index, Australia has the second highest standard of living in the world behind Norway. If that counts as an under developed country, I would hate to see a developed country…

I really have little time for the argument that if you aren’t a soccer fan you are somehow a cretin. Many countries have indigenous sporting codes other than soccer, and Australians should be proud that we have such a code. Like it or not, AFL and the rugby codes are an integral part of our culture.

By: AndyRoo

AndyRoo — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 23:55:04 +0000

We allready know Pip’s perspective

By: Redb

Redb — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 12:53:32 +0000

Another perspective.

http://barklystend.blogspot.com/

By: Michael C

Michael C — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 04:02:15 +0000

agreed whole heartedly, but, correct, it’s another issue and that was a pretty complex one too.

By: Last Minute Hero

Last Minute Hero — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 03:48:26 +0000

One can’t help but think that there would be much less of a problem if Melbourne’s nine AFL teams had more than two venues capable of hosting their home games. But that’s another issue, and even though I’m not an AFL fan, it makes me sad.

By: Michael C

Michael C — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:50:47 +0000

8.5 years away isn’t that long though,

look at the AFL, with the next few years mapped out, GC17 and GWS18 entering in 1 year off set 3 year staged programmes, that’s a 4 year period that concludes around 2012…..but, we all know that the AFL is working strategically ahead of that…..runs into 2018, and I really don’t think that AFL want’s such a major hiccup that soon.

Granted – no bookie in their right mind should back Aust/Sth Hemisphere for 2018…….surely??

btw –

I reckon AD might’ve shared you view re Ben Buckley – - but, I suspect that Ben Buckley might’ve been overruled, and that has had an impact at AFL House and now it’s gloves off so to speak. It doesn’t really make sense otherwise.

At anyrate in Melbourne, we simply need Docklands and State Govt and FFA to agree on a way to expand the Bubbledome and compensate Docklands fairly and the AFL need never come into it. It just takes a little bit of ‘political will’.

By: Last Minute Hero

Last Minute Hero — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 01:27:22 +0000

Am I the only one who’s noticed that everyone (or at least, most people) seems to be talking as if:

1)Australia’s already won the bid, and

2) the World Cup is next year, not in 2018/2022.

Or to put it another way, there seems to be much stressing out over a hypothetical event either 8.5 or 12.5 years into the future. I think all the major players have the necessary skills to find a solution acceptable to all parties, with plenty of time to spare.

My advice to all the stressheads: find a dealer, smoke some weed and chill the **** out.

BTW, Sam, loved your point about the talk being about trying to get off-season publicity for the codes. There is no way that AD genuinely believes that Buckley, with his AFL background, intends to shut the AFL down for a season.

By: Midfielder

Midfielder — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 08:39:38 +0000

Oikee

Benji .. what a player IMO the best footwork of any RL player I have ever seen… equal to the Ellar’s..

Would have made a great football player … he keeps getting hurt those big brutes up at Brisbane keep crunching him..

As for CR clip he was voted 2008 player of the year… it is a big award in football the best male player out of about 220 million…

But Benji is something very special … I wish he had played in the 5 yard rule days his spedd off the mark and the ability to slow to almost a stop and then push off is great to watch … reminds me a lot of Fulton …

By: ren

ren — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:39:26 +0000

read the article first oikee- its a progressive rebuild of subiaco OVAL, maintaining the OVAL shape required for australian football

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:31:51 +0000

I can’t see the government and FFA not getting around the problems of the bid. It has to be expected that FIFA are going to demand a few sacrifices in order for a country to stage the biggest sporting event in the world. The federal and state governments are going to be falling over themselves to make this happen. I think the NRL will come on board because they realise that all the money spend on upgrading grounds and facilities is going to benefit them in the long term more than anyone else. All that infrastructure will be great for the NRL, and it’s absurd to think the FIFA World Cup being here will kill any of the other football codes. I think the Victorian government will be furious if the AFL’s saber rattling causes Melbourne to miss out on the more significant matches, the New South Welshman must be smiling watching Demetriou rave on – it just means any successful bid is more and more likely to revolve around Sydney. A new stadium would go down well in Sydney as well. I think half of this talk is all about getting there sports on the back pages in the off season.

By: AndyRoo

AndyRoo — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 07:02:18 +0000

Mac, hope that’s not the case especially if some of the money comes from the feds then would be abit stiff for the rent to go up

@ Andrew. The FFA have leaked they are pretty keen for the training venues to be local football clubs and even schools (assume private) because they are keen to get more top grade pitches out their and the only infrustructure required apart from a good pitch is capacity for 200 observers which most State league clubs could meet. And probably all of them with a few $$$ by 2022 or 2018

By: Andrew

Andrew — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:55:15 +0000

I don’t think that those NRL grounds won’t be affected, they will probably be used as training grounds (with most NRL clubs welcoming millions being spent on them to bring them up to FIFA standard surfaces), which means a country carnival, and other locations like Darwin, NZ and PNG to play at. Broncos could probably used Skilled or their old stadium (ANZ it used to be called, not sure what its called now).

Given how long it is, I don’t think it’s such a bad thing for either code, especially if the govt underwrites these events.

By: Wee Willy Winky

Wee Willy Winky — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:47:54 +0000

i do wonder what the AFL and NRL think behind closed doors. I generally notice a lot of people speak out about a hatred of football, so there must be an element of fear about football future getting into the traditional AFL and NRL territories. I really can see the problem I watch league and football and love them both. Its great to have the A-League in the summer months.

By: Beast-A-Tron

Beast-A-Tron — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:26:26 +0000

Hosting the WC I would not consider a ‘loss’, it is a good thing. But it is the manner in which we conduct ourselves that concerns – if we sell our soul in order to host it.

“and are still a summer sport”

Are you referring to association football in oz? If that is the case, why isn’t the WC being hosted in summer?

By: oikee

oikee — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:14:26 +0000

Lovely footwork middy, now lets conbine that with the best on show NRL, add some hand work to the equassion. cheers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_slM5Hmsp6g

By: Punter

Punter — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:08:48 +0000

Yes I did say AFL Redb & but I was talking about the media (backpage league commentators & DT) & hence meant the AFL media, but that’s OK my wife misunderstands me as well.

By: Michael C

Michael C — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:06:45 +0000

mate

really…..the MCC paid for it remember,

if the square pegs or govt wanted in, they may have been welcome…..but, only the AFL was able to inspire a business model requiring $500 million of non-Govt funding.

By: Art Sapphire

Art Sapphire — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:02:44 +0000

Lazza – the plan is to use both the MCG and another venue in Melbourne. Hopefully a 50k bubbledome.
I personally do not want matches staged at Etihad.
The money will be spent on the new stadium not the MCG.
There are lots of big matches in the WC Lazza – Sydney won’t get all of them

By: Ghost

Ghost — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 06:01:01 +0000

Kepper11 and Lisa – well said. 100% agreement here.

I actually like AFL but this ridiculous petulance and lack of their sense of their place in the world is making my liking rapidly decrease. I’ll find it hard to support a code into the future which selfishly stands in the way of what would be a great Australian historical event… and all over a matter of only 3 months of one single season which is around 10 years into the future.

AFL we like you being here, we have no beef with your game, but seriously back down. You’re being childish.

By: Michael C

Michael C — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:56:05 +0000

the AFL guy as you put it is not ‘against it’,

he’s simply not wanting to forgoe Docklands/Etihad Stadium

he’s stressed that the AFL can work around the MCG being out of action for up to 10 weeks.

How do you or the Sydney press figure that means Demetriou is against it????

By: Michael C

Michael C — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:51:47 +0000

exactly true – the main thing seems to be, that the AFL has really long term contracts in place with the MCC/MCG and Docklands,

whereas the NRL, for them, 5 years seems a long term contract around GF venue and things like that.

The irony thus far – is the FFA has presented a ‘displacement strategy’ to the NRL but not yet to the AFL.

I’d love to see them put something on the table to the AFL……and that’s half the problem.

it’s still just too much ‘no worries’…..

By: Midfielder

Midfielder — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:49:46 +0000

Four new or upgraded stadiums in NSW and one in the ACT WOW great news.

By: Art Sapphire

Art Sapphire — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:48:36 +0000

Thanks Midfielder – you have now made my posting of the hilarious Sheahan/Buckley interview utterly relevant

By: Lazza

Lazza — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:44:10 +0000

It should of been done when all that money was spent on upgrading the MCG. It could of been a multi-purpose stadium like the one being planned in Sydney where it’s easy to reconfigure to a rectangle, oval or whatever you need. Hardly anyone outside a few Commonwealth countries even knows it exists.

As usual, lack of foresight from the Vics and now Sydney will get all the big matches.

By: macavity

macavity — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:43:00 +0000

the issue with the Newcastle scenerio is that the capacity goes up…. and the rent goes up. We already have the worst rent deal in NSW, and it will only get worse if they capacity goes up… presuming we are still around in 2018/2022.

By: oikee

oikee — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:41:49 +0000

Ken, the only question i would be asking you, why are you sitting in the carpark my good man.? Global warming? Get the bus my goodly fellow, all of brisbane does when they decend on Sunny corp, except me, i live 100 miles away, so i drive,

By: Michael C

Michael C — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:39:33 +0000

Isn’t that nice,

he’s careful with his wording – - that rectangularisation option for the MCG technically is not a ‘all season shut down’…..but, effectivley, if it were opted for (and don’t forget, they’ve done a bit of planning on this option, costed it etc……surely as good at least as the planning they’ve done that apparently didn’t include contacting Grocon about extending the bubbledome!!!!) – that MCG option involved about 4 months out of AFL hands…..so, April, May, June, July…..which would leave August plus finals,……..

…so, technically, no option put forward for an enitre season shut down…..no….just 83% of the season!!!!

By: Midfielder

Midfielder — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:39:07 +0000

I think the apprentice is schooling the master …

BTW mate a little present for you … and for those need to ask no answer will do, but those than understand no answer required… enjoy … http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FDYZdPfDN0&feature=player_embedded

By: oikee

oikee — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:37:13 +0000

Hey Lisa, dont forget one thing also, the NRL footy show always gets the socceroos guys on and they have a ball with them, the rugby league followers get right behind you guys, yes you might be soft, but your up against the softest bunch of nohopers in the world, and we want you to kick their bottoms, Cheers lisa.
I would take timmy Cahil anyday over Kaka, or Ranaldo, who are they, squids, nothing but squids,. cheers.

By: Beast-A-Tron

Beast-A-Tron — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 05:30:18 +0000

When I contrast Demetriou & Gallop I get the same position: Current proposals appear unworkable, we cannot disrupt our seasons, we need more information and more compromise.

How is that disruptive in the slightest? The onus is on FFA, it is their bid after all.