By AAP
February 5th 2010 @ 1:00am
Related coverage
GWS will recruit in California, says Sheedy
After signing a South African player last week, Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy said his next recruitment stop for his new AFL club is the United States.
Sheedy believes the state of California has untapped potential for producing Australian Rules talent and plans on travelling there in the near future.
The state is better known for NBA club Los Angeles Lakers and the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers, but Sheedy believes he can find athletes who can handle a Sherrin as well as a basketball or pig skin.
“I reckon California is the go, you’ve got 40 million people and they’re like Australians really aren’t they,” said Sheedy, who put GWS’ 18-year-old TAC players through their paces at Blacktown on Thursday.
“You look at what part of America you think is (like) Australia, you’d say California. There’s 40 million people, there’s double our population.
“I’ll be going to California to chase players don’t even worry about that, I just won’t tell you when I’m going.”
Sheedy also declared South African players will be playing top flight AFL within the next decade.
GWS has already signed South African Bayanda Sobetwa.
“There will be 10 players recruited from South Africa in the next 10 years for sure,” he said.
“Don’t forget, we can recruit from around the world now.
This last fortnight in South Africa, South Africa nearly beat the Flying Boomerangs, the best indigenous kids in Australia … and that was Cape Town’s team and Johannesburg’s team.
“Just imagine if they played South Africa all as one team.”
Sheedy took to the state-of-the-art AFL precinct at Blacktown Olympic Park on Thursday for a training run with promising youngsters from across NSW.
Despite being a rugby league heartland and GWS not entering the AFL competition for another two years, Sheedy was confident of continuing to generate publicity throughout the western suburbs.
“That won’t be hard. I’ve been doing it for 27 years. A couple of years off, I’m a bit refreshed,” Sheedy said.
“We’re doing ok so far, haven’t got a footy team and we’ve been in the newspapers every week. It’s been a bit of fun.
“These kids will make it happen. They’re the talent.”
The kids he is referring to are the squad GWS has assembled to take part in the TAC under 18s competition this year.
Six of the players are on scholarships with GWS, while the others are aligned with other AFL clubs.
Tom Kickett, nephew of former AFL players Derek and Dale Kickett, has a scholarship with Hawthorn, but will turn out for GWS in the under 18s.
For their players under scholarship, GWS will get last say at draft time and for kids like Kickett, Sheedy needs to hope other clubs make mistakes on them and he can scoop them up.
“You just hope that other clubs make mistakes. You look through our game and it’s riddled with mistakes,” Sheedy said.
“A lot of clubs make errors because the listing is so awkward that you’ve got to be pretty right.
“And if you let one go that becomes a superstar, then hopefully we get the benefit of that.”
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Tifosi said | February 5th 2010 @ 5:07am | Report comment
“I reckon California is the go, you’ve got 40 million people and they’re like Australians really aren’t they,” said Sheedy
By your logic Sheedy,that means Australians should all be known as Califonian’s now !!!
Quite possibly the dumbest thing he has ever said.
Mr Real Australian it's called Football Man formerly known as Kurt said | February 5th 2010 @ 6:25am | Report comment
Perhaps said slightly tongue-in-cheek. This is Sheeds we’re talking about here.
Redb said | February 5th 2010 @ 7:14am | Report comment
Correct.
AndyRoo said | February 5th 2010 @ 4:22pm | Report comment
Nope
He was joker and full of hot air when he was a Vic but not he lives in Blacktown you guys better start taking him seriously.
He seems pretty keen on the NSW players thing, he only needs to put sleeves on the jumpers and mission complete.
Club song for GWS just announced (they have a 200m budget so why not) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yammJn1vaVg
From Wikipedia
The song is mainly about the dark side of Hollywood. The track also makes references to the decline in Western society (West Sydney), and even some pop culture references Star Wars (“and Auburns not far away”), and Star Trek (“West Sydney the final frontier”).
allblackfan said | February 5th 2010 @ 5:55am | Report comment
that’s the point; he’s making these inane comments to generate publicity. He wants to keep Team GWS to keep making headlines even though it’s two years away from making the AFL
VooDoo said | February 5th 2010 @ 6:13am | Report comment
It makes a lot of sense. The proportion of Californians that go on from elite school or college sporting programs that end up playing professional sports in the US is minute compared with the proportions of athletes that do so in Australia. The Mediterranean climate is similar to Australia’s, so Californians are more likely to be involved in outdoor sports year-round than the rest of us living in North America. Plus if Sheedy is looking to target existing footy players, the Golden Gate, San Diego and Orange County clubs have been among the most competitive in the US for many years.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 5th 2010 @ 8:15am | Report comment
I had similar thoughts.
Sheeds comments don’t sound all that bizarre when viewed from that perspective.
allblackfan said | February 5th 2010 @ 6:26am | Report comment
As long as he doesn’t expect the population of western Sydney to support the team!
Living and working in western Sydney, I can tell you this: a team full of South Africans, Americans, Victorians, North Territorians and Queenslanders is NOT going to endear the the team to its so-called home fan base. The vast majority of people here still have no idea who Sheedy is!! Except perhaps that he sure does have a big mouth!
Redb said | February 5th 2010 @ 7:13am | Report comment
And of course the Melb Storm are full of Victorians!
The Melb Rebels will be also.
The Melb Victory are full of Vics as well.
Aal new teams in non heartland areas need to recruit from elsewhere. The goal would be to still promote Western Sydney footballers into the team in time but it wont happen overnight.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 5th 2010 @ 8:17am | Report comment
If we can get a handful in our besst 22 in our first season – that would be a huge step forward.
Personally, I reckon it’s feasible.
AndyRoo said | February 5th 2010 @ 8:51am | Report comment
If this is just another AFL team filled with players from Vic and WA their isn’t much point. You may as well just move the Swans to Homebush as it completely negates the one good thing about this team (it being a new club rather than some transplanted Melbourne club).
Melb Rebels seem pretty keen to get as many Vics in the team as possible (admittedly not many) and the starting 11 tonight for MV should have at least 4 Vics in it. GWS seems very similar to the Melbourne Heart in that they will struggle for an identity…. Filling the team full of crap NSW players and finishing 2nd last I feel would actually be better for the club long term than if they won the flag in their first year.
I don’t buy that people don’t know who Sheedy is though, the Daily telegraph have started giving him a column.
AndyRoo said | February 5th 2010 @ 9:30am | Report comment
Probably a bit unrealistic to have “all” the players from NSW I must admit but that should be the goal for say 2020
Redb said | February 5th 2010 @ 10:18am | Report comment
yeah it’s pretty funny when they pretend they cant spell his name – straight out of Primary School that one
Note this is AAP report/article. Sheedy = sound byte.
allblackfan said | February 5th 2010 @ 5:44pm | Report comment
The DT may have given him a column but we’re talking western Sydney; rank and file on the streets. Sheedy, Ling and Brown could walk down these streets in perfect anonymity!
Redb said | February 5th 2010 @ 10:51am | Report comment
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/sheedy-is-kindergarten-kev/story-e6frexni-1225826924814
Not all about California folks.
Dogz R Barkn said | February 5th 2010 @ 11:11am | Report comment
If I had my time over – I’d love to be out there with that group – pioneering something new – Sheeds would have you thinking you could walk on water and run through brick walls.
With the Rovers coming on line as well – it’s an exciting time for professional sport in West Sydney.
Michael C said | February 5th 2010 @ 11:22am | Report comment
And this is the view that ought be had – because West Sydney as a region is severely UNDER serviced,
this can only be good for a region that is more populous than Perth or Adelaide and located within the Greater Sydney region on the eastern seaboard (such that, even as a ratio of Perth/Adelaide, GWS SHOULD be serviced even more highly due to ‘location location location’).
And hearing SHeeds on radio a couple of times over the last couple of days – he’s just having a ball up there. For him – it’s a great opportunity.
“This is one of the first steps of it, to not allow NSW kids to play anywhere but NSW if we get it right.”
it’ll be interesting to see how they progress – most the kids in the squad are already signed ‘NSW scholarship’ holders with other AFL clubs – but, I presume GWS will get some form of priority access to them??????
Michael C said | February 5th 2010 @ 11:24am | Report comment
btw – refreshing to see that in that article in the DT – that there wasn’t any of this ‘code war’ crap. Even the example given of that kid Jackson Ferguson was more in a positive sense of a kid who was benefitting from a broader choice rather than being a soccer or RL future star LOST/poached.
Westcoast929406 said | February 5th 2010 @ 5:47pm | Report comment
Those comments by Ferguson just confirms what we all know – Our game as a sport sits firmly in between the Rugby Codes and Soccer football.
That is the recruiting theme used now all around the place in new areas.
One can only ponder how many potential AFL Standard players have been lost to the game in that region alone.
Sheedy is a walking Billboard – Thats for sure.
bever fever said | February 5th 2010 @ 6:17pm | Report comment
Read the comment section … and the comment from our own John Ryan from Beechboro and “The Roar ” fame.
Yes its him , its also the same John Ryan who sent a email to radio staion 6PR yesterday bemoaning how AFL player misdemeanors are hidden by the press but RL players are publicised.
Sound familiar, the guy certainly gets around.
elbusto said | February 6th 2010 @ 9:39am | Report comment
how dare he!!!!
Dogz R Barkn said | February 5th 2010 @ 1:10pm | Report comment
Yes, read that about Jackson Ferguson.
This is what it’s all about, kids having choice – by his own admission, he wasn’t quite suited to soccer, and perhaps he’s better suited to something else.
That’s fine.
There’s no need for anyone to make a value judgement about that – let kids play whatever the hell they want – it’s all good – beats the hell out of playing with your Wii all day long.
AndyRoo said | February 5th 2010 @ 11:29am | Report comment
“There is a team training out there for the first time that’s going to represent the bulk of NSW at AFL,” he said. “This is one of the first steps of it, to not allow NSW kids to play anywhere but NSW if we get it right.
“The best kids will stay here from now on.”
This sounds pretty good to me.
James said | February 5th 2010 @ 2:55pm | Report comment
Yep. J. Hird, W. Carey, S. Crawford, P. Kelly, B.Brownless, N./C./A./T. Daniher, A. Jesaulenko etc
A few premierships, captains and brownlow meddalists in that group!!
Legends all of them and only one of them played for their home state (I am including ACT as part of NSW)
(Note: Jessa played pre: Swans but doubtfull given that record he would ever have played there).
Go Sheeds!
Art Sapphire said | February 5th 2010 @ 4:03pm | Report comment
Newsflash – Sheedy has announced the following California recruit for GWS – Snoop Dogg.
This new challenge holds no fears for Snoop. “If it’s flipping hamburgers at McDonald’s, be the best hamburger flipper in the world. Whatever it is you do you have to master your craft.” Well said Snoop and Good Luck
Republican said | February 5th 2010 @ 4:38pm | Report comment
allblacfan
The tribal nature of WS may very well prove a hard nut to crack however – those League clubs that profess to represent the West of Sydney are anything but local. That’s the way of it these days, crickey who would have thought a Kiwi would coach the Wallabies but there you have it, blood is no longer thicker than H2O it would seem.
Andyroo
Does local even rate in the brave new ‘global’ scheme of things? it does for me however I don’t see it happeneing in reality?
The closest thing the GWS will get to homegrown will be from the ACT nursery and that is why Sheedy was in Canberra this week, trying to drum up support for GWS in the capital. I believe the GWS will recruit a good deal of Canberra lads given the fairly high calibre of talent to come out of this region over the years.
Sheedy’s comments on that the Boomerangs v Saffa contest should also be put in context i.e, U16’s v Seniors for starters and as I have already suggested in previous comments, a very much dumbed down, controlled and staged affair in promoting the game to potential o/s markets, which is understandable.
That said, this Sheedy hard sell is already becoming a little chunderous and more akin to ‘California Dreamin’ me thinks.
Go the mighty Bullants for season 2010!
Cheers
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
It does to me but I don’t know how many people I speak for.
It’s not like other sports where there are plenty of NSW lads all over in other teams, having NSW kids in the team is a way of showing ownership over the game. Otherwise I see no reason why people shouldn’t just support the Swans. Their a nice team and the SCG isn’t that much further than Homebush.
I am probably not the target market though… but if it was a NSW team I would actually care if they won.
Michael C said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:12pm | Report comment
I suspect part of the reason the AFL actually doesn’t want to re-introduce State of Origin is that they can well see that there’s a ‘go home’ factor for kids drafted interstate,…..and this ‘go home’ factor ensures the WA sides are BOTH pretty locally relevant other than just by name/location, likewise the SA sides,
and likewise the QLD and NSW sides,
whether it’s enough for BOTH GWS and Swannees to get by with perhaps 8 NSW lads on the senior list, as often as possible a ‘local’ NSW lad as captain (even if from Albury or Wagga), and perhaps half a dozen rookie listed NSW lads allowing for a constant flow of 1 or 2 per club per year…….is that enough?
Or, would you be more talking about at least 15, 20?
just curious.
Andyroo said | February 8th 2010 @ 7:01pm | Report comment
The swans can do whatever they want. Their an established club and their marketing should be on the basis of the “traditional” team. They have been around long enough that they can just draft who they want and choose the best captain on merit.
This is the first ever from scratch NSW team. Sheedy is (was) a Victorian but he’s not your normal Melbournite, he has vision for a start
. You can never put a number on it, I would prefer 100% but obviously you have to be somewhat competitive. They just have to be genuine in their desire to favor NSW kids, but they have to work within the system. I would like to see the number at 50% of the stating line up and only going up.
Perhaps they can get away with grabbing the exclusive rights to NSW because they aren’t worth much now and they can get something in place so that when they are worth a lot (say in 8 years) their still locked up and they will win a few priemerships before they have to give them up and then turn into a normal team (even allowing Vics to play for them).
It just depends how ambitious the AFL is. If they just want a team that they can use to get a niche of juniors, decent crowds and contribute a little to the TV audience then proceed with Swans mark 2. The game will remain a poor cousin to rugby league though and remain the vicball stigma (all the players, refs, admin and big events occur interstate).
Play up the NSW side of it though and you have a point of interest for the casual sports fans and I think a more interesting rival for the Vic public too. More of a gamble sure but a genuine us against them feeling would be the only way I see AFL getting the real traction in NSW.
It’s not like their going to be a huge success right away commercially so I think it’s less of a crazy gamble than it sounds.
Redb said | February 8th 2010 @ 8:45am | Report comment
Good article in the Sun Herald:
http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/new-frontier-brimming-with-western-promise-for-sheedy-20100206-njrq.html
This is vintage Sheeds.
Redb
AndyRoo said | February 8th 2010 @ 3:14pm | Report comment
Credit too him the guys a media machine.
I didn’t like this bit obviously
”When you know they are there, that’s where you have to go if you love your own game. Harry Kewell – he might have been a fantastic midfielder if we’d have been here a few decades ago. Tim Cahill … we just needed to be in the marketplace.”
But still have to admit a great signing. As a kid I knew f all about AFL but I knew Sheedy and Malcolm blight.
bever fever said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:37pm | Report comment
I hear that the Carlton/Sydney game at Blacktown sold out a couple of days ago, 10,000 tickets sold.
Big crowd for a practice game …. who knows GWS may have a few fans after ALL, surely SWANS fans would not venture that far west.
Michael C said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:43pm | Report comment
gee – that’s alright.
Well – you just never know,
and I guess that’s the thing with all this – - the penalty for NOT trying may be greater than for trying.
Redb said | February 8th 2010 @ 2:49pm | Report comment
Reckon a few Swans fans would make the trip. Should be a good game I reckon, be fun to watch the footy at a more tradtional setup like Blacktown with a small grandstand and plenty of standing room, etc.
Redb
bever fever said | February 8th 2010 @ 5:58pm | Report comment
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/dinner-with-a-2-million-bill/story-e6frexni-1225827463735
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/a-bad-sign-for-league-recruiters/story-e6frexnr-1225827300932
A couple of articles from the daily terror in Sydney with some info about TV rights and GWS junior footy.
Dogs Of War said | February 8th 2010 @ 6:57pm | Report comment
Would have thought you would be all over this one…
http://sportal.com.au/League-news-display/folau-hopes-afl-thrives-85535
I wonder if AFL already have a contract for him. Maybe their “new” signing, he is from Minto after all (for you victorians, that’s as western sydney as you get.)
bever fever said | February 8th 2010 @ 7:10pm | Report comment
From memory their was talk about Israel, maybe he is talking himself up to be offered some big $$.
At any rate i am sure their would be stacks of aussie rulles footballers wishing the Melbourne Storm all the best in their indeavours.
Fittler could be right about Australian football wanting to rule the world, today GWS … tomorrow … Rome !!.
Surely he could have used the famous step instead of that reply.
The Link said | February 8th 2010 @ 7:52pm | Report comment
Why stop at California Sheeds, c’mon you can do better than that.
Spain has a similar climate as well, just thing of the potential!
And don’t get me started on South America, that place is ripe for AFL talent.
bever fever said | February 8th 2010 @ 8:07pm | Report comment
Sarcasm aside i am sure Sheeds thinks they are all pretty good ideas, no one can ever accuse Sheeds of not thinking big.
But South African and PNG will provide a number of players over the next few years who will have learnt the game in their own country.
Pretty good IMO for a game from the arse end of the world that historically has had a hard time getting over the Murrumbigdee let alone transversing continents.
We are not talking about a game with the obvious benifits of British migration that took soccer, hockey, union, league, tennis, cricket etc around the Commonwealth and world.
Tifosi said | February 8th 2010 @ 8:40pm | Report comment
Greater Western Stuff-up: new AFL club tries to sign Swans coach Paul Roos
Hilarious
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26685931-5018851,00.html