Baby steps in AFL for Sheedy’s Giants
Related coverage
It might be a modest feat for most, but winning a quarter of football is something of a victory for AFL’s newest franchise, Greater Western Sydney.
The Giants took the latest in a series of baby steps on Saturday when they won the opening quarter – their first at AFL level – against a lacklustre Western Bulldogs at Canberra’s Manuka Oval.
Sure, by the end of the game, they’d been trounced 15.14 (104) 9.8 (62) for a healthy 42-point defeat, but coach Kevin Sheedy is no man to turn his nose at small victories.
He was adamant the Giants have much to be pleased with after five rounds, which included another standout five-goal performance by young forward Jeremy Cameron, who won a Rising Star nomination in round two.
Along with co-captain Phil Davis and Jack Hombsch in defence, Sheedy said his “bookends” had put in an impressive performance at the Giants’ adopted home ground.
“We’re starting to get the bookends right, which is good for us,” Sheedy told reporters after the game.
“We never had Dean Brogan out there or Chad Cornes, so it was very important, from that point of view, to do well without a couple of experienced players out there.”
After taking a 16-5 lead at the first break, the Giants’ course made a predictable run and they lost the game effectively in the second term after an eight-goal-to-three performance by the Dogs.
In the second half, they were competitive but outscored seven goals to four for what was still their smallest losing margin of the season so far.
Sheedy said simple turnovers had cost his team at least six goals.
“But competitive and contesting the ball, I think we were terrific,” he said.
“I’d like to put a whole game together eventually but, in every area, we’re getting a little bit better.
“I’ve got no doubt by the middle of the year we’ll be OK.”
Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney admitted his players were “agitated” with their own dismal first quarter, but denied the sluggish start had anything to do with their opponents.
“There was no underestimating them – their young players have a lot of talent and, while physically they’re not at the level yet, they will be quite soon,” McCartney said.
The struggling Bulldogs have notched back-to-back victories after losing their first three matches and look forward to regaining Daniel Giansiracusa for next week’s clash against Collingwood.
The Giants, meanwhile, take on Carlton at Etihad Stadium – their first at the ground – meaning they will have played their fair share of top contenders by the end of next weekend.
Along with West Coast, Adelaide and Sydney, they’ll have clashed with four of the top six sides according to the ladder, Sheedy noted for any critics keen to put in the boot.
“But the more we do play, the better we’ll get and, hopefully, our second half (of the season) is going to be pretty good,” he said.
© AAP 2013- Explore:
- AFL, GWS Giants, Kevin Sheedy
April 29th 2012 @ 11:32am
GrantS said | April 29th 2012 @ 11:32am | Report comment
Anyone who saw the game would have to agree with what Sheeds is saying.
Mistake after mistake saw them turn the ball over and most times they were punished by a goal. According to the commentators GWS are the most scored against from turnovers and that’s not hard to believe.
We all know they are only a young team and a win may still be a ways off but their clash with the Suns should be worth watching.
I’m looking forward to the day this team clicks and kicks some team’s ass (as long as it is not Essendon).
April 29th 2012 @ 4:26pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | April 29th 2012 @ 4:26pm | Report comment
I can understand why a lot of AFL fans and journalists want to be apologists for the GWS Giants.
If the team does badly, then it reflects badly on the AFL and if they are not expanding, then people won’t belive that AFL is expanding.
Lets face it, GWS Giants are a failure on and off the field.
They have barely 7K members in a city of 5 million people and an area that stretches from Quenbeyan to the Harbour Bridge in Sydney. Compared to the Suns 15K members in their first season in a much smaller location and population.
And more than half of those 7K start up members don’t even live in Sydney – so there are probably only about 3K Giants members who actually live in Sydney. That’s not very good.
On the field, despite the priority draft picks, excellent facilities and training resources and the greatest AFL minds in the world looking after them and trying to teach them how to play for the last 2 years, they generally look like a disorganised mistake-riddled rabble.
Most teams take their foot off the accelerator when they get a few goals ahead, otherwise it would be a huge embarassment every game. I doubt they will even win one game this season.
The AFL have spent a very large amount of money on this team and financially they are a disaster and set to put a very big hole in the AFL’s finances, who fortunately have very big pockets.
OK, OK, AFL apologists, one at a time and form an orderly queue . . .
April 29th 2012 @ 4:41pm
Ian Whitchurch said | April 29th 2012 @ 4:41pm | Report comment
Obvious troll is obvious.
April 29th 2012 @ 4:47pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | April 29th 2012 @ 4:47pm | Report comment
Didn’t take you long to respond on behalf of the Giants Ian.
Do you work for the AFL media department and have an anti-AFL detection device like The Cattery.
I follow a number of sports including AFL and am interested in the expansion and watched the whole of the Giants and Swans games.
What exactly have I posted that isn’t true?
April 29th 2012 @ 5:29pm
Ian Whitchurch said | April 29th 2012 @ 5:29pm | Report comment
“Do you work for the AFL media department and have an anti-AFL detection device like The Cattery.”
Paranoid much ?
April 29th 2012 @ 8:42pm
ItsCalled AussieRules said | April 29th 2012 @ 8:42pm | Report comment
Ian
Maybe answer the questions about GWS Giants and not resort to the tired old line about paranoia.
Paranoid about what exactly?
April 29th 2012 @ 9:49pm
Ian Whitchurch said | April 29th 2012 @ 9:49pm | Report comment
About the AFL hiring people to hang out on message boards and counter-troll you.
Keep taking those pills
April 30th 2012 @ 3:15pm
Fussballs AFL tracking spreadsheet said | April 30th 2012 @ 3:15pm | Report comment
Your interest in the AFL is certainly well chronicled, although with your recent name change from ‘It’s called Football’ it can be tricky keeping track of your various contributions. Will we be hearing the story about how your daughter was told soccer was unaustralian by an Auskick coordinator again? That was one of my favourites, although I also loved the one about how the AFL doesn’t pay any tax. At all. Tell us again ICF!
April 30th 2012 @ 12:02am
MFB1991 said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:02am | Report comment
Ian,
At the top of this page right below THE ROAR is a caption saying “your sports opinion”. I’m pretty sure that is the whole point of this site. Whilst I don’t agree with everything ItsCalled AussieRules says most of his points are pretty close to the mark, and in any case are an opinion, everybody has one. Let there be peace in our time!
April 30th 2012 @ 1:02am
Ian Whitchurch said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:02am | Report comment
MFB1991,
When a troll comes on, starts trolling and then accuses the people who call him out of being AFL employees, then, why, yes, I am going to mock him.
April 30th 2012 @ 1:49am
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:49am | Report comment
no lets face it, you repeat this tripe ad nauseum. None of us regular AFL people expected GWS to set the world on fire – in fact even the AFL acknowledges its a 20 year long term project.
Sydney was ALWAYS going to be a harder market than the Gold Coast for the AFL, and both werent likely to be particularly easy in any case.
If we want to talk about collossal wastes of money we can always refer back to the millions the federal government poured into a world cup bid that went nowhere, or the 27 million that HAL clubs are expected to lose this year. Both figures are greater than the amount the AFL has spent in Western Sydney.
April 30th 2012 @ 9:59am
ItsCalled AussieRules said | April 30th 2012 @ 9:59am | Report comment
Please explain how bagging me and the A-League is going to help GWS Giants get better.
April 30th 2012 @ 5:28pm
Yeah Sure said | April 30th 2012 @ 5:28pm | Report comment
Because it makes him feel special.
April 30th 2012 @ 5:56pm
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 5:56pm | Report comment
well apparently bagging the AFL makes you a special kid, why cant we all feel special together.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:35am
ManInBlack said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:35am | Report comment
copy paste,
copy paste,
is that all you’re going to do – keep inserting the same ignorant drivel in every thread about GWS?
People who know footy know that very few even high draft picks have an immediate impact, and the main examples of those who do invariably are slotting into good or very good sides – obvious example of Joel Selwood slotting straight into premiership contending (and winning for that year) Geelong in 2007.
However, anyone who tracks the journey of St Kilda – loaded up with Kosi (No 2 in 2000), Riewoldt (No 1 draft pick in 2000), Goddard (No 1 in 2002) and Ball (picked between Hodge and Judd in the ‘super draft’ in 2001). It didn’t happen over night – and that was slotting top draft picks into an existing squad. Key position players in particular take time, and may take up to 8 years to really unlock their potential.
(and Carlton as another example with Gibbs, Murphy, Walker and Kreuzer)
The other thing most people recognise is that the top draft talent is normally great at junior level in offensive ball gathering/using roles – but, may not be that well tested in the defensive side of the game. It’s a big, big task to adapt to AFL level defensive requirements.
There’s no off side, you can’t just park a bus in front of a goal.
April 30th 2012 @ 11:05am
Pot Stirrer said | April 30th 2012 @ 11:05am | Report comment
Its not rocket science, the expansion by the AFL is REALLY about money from broadcasters, as it will be when the NRL expand. I dont understand why people get so defensive anymore. Both the AFL and NRL understand that a traditional supporter of either code is not going to change their life long beliefs. I believe they understand that as a sports mad country people can be marketed into supporting and buying merchandise of more than one code, with thier orginal choice always being the main. My problem with expansion is the decline in standard of play, If the AFL was deadly serious about the GWS, they would have made sure they would be at least competitive. SOmeone will say they are by the amount of money invested but i say if they got an extra 100 million for another two teams to televise, Then financially they could let GWS fold in a year or two and still keep the deal. I hope the NRL dont go down this same path but it makes BUISINESS sense.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:12pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:12pm | Report comment
The AFL gave GWS the resources and draft picks and it was entirely up to GWS to do what they wanted with that. They are the ones that went down the road of picking very young footballers, balanced by 4 blokes aged over 32. It was entirely their choice.
We’ll only know 3 years down the track if it was the wrong move.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:49pm
Pot Stirrer said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:49pm | Report comment
With thier investment surley they would have some input? Also if the star attraction is a NRL convert then they really needed a couple of class players to carry the team imo. No losing side is going to get supporters on board and keep them if they are trying to convert them, If a follower was supporting the swans and converted to GWS becuase its thier home team, i think it gets pretty boring wacthing your team lose all the time. I am a Roosters/Swans, i dont watch the AFL but have always kept informed on how the swans are going, (why im on this site). I grew up in Blacktown but ill stick with the Swans tks. i think 3 years will be to late.
April 30th 2012 @ 5:58pm
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 5:58pm | Report comment
The AFL has some input when it comes to marketing and presumably overall expenditure, but internal working and recruitment for the club would be handled in house.
April 30th 2012 @ 9:43pm
Bludger said | April 30th 2012 @ 9:43pm | Report comment
Within 20 years the Giants will be the 2nd largest football club in the Sydney metro area after the Swans AFL team. Most reasonable people who acknowledge this as a given.
The reason is NRL is just poorly organized and AFL is capitalizing on it. Soccer is just a mess at club level and union is a private school boy game.
Might even take less than 20 years.
Question is, will there be a 3rd AFL team in Sydney within 20 years?
May 1st 2012 @ 10:17am
db swannie said | May 1st 2012 @ 10:17am | Report comment
Bhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa.
correction the NRL were poorly organized..till now .we have some very smart people on the IC
After they negotiate a great deal for RL then they will set about fixing the problems in & out of the game.
3rd Sydney team..
Oh my.
May 1st 2012 @ 11:31am
Nathan of Perth said | May 1st 2012 @ 11:31am | Report comment
If they put a third team in Sydney before they put a third team in WA I will burn down AFL House.
April 29th 2012 @ 6:32pm
Dingo said | April 29th 2012 @ 6:32pm | Report comment
Having the Giants and Suns in has definitely added another dimension to the competition, I’m sure most supporters wish both these teams well and hope that they don’t get smashed week in week out. However, in the back of their minds they know that in a few years time it might be their team getting smashed by the newbies.
Looks like Hunt is continuing his upward curve as a player for the Suns, very exciting, can’t wait to see if Izzy’s developement at The Giants heads in the same direction.
Both clubs have much to be positive about.
April 29th 2012 @ 8:42pm
Fitzy said | April 29th 2012 @ 8:42pm | Report comment
Dont think western syd HAL will be much better, so ICF U might reap what U sow, anyway the usual corrections are warrented, 81/2 k members not just under 7, they have not disgraced themselves, in fact 4 goals up against bulldogs in 1st qtr is not the other team taking their foot off and why are youon this thread? Just the usual rubbish ICF (or JVGO whatever hescalling himself). We like the game and we dont have to please you!
April 30th 2012 @ 6:51am
JVGO said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:51am | Report comment
Thanks for bringing me into this Fitzy. Do you realise that of the 450 players to play for the socceroos 50% of them have come from Western Sydney (according at least to FIUL resident Victorian soccer authority). This is what the AFL cannot stand for and want to get their greedy mitts on. This is why fans of every other sport in the country despise the AFL’s push into WS.
April 30th 2012 @ 7:25am
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 7:25am | Report comment
you do realise that the AFL employs a draft that means players come from all over the country, and that the AFL doesnt rely on Western Sydney any more than it does Ireland or the NRL for players right? I dont believe this was even remotely a concern for the AFL when it was setting up a team.
April 30th 2012 @ 8:03am
JVGO said | April 30th 2012 @ 8:03am | Report comment
Wookie, although Melbourne likes to tell itself that it is the sporting capital of the country the facts are that due to it’s AFL obsession it adds vitually nothing at all to any of the international teams that Australia’s sporting reputation is based on. As well as the soccer fact above, this week in the Carribean we have zero Victorians in the Australian Cricket team, although there are 3 Tasmanians, a state that has no AFL team and whose only professional national sporting team isin cricket. Nevertheless 90,000 Melburnians turned out to watch a battle between teams representing two local suburban shopping striips.
As I see it Wookie, there is a distinction between the two views of the sporting world. AFL represents the case for Melbourne as the centre of the universe, while Sydney leads the way in sport as a way to overcome our geographical and cultural isolation and engage with the world. AFL is fine in Melbourne, but Sydney is a diverse international sporting city. Things need to stay that way.
April 30th 2012 @ 8:42am
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 8:42am | Report comment
JVGO
Allow me to remind you that Victoria supplies the most players to the Australian Lacrosse national team, now and in the past, a game that has been played in Australia since the late 1870s, which attracted 30,000 to the MCG in its first international game in 1907, and which has two inductees in the MCG sporting hall of fame.
For more info on the fascinating history of lacrosse in Australia, please see:
http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/04/13/opening-round-of-lacrosse-steps-back-in-history/
April 30th 2012 @ 1:03pm
MFB1991 said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:03pm | Report comment
Cattery,
That comment just about sums up the whole conversation, well done, keep the good work up.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:19pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:19pm | Report comment
MFB
from your perspective, yes, perhaps you’re right.
But I think you probably fit into the JVGO school of thought that the only important sports are the ones you like personally, and everyone else should fit because, well, just because!
April 30th 2012 @ 8:55am
Ian Whitchurch said | April 30th 2012 @ 8:55am | Report comment
I wonder what JVGO’s explanation for the Parramatta Eels is ? A selection trial for rep sides maybe ?
April 30th 2012 @ 12:35pm
JamesP said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:35pm | Report comment
Victoria has supplied the greatest spin bowler (some would say best player after Bradman) the world has ever seen.
As for the Caribbean, Siddle and Patterson are both natural selection in the first 11 when fully fit
And we all know Matthew Wade should be keeping, not Brad Haddin who is in there just to ensure that NSW continues to supply 50% of the Australian team
April 30th 2012 @ 3:07pm
Fussballs AFL tracking spreadsheet said | April 30th 2012 @ 3:07pm | Report comment
The point about Sydney’s internationalism in comparison with Melbourne’s rejection of all sports other than Australian Football is valid. Afterall, you just have to look at how incredibly well supported Sydney SC is, whilst Melbourne Victory have never really attracted any following, consistently struggling for attendance with crowds that are dwarfed by the massive army of Sydney soccer fans.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:00pm
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:00pm | Report comment
I think my sarcasm detector broke
April 30th 2012 @ 1:39pm
Pot Stirrer said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:39pm | Report comment
Really calling a team greater western sydney and then expecting Canberra to accept it as their own team. Ok
April 30th 2012 @ 9:53am
Norm said | April 30th 2012 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Ah, JVGO – claiming so many people despise AFL. With good reason, whilst it remains Australia’s own football code. Always more Australian than soccer, no matter how many Sydney boys play for the socceroos. Ouch – can feel the spite rising
April 30th 2012 @ 10:01am
ItsCalled AussieRules said | April 30th 2012 @ 10:01am | Report comment
That’s a silly racist comment.
Every person who has played for the Socceroos is an Australian and no amount of marketing or hype is going to make people think that AFL represents Australians.
What about Cricket, that was invented in England too – is Bradman not Australian.
April 30th 2012 @ 3:17pm
Fussballs AFL tracking spreadsheet said | April 30th 2012 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
And it’s the racist card! Looks like Norm definitely landed a punch there.
April 30th 2012 @ 3:13pm
Fussballs AFL tracking spreadsheet said | April 30th 2012 @ 3:13pm | Report comment
Is it really that many? I guess it’s true what they say about marketing & hype failing to attract soccer players outside of a few narrow enclaves where they have little choice.
April 30th 2012 @ 8:47am
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 8:47am | Report comment
My opinion is that if 100 new fans can be attracted to GWS every season for the next 150 years, that would represent 15,000 new fans by 2162, and at that point, I’d be happy to declare GWS as a bit of a success story.
I should add, I see that as a rather conservative estimate.
People need to bear in mind that in Australian Football, we look at 150 year long periods – don’t worry about yesterday or next week, worry about the next 150 years.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:27pm
Stev0 said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:27pm | Report comment
Any Roar article mentioning GWS, Gold Coast or more than one code will eventually result in an all-out code war. I shall call it Demetriou’s law.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:55pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:55pm | Report comment
I’m not inviting a code war, I’m merely stating the obvious that the AFL is looking decades into the future.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:59pm
Stev0 said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:59pm | Report comment
Oops, meant to post as a general comment, not in direct reply. Was more so referring to our friend ‘it’scalledaussierules’ above, an the general vibe of other articles.
Very true comment about the 150 years – 15 years even!
April 30th 2012 @ 1:13pm
Pot Stirrer said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:13pm | Report comment
Garbage, Its like everyother buisiness or sporting franchise, its all about the hear and now.
April 30th 2012 @ 1:20pm
Stev0 said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:20pm | Report comment
Yep, that’s why the AFL persisted with the Swans and Bears/Lions for so long. Keep stirring pal.
April 30th 2012 @ 1:42pm
Pot Stirrer said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:42pm | Report comment
Wernt those 2 teams competitive from the get go? No ones stirring mate, you blokes just go on with so much dribble, its hard not to say something.
April 30th 2012 @ 2:31pm
Stev0 said | April 30th 2012 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
Self-declared pot stirrer is pot stirrer
April 30th 2012 @ 2:40pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 2:40pm | Report comment
They both had down periods after a few early years of being “competitive”. Indeed the Swans reached a the nadir of their long history in the early 90s when average attendances dropped to about 9,500 at the SCG, and around the same time, in their last year at Carrara, the Bears were getting around 5,000.
I don’t think there’s a correct formula that will work every time, and it’s not feasible that you can keep a team on the top of the ladder forever, as has happened with the Storm.
April 30th 2012 @ 11:59am
King Robbo said | April 30th 2012 @ 11:59am | Report comment
I think expansion on western sydney was to soon after Gold coast. AFL will be spending money on this team for years and while they eventually become good, a high scoring sport such as afl will always have a couple of basket case teams in an 18 team competition, with loads of one sided games. The inequity of the draw also makes it an even unfairer advantage for some teams.
Attendances have already dipped. Seems a few attendances were below 20,000 (and I know games were played in canberra and launceston) and only 3 games over 30,000. Will be interested to see whether live fox footy keeps people away when the melbourne winter sets in as well.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:19pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:19pm | Report comment
Well, with two games at Canberra and Lonnie, each of which have capacities below 20,000, of course there will be games that have less than that. Still, 19,200 at Lonnie is damn good.
Also, it’s a miracle anyone turned out for the Lions vs Cats game, raining all day and night.
All in all, about 283k turned up for 9 games at an average of 31,460, and that’s damn good!!
April 30th 2012 @ 1:16pm
Pot Stirrer said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:16pm | Report comment
Do you really expect Canberrans to accept greater western sydney as their team?
April 30th 2012 @ 2:41pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 2:41pm | Report comment
They will do as they are told.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:03pm
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:03pm | Report comment
I think Gold Coast and Tasmania would have been a better fit this time around, and GWS in a few more years. Tasmania would have made the money that Gold Coast is expected to lose, meaning that from a revenue standpoint at least, we could have had GWS within 5 years.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:39pm
King Robbo said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:39pm | Report comment
Was a good attendance in launceston, thats why I find it hard why the afl ignore having a team in the apple isle. Not only are they more passionate about the game, they are getting bigger attendances than gold coast and GWS. Its better seeing 19,000 passionate tasmanians barracking for one team rather than 9,000 barracking for gold coast and another 9,000 going for the visiting victorian team (in my opinion). Canberra attendance was a bit lower than expected given that western sydney is suppose to represent them.
April 30th 2012 @ 12:54pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 12:54pm | Report comment
Yes, that’s a matter of legitimate debate – we may not know the answer to that question for a very long time.
But I hope Tasmania’s turn comes sooner rather than later.
One thing is for sure, at least for me personally, I struggle to see a comp with more than 18 teams, it looks like a bit of a natural limit, it adds up to a lot of footy, a lot of footballers, a lot of people to make it happen, so that might work against Tassie for a long time.
The other complication is that the greater Perth metropolitan area can clearly handle another AFL team.
April 30th 2012 @ 1:24pm
clipper said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:24pm | Report comment
The EPL has 20 teams, and divisions under even more – the quality of players would be the problem in an increased competition, but as more players are developed in NSW and QLD, perhaps that problem may be solved.
Tasmania should be next in line, but the big problem is the Nth / Sth divide – if there was a united front they may have a better chance. The GWS decision was one league faces with putting a team in Perth or the Central Coast – do you put a team in an area that will have low crowds and ratings but with a chance at long term expansion, or with a team rearing to go with good crowds and ratings, but one that will add nothing to national expansion.
April 30th 2012 @ 2:44pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 2:44pm | Report comment
The number of professional contracts in the AFL is fast approaching about 900, which is a really big number, by almost any standard, in a limited population.
Agree that the GWS decision is comparable to League putting a team in Perth or Adelaide (or even a second team in Melbourne) – hard, hard work.
April 30th 2012 @ 9:40pm
Redb said | April 30th 2012 @ 9:40pm | Report comment
Given there were a lot of travelling fans in their colours were amongst the 19k just how many non aligned Tasmanians attended the game anyway?
April 30th 2012 @ 1:12pm
King Robbo said | April 30th 2012 @ 1:12pm | Report comment
I think 18 teams is too much. Generally in AFL the better teams win, unlike football leagues of 18/20 teams were a team at the bottom can get a lucky goal and hold on. Also football the relegation battle can be as intense as the battle to win the league as well.
Perth definitely could have a third team, financially and player wise. Still think it would of have been better if they split the city into north and south teams. There is a great even geographical divide in perth which could of been utilised to spur on an intense rivalry. A rivalry which is based on where you live/born rather than randomly picking a team as it is at the moment. South west is growing rapidly and wouldnt be surprised if in 30 years or so a team is based in mandurah, busselton or bunbury.
April 30th 2012 @ 2:45pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 2:45pm | Report comment
Are these towns close to each other?
May 1st 2012 @ 11:16am
stabpass said | May 1st 2012 @ 11:16am | Report comment
A third team in WA should be based in Mandurah IMO, playing out of a smaller stadium (Rushton Park) and catering to the growing population of WA’S southwest.
This would distinguish it from the 2 Perth teams, the only other option is Joondalup and that is essentialy another Perth team.
April 30th 2012 @ 2:50pm
TW said | April 30th 2012 @ 2:50pm | Report comment
The GWS manager -David Matthews – is now quite open about the GWS membership stuff in the article below. He was pleased with the sea of orange at Manuka on Saturday.
Current GWS membership 8804 – The rate of growth has slowed a bit recently – However I think they may have signed the fans that were ready to get on board initially and now the hard graft begins. It aint going to be easy folks.
One thing is obvious the early season fixtures have to have one home and one away next year. Skoda Stadium will be available full time then. The club lost a bit of momentum fixture wise this year after the opening game against the Swans.
The Canberra membership currently is considerably less than half of the total, and their current figure is a bit more realistic for that area IMHO.
There are a lot of inaccuracies figures wise being posted on this thread.
http://www.gwsgiants.com.au/prime-ministers-cup-resounding-success.html
April 30th 2012 @ 3:10pm
King Robbo said | April 30th 2012 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
Didnt they nearly get 15,000 for the swans v North melb game in 2006. Out of the top 10 afl attendances at manuka, 10th was 12,542.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:04pm
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:04pm | Report comment
well they kept getting the same crap teams – the Bulldogs arent an awe inspiring team.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:13pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:13pm | Report comment
The honest truth is that no one really knew what a Giants vs Bulldogs fixture at Manuka would mean. I hoped for 10k, if fell a fraction short, but it could have been any number, it could have been half that – who knows what to expect??
It was 2,400 better than what turned out at Blacktown, so I guess that’s a plus.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:17pm
The Cattery said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:17pm | Report comment
Thanks for the link.
I agree that 3,124 ACT members is probably a fair proportion of the 8,804 total memberships sold.
They’ll probably get to 9,000 by the cut off, maybe 9,500, and then it’s probably a battle to keep them all for the second season, because your’e going to lose 10 to 15% straight away with your usual churn rate.
It will be a long, slow, hard slog.
The game in two weeks time against the Suns might be a beauty, both young teams, and GWS will have the belief that they can go with the Suns for the full match – well worth watching that one.
April 30th 2012 @ 3:02pm
King Robbo said | April 30th 2012 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
Busselton and Bunbury are only 50km apart. Mandurah is more of a satellite city of perth (60km south of cbd and 100km north of bunbury). Mandurah would have a population close to 90,000 at the moment but all 3 cities are consistently in the top 10 fastest growing cities in Australia. The south west and surrounding districts have always been a good catchment area for the wafl.
Preseason AFL matches in mandurah and bunbury have got around 10,000 people.
April 30th 2012 @ 6:05pm
The_Wookie said | April 30th 2012 @ 6:05pm | Report comment
preaseason games at Victor Harbor have got 10,000, and dont forget Wangaratta sold out for 11,000. Dont think we’re expanding to these areas on that basis though
April 30th 2012 @ 7:00pm
King Robbo said | April 30th 2012 @ 7:00pm | Report comment
Wow thats good as Victor Harbours population is only about 12,000 and wangaratta’s is 17,000. People in the east probably do not realise how fast these cities are growing – mandurah’s population has increased ten fold since 1990, Bunbury has more than doubled, Busselton has tripled. As Perth is a very expensive city to live in and WA having strong interstate migration figures these cities populations are increasing even further.
Expect the south west, traditionally a very strong breeding ground for AFL footballers, to be home to half a million people by 2025. Certainly makes more sense than the suggested northern perth suburb of joondalup for the 3rd WA team.