Sheedy signing exactly what West Sydney needs

Hello Pip Sorry it took me so long to get back to you. "I’m not sure if anyone on this thread has said straight out: it’s going to work." (Well you just did!) But do you really think so? I can't think of any sports franchise anywhere else in the world which has been a success because the sport decided to put it there for good business sense. Every franchise I can think of, has been a success because it has built on a groundswell of local support. Do you know any sports franchise anywhere that has become a success from the top down rather then bottom up? But still Pip, my question to you as an AFL fan, is why you want to weaken your own team, to support another team playing in an area where people who don't care? I would hate the idea of having to weaken my favourite team so that a club could be propped up in a area that doesn't really care about them. Do you feel the same, or do you think that it is important for your sport to do this so that it can get bigger? Intriqued and interested to hear your response, hope you are still rading this

AndyRoo I recall in 1981, getting home from a morning U19s game, and settling down to watch a live game of VFL from Sydney - one of the very first, before they sent the Swans up there permanently - live footy in those days was a rare treat. Can't remember who was playing, but what I distinctly recall was that there was a decent turn out (about 20,000) and they were making a lot of noise. In 1982, the Swans started playing home games in Sydney (the permanent move and name change came later), and I can recall they got 20,000 when they played Collingwood (but most of the other games were between 9,000 and 15,000). The numbers jumped up to 30,000 occasionally during the colourful Edelsteen years of 1986-87. Dropped again, and started climbing again in 1995. It's been up and down - but my point is that there was a decent base from the word go - that base has perhaps doubled over the 27 years (but still subject to fluctuation, and drops). In that same period - attendances for NRL games have also just about doubled.

I expect the Lions and Swans benefitted greatly from the super league war but I would like to actually see some figures one day of the growth between say 96 to 2000 compared to any other 4 year period in their history. I know a few people who switched to the Swans at that time but that is a very small sample size so could mean nothing. A case of fans list from rugby league rather than fans stolen though. if not for the swans they may have become super rugby fans.

Robbos that quote doesn't work exactly - because for the moment we don't know what compensation package the AFL will be offered. Dogs Steve Kaless wrote a while back himself - there are stacks of people around Australia right now who follow nothing - including in Western Sydney. Do you reckon the Swans have pinched many League supporters over the last 27 years? I'd say bugger all!! Sure - you read the odd story (been following the PIssants all my life, but chucked it in, blah, blah, blah) - but let's be honest - you read the stories going every which way - if were to get hung up every time we saw a story like that - we'd gone mental by now! As for sponsors - there's a number of factors at play: 1. How big is the economic pie? We know it's been growing steadily for 18 years, with some blips here and there. 2. How much of the economic pie is swinging over to Sport and Recreation? The actual share has been growing steadily over that same period. 3. Whenever a big multinational comes in a sinks its hard earned into an AFL club - is that necessarily a dollar that another code is missing out on - or a completely new dollar in the market? Has the the Storm and the Victory affected the AFL clubs in Melbourne - for the moment - it doesn't look like it - both have shared 4 titles in the space of three years.

How won't dollars be taken away from Western Sydney League teams Pip? There are only so many sponsorship dollars to go around. Someone has to hurt, and AFL has some mighty deep pockets. And no differently to Soccer, AFL need to get League supporters on board. They will be the ones who will support the sport. So it may effect League at the ground as well.

It certainly helped his career in local govt. He got booted next election.

hmmm......never say never. ;-) if it was me, I wouldn't tell you - - just to keep you in suspenders, if it wasn't me, I wouldn't tell you - - 'cos you enjoyed it so much it'd kinda ruin it.

If the NRL put another team in Melbourne I would be like meh, ok GO for it, and try win us over, I'm neither pumped or upset. It's quite unusual how defensive and threatened RL people have become over this. They are seriously worried that AFL will take over yet they pretend like they are not worried despite getting together be it on the Footy show, Club CEO's meeting to discuss it or fans on forums expressing their concern that the NRL isn't doing enough! lol

It's not MC either. He used his real name for his reply.

Way to kill the mystery Pip..... now there is the third possibility that it is just someone else who likes AFL. I did think that a lot of the DT comments read like irate fans from the pub using their I phone (I assume that I phones can use the net), you hardley see an Oikee style post for instance. I addmittedly just skimmed them but this one stuck out as very Roar like.

AndyRoo I've never contributed anything to the DT comments - ever. On the very odd occasion that I go to another paper's blogs (and I do it less these days) - I always use my name.

I made the mistake on clicking on the Dean Ritchie link. The only question I have now on page 8 is "footyfan" Pip or MC :) Very similar writing style AFL people have mainly said stuff all,....more a ‘never say never’ approach. This sounds like Pip K.Hunt as an example was a pretty specific and odd set of circumstances, and he was leaving NRL anyway.....so, hardly ‘poached’ from RL.....from RU perhaps?? And reality is that Hunt had done enough in a short window of playing Aust Footy at school to be on the radar - - he’s not nearly as speculative as a true ‘conversion’ might be. Sounds like Pip but with MC's favorite saying (poached from RU) about Hunt thrown in. All the talk about the AFL targeting Haynes...and yet his manager admits hearing $1.5 mill on the radio was the first he’s heard about it because he’s had no approaches whatsoever. Someone is beating up a story!!!!. Sounds like Pip, but with impresive use of formating (an MC trademark) btw -AFL played by predominantly well to do people??? where? Remember, in the non Rugby states, we didn’t have the class divide of RU vs RL. AFL states are one in, all in. That’s something Sydney folk have sadly, sadly missed out on during their 100 years of RU vs RL antagonism with soccer on the ethnic fringes. . Sounds like Pip until the end bit where he chucks in the Futball jibe, keeping the MC possibility alive. Whoever it was I enjoyed It.

You didn't seem to mind the mindless crap coming out of the DT when they were up in arms about the WC bid!!!! You even added your well chosen comment.

it really, really is a rag isn't it, sometimes I lament at the Melb Herald Sun...and then I look at the DT and I realise that I am dealing very much with the lesser of two evils.

Ever so true. I guess......having previously just pondered the potential for a 'world team' in the age national championships.....and to see that now happening. Suddenly, one feels a little more able to ponder. As an annual event, SoO probably has no place.....and I'm still surprised that NSW and QLD sustain an annual 3 match series that severely interrupts about 6 weeks of H&A NRL matches!!!!!

This is the same man who is against our World Cup bid for exactly the same reason he is preaching for a Western Sydney AFL Team. Direct quote from you with a few minor changes. 'But Buckley is correct that the World Cup Bid will generate revenue of around $8 bill (a decent industry for the local area in its own right), will add to the sporting cultural mix, will provide opportunites for kids to become professional sportsmen – and all this can happen without one single dollar being taken away from the AFL teams in the area.'

That seems a while away on both fronts. Will take a bit fo time in the AFL for the next expansion and in Rugby League they are currently fighting amongst themselves over control of the SOO money. That would be the key is building a rivalry between two non Vic teams...NSW vs QLD seems the most likely. If the AFL goes to 24 rounds though it will be very hard to wind that back once you have given the clubs a taste of that extra revenue.

I just reckon - if the numbers are such that in a 18 or even 20 team comp (and this is crystal ball gazing......I don't mind you talking about my crystal balls, just, don't pick on my glass jaw!!!).......anyway.....18-20 teams is 720-800 fully listed players plus another 100 or so rookies....that's a lot of players spread around the country....and especially if a 3rd WA side has come in (Joondalup region is keen)....there might actually be a greater desire for WA folk to see a full WA rep side. if thats including 50-100 players from each of QLD and NSW, then, there's interest at least in having a QLD v NSW SoO (just a once off - - you could even - - - call me crazy - - - but, you could even have a SoO festival at Homebush and have the NRL SoO on Wednesday and the AFL SoO on Friday or something like that......why not the two most localised codes actually start working together a little bit??? Party time in old Sydney town!!!!

Storm's bell curve of popularity has room to run, they have not reached their peak as yet. Cant consider a second team until they have hit their peak, then started to fall off as success/bandwagon winds down. I doubt a 2nd Melb team is on the horizon with Perth and Adelaide still to have a team.

Ah the Daily Telegraph, brings supporters from all codes together because we all equaly feel hard done by :)