In light of the important role played by the local community in the success of the Wanderers, it’s hard not to wince a little when Andrew Demetriou talks about GWS “building a culture and connecting with the community”.
The importance of western Sydney to the future of the game was highlighted in 2008 when the presidents of all AFL clubs – some without a premiership for close to half a century – agreed to the formation of a club that would later become the Giants.
A club whose success would not only be guaranteed but fast tracked as well.
A slightly cold corporate entity with a focus on catchment areas and AFL footprints, its talk about embracing the region of outer western Sydney rang a little hollow last year when it decided to leave the under resourced Blacktown International Sportspark for the Olympic precinct 20 kilometres to the east.
Its players have never resided in the region, bunking down instead in the inner west apartments of Breakfast Point.
The AFL is going to make sure GWS is a dominant force and that will not bring it the respect from the competition that I’m sure it desires.
For what other club would the AFL chief executive dare make the following prediction and show such favouritism?
“They are going to win a lot of football games at some point in time, this club. And I’ll be there supporting them and jumping on the bandwagon when they do!”
At the ceremony to announce construction of the new training, administrative and community centre jointly funded by the Federal Government, Demetriou spoke of it being another step in the journey, the next chapter in the story, of the Giants building their own culture and links to western Sydney.
Unfortunately, the impression was that the AFL is trying to buy those things.
Entering foreign territory the AFL was always going to have to buy itself in to some extent, of course.
Converting or winning over a sizeable portion of western Sydney’s youth may depend entirely on the Giants winning a premiership, and the Wanderers’ sudden rise – which may have prompted Demetriou’s cheerleading for GWS – has meant rugby league is not the only serious barrier.
But when the $85 million committed until 2016 is all spent and the salary cap allowances are gone you’d hope the team would want to stand on its own feet and be successful.
The club will be given more respect if they succeed despite things not going according to the AFL’s plan.
For example, if they lose a number of their gun recruits due to homesickness or lack of achievement and are forced to develop less fancied youngsters or to discover a few mature age gems, as many teams are now doing.
Or better still, steal a boy from a celebrated rugby league (or Wanderers!) household and make him a star, as the Swans have done with Keiren Jack.
There has not been much resentment yet towards this team brimming with the country’s best young talent.
They were always going to win the wooden spoon in their first year, especially when experienced out of contract players refused to move to Sydney and finish their careers in an uncompetitive team, and no one really enjoys beating up on a bunch of skinny (if precociously skilled) kids.
In fact, they attracted accolades – even affection – for their hardness at the ball and unwillingness to give in.
They may be ready to morph into superstars over the next few years and be part of an Andrew Demetriou sponsored juggernaut but not even the unassisted Bulldogs in their 59th year of a premiership drought could hate them in their present guise.
In a comment obviously directed towards his moneyed crosstown rival Sydney FC, but most likely at the AFL also, the Wanderers executive chairman Lyall Gorman noted: “Other sporting clubs can represent a pocket, but not truly represent.”
Perhaps in response to that dig – although we can’t be sure – Demetriou appeared to question the quality of a competition where an under-resourced first year club can win a title, by stating several times on Monday that the AFL “is a really hard competition”.
He’s right, it is an extremely hard competition and let’s hope that if the Giants do win a premiership – and I hope they do – that they do it the hard way.
Simmo
Guest
A big part of their success that the media have jumped on is their fans. The RBB bring as many positive headlines and column inches as the team's onfield results. They've definitely grabbed the attention of RL journalists in particular.
nmj1654
Roar Rookie
Perhaps if we received the correct level of funding from shady sources we could purchase a premiership a la 1995.
Wobbly
Guest
Anything west of Anzac Parade....
Daryl Adair
Guest
Whoops! I meant Wanderers playing Roar. Brain fade.
Daryl Adair
Guest
A real key for any new club is on-field success. The Swans were a basket case for many years in Sydney. Almost folded, but the AFL kept supporting them. Now an established and respected part of both the AFL and Sydney for their competitiveness. The Storm have been incredible in a much shorter time. A start-up 'NRL 'franchise' in AFL-mad Melbourne, they have been (in my opinion) the stand out club of any code over the past ten years (notwithstanding the salary cap dramas). Both the Swans and the Storm get fair crowds and have stability. Compare new teams in Super 15 - Rebels and Force, and AFL - Gold Coast and Giants. Really battling to make an impression on the field and, therefore, modest crowds and limited respect. All of them have been extensions to leagues, so have relied on luring players from overseas or youngsters. The Suns and Giants, in particular, are 80% youth. They have not been expected to be competitive for several years. In the meantime, the small number of fans they have wait in hope. Very difficult to lure new fans until on-field respect - week-in-week-out - arrives. In the A-League, meanwhile, the demise of Gold Coast United allowed the establishment of a new club in Western Sydney which was able to draw upon a bigger pool of players - locally and abroad - to build a competitive team from the outset (unconstrained by a draft system, as in the AFL). They had modest performance early and reasonable crowds, but once they started performing on the field - and exceeding everyone's expectations - they became flavour of the month and then the season. People love a fairytale in sport and the Wanderers have provided this in spades to a Western community that for too many years was given short shrift by the NRL. What is needed, in my view, is for all of the 'new' teams to be competitive as soon as possible. That is how you earn respect. Watching the Giants yesterday against St Kilda was like looking at boys against men, while the Wanderers playing the Lions was men against men.
Floyd Calhoun
Guest
Why would he be preaching to a choir? Praying to God their singing improves maybe? Anyway, I'm sure if you met the man, you'd reckon he was a pretty decent bloke. Perhaps overly ambitious at times, but certainly no senile buffoon.
TW
Guest
Actually the GWS support base is spread around different areas - It is not the usual metro one suburb set up the Traditional AFL clubs had once. I would liken it to the original Eagles set up until the Dockers came along - Everywhere. The GWS U 15s squad has recently played matches in Victoria against similar squads, which they won the 3rd div. What is interesting IMHO is where GWS drew their players from for the squad. This maybe a pointer to the future, and shows that their widespread scouting/ development network is working. Western Sydney Broken Hill Canberra Rural NSW (Mainly Southern) and would include Western NSW over the Blue Mountains However Western Sydney is the main area and target of course. The 86 million to be spent on this club will be spread over the above regions one would think. So a few of you do not believe the above GWS crowd figures I quoted - Were you hoping for crowds of 1,000. The Canberra figures prove my point it is a limited market anyhow (300,000) dominated by both Rugby codes. GWS will carve out a share and that will be that.
clipper
Guest
Aren't the Rebels crowds the same or higher than the Storms? (even with the Storm doing 2 for 1 tickets)
clipper
Guest
GWS would be more the Storms equivalent in Sydney - the Swans top the average attendances and have quite a good following in the east and north, whereas GWS struggle to get recognised or draw a good crowd out in the west, although they are bottom of the ladder and the Storm are the top, but still lost 10% attendance last year and are doing 2 for 1 tickets in Melbourne, whereas the Swans / Geelong game looks like it will be a sell out.
Ads
Guest
Agreed - I have said this in previous blogs. NSW/ACT Giants so they cover all of NSW including parts of sydney almost like the senior team of the NSW/ACT RAMS.
Simmo
Guest
Kevin Sheedy. He's so used to preaching to the choir (Vics) that he doesn't know how to measure his words to the heathens (NSW)
Simmo
Guest
Kevin Sheedy. He's so used to preaching to the choir (Vics) that he doesn't know how to measure his words to the heathens (NSW)
Simmo
Guest
Sydney FC took sky blue. No-one's ever complained about us doing that.
Simmo
Guest
we do give a damn. Just not the damn you'd want us to
Simmo
Guest
Nail. Head Victorians are overconfident when it comes to GWS. If they don't want to listen to NSWmen who follow other sports than at least listen to NSWmen who follow the Swans. A little local knowledge and a lot less armchair general behaviour could have avoided this whole mess
Simmo
Guest
The Daily Telegraph has been quite kind and generous to the coverage given to the Giants. They get lots of puff pieces written by Neil Cordy
Simmo
Guest
it's this kind of weak, superficial analysis which has caused the AFL to make a misstep in Sydney
Simmo
Guest
they're Melbourne's equivalent of the Swans The giants equivalent would be the Greater Eastern Melbourne Jets or whatever
Simmo
Guest
The concept you're trying to describe, Micka, is 'carpetbagging'
Matt_S
Guest
Well well, I think the low crowds at Super Rugby in NSW, Force & Rebels suggest their supporters aren't happy with their code's rules and utlimately performances. League is over 100 years old and the limited tackle rules are pretty old now. The rules of league were designed for the fans and for players where we can see the Slaters, Barbas, SBW's, Cronks, Smiths, Haynes and just the multitudes of amazing athletes which other codes are of envy and at times try to poach.