I’ve heard it a lot lately. That any publicity is good publicity when it comes to AFL in Sydney, and Buddy is earning his big money at Swans by getting them in the media.
Sounds good in theory I guess, but those days of the Swans craving media attention disappeared a while ago.
They command it now and get their share, but I can guarantee you John Longmire isn’t overly concerned if Buddy can get bums on seats or newspaper headlines. He wanted him in Sydney to help the club win another flag.
The AFL’s media explosure has increased a little since the Giants arrived, mainly through the exploits of Israel Folau. It will shrink from time to time depending on results, and balloon if one or both of the clubs are doing extremely well, but it will always be around the same mark overall.
It’s not a matter of which out of football, AFL, league or union is better than the other, or which one gets the most people to grounds or watching on television.
Like it or not, Sydney is rugby league territory. Sure, it has plenty of room and plenty of people for all those other games to co-exist. But league will remain the No. 1 sport and will dominate the media for a few generations to come at the very least.
I know how well Auskick is going in Sydney schools – I’ve seeb the figures and know kids love it. Most of those same kids will also watch the rugby league on the weekend with their family, and support Parramatta or Canterbury or Manly or Souths.
And the A-League through Western Sydney has made great inroads into Sydney culture and society. While they may get big numbers to their games, I can’t imagine that game overtaking league as the city’s No. 1 sport in my lifetime. Kids play or football on the weekend, but then watch their league team play on TV with their parents that night.
As for rugby union, while it has its fans across the city, the private school image the game carries has always been a turn-off for the working class league followers.
Which bring me back to Buddy. Outside the AFL reporters, the mainstream media in Sydney are only interested in Buddy in the hope he stuffs up so they can poke fun at the AFL, just as it was with Israel Folau.
So to suggest that Buddy Franklin has been good for AFL in Sydney because he’s getting on the front and back of the newspapers is bordering on ridiculous. The Swans couldn’t get a line in the paper each day 20 years ago, but it’s now a whole different world.
How Buddy and his $10 million contract will be good for Sydney is when he and his new forward-line co-pilot, Kurt Tippett, begin to gel and become the best one-two punch in the AFL.
With Tippett’s return last Friday in the win over an injury-weakened Hawthorn, Franklin clearly had more room to move and less defensive restrictions.
While he couldn’t convert the majority of his chances, if he can kick 50 per cent of them in the future the Swans will set competitive scores each and every week – especially if Tippett is doing the same. And we all know how miserly their defence can be.
There was a lot to like about Frnaklin and Tippett in the Swans forward line, but I really liked the way the Sydney midfield warmed to the prospect of having a pair of big, capable targets to pick out inside 50m.
Are Sydney a real premiership threat to equal a fully fit Hawthorn and Geelong? Maybe not right now, but it’s May. Come and see me again in a month or so and I might have reassessed that assessment.
For now, forget all about the headlines Sydney. This is not about ‘their game is better than yours’. Watch the Swans play football, and you might like what you see.
Michael huston
Guest
Besides folks, the issue here isn't the Hawks depth. Pretty much every Hawthorn player that WAS playing, experienced or not, looked rattled under our pressure and couldn't keep up with our attack. It was Sydney close to it's best, a team that just over 18 months ago won a flag. Are we really that surprised? Both are arguably the best teams (I'd welcome Geelong in that trio) so either result shouldn't have been too much of a shock. The Swans don't deserve to be dismissed after a performance that was intense both offensively and defensively (take note, Freo). On the flip side, the Hawks don't deserve to be accused of having a lack of depth when it hasn't even been tested yet. These youngsters could turn into stars, but we won't know until they've lost a few more games. And guess what? They've only lost two, and coincidentally they both have been to teams just as good as them. So the Hawks shouldn't be worried, and as a Swans fan who watched my team produce their worst football in a decade at the start of the season, I'm certainly not worried.
Muttos
Guest
-- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Muttos
Guest
I believe that once again the swans are ahead of the curve on free agency - there is no doubt that free agency will require a change in list management and you will see better players getting more money leaving less money for the rest, the rest will simply have to fight over what is left - put simply you need to kick goals to win games and by getting Tippett and Franklin and combining them with Goodes and Reid Sydney have assembled the most potent forward line seen in a very long time if not ever. There will always be 20+ good young midfielders in each draft but there is only ever 1 or 2 great key position players a year maximum you need key forwards to win flags, even the sides with the best midfielders will struggle without key forwards, example why have Gold Coast improved south this year - their key position players have improved not ablett - he can't get any better I really do not understand the complaints from Sydney supporters about buddy - he is a fantastic footballer, fitted in very well at hawthorn and will be vital to Sydney's new game plan - the fans should have faith the swans management has not made a mistake for a very long time and I cannot see them stuffing up the buddy deal at all - of course it will be interesting to watch but in a game with no guarantees how can we actually judge the buddy deal if we don't win a flag is it a failure, if we only win one is it a failure - does that mean everything St Kilda and the Western Bulldogs have done since the 60's has been wrong? St Nick, Hayes, Chris Grant, scott West all mistakes? Buddy will be vital, Sydney will be fine and don't worry about the hawks they have an extra million a year in their budget to spend on players next year - just pity the poor clubs with the free agents who will walk to join a club like the hawks - the story is not buddy or the swans the story is the system that allows free agents to walk from their club that has spent years developing them, the system that is he'll bent in reducing the allowances for veterans further eroding the future number of one club players, the system that relies on patrons making a fraction of what the players make investing their own money into a competition to pay the players all in the name of loyalty. That is the real story. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Free Kick
Guest
As, I'm sure, Eddie McGuire does with Collingwoods riches.
Free Kick
Guest
Hawthorn have been hammering their opposition except for Geelong and Sydney are just starting to gel, earlier in the season they looked underdone and Buddy was a complete stranger to the Sydney style of playing.So it wouldn't surprise to see the Swans stepping up a gear which will be needed in coming weeks with games against Port, Geelong and next Fridays clash with a Bombers team which has been out of sorts and desperate to be as competitive as they were in their close loss to Hawthorn.
Penster
Guest
As a Hawk supporter I have to agree. I've been greatly interested in our depth but so many young uns have to replace so many experienced premiership players in the next couple of years and look at the retiring list - all class, very hard to assemble a lineup that good in 2 years. Given how many the Hawks had out injured before or during the match, and Sydney's A team complete except Pyke, I'd have expected Sydney to win by a greater margin and not let the Hawks back in during the 3rd quarter. At full strength I reckon the Hawks would have won.
AR
Guest
I believe it was the second highest rating game of the year. The high Fox ratings also show how many Sydneysiders have Paytv.
AR
Guest
People forget a couple of things about Schoenmakers... 1) He was actually recruited as a forward, but given there were a couple of guys called Buddy and Roughy, he had to learn what being a defender was. 2) Much of his malignment was earned from the 2011 Prelim, when he was a tall but skinny 20 y.o kid, playing on Travis Cloke, the strongest forward in the comp.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
So that's basically 1.2 million in ratings (not counting regionals for FTA) - that's pretty damn good - that would be close to the best Friday night game this season in terms of ratings.
John Wilkins
Guest
Gees that's interesting Hawker, here you are going on about all this supposed depth, yet the excuse for the loss to to the Swannies was all the players that were out..... So which is it? I'd say it was just consolidation of the choking pattern when real pressure is applied. Or perhaps it's all just a CATspiracy according to Hector, the coach :-)
Cat
Roar Guru
"Pies that they don’t be seem to be their to the premiership point" thanks for doing my head in with that one lol
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Problem is with the Pies that they don't be seem to be their to the premiership point. They still need some gaps to be filled, or players to find their feet. On their day though, they can beat anyone. Geelong and Swans both in Premiership windows.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Johnson and Rampe are both young defenders. Laidler is only 24 and has shown good signs recently. Not many clubs would have an entire strong back 6 to come so you need to relax. Pyke on decline...ha. Don't know what you are on about.
Cat
Roar Guru
and none of it the class of what they'll be replacing.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Agree. Plus the Swans have plenty of good signs in general with our list and whatnot. I would simply call it a continuation of last year's membership rise due to success and promise of it.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
Agree sheek, I still think they have a good team but their depth (or there lack of) is hurting them. If they don't step it up soon, well...
Hawker
Guest
Don't get ahead of yourself , we will hopefully pick up Frawley as free agent - key position defender in his prime. Our VFL side won last year and is on top this year. we have debuted 5 players this year, Hallahan, Hartung and Langford have all been promising to go with Hill, Shiels, Smith, Duryea, Woodward to make his debut and Anderson and Whitecross (both injured) to come into the team we have rebuilt half the midfield already...
AR
Guest
Also worth noting that the Sydney v Hawthorn game attracted huge television ratings around the country. The 5 Metro ratings were 854k (7 - Melb 483k, Adel 153k; 7mate - Syd 66k, Bris 36k & Perth 115k). These figures obviously exclude regional ratings. The Foxtel ratings were 338k.
Gecko
Guest
Of the powerhouse clubs of recent years, Collingwood, Swans and Geelong all look like they'll remain near the top for years to come. Hawks haven't got replacements for Lake, Mitchell, Burgoyne and Hodge. 2014 is the last year of the Hawks' premiership window.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
Thanks for the tips k to k, forwarding this onto North Melbourne.