AFL confirmed for the GC - what does this mean for us?

[macavity]

im up on the Gold Coast today and all over the radio is the news that the AFL have confirmed 4 games a year playing out of Carrara.

The same Carrara that is slated to be redeveloped into a RECTANGULAR ground.

... the obvious question is, what does this mean for the prospective NRL team? They will die a painful death playing out of an oval venue - kills any view of the game...

(sorry if this has been done but i didn't see a thread)

 

[nqboy]

That is big news if true.

Robina it is then.

 

[RainMan]

It was all pending the development of Carrara Stadium for the (come Friday) GC NRL team. Nothing in stone yet.

 

[nqboy]

Link?

 

[Hindyscrack]

The word is that the Carrara might get the nod to be re-developed into a rectangular stadium as the Council owns the land and will not have to purchase land at Robina.

The AFL has only committed $1mil to Carrara unlike the QLD, GCCC and Bid Teams $45 mil.

If Searle was smart he would be pushing for Carrara as the option to lock out these southern androtops. My only concern is that Ron Clarke is mayor and he is just an old vic prick who would be behind the AFL

 

[Copa]

Their reaction is to be expected. I've read they have a ten year plan to get a team there.
http://www.crikey.com.au/articles/2005/05/24-1130-7855.html

The AFL Commission has responded to the threat of Rugby League expansion on the Gold Coast by making some significant plans for its own fixtures on the Coast from next season; but more significantly promoting a 10 year-plan with the end game ideally being a Gold Coast-based team in the league.

http://afl.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=204859

The Gold Coast City Council has announced that four AFL matches - two pre-season and two premiership matches - will be played at Carrara Stadium next season, subject to an upgrade of the venue - as part of a longer-term plan to have an AFL club based there once again.

The Gold Coast Mayor, former Olympic athlete Ron Clarke told a media conference on Tuesday that the league had set aside $1million to help redevelop Carrara, the home of the Brisbane Bears between 1987 and 1992.

Clarke said that the AFL was proposing to play a Wizard Home Loans Cup match at Carrara in February 2006 to be followed by a Wizard Regional Challenge Series match.

Two home-and-away matches, he said, would be scheduled for early next season - most likely April/May - at a time when fixturing is disrupted by the Melbourne Cricket Ground's unavailability because of the Commonwealth Games.



Mayor Clarke said the AFL's initiative could be the start of a longer-term commitment to the Gold Coast.

"The AFL has told Council if next year’s matches prove successful, it's the AFL’s intention to commit to a similar number of AFL matches at Carrara Stadium in future years," Cr Clarke said.

"This would form part of the AFL’s 10-year growth strategy for South-East Queensland which may ultimately involve the introduction of a Gold Coast-based AFL Club into the AFL competition."

"The AFL says it is willing to work with Council and other stakeholders, over a number of years, to ensure the complex is progressively upgraded to provide a first-class multi-purpose stadium along with other complementary infrastructure, much of which could easily be used by the broader Gold Coast sporting community."

Cr Clarke said the fixturing of matches at Carrara next season would be subject to improved change room facilities, better floodlighting and a redeveloped playing surface.

The AFL is expected to make a formal statement later on Tuesday.

AFL have had a dream run expanding around the country... they just move into the nearest major cricket field/stadium. RL has to have the stadiums built.

 

[nqboy]

I went to afl.com.au looking for the link as well. I feel dirty.

 

[DIEHARD]

Make no mistake, SEQLD is the frontline of cross code wars.

I'm glad the NRL seem to be about to bring the Gold Coast into the competition.

Finally we are fighting back and the AFL are on the back foot.

I hate to imagine the disaster if the NRL didn't/don't bring in the Gold Coast and the AFL have free claim to our territory.

 

[Copa]

The mayor seems keen on having them at Cararra.

 

[Saint 60]

get ready to become AFL supporters hahahahaha

Sydney has to put up with it..grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

[Hindyscrack]

If this isnt enough for the NRL to get the expansion approval into overdrive they are signing their own death warrant in SEQ. Who would have thought 10 years ago their would be more AFL games played in the region then Rugby League. It is a disgrace.

 

[ozboy]

Nothing really to worry about.

The AFL were always going to be looking for alternate AFL venues around the country for next year due to the Commonwealth Games being held at the MCG next year.

Gold Coast was always going to be one of the venues as it is the only citiy in Australia with the facilities to host a game of AFL of which nobody else uses.

Come 2007, expect no more than the usual Wizard Cup games to return.

 

[Graf Vynda-k]

my fellow leaguers, we must unite behind the common cause and repel the invading southern hordes.

these godless infidels are a threat to our very existence, we must mobilise our forces and form a resistance army to tackle these mexicans head on when they invade our sacred territory.

let us march on the gold coast council and overthrow this ron clarke who is nothing more than a puppet mayor controlled by mexico city and doing their bidding........stand up for your rights my fellow leaguers or else we shall become part of the evil mexican empire!!!

 

[Lego_Man]

Don't like this...

Seems like that we're going to see an oval stadium....and oval stadiums are sh*t for league.

They can't afford to give AFL a foothold, down the track they will pay for it.

They need to do the following:

1. Admit Gold Coast
2. If they play out of Carrara, it HAS to be turned rectangular.

Make AFL pay for a new stadium if they want one.

 

[League Freak™]

Im 99% sure that the funding that has been approved for a new stadium on the Gold Coast is for a rectangular Rugby League stadium.


The Gold Coast will get the 16th team. They will have a new stadium built for them and they will be playing NRL football by 2007 and in their own stadium by 2008.


What the AFL do from then on is up to them....

 

[Copa]

my fellow leaguers, we must unite behind the common cause and repel the invading southern hordes.

these godless infidels are a threat to our very existence, we must mobilise our forces and form a resistance army to tackle these mexicans head on when they invade our sacred territory.

let us march on the gold coast council and overthrow this ron clarke who is nothing more than a puppet mayor controlled by mexico city and doing their bidding........stand up for your rights my fellow leaguers or else we shall become part of the evil mexican empire!!!

You call up the posse... I'll gather the pitchforks!!!

 

[DIEHARD]

Trust me the Coast will play on a rectangular field, sleep soundly.

The only thing up in the air is where to build it, Robina or Carrara.

Robina offers and entirely new complex right beside a train station.

Being at Carrara will stop AFL easily moving in.

My vote goes to Robina.

 

[DIEHARD]

my fellow leaguers, we must unite behind the common cause and repel the invading southern hordes.

these godless infidels are a threat to our very existence, we must mobilise our forces and form a resistance army to tackle these mexicans head on when they invade our sacred territory.

let us march on the gold coast council and overthrow this ron clarke who is nothing more than a puppet mayor controlled by mexico city and doing their bidding........stand up for your rights my fellow leaguers or else we shall become part of the evil mexican empire!!!

You call up the posse... I'll gather the pitchforks!!!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v483/diehard2/dieAFL.jpg

 

[nqboy]

Nothing really to worry about.

The AFL were always going to be looking for alternate AFL venues around the country for next year due to the Commonwealth Games being held at the MCG next year.

Gold Coast was always going to be one of the venues as it is the only citiy in Australia with the facilities to host a game of AFL of which nobody else uses.

Come 2007, expect no more than the usual Wizard Cup games to return.

...Mayor Clarke said the AFL's initiative could be the start of a longer-term commitment to the Gold Coast.

"The AFL has told Council if next year’s matches prove successful, it's the AFL’s intention to commit to a similar number of AFL matches at Carrara Stadium in future years," Cr Clarke said.

"This would form part of the AFL’s 10-year growth strategy for South-East Queensland which may ultimately involve the introduction of a Gold Coast-based AFL Club into the AFL competition."

It's what we've been saying all along. The Gold Coast must be next, for the good of the game.

 

[nqboy]

The mayor seems keen on having them at Cararra.

And why wouldn't he be? The State Gov't has promised to build a new stadium at Robina. Why settle for having one team in a national competition when you can have two? The boost for the GC economy would be enormous.