Junior Player Zones

[DeadlyAkkuret]

I think for AFL to survive it needs to have these new sides in Sydney and Gold Coast. It also needs to develop markets in China, Africa and Canada. Europe and South/Central America are hopelessly Soccer. The others are ripe for the picking as are other Asian nations like Korea.

Needs to develop markets in China, Africa and Canada? The AFL doesn't need that to survive at all, just as it doesn't need GCS or GWS. It wants them to expand the game and dominate Australia's sporting landscape, but the game would survive no matter what.

The AFL has the money to keep all teams alive if it wanted to, and make no mistake GSW doesn't need our (Sydney supporters) money to make it. They'll make it because the AFL will pump money into them until they do, whether or not some of us want to pretend we're making a difference or "supporting the game in NSW" by doing so.

I don't care if it is bigoted or not but I'll never support the Giants in any way. They're our rivals and it'll be good in that sense, but if they succeed as we fail it won't help us. We have to remain the big team in Sydney, otherwise we'll have a situation where most talent will have a desire to get to GWS over the Swans, much like Carlton and Collingwood have a lot of drawing power in Melbourne.

[Big Al]

GWS are a massive RIVAL to us,dont go feeling warm and fuzzy about them being in the same city.We all should want the Bloods to dominate them on the field and by our tens of thousands of supporters turning up both home and away to cheer on the Mighty Red and Whites.You dont see Carlton wanting Hawthorn to be successful for a reason,they are RIVALS........Two Cities One Team,Living The Dream.

You can't compare 2 teams in an AFL stronghold like Melbourne to 2 teams in a developong market like Sydney. A successful GWS will be brilliant for AFL in NSW and as result will benefit our club. On field there will be an intense rivalry which is as it should be but because of the unique circumstances in Sydney the 2 clubs won't be rivals off it. GWS is about GROWING the game and not cannibalising the support already here.

[Big Al]

NARF!

Oh you know me so well.

[Adelaide Swan]

Exactly - life is very different in every way now to what it was when the Swans came up here - so it may not be to everyone's liking, but if the game is to expand, there has to be alot of coin thrown in from control headquarters and concessions made. Those who keep yelling from the roof tops that its grossly unfair etc etc are starting to sound like Eddie McGuire who never stops complaining about hard done by Collingwood are -think about that!

While I despise Eddie McGuire and Collingwood, I think he has a very valid point about GWS.

The biggest thing that grates me is that clubs like North Melbourne and Footscray are really struggling financially and yet the AFL wants to waste millions on a team in an area very hostile to the game.

How does that make Kangaroos and Bulldogs fans feel about that?

I often think about how Fitzroy fans felt when the AFL forced them into that "merger" with the Bears.

Plus I have very long memories of us being almost on the verge of oblivion in 1993 yet the AFL did absolutely nothing to help us.

To me that is very unfair and a sick joke.

[Adelaide Swan]

i cant read the two sydney insets >?

can anyone?

it appears north shore and northern beaches and maybe eastern suburbs ??

and south sydney to cronulla ??

Hold on a minute, I currently live in the Shire, does that mean I am living in GWS territory?

If that is the case, I'm livid about that.

There are quite a lot of Swans fans living in this part of the world.

[Big Al]

Hold on a minute, I currently live in the Shire, does that mean I am living in GWS territory?

If that is the case, I'm livid about that.

There are quite a lot of Swans fans living in this part of the world.

Livid??? You can be livid over a lot of things (World Hunger, War etc) but to be livid over a temporary junior zoning area that has a nil effect on your level of support shouldn't come close. I live in the Macarthur region which is now designated GWS and you what, it has not affected my love for the club one iota.

[Adelaide Swan]

Livid??? You can be livid over a lot of things (World Hunger, War etc) but to be livid over a temporary junior zoning area that has a nil effect on your level of support shouldn't come close. I live in the Macarthur region which is now designated GWS and you what, it has not affected my love for the club one iota.

It's a fair point BA.

But I'm just a little miffed the noisy neighbours have the lions share of juniors in our own region.

In saying all that, as long as ANZ Stadium for Round 1 is a sea of red and white, I am happy.

[jono2707]

Where are all these people gonna come from to 'grow' the game in Sydney? I guess its all those savages out west who'll see the light and become converted to the one true code. How unenlightened of those who prefer rugby league, union, soccer, hockey, volleyball, tiddlywinks - they will soon see the error of their ways. Why stop there? Why there are untold millions of savages in other parts of the world like China, the US, Brazil, Japan, who have not yet learned the majesty of our game... We must not stop until all souls are saved.....

[Adelaide Swan]

Where are all these people gonna come from to 'grow' the game in Sydney? I guess its all those savages out west who'll see the light and become converted to the one true code. How unenlightened of those who prefer rugby league, union, soccer, hockey, volleyball, tiddlywinks - they will soon see the error of their ways. Why stop there? Why there are untold millions of savages in other parts of the world like China, the US, Brazil, Japan, who have not yet learned the majesty of our game... We must not stop until all souls are saved.....

Nice, very funny stuff, Jono.

[Big Al]

While I despise Eddie McGuire and Collingwood, I think he has a very valid point about GWS.

The biggest thing that grates me is that clubs like North Melbourne and Footscray are really struggling financially and yet the AFL wants to waste millions on a team in an area very hostile to the game.

How does that make Kangaroos and Bulldogs fans feel about that?

I often think about how Fitzroy fans felt when the AFL forced them into that "merger" with the Bears.

Plus I have very long memories of us being almost on the verge of oblivion in 1993 yet the AFL did absolutely nothing to help us.

To me that is very unfair and a sick joke.

North and Footscray are clubs with no hope of ever growing and prospering whereas the AFL is attempting to grow the game in an area with a population of 2 million people. Also if the area was so "hostile" to the game how do explain the growth in junior participation rates especially out west. The AFL did extensive research out west so they know there is a market for the game.

I can fully understand the paranoia that some Swans supporters seem to have over GWS (anything new can be daunting) but rest assured the AFL's intent is to GROW the support game and not cannibalise the support already there. If I see any decisions from the AFL that contradicts this purpose then I'll be the first to shout about it from the roof tops.

[Big Al]

It's a fair point BA.

But I'm just a little miffed the noisy neighbours have the lions share of juniors in our own region.

In saying all that, as long as ANZ Stadium for Round 1 is a sea of red and white, I am happy.

It's what I hope too.

[Big Al]

Where are all these people gonna come from to 'grow' the game in Sydney? I guess its all those savages out west who'll see the light and become converted to the one true code. How unenlightened of those who prefer rugby league, union, soccer, hockey, volleyball, tiddlywinks - they will soon see the error of their ways. Why stop there? Why there are untold millions of savages in other parts of the world like China, the US, Brazil, Japan, who have not yet learned the majesty of our game... We must not stop until all souls are saved.....

Here's a story that the AFL would like repeated in a lot of households not only out west but all over Sydney and NSW. My boss is a Soccer nut and as a reslut his kids play Soccer. He wouldn't recognise an AFL ball if it it hit him the face. His son's school got a visit from some of the Swans players which had an effect on the young bloke. Since the visit he pestered his dad relentlessly to take him to a Swans game. When he told me this I invited them to sit in the Brewongle VIP area. As a result the kid becaome converted to AFL and now wants to play and attend more swans games. His father even admitted this game of AFL isn't so bad. This is what the AFL want in NSW and thus far I have not seen any deciaions that go against that goal.