With news breaking of over 75,000 Tasmanians registering as foundational members of the AFL expansion club set to begin play in the 2028 season, the Newcastle Jets are on the brink of A-League extinction.
The contrast is a clear representation of just where the two sports sit in terms of support, growth and viability in the current Australian sporting context and as much as inter-code rivalry might encourage bickering and debate between fans, the numbers are irrefutable.
Those numbers extend far further than those willing to buy yearly memberships. The Jets are currently owned by a consortium that is funded by four opposition A-League clubs and by all reports, in a financial mess.
Former owners of the team from the Hunter did little to improve the chances of Newcastle adding to the one A-League Championship won in 2007/08.
(AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
Nathan Tinkler’s Hunter Sports Group promised the world and delivered little; its license was eventually revoked in May of 2015 after the depths of the financial challenges faced by the group saw FFA wisely pull the pin.
The Ledman Group took over in June 2016, backed by the wealth of an LED signage manufacturer based in China. Soon after, then coach Scott Miller was sacked, as the Jets suffered miserably on the pitch across multiple seasons, winning two wooden spoons in the space of three campaigns; becoming the brunt of many an A-League joke from opposition fans.
The arrival of championship-winning coach Ernie Merrick provided the reversal of fortune required, yet the mighty performances of the 2017/18 season and a grand final appearance were to be short-lived.
Merrick was dismissed briskly and after something of an improvement under new manager Carl Robinson, his departure to Western Sydney in October of 2021 had Newcastle soon struggling again on the field.
It followed the removal of the club’s license in January of 2021, with COVID still circling and an ever-growing frustration in fans and the governing body growing around the lack of financial investment made by owner Martin Lee.
That sequence of events delivered the club to where it currently exists. Owned by enemies, supported by an ever-shrinking active fan base and reportedly in need of an owner in the immediate term lest they face expulsion from the competition.
Newcastle Jets coach Robert Stanton. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
Rumours are rampaging that the entry of Auckland FC into the A-League’s Men’s competition next season will be at the expense of a foundation club that simply has never been able to create a stable foundation on which to build a viable future.
Italian businessman Danilo Iervolino appeared to be a potential Jets’ saviour early in 2024. With ambitions to invest in football clubs abroad as his play things to satisfy a passionate love of the game, Newcastle loomed as a perfect fit; certain to be bought at a fair price and once funded appropriately, capable of bringing back a supporter base that showed its potential size and value during the clubs’ run to the grand final in 2017/18.
Instead, negotiations have reportedly stalled, with the APL rumoured to be unwilling to provide some details that the investor would like to have at hand before signing on the bottom line.
Who knows the level of truth behind the stories doing the rounds as we speak. What I do know, is that the A-League needs Danilo Iervolino far more than he needs the A-League.
Considering the due diligence he will undoubtedly do, I’d argue it might be best for him to run for the hills, rather than think his investment in the club is going to bring him anything but pain.
That is far from a shot at the people of Newcastle, it is just a few hours inland from there that I am purchasing a small farm on which to escape the rat race of Sydney and live with my wife in early retirement.
The area is blessed with landscape, great people, excellent beaches, a well-credentialed university and some of the best wine one could ever sample.
Yet as football teams go, the Hunter has proven to be something of a disaster for the A-League over the last decade or so.
If the Jets fail to reel in a cashed-up owner with good intentions to rebuild the club, it does seem likely the APL would consider severing the relationship.
Personally, I feel it would be a tragedy for the A-League, yet an understandable one considering the drain the club has become on the powers at be.
Fingers crossed for a saviour, yet we are entering the eleventh hour and things look very grim.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Isn’t Mary now the face of L’Oreal Paris - a worldwide brand? With a bit of luck Nathan might get sponsored by Penrith RSL. I actually realise Nathan is a good player in the NRL, but he is apparently considering moving from our 2 state NRL to the English 2 county game. I guess he knows who has the bigger career.
Grem
Roar Rookie
I know you are mucking around - looking for a bite. Don’t you love Sydney FC even more for helping keep the Jets alive? We don’t want to lose that nursery or history and Sydney FC are doing their bit for football in Australia - so admirable.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Sydney are owned by the son in law, who also owns part of Newcastle. Why are you satisfied with the performance of the Jets at the moment. I would rather have a team in the finals and selling players for big money.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Wellington
Grem
Roar Rookie
It is still promising for the Jets. The flame is still flickering.
NoMates
Roar Rookie
What are you on about? I present a simply solution to the wasted funds buy 4 ALM clubs holding up the Jets that it would be better off them playing in the 2nd division until they can find stability and hopefully get promoted back to the AL. No one wants to waste money on deadbeats, let them sort their crap out and then talk about rejoining.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
he's what you call a bandwagon jumper Grem. He wouldn't know squat about the old Crystal Palace at Wallsend, that Stanley Matthews played there, that the likes Spurs, Bolton, Blackpool, Hungary, Austria, all played in Newy back in the day. Newcastle is one of the original football cities in this country period because all the English miners came here. Talk about shallow, superficial and ignorant. You can't buy integrity
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
do you support sydney or mariners?
Grem
Roar Rookie
You don’t mean Sam Kerr, Mary Fowler, Mackenzie Arnold (are there any goal keeper jerseys left?) and all those other players who play in the WSL? They’re known in other countries as well. No rugba loig game has ever sold tickets as quickly as the Matildas are - but guess what Chrlis1 - they’re a fad (a one year fad atm).
Grem
Roar Rookie
2 States is back on the football site. Nathan Cleary is anonymous in England (and pretty much anywhere outside of NSW and Queensland), but Mary Fowler isn’t. His words, so I’ll accept that.
Grem
Roar Rookie
Perhaps he’s living a very fulfilling life - who knows. Football does give people a chance to experience the whole world while earning an income playing that sport. Peace out - GP, Grand Panjandrum, Nick, Ed and Tufanooo.
Grem
Roar Rookie
He obviously meant kids - peace out Nick.
Grem
Roar Rookie
GP, Grand Panjandrum, Nick, Ed Flanders, Tufanooo – no football follower is suggesting or has suggested that football’s massive participation numbers in Australia has or will lead to bums on seats. Don’t keep twisting statements to suit what you say. But football followers have suggested that the APL should look at trying to get players to visit junior games and have give away tickets, etc. for young players to possibly start that journey. But participation numbers does lead to quality (and don’t start the China v Uruguay story – different participation bases). In our Australian population we have all sports dipping into the same participation base. Rugby gets few, League gets a few more, AFL and cricket more again, netball does well, but football does the best.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Nick do yourself a favour. Go to the Jaffas home ground just behind Lambton High School and watch their Junior NPL teams. The talent on display their is extraordinary. You have ask the question is it better to outsource youth development to a collaborative effort with the best coaches from Newcastle NPL clubs e.g. Edgie, Lambton, Magic etc and take the financial burden off the Jets, but they still work under the Jets banner.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
I am not even going to dignify that statement with an explanatory response. You support Sydney right. I could ask questions about Sydney and the fact that they're owned by a Russian who was close to being sanctioned by the Government, but I don't because if you apply a little strategic thinking..........just saying!!
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
But how can we get people attend when the media lock football out, when the national capital is completely ignored, when I’ve seen better refereeing at the under 16s and we are subject to government bias. Talk about pushing the proverbial up hill
Cavaquinho
Roar Rookie
It’s not just about the men’s team. The A League needs to retain Newcastle’s ALW team as well.
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
You’re right Punter. As I said our mates in Canberra tell us football is huge there, and they don’t even get regional games. It’s the f#@$ing national capital for crying out loud
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Can’t we just make a law against old NSL types being afforded jobs by their mates
Football is Life
Roar Rookie
Would it not make sense if Football32 bought the club at a baseline price, brought in their own administratve professionals and then harnessed the resource at their disposal. Foundation clubs are what make football historian, and historian is a massive part of football culture. Just look at the Liverpool Charity match overnight. I have to ask the question if the APL member are Witheria A)cerebrally challenged or B) ignorant of football culture altogether