18th club, whose next?

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Not having Canberra involved in ANZAC day, and getting the War Memorial and political and military establishment as involved as possible, continues to be a huge missed opportunity.

It's not really surprising though, the NRL constantly overlooks Canberra and is too self absorbed and obsessed with Sydney to see the benefits. You can bet your arse that the AFL would exploit those avenues if/when they have a team in Canberra.

Having the game alternate between Wellington and Canberra would give us an opportunity to have the respective Prime Ministers of New Zealand and Australia to attend and say a few words. It may not sound like much, but having the most influential people in both countries at the event would give it credence and extra media coverage on the 6pm news. Pity we don't have a team based in Wellington so that the capitals of both countries can compete against one another.

Our competition only cares about propping up Sydney clubs. Its emphasis on Sydney is holding the game back.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

Warriors vs Melbourne has been an established Anzac day night clash since 2009

Melbourne Storm vs West Coast Pirates would be a great ANZAC Day game.

 

[MugaB]

Our competition only cares about propping up Sydney clubs. Its emphasis on Sydney is holding the game back.

Just like AFL propping up their Melbourne clubs... fmd they are really getting held back..

Maybe we should put teams in the same cities, and bump off townsville, since AFL aren't there..
Maybe move the bronx to logan

 

[Colk]

Ur dumb

Wow what an infantile response.

Noticed that instead of actually critically analysing or deconstructing the relevant points that I outlined you go straight to name calling.

You still haven’t answered the following (perhaps you can’t?): why would fumbleball desperately spend money to, in your words, replicate rivalries like Easts vs Souths when they have bigger rivalries in their own competition? how many Sydney rivalries are really significant (Easts-Souths; St George with Cronulla and also maybe Easts, Parra with Dogs and Penrith?) and then lastly if these rivalries don’t generate as much interest as other contests (refer to this year’s grand final and its low ratings) then how are ‘rivalries’ the most important thing in your mind?

 

[Wb1234]

Wow what an infantile response.

Noticed that instead of actually critically analysing or deconstructing the relevant points that I outlined you go straight to name calling.

You still haven’t answered the following (perhaps you can’t?): why would fumbleball desperately spend money to, in your words, replicate rivalries like Easts vs Souths when they have bigger rivalries in their own competition? how many Sydney rivalries are really significant (Easts-Souths; St George with Cronulla and also maybe Easts, Parra with Dogs and Penrith?) and then lastly if these rivalries don’t generate as much interest as other contests (refer to this year’s grand final and its low ratings) then how are ‘rivalries’ the most important thing in your mind?

Afl has the battle of the bridges

 

[Colk]

Afl has the battle of the bridges

Massive clash I’m sure

 

[Pippen94]

Wow what an infantile response.

Noticed that instead of actually critically analysing or deconstructing the relevant points that I outlined you go straight to name calling.

You still haven’t answered the following (perhaps you can’t?): why would fumbleball desperately spend money to, in your words, replicate rivalries like Easts vs Souths when they have bigger rivalries in their own competition? how many Sydney rivalries are really significant (Easts-Souths; St George with Cronulla and also maybe Easts, Parra with Dogs and Penrith?) and then lastly if these rivalries don’t generate as much interest as other contests (refer to this year’s grand final and its low ratings) then how are ‘rivalries’ the most important thing in your mind?

Afl have spent more money than any comp in the world propping up their recent expansion in Sydney. The "derby" with the swans is a big part of that creating an annual event that could capture the attention of the city. It's failed because sport is niche in Sydney & the west in the east - west divide that they're hoping to play off is not represented by homebush & bay areas. Afl would give right foot for organic rivalry like parra or panthers.
Don't believe me, look at other expansion cities in adelaide, Perth & even Brisbane. Each area has two teams & for the first two their derby is a big part of their success.

Tv is dying. Only an idiot uses declining fta ratings to prove anything these days..

 

[SpaceMonkey]

deleted

 

[Pippen94]

Afl has the battle of the bridges

It's like they trying to cultivate a rivalry or something..

 

[Wb1234]

It's like they trying to cultivate a rivalry or something..

Well it would help if western Sydney actually had a bridge

the battle of the harbour and the Anzac bridge doesn’t make much sense

only afl could be so ignorant of western Sydney

imagine spending a billion dollars and not understanding the very basics of the market you are targeting

 

[Pippen94]

Well it would help if western Sydney actually had a bridge

the battle of the harbour and the Anzac bridge doesn’t make much sense

only afl could be so ignorant of western Sydney

imagine spending a billion dollars and not understanding the very basics of the market you are targeting

Afl fans will tell you it's reference to the Anzac bridge, but "the bridge" to everybody in Sydney is the Harbour bridge.
The idea that the Anzac bridge is the gateway to the west is weird too, as you need to travel many kms west of that to reach any type of an affordable area for most ppl.

 

[Colk]

Afl have spent more money than any comp in the world propping up their recent expansion in Sydney. The "derby" with the swans is a big part of that creating an annual event that could capture the attention of the city. It's failed because sport is niche in Sydney & the west in the east - west divide that they're hoping to play off is not represented by homebush & bay areas. Afl would give right foot for organic rivalry like parra or panthers.
Don't believe me, look at other expansion cities in adelaide, Perth & even Brisbane. Each area has two teams & for the first two their derby is a big part of their success.

Tv is dying. Only an idiot uses declining fta ratings to prove anything these days..

Whilst I agree that FTA is essentially less and less relevant, if you are going to make such an all encompassing statement and do so with some shred of intellectual honesty attached to it, then you wouldn’t have been using FTA ratings to mount just about every argument you have had on here. Sorry for playing the man there but I find it a little risible when you have gone on and on ad nauseum about FTA ratings and what it (supposedly) tells us then shift the posts completely when it doesn’t align with what you want. (BTW the biggest factor would have been the lack of a contest between the two teams but again it shows a ‘rivalry’ isn’t the only factor)

Also, spare me the authenticity argument. Essentially the argument about what is ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ or ‘organic’ is just subjective posturing in the absence of critical and objective thought. If you want to play that game you have to argue what is your definition of authenticity and what makes your experience or view of authenticity more relevant than somebody else’s view or authentic experience?

Anyway what really matters is the level of support and money you can get - that’s all.

 

[Pippen94]

Whilst I agree that FTA is essentially less and less relevant, if you are going to make such an all encompassing statement and do so with some shred of intellectual honesty attached to it, then you wouldn’t have been using FTA ratings to mount just about every argument you have had on here. Sorry for playing the man there but I find it a little risible when you have gone on and on ad nauseum about FTA ratings and what it (supposedly) tells us then shift the posts completely when it doesn’t align with what you want. (BTW the biggest factor would have been the lack of a contest between the two teams but again it shows a ‘rivalry’ isn’t the only factor)

Also, spare me the authenticity argument. Essentially the argument about what is ‘real’ or ‘authentic’ or ‘organic’ is just subjective posturing in the absence of critical and objective thought. If you want to play that game you have to argue what is your definition of authenticity and what makes your experience or view of authenticity more relevant than somebody else’s view or authentic experience?

Anyway what really matters is the level of support and money you can get - that’s all.

TV represents broadest audience & still gives greatest exposure, but viewership has been declining across the world for about a decade. Chances are every future grand final will be lowest rated regardless of participants. That's why ur comments on this year's number is shi..

So the bridge battle is authentic to you I guess?! Maybe there's some rivalry struck between the millionaires living at bondi & the millionaires living on the bay run, that I don't know about.
..& the spontaneous gatherings & excitement I saw first hand in western Sydney for last year's grand final were illegitimate.

 

[Wb1234]

Afl fans will tell you it's reference to the Anzac bridge, but "the bridge" to everybody in Sydney is the Harbour bridge.
The idea that the Anzac bridge is the gateway to the west is weird too, as you need to travel many kms west of that to reach any type of an affordable area for most ppl.

Hey that’s not as stupid as I first thought

technically the Anzac bridge does divide the west from the rest

the problem for them is they represented them as a team of the genuine west of Sydney, which Blacktown was

homebush bay is just a plastic suburb which was reclaimed swampland before the Sydney Olympics

breakfast point is an awesome place to live though

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

It's ridiculous when people on here say an expansion club is "plastic". At one point their NSWRL clubs were recently formed and playing in front of a few dozen to a few hundred people sitting on a hill at a park ground. I think they're just fearful that the new clubs will grow and leave their suburban clubs in the dust.

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

TV represents broadest audience & still gives greatest exposure, but viewership has been declining across the world for about a decade. Chances are every future grand final will be lowest rated regardless of participants. That's why ur comments on this year's number is shi..

So the bridge battle is authentic to you I guess?! Maybe there's some rivalry struck between the millionaires living at bondi & the millionaires living on the bay run, that I don't know about.
..& the spontaneous gatherings & excitement I saw first hand in western Sydney for last year's grand final were illegitimate.

The ratings for last year's grand final were strong in Sydney but shit everywhere else.

 

[Wb1234]

Both of you are making fair points

you’re both right in many ways

 

[Pippen94]

It's ridiculous when people on here say an expansion club is "plastic". At one point their NSWRL clubs were recently formed and playing in front of a few dozen to a few hundred people sitting on a hill at a park ground. I think they're just fearful that the new clubs will grow and leave their suburban clubs in the dust.

U guys just opposing everything I'm saying, now tired in knot saying gws aren't plastic. That team only exists because of money for 9th game. They may get a foothold in the long run, but it's been 10 years & a lot of money with still no connection to the local community. Contrast that to say the sharks, who's existence & likeness provides the strongest identity to the shire region. Some clubs plastic some not..

 

[Pippen94]

Both of you are making fair points

you’re both right in many ways

No, I'm getting win like Greta over Tate

 

[Get Rid of The Donkeys]

U guys just opposing everything I'm saying, now tired in knot saying gws aren't plastic. That team only exists because of money for 9th game. They may get a foothold in the long run, but it's been 10 years & a lot of money with still no connection to the local community. Contrast that to say the sharks, who's existence & likeness provides the strongest identity to the shire region. Some clubs plastic some not..

Cronulla are a basket case in every sense of the word. Their revenue from sponsorship, corporate hospitality, ticketing and membership is very low.

Sutherland only has 220k people and its commercial sector isn't anything to brag about. It's not big enough to support a professional rugby league club. These facts are available on their annual reports.