Kennett hopes for NZ AFL team

sherrin - burley - faulkner More power to you I say. It is indeed the cringe element that would compromise our code to appear more 'global'. NZ'ers are not only ignorant to our great game but generally hostile and contemptuous towards all things Australian, so why on earth should we even consider this folly If we were to expand our code off shore, which i believe would be a grave mistake, Saffa or PNG are already far better options and at least Ireland have an affinity for our game given our respective codes historical DNA's. PNG is indeed closer to our shores and already run rings around NZ in respect of their quality of grass roots and have the same population as NZ, while the tyranny of distance is a poor criteria in favour of NZ. Travel by air to the NT, FNQ or WA makes very little difference in this day and age and one only need look at News run Super Union comp to realise this. No, this is all to do with commercial advantage which GK is an expert. This really has diddly to do with potential grassroots or even a NZ market, remembering that there exists NO country on the planet that takes exception to our game being branded 'Australian' as does NZ. They would love to get an opportunity to beat us at our own no doubt and this would add to the already over exposed Trans Tasman contest that some seem to think our game requires in going head to head with the remianing codes. I say this would be a retrograde step and would only see our code compromised and appropriated in the process. Just because NZ are geographically advantaged does not mean they are somehow closer culturally, on the contrary, NZ is no more akin to Australia than Saffa, Canada the USA etc, however they are very good at assuming privilege from us when it suits their agenda. If Kiwis genuinely held some affinity for our code so be it, however this cannot be allowed to happen at the expedience of home demographics i.e. the NT, Tassie and the ACT to mention a few. What a symbolic travesty if the NZ capital, Wellington were to ever be afforded such privilege in being gifted an AFL gig, while the nations own capital was again overlooked and left to whither on the vine.

I was speaking to a NZ friend a year ago in NZ who said awareness of AFL had expanded dramatically - albeit off a low base. The NZAFL website shows sold grass roots growth especially with juniors, but numbers still well below Sth Africa or PNG. So never say never but I think Kennett's 20 year vision is a decade or two too early for NZ and Tassie and Darwin (maybe with occasional game in Pt Moresby) or Perth (with a 3rd WA team playing some games in Sth Africa) are all more likely in the next 20 years.

Eden Park is crap for cricket- its straight boundaries are tiny. Shahid Afridi cast doubt on its viability for ODI's after the game there in Feb. for that reason. you can't play cricket on a rectangular rugby field. NZ only has 3 decent cricket ovals of international standard at the moment- The Basin, Uni Oval in Dunedin and Hamilton. Considering all the money lavished on white elephant rugby stadia by the govt at present- what a sad state of affairs.

No money in NZ, the economy is going into a tailspin. To build stadiums and get sponsorship, you need big corporate backing. Given this you'd have to think WA is a lay down misere for the next licence followed by Canberra or Tassie. Jeff's right about rugby though. anyone weighing less than 90-95kg can forget about playing at any good level and NZ has a huge pool of talented athletes who are looking for alternatives. The lack of money is the problem though- this is why the Phoenix and the Warriors will continue to struggle to compete against the richer Australians.

Titus- "If Australia just played Rugby and Football we would have better leagues, a more unified country and more competitive International teams." If Australia only played soccer and Rugby, we might have better leagues and more competitive international teams, but why we would we be more unified? I mean, I don't think we are un-unified anyway, but also, what would it do for those who enjoy League and Australian Football? "There is no need for two football codes and two Rugby codes in my opinion." There is no need for any sport at all. We have two football codes and two Rugby codes, not because we NEED to, but because we WANT to. Need has nothing to do with this. Plus, just because you don't think we need two football codes and two Rugby codes is, well, it's like my saying that I don't think we need an international soccer team. The answer to that, by many people, would be 'so?" "I enjoy international competition, so what?" Well, when you want to sacrifice other sports because of your desire for stronger international teams, it becomes quite problematic. Titus, let's say the Australian sporting landscape was redesigned and soccer was eliminated; I could say 'so what?' as well. "I follow football because I played it, therefore it is my culture," But it's not everyone's culture. You know, a lot of people call the AFL and Australian football supporters arrogant. Well, I will tell you what is arrogant; the idea that we don't 'need' two football codes and two football codes (when we don't 'need' any sport) and that if some of the sports were eliminated, we should keep soccer as you play it and it is your culture, and you like international sport. So who cares about what other people like? Incredibly arrogant. "and yes…..the country is divided, have you not been keeping abreast of the code wars?" Not everyone is on The Roar. In real life, people just follow whatever code/s they are interested in. I personally love the Australian sporting landscape as it offers choice. I dislike both Rugby codes, and I think that soccer is the most overrated sport in the world, but I wouldn't want any of them to be eliminated.

I enjoy international competition as well, but i dont want to see two great Australian domestic institutions destroyed because of it, i guess thats the difference between me and you. Very bad case of cultural cringe titus

'There is no need for two football codes and two Rugby codes in my opinion.' There always going to be 4 main codes in this country and it will stay that way sure we're not the rest of the world but we still maintain football & rugby so we're still up with the world. The more sport, the more choice I say variety is the spice of life.

I enjoy international competition, so what? I follow football because I played it, therefore it is my culture, and yes.....the country is divided, have you not been keeping abreast of the code wars?

Surely joke post of the year, and it's only April, I didn't realise Australia was a country didvided ! ... like the Balkans ?. We are Very lucky in this country to have so much sporting choice, and competition for it. Quite frankly your attitude sucks. Cultural cringe .... we must have stronger international teams !.

"Yep, thats right, lets limit our sporting choices !!." If Australia just played Rugby and Football we would have better leagues, a more unified country and more competitive International teams. There is no need for two football codes and two Rugby codes in my opinion.

@ Titus , To be honest I envy the NZ sporting landscape, Rugby and Football, the way the world should be. Yep, thats right, lets limit our sporting choices !!. In fact why dont we limit it some more, and only let girls play soccer and boys rugby !.

Fair enough dj, I wouldn't claim for a second that football is going to overtake Rugby in NZ but people generally play football because they enjoy it, and this usually gives them at least a fair appreciation of the game. But I agree, it is possible to play more than one game and support more than one game. To be honest I envy the NZ sporting landscape, Rugby and Football, the way the world should be.

Agreed, if Hawthorn can get a couple of players/rookies and get them by avoiding the draft , by placing them on the international rookie list , that would be the extent of it, anything else is just pie in the sky. Much better options in this country for teams.

"honestly I don’t think the AFL has the expendable resources at its disposal to try." Nor do they want to at this stage, The AFL is focused on making sure GC and GWS work, the last thing they are thinking about is a New Zealand team.

Dont mean to troll back, but there are around 55k -60k of people playing the game o/s, with only a small % Australian. That is only going to get bigger, not smaller, nowhere near even RL numbers let alone RU, but it's a base. Dont forget, most of the big soccer clubs in the world were founded by expat/migrating English a hundred years ago, they did not materialise out of thin air.

Titus. Not true at all. Football has always had a very important part of New Zealand culture, and I'm not one of those who wish to see it die, but it also must understand its place in New Zealand. The phoenix have been awesome for New Zealand football, they have done what no other football team, or competition in New Zealand has managed to do which is truly grab the attention of the New Zealand public. I sat down and watched a game of football involving the phoenix with my father, and girlfriend the last time I was home. I and my father are die-hard rugby supporters who would never have dreamed of watching a game of football ever but we made the effort to watch the phoenix and support a wellington team because they are a good side. You will find a lot of the phoenix fans are also die-hard rugby supporters. And while football is currently enjoying a golden age in New Zealand, it is very much unlikely to challenge rugby union for the no.1 spot in the hearts and minds of New Zealanders, if ever at all. As for AFL Titus, it's taken football with the massive international resources at its fingertips 150 years to begin to make ground in the New Zealand sporting culture, honestly I don't think the AFL has the expendable resources at its disposal to try. Enjoy.

Oh please, I do have an idea about about the makeup of my own country. I just don't have much idea, or care, about Rugby/League. Why is that such a big deal?

Funny thing is, I was in NZ and all AFL matches were on live in some pub I visited. The live coverage of matches was better than you get in Melbourne. There must be some interest or it wouldn't be on the tele. Mind you, as I mentioned earlier there is not much money or people in NZ. So what is the point. Leave it to the rugby codes.

He probably thinks he is. :D

The Pheonix certainly have some passionate fans, and some good players come out of NZ, so I think soccer must certainly have a presence, I suspect djfrobinson is part of the cultural police like we have in Australia. Anyway, you guys shouldn't dismiss AFL and its money so lightly, if they want to move into NZ they just give out cheap registration, complete with boots and a ball, and before you know it AFL is the NZ national game with a 150 year history.