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Offsiders

donkey|rope

Juniors
Messages
494
Apparently.

I was watching Offsiders a few minutes ago, and some senile ex-Townsville basketball coach claimed that:

- the AFL is very strong in Townsville in terms of interest and AFL development officers
- the AFL is targeting and extremely popular amongst indigenous kids who are "more suited" to AFL than the "rugby code"

He also said that soccer would be a huge success in Townsville and make the market more competitive.


:crazy:


Interesting to note Jacquelin Magnay who would obviously know otherwise kept her mouth shut. Previous times she's appeared on the show, she's brought the AFL mad-mob on back down to earth.
 

griff

Bench
Messages
3,322
I just saw that.

what the hell was all that about. He was an expert on basketball, and they are asking him about AFL in Townsville???

I think the answer he gave proved he had no idea but Magnay should have pointed it out. If Roy Masters was on this week he would have said something.
 

Shorty

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
15,555
Hmm....I lived there for 17 years and did not see a sign of AFL fandom at all.
Infact my parents who now support AFL,only started after living in Bris for a few years.

I mean it's offered to be played at school but the talent ends up playing league,the oldie is full of sh*t.
 

JW

Coach
Messages
12,657
It's also very strong in Cairns, Tibilisi, Hanoi, Manchester, Vancouver and Detroit if you take the word of Fumbleball apologists.
 

beave

Coach
Messages
15,527
AFL does have a following up here, the town has about 7500 military personnel in both the RAAF and the Army. You are bound to get people from the AFL states here that will play when they can but getting sent out bush or on overseas deployment can hamper their numbers when it comes to getting a team on the field. But having people from allover the country can also work in Leagues' favour as I have seen many guys get posted up here become league fans from being exposed to it. My old boss was a Richmond Tigers fan, but after a few weeks into the 2004 season, he was coming to all the cowboys home games and watching it hardcore on WIN TV, a year later he had season tickets and plenty of merch, he said to me he can't stand to watch AFL now because it has gone so soft, so you can convert the people from the other side. you are bound to get people from the AFL strong states up here with the mining sector as well as people are coming from all over the country to seek the $$. They do have an AFL development program but league rules the roost, and for this clown to say otherwise is showing that he doesn't know $hit about the area up here.
 

Shorty

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
15,555
And the thing is,he could have just said AFL was looking promising in Townsville or whatever instead of taking a jab at League.

Why is it that AFL fans,management,governing bodies of any kind have to also bag out another code?
I have never heard an AFL fan not bag out a code and just say their sport is good.
 

_Johnsy

Referee
Messages
27,270
Shorty said:
And the thing is,he could have just said AFL was looking promising in Townsville or whatever instead of taking a jab at League.

Why is it that AFL fans,management,governing bodies of any kind have to also bag out another code?
I have never heard an AFL fan not bag out a code and just say their sport is good.

It makes them feel more secure about themselves and their code. All it does it make them look quite pathetic.
 

McCrud

Juniors
Messages
1,131
It's a f**king terrible show, can't believe I watch it - Rugby Union and Rugby League could announce a merger this Friday and the top story on next week's Offsiders would be an in-depth analysis of the AFL's 'hands in the back' rule in the NAB Cup...

Cassidy bringing up the sports 'market' in Townsville was simply a ruse to start banging on about AFL growth. They will use any excuse to talk about AFL.
 

Mr Saab

Referee
Messages
27,762
Who and why would you watch that show. A bunch of Toffs the lot of them....starting with Gideon and ending with Gerard.
 

ucantseeme

Juniors
Messages
1,729
Ahhh, The Offsiders, 10.30am Sunday on ABC.

I thoroughly enjoyed their 60 seconds of NRL in their 30 minute show. They only focused on the negatives. Finger biting in WCC and spear tackle in Charity Shield, then said both games were meaningless. Despite both being great games to watch.

I know they will have the Sunday Footy Show up against them in a couple of weeks so they don't want to go overboard with NRL content. But fair dinkum, unless Roy Masters is there it's a hammering.
 

butchmcdick

Immortal
Messages
49,082
The bit that got my attention was were they said that AFL has three fulltime development officers in Townsville.

How many has the NRL got ?

Like it or not I think that AFL seem to have a plan to promote their game at junior level and a stategic plan to grow their game in non traditional markets. They also seem to have the cash to back it up.

What have the NRL done to grow the game in non traditional markets such as Adelaide, Hobart or even Perth which seems lost to union at the moment. In fact what are the NRL doing about league in the bush which seems to be dying out rapidly.

I am not saying they have a better game. Just better managment who have a clear plan fo the future to grow their game and the cash to back it up.
 

KalgoorlieRed

Juniors
Messages
2,014
butchmcdick said:
The bit that got my attention was were they said that AFL has three fulltime development officers in Townsville.

Well they aren't doing a very good job are they!
 
Messages
42,632
Shorty said:
Hmm....I lived there for 17 years and did not see a sign of AFL fandom at all.
Infact my parents who now support AFL,only started after living in Bris for a few years.

I mean it's offered to be played at school but the talent ends up playing league,the oldie is full of sh*t.

Divorce 'em.
 

Raider_69

Post Whore
Messages
61,174
Got a mate that is stationed at townsville in the army base, he recons a few of the mexicans are getting right on the cows whilst their there, he himself is a tigers fans but is going to try and get out to DFS as much as possible
 
Messages
42,632
I wouldn't have a clue never having been to Townsville, but I see Dairy Farmers chockers for nearly every game.

Can't recall seeing any AFL game there....
 

mightybears

Bench
Messages
4,342
The worry is that the afl has 3 development officers there, not its strength or lack of in the area. And the military present is a start.

how many development officers do we have in 'foreign territory'?
 

Tommy Smith

Referee
Messages
21,344
AFL big in Townsville? LOL Could have fooled me, especially since i've lived here since 1999.

From what i know the local AFL league can barely get enough people to play the game up here....they are always crying out for players.

The game gets no more coverage than women's basketball or local rugby.
 
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