Give credit where credit is due. Whatever your thoughts are about Kevin Sheedy’s final season at Greater Western Sydney, one thing which cannot be questioned and should be loudly applauded: his ability to sell his product.
My plan for this column was simple this week. It virtually wrote itself.
We have two crackerjack games to talk about, each with intriguing sidelights.
Essendon versus Geelong. The competition’s only two undefeated teams after six rounds, with top rung of the ladder the prize for the victor.
Ironically, it’s the Bombers’ best start since 2000 when coached by Sheedy to win the flag. Geelong will look to continue their dominance over Essendon, having won seven of the eight clashes since 2006.
Add to that the off-field ASADA dramas at Windy Hill, and there is plenty of reason to want to talk about this contest.
Then there was the ‘other match’, the grand final rematch between the Swans and Hawthorn. Both clubs have solid 5-1 starts, and while the one which counted was back in September last year, both clubs would still love the edge of getting this one over their rival.
Add to this the Buddy story. Swan Ted Richards has a great recent record against Lance Franklin, holding the best forward in the game to three goals in the grand final, four in Round 22, and goalless in their 2012 Round 5 clash.
But wait, Buddy is kind of in a slump. He hasn’t kicked a goal in his past two games.
The only other time that has happened in his career was in his first season when he went goalless against Carlton and West Coast in rounds six and seven.
In Sheedy’s column on Wednesday in The Daily Telegraph, he declared that the AFL needs a third team in Sydney.
He did follow it with a question: “Think it’s crazy?” Yes Kevin, I do.
I like your enthusiasm, and you want to grow the game around the globe, not only in Sydney, but ‘another’ team in Sydney? Surely we should take a little time and see how things pan out over the next decade or so with your team first?
According to the Giants’ coach the AFL should be looking at a Southern Sydney team, and “need to be just as brave as they were with the Giants, when they made a $200 million investment in western Sydney.”
I can imagine there are a few struggling Melbourne clubs who would be keen to have a slice of $200 million if the AFL has some spare change lying around.
Sheedy has always argued there should have been a team in Sydney’s west, and says “we can’t make that mistake again,” adding the AFL should be planning now for another Sydney team in the next 15 years.
It took a long, long time for the Swans to find their niche in Sydney.
It took a long time for them to feel secure in Sydney.
Sure now they have a large fan-base, great membership numbers, and get good home crowds. And so they should, they are the reigning premiers, but even the Swans realise how difficult the Sydney market is, and what’s needed to maintain their following.
And, knowing how hard the battle is, it wasn’t simply insecurity being the reason why many at the club felt there shouldn’t be a second team in Sydney.
Now a third?
There is no arguing the Giants have achieved a lot since arriving.
Skoda Stadium, superb new training facilities at Sydney Olympic Park, average home crowds at Skoda of 8,117 in their opening season and good membership numbers.
While Sheedy does note the Giants have 12,000 members in 2013, “more than Wests Tigers, Cronulla, Manly and Penrith,” a fair slice of those are based outside of Sydney.
He says the club will be “on its feet and firing in five to 10 years”, and they will, but the Swans too were firing five years after they arrived, reaching the finals in successive seasons.
But when things swung five years later, they were on the nose again in Sydney and often there seemed to be more on the field than in the stands.
It’s true as Sheedy points out, the population will have surged “by 2030” in Sydney.
Who knows what the sporting the landscape will be like.
The grand final may be played in Sydney by then, there could be just five Melbourne teams, one in New Zealand, two in Tasmania, one in North Queensland, and one in the Northern Territory.
Who knows? There may even be a Southern Sydney Swamp Rats club too.
Sheedy says the AFL needs a third team in Sydney. The question is, does Sydney need a third AFL team in Sydney?
There are more important things and areas for the AFL to worry about – particularly when it comes to expansion – and like the city did with the Swans, let’s take our time and let the Giants grow on us first, rather than trying to force feed something.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
Nathan Hindmarsh is only heard of in one state and the New South Wales Rugby League.. Sheedy is known around the whole country in the Australian Football League
albatross
Roar Pro
Demetriou's clarity came about no doubt as a esult of his failure to get a team let alone a comp going in Lago di Como.
Allan
Guest
Sheedy is on something, just like the Iraqi Minister for Information with tanks over his shoulder in full view, except this time the tanks are black and red.
Australian Rules
Guest
Hi Please don't expect facts from PW ...let alone unbiased comments.
NY
Guest
AR Jimbo was saying there is an equal acceptance of all sports in Melbourne. My point was to show that there isn't. Doesn't matter how well attended other sports are there. AFL is first and daylight second. Then pick what you want. In Sydney Rugby League is the number one sport. But a lot of the other sports get decent mainstream coverage and acceptance. There is close competition between many sports which in turn creates a more diverse sporting scene. Especially football codes (which Jimbo was alluding to). The sports in Melbourne you mention like tennis, horse racing, motor sport etc are one off annual events. Brings in the the theatre goers and bandwagoners. Even Boxing Day test gets a decent crowd because it is an event. Every other cricket crowd is poor in comparison. As a football supporter I will say the media is better in Sydney than in Melbourne. It is just a few boofheads in Sydney who might write some stupid things. In Melbourne it seems very much like a protectionist policy of a certain sport. But then they invented the sport. So I can see why they do it. I'm just glad as a football fan that I live in Sydney.
Australian Rules
Guest
NY You refer to the size of Melbourne's AFL crowds (which are enormous by world standards) as proof that the city doesn't have a broad sporting culture. The reality is that all events are pretty well-attended down there. I don't live there, but anyone can see that Melbourne has the biggest crowds for almost every sport (AFL, soccer, tennis, cricket, racing, motorsport), with the exceptions being rugby (Queensland) and league (Sydney).
Jimbo
Guest
Never mind Sheedy, Eddie Everywhere reckons Collingwood is the biggest Football club in the world in the past month http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/a/-/afl/17077366/pies-are-the-big-deal/ Averaging 75,000 per game for the last month, makes them the worlds biggest football club for attendances anywhere in the world ATM. More burley for the snappers. :)
Australian Rules
Guest
Oh dear Matt...still on the war footing? In case you missed it, the expansion discussion us grown ups were having was within a (clearly stated) Australian context. As popular as soccer is the world over, the same can hardly be said in Australia. The Fury and CGU are the obvious examples. But the FFA are on the march and improving...and good luck to 'em.
NY
Guest
"Melbourne and indeed the other southern capitals have IMO a broader sporting culture than Sydney, and appear far more accepting of football codes in particular" Then why do Melbourne get 80,000 at AFL games, compared to 15,000 at Storm games and 20,000 at Victory games? Shouldn't crowds be closer together if you supported ALL football codes? Why is there such a large split? Start getting 50,000 regularly to Victory games, 40,000 to Storm games and I 'll believe what you are saying. "Sydney is fragmented and its sporting culture is far more along class lines." Yes. Now you get it. People like what they like depending on who they are or where they come from. Happens all around the world. Sydney's football codes also all average in between 10,000 and 30,000. Most in the middle somewhere. A pretty equal representation wouldn't you say. I think that tells you more about which city in Australia is the most cosmopolitan and diverse in terms of sporting tastes.
Renegade
Guest
Take out the crowds for their two home games against the Swans (where over 75% were swans supporters)....their average home attendance is 8232.
Matt
Guest
I think football has done pretty good job of expanding....FIFA currently has 209 members, I would say that is slightly more successful than poor old AFL & its daring expansion into...drum roll.....the next state.
Australian Rules
Guest
I'm just happy someone got the reference... ;)
Titus
Guest
Or maybe someone should have said to AD "thanks captain obvious"
Jimbo
Guest
Legend has it that many Victory club members are also AFL club members, !!. Melbourne and indeed the other southern capitals have IMO a broader sporting culture than Sydney, and appear far more accepting of football codes in particular, Sydney is fragmented and its sporting culture is far more along class lines. This can't be denied.
Jimbo
Guest
There is no other explanation, at best GWS will have a relatively small % of the football market in WS, everyone is aware of that. The fear and concern is all one way, as many many posters have pointed out, the same hate, fear, envy, concern and outright paranoia is not shared by the southern media and southerners themselves to other codes of football moving south. And BTW, good luck with your endeavours as well.
Hiawatha
Guest
MK AFL doesnt have international competition but playing 2 counties in the north of England and west auckland in RL really increases our international standing.
Hiawatha
Guest
PW, Soccer troll at least cite accurate figures that include Pay and FTA numbers...
Hiawatha
Guest
Right as if Essendon would pay him more than the NRL could - they had a discussion as Inglis spoke and signed with the Broncos then changed his mind and went to Souths . Of course he plays for Qld when he should play for NSW - he will probably end up at GWS -
Hiawatha
Guest
He wasnt on board yet you clown so how would he know - that would have been a bigger news story if he did ask for it to be taken down - sheesh
cwrigh13
Guest
GoGWS are you agreeing with me? I really cannot tell! So you're saying that not one AFL player minded getting paid less than Israel Folau?!?!? And Folau's salary is irrelevant in terms of measuring of skill of elite AFL sportsmen (or yourself)? Man the AFL commission stinks even worse than I originally cared to think about!