GWS must be thrilled ...

[unconfuseme]

.. by this article on the Sydney AFL website ...

"East & West Strengthen Ties

Members of the East Coast Eagles met with representatives from the West Coast Eagles last week and vowed to strengthen the relationship between the two clubs.

David Elliott, Emma West and Claire Ryan from the West Coast Eagles landed in Sydney and spent a full day planning session with members of the Board of the East Coast Eagles. The meeting was to explore new and innovative ways to build upon the strong relationship that has been in place for 10 years. "



I would have expected GWS to have some startegic interest in one of the biggest clubs in their own back yard ???!

[Bear]

On that logic, where are your complaints about the Swans not having a strategic partnership with Sydney Uni, UNSW-East Sydney, etc?

[unconfuseme]

On that logic, where are your complaints about the Swans not having a strategic partnership with Sydney Uni, UNSW-East Sydney, etc?

... and they should!

Swans have historically been very poor in developing the Sydney playing area full stop ... in their defence, it's difficult when theoretically they should have had a "partnership" with every Sydney club. The AFL also put hurdles in front of them with junior development, as they wanted control.

Going forward though, the Swans "zones" are roughly Sydney South, East and North, whilst GWS has Sydney West (and most of NSW) ... but it looks like they will be sharing with the Weagles!?

... do any AFL clubs outside WA have a "strategic partnership" with any WAFL clubs? ... does anyone in Perth care?

I understand that the WC - EC alliance (along with a lot of others Sydney - AFL alliances) was set up 10 years ago to help foster the game in Sydney, but the successes have been limited, with the down side seeeing local traditional supporters alienated ( St George "Crows" !!? ).

With 2 Sydney based AFL teams, and assuming we want them to succeed, we need to go back to our grass roots and rebuild some traditional "tribal" support for the local teams, that will flow equally back and forth to the 2 Sydney AFL teams. If you are a kid growing up at Penrith, your team will be GWS, and you will develop a hatred for those North Shore "silvertails" who feed to the filthy Swans! ... the strength and success of GWS and the Swans will then flow back to the local clubs ... this is the best chance for Sydney junior and senior football to grow.

Screw the blow ins from interstate, there's plenty of cash being thrown at the game now, and I want to watch the Balmain "Tigers" go around

[Bear]

We still need all the support we can get from any source genuinely interested in developing the game in Sydney, WCE included.

[Oscar]

I understand that the WC - EC alliance (along with a lot of others Sydney - AFL alliances) was set up 10 years ago to help foster the game in Sydney, but the successes have been limited, with the down side seeeing local traditional supporters alienated ( St George "Crows" !!? ).

Screw the blow ins from interstate ....

Let me help "unconfuseyou" ... and anyone else who thinks East Coast gain financially out this alignment.

As someone who just happened to be around when the partnership between a fledgling SFL club at Baulkham Hills and a national AFL Club based in Perth was initiated, I can assure you that the reasons for commencing and subsequently maintaining the relationship, had little if anything to do with "sharing territories" with the Swans. And certainly GWS, for obvious reasons, did not figure in the equation back then.

The man who was the CEO of West Coast in 1999, still is to this day. And his views have not changed one iota in 2009.

1. The request for Baulkham Hills to form an alliance with West Coast was taken to Trevor Nisbett by the then, and still current Chairman of the Swans, Richard Colless. Having had the concept explained to him, Richard immediately saw the benefits to football in Sydney and offered to be a conduit in the early discussions. East Coast took it from there and grew the relationship to what it is today.

2. Trevor was quite taken by the boldness and ingenuity of the approach and after discussion with his Board, accepted the partnership. Amongst many reasons, the major one was that AFL footy would benefit from a larger awareness of the code in the nation's biggest capital city.

3. Everyone knows how the draft works, so it wasn't a case of West Coast gaining any advantage recruiting wise. If a good Sydney kid finished up at arch rival Fremantle because of what they have done in Sydney, then Trevor will openly tell you that their aims have been achieved.

4. If the next good recruit out of East Coast finishes up at GWS, then once again Trevor will celebrate the achievement. And so will East Coast, because, just perhaps, it may not have happened unless West Coast totally supported football in Sydney.

5. East Coast do not have a financial fairy godmother in the form of West Coast because they cannot contribute money to their Eastern seaboard partner. Clauses in their agreement with the WAFL Football Commission who part own the Perth club with Indian Pacific P/L do not permit it.

6. What East Coast do have however is a fully committed partner who enjoys the relationship with East Coast people and fully backs their game plan for development of footy in Sydney. Their advice and support over the years has significantly helped the Sydney club get it to where it is today.

7. The 2009 Premiership was a bonus and both sides of the continent took great pride in the achievement after a protracted first 10 years.


East Coast have taken plenty of stick from this Forum over the years, but has continued on with a business plan hatched 10 years ago, and refined each year thereafter. I'm sure, with the knowledge that the current Chairman of the Club is also being a member of the GWS Advisory Board, that the relationship with Kevin Sheedy's new outfit will prosper, just as the partnership with West Coast will continue to benefit football in Sydney.

West Coast are far from "from being a blow-in from interstate" ...

[The Purse]

Well said Oscar!

Saved me from a long winded rant myself more likely with spelling errors this time on a Friday night after hitting the keg here at home

[Doormat]

is it just me or am l missing something?

Ece go out of there way to publish to the whole of SAFL how good they are off the field, with partners WCE.
Honestly, what are they really trying too say?

1- Is it they are back on board with WCE?
2- What real support does the WCE give them, it cant be off field assistance as they are the best run club in sydney, right? or so they keep jamming down our throats.
3- Business plan that was hatched 10 years ago? Oscar please!!!!!!!!!!!!!
4-No business would have a partner/employee etc, who is under mining the goals of its organization. You cant have your cake & eat too Oscar.
TeamGWS is a competitor who one day may just beat WCE in GF. They are an organization who breeds/demands success & will recruit THAT player who will give that to them which side of the fence will you sit then oscar? WCE/TeamGWS.
5- Why on earth would WCE & ECE assist Team GWS cut the crap out of for the good of SAFL? If WCE were that serious they would pump money into the SAFL not just for you buy for all (or as you say for the good of SAFL)!!!!!!!!!!
6- Read WCE site as its mandate is to foster a winning/competitive culture in WA.
7- Continue to play hosts, what you really mean you get nothing out of the deal other than play acting with the big boys & then telling every one.
Its a bit like look at me isn't?

For once it would be nice to read a story of one of the "genuine" kids from the hills (Baulko) not just you old farts who consistently pump your own tyres, so you can feel good about yourself down at BPO.

What about the true workers around the club having a story done on them?
That must not be in the business plan to a genuine community based club?

[unconfuseme]

Hi Oscar,

I'm not really concerned about EC or WC, and certainly had no intention of bagging either organisation ... but, how does GWS view it, and where do they fit in now? ... btw, a 10 year old business plan is about as useful as a 10 year old condom ... full of holes and seriously compromised I would suggest!

... and what of the other "alliances" that were struck ... keen to hear some comments please ... good bad or indifferent? ... how about St George, who cut the umbilical cord last season ??? ... Dockers? ... Kangas? ... how did it go? (it's not always ALL ABOUT ECE!)

Fact is, the goal posts have moved, and my question is, how does a major suburban Sydney club (both at junior and senior level) or any Sydney club, having an alliance with a Perth club benefit Sydney AFL in this brave new world ???

You managed to answer a lot of things that were not raised, and not relevant to the post.

Yes, a strong Sydney AFL scene will benefit WCE as an entity, as they rely on a sustainable national competition, and I'm sure that was top of their agenda 10 years ago.

Surely that has been achieved, and it is now time to pass that torch on to GWS ... they would seem to be the obvious "mentor/alliance" for ECE going forward ... we ALL need to move on ... it just makes sense to me

[Norris Lurker]

I don't see why GWS would be worried about East Coast/WCE alliance.
Some Sydney AFL clubs have, or have had, alliances with AFL clubs.
The main benefits have been in the coaching area, with Sydney AFL clubs having the ear of their AFL counterparts and with Sydney AFL players travellling interstate to do part of a pre-season or holiday period training with an AFL club and learning first-hand how professional footballers train etc.
I don't see any problems in that for GWS. Anything that helps build up the nationwide pool of talented footballers is something I think they'd welcome.

[tara]

Sorry Doormat stopped reading after the first few lines.

Tell me should East Coast or any other club who posts something on their website for information to those who read it be criticised?

Fact is the AFL here will and does utilise reports on all our sites to keep their site fresh - nothing to do with any of us pumping our tyres -just a simlpe way to keep peoplke coming back to the Syd website for fresh information etc without surfing every site.

[Doormat]

Tara,

the point is IT WASN'T POSTED ON THERE WEBSITE IT WAS POSTED ON THE SAFL SITE!& also placed into the local paper. Tell me how many stories you have read about the kids who are the back bone of the club or the real helpers of the club who have a story on them for us to read??

Thats my point!

BTW if you stopped reading how would you know what was written?

Sorry Doormat stopped reading after the first few lines.

Tell me should East Coast or any other club who posts something on their website for information to those who read it be criticised?

Fact is the AFL here will and does utilise reports on all our sites to keep their site fresh - nothing to do with any of us pumping our tyres -just a simlpe way to keep peoplke coming back to the Syd website for fresh information etc without surfing every site.

[Hard Times]

A good news AFL story highlighting a SAFL club seeking to learn and better themselves by interacting with top performers in December.
This is actually what footy club helpers want to read about - most still have sore backs after the end of season back slapping for volunteers who receive great recognition in many forums.
Reading about AFL in a Sydney paper year round is a credit to many.
As for stories about the young lads coming on, well these stories are also on the websites.
Enough mischief making, Happy Christmas and lets get positive about AFL in 2010.