....used to be caled the UBD in Sydney
I had planned to move back to Brisbane this year (got lost somewhere along the way and ended up in Auckland), and given the demise of Wests, I was going to follow Souths in the QC. 2 main reasons - tradition first, but also the similarity to the Newtown situation. Having lived and breathed Newtown Jets every 2nd Saturday for the past four years, I would think there is a real opportunity for Souths at West End. The Jets organisation basically just decided to get on with making the club as successful as could be in a 2nd tier comp.
I have seen the inner wes community adopt the Jets and really get behind the club. It has taken a few years but the transformation is amazing. In 2001 I could wear my Jets jersey and it may as well have been a school jersey to the general public - now you can't go anywhere in the inner west without people yelling "go the mighty Jets!" at you. Crowds of up to 2000 at Henson Pk loving the experience with a great spirit - truly a fantastic rubgy league cutlture.
This has all come about mainly through increasing visbility in the area - street stalls at community events, Newtown gear sold in local shops, articles in the local papers every week etc etc etc - doesn't happen overnight but is hapenning.
Around the inner west we live in old houses, narrow streets, sense of community - not a Westfield, Parking Station, Delphin developed plastic (but with heritage styling) community at all - ie. a bit like West End......
People have moved into these old communities and look for something to bond with in the community - surely Souths could achieve the same at West End (Valleys should have done this even more so)
Having said all that - it is ridiculous for Logan not to have a team of it's own as well...
my 2 cents anyway
cheers
