Eleven teams is the only option for next season

We are talking NSW though mate. Not Victoria. The point being that the venue is hardly used by AFL, compared to the amount of games of League played there, and possibly soccer in the future. Thus a proper venue that suits those games should have been the priority after the olympics, but it seems we got sold out and now are stuck with a venue that just isn't suitable for viewing the game.

Tell me again how many turned up for the Swans SEMI FINAL last year?

NSW State Govt knew the AFL would post some reasonable crowds for home and away games, most of the best crowds for the general season of any code have been AFL crowds. Funny that. :-)

Yeah, I wish the State Government didn't take the AFL cash, we would have a fantastic rectangular ground, but instead we ended up with a mixed used venue that isn't as good as it should be. Still as a Dogs fan, I prefer this to going back to Belmore.

Well it would take 40,000 season tickets before I would be excited about the team playing in the atmospherioc void that is homebush. Fans hate the place but while I believe in putting a team in West Sydney i don't see how it's possible that there are 50k people who are willing to travel to homebush but not the SFS. I could imagine some people prefering homebush but not to the extent of not attending A league games at all while they wait for a team in Homebush a mere 12.74 kms from Central.

MaD is certainly big on the insults: :peanut gallery fuelled by no facts." But is he big on the facts himself? Parramatta is too small he says. I'm not sure of its capacity, but I'm wondering whether League fans would like to comment on the actual size of Parramatta stadium (I suspect it's somewhere between 16,000 and 20,000). Is that too small? We aren't marketeers so we're obviously too silly to work that one out. I know that it was big enough back in 1988 to host a Socceroo friendly - I was there - I recall it was less than half full, and I believe it has since been enlarged. Mad continues with his "facts". No problem with ANZ Stadium he says. We have not done our research he says. It will be the best day out he says (but I'm not sure what we were meant to be researching to work that one out). He appears to be suggesting that this new WS team would fill ANZ stadium. What do people think? Does that sound right? He says this new club has 4000 season tickets already sold before the club is announced. Now I admit, I'm not as smart as Mad, but I'm wondering how a club that is nowhere near getting the nod, manages to sell 4.000 seasons tickets. Is anyone else a bit unclear on that "fact"?

I don't think they Canberra bid can have too many complaints, you basically have a get in free ticked for place 13. its not like all the work was in vain, just posponed for a year or two.

One of the biggest issues I have is that here has just been soooooo much time and $$$ put into a project that the FFA were never going to let get off the ground. Maybe Mr Slavich should invoice them for all the hours he has spent trying to get the Canberra team up. They have been stringing us along the whole time and its appauling. Word has it that the Western Sydney bid that will get the nod is actually going to be funded in part by the FFA...disgraceful. And thanks 'the all rounder'...ther are many in Canberra that arent fans of TUFC ; )

mad, i think you are mad. a canberra team is by no means a poor option, as tuggies has clearly pointed out. FFA has just been dangling an inedible carrot in front of all football fans in the Capital. btw TUFC are a good club, i enjoy their home games.

a second melbourne team s a stup[id, stupid idea.. they shouldve left it for at least another season before expanding.. wait for the new teams to settle.

a second melbourne team is a stupid, stupid idea!

... apologies to Midfielder ... good comments ... meet me at ANZ Stadium for a beer on match day one

Another internet peanut gallery fuelled by no facts ... just what they get from trawling the internet. Do you people really think that FFA don't know what they are doing ? Do you think that the HAL will be better served by anything but a western Sydney team. Some quick facts - - all bids currently around - are pushing to meet FFA's strict criteria - there is a "negotiating point" - Parramatta Stadium is TOO SMALL for a western Sydney team (obviously there are no marketers out there), plus it has no transport links, nor does it have ONE public car space - FFA and at least one WS bid have "crunched the numbers" and there is NO CONCERN about ANZ Stadium - and if many of you had actually done any research, you would know this too ... if one bid gets up, a "day" at ANZ will be the greatest club football event you've seen for a while, and with a catchment area triple that of Sydney FC ... watch the people come. There are 4000 season tickets already sold before the club is announced. Canberra is a POOR option Wollongong is a POOR option They both might have a better chance down the track when the HAL is stronger, which will happen if a second Sydney team is generated quickly. ... and it will be. Rock on habibis.

If you've got the money, doing business when the economy is slow is actually the best time. You get what you want at a better price and no waiting. Then when things pick up, if you are entrenched you are well placed to take advantage of the upturn. But the low crowds so far this season are certainly a concern for the WS bid. But I believe Frank Lowy is part of the bankroll and the FFA are also keen to see a WS team get up and running. The numbers stack up but they need the local football momentum to pick up again.

"But the FFA was only ever looking in one direction, and that was due West of the CBD." You're probably correct Pippinu and it's likely to be for the same reasons that have determinded AFL expansion.

There is no way some of the state league clubs will merge.

I also meant "Lowy said he wanted the 2nd Sydney team as the 12th team" which Ben Buckley subsequently rejected that comment. ____ My only point is that FFA should have been completely up front and say that West Sydney will get the 12th bid and then tell Canberra and Wollongong and Tasmania to work on getting your bid ready for the 13th and 14th team. The current situation is pretty much, we are welcoming all bids for the 12th team but we are only letting team from one city to win. This isn't exactly fair play and Canberra has the right to feel that they are getting shafted.

WCR No doubt the football knowledge in the various ethnic villages that make up WS is huge ...along with as I said 8 stste or former NSL clubs and five football association who have almost 100, 000 players registered (that is not counting, indoor, fultsal, outdoor 6 a side, school players) .... look at the current first choice Socceroos... Kool sorry Harry Kwell, Timmy Cahill, Bret Ememtion, Mark Sch, Jason Culina, ... thats off the top of my head but all WS boys... almost 50% of the first choice team .... and from WS ....

Midfielder And if it was able to attract the regions best player's a damn near unbeatable one at that.

Lowy also wants a Div II