AFL to launch 2nd sydney team in 2012

[The Fruit Pickers]

Just a few facts, though the article doesn’t come right and say it, it does sort of imply that the stadium is for the AFL, the stadium at Rooty Hill (not Blacktown) was announced a long time ago (about 1 to 2 years ago) for the purpose of all sports (including Rugby League, Union, Football and Cricket) and not just for the sole use of the AFL or a second Sydney based AFL side, it is a Government funded facility (the AFL is not funding any part of it) to make better use of the under utilised Olympic Baseball facilities that are currently there.

And a note to the AFL, the land adjoins Eastern Creek and parts are subject to possible flooding during heavy rain, so keep your boots handy

 

[macavity]

wait a minute

30mil for a training ground for an AFL team no one wants

and we cant get 30mil to finish EA Stadium

Northern NSW should break away and form their own state. VIVA Republika Novocastria

 

[East Coast Tiger]

wait a minute

30mil for a training ground for an AFL team no one wants

and we cant get 30mil to finish EA Stadium

Northern NSW should break away and form their own state. VIVA Republika Novocastria

We nearly did and it was probably only Newcastle people that prevented it.

 

[aarondoyle]

The AFL will then be able to offer a home TV game every weekend in the major TV markets..

It's true. Horribly, horribly true. If they play these games enough, people will eventually follow. People are blind sheep. They will follow what you tell them to follow.

 

[Lockyer4President!]

For those that didn't read the arcticle the WS club wil not play at Blacktown they will be housed at the Olympic Stadium (ANZ).

RL currently is suffering due to the game being run by the following:
NRL
ARL
NSWRL
CRL
QRL

Where as the AFL are the governing body of everything Aussie Rules, even in Victoria they now call themselves AFL/Victoria much to the disgust of many loyal Victorian fans..

I don't necessarily disagree with you (I'd like to see the NRL absorbed into the ARL when News leave and just the one NSW body) but soccer seems to be doing alright with two 'state' bodies in NSW. The problem is that as long as we've got News on board we'll never have a strong leadership focussed soley on strengthening the game Australia-wide.

Rugby League is about to celebrate it's 100th year in Australia, instead of celebrating it everyone seems obsesed with what the AFL are looking to do. This in fact is what is wrong with RL, it's all about but they have this why can't I. .

The NRL puts a team on the GC with great success and next thing you know the AFL are trying to shoehorn a team in there. The FFA are thinking about a Western Sydney team and guess what, the AFL now wants one there aswell. It's pretty clear that the AFL is the only one copying the other codes.

We are always waiting for the TV ratings, just to say regional Australia loves it's league well the NRL should approach the government to ensure these figures are counted from the outset instead of complaining after the horse has bolted.

Not a bad idea.

 

[Green Machine]

This has nothing to do with putting a team into Western Sydney but creating the agenda for the next TV contract. The AFL is a very well run sport. If the AFL can extract an extra $40m a season out of the next TV contract, they will be able to finance extra teams in Sydney and South East Queensland with the TV money alone. I agree with Copa about the drip effect. Currently they have the cash to throw around. Imagine if they get $1b deal next time around. Last night I channel hopped during the cricket and found one NAB Cup match on Foxsports and another on Main Event. One was from Darwin. Last week they were broadcasting games from South Africa and Dubai. Foxsports has been replaying old VFL and AFL games over the last two months. Besides a week old Super League match or those half hour club previews, the last Rugby League match on Foxsports was a highlights package of 30 years of Grand Finals at Xmas time. The NRL has no plan for the future. The only plan they have is to react to what ever other sports do,

 

[babyg]

How much money does the League have to pay back to NewLtd and can PHAC afford it.
IT was $10mill a year for how many years. plus they screw us on TV rights.
Surely you'd make up for it and pay off the debt within in TV deal.

 

[griff]

Rugby League is about to celebrate it's 100th year in Australia, instead of celebrating it everyone seems obsesed with what the AFL are looking to do. This in fact is what is wrong with RL, it's all about but they have this why can't I. The game needs strenght and vision to truley move forward, one governing body to rule all.

We can celebrate 100 years as well as obsess over what the AFL are looking to do.

A major competitor is looking at expanding into your territory. So of course you should obsess over it. What are their plans, what are the threats, what are the opportunities. It's just sensible business behaviour.

The ARU in the first O'Neill administration would sit down every year and study in detail (including doing a heap of surveys and other market research) what the NRL, AFL and soccer were all up to. They benefited hugely from that. For example, was it an accident that the 2001 British Lions test was held on a weekend where there were no NRL games? Of course not. Is it a coincidence that they have tests in Melbourne during the AFL rest week? Of course not.

The NRL should do way more obsessing about its competitors, not less.

We are always waiting for the TV ratings, just to say regional Australia loves it's league well the NRL should approach the government to ensure these figures are counted from the outset instead of complaining after the horse has bolted.

I'm not sure what this means, what does the government have to do with anything?

 

[Dogs Of War]

I think we need to get rid of Gallop and get PHAC in charge. At least he has the balls to try something.

 

[LeagueXIII]

People need to ask why the NRL DON"T have a plan for the future? What's holding them back.

Come on people we need to be MORE cynical when we are talking about the NRL and News Ltd.

 

[In-goal]

We can celebrate 100 years as well as obsess over what the AFL are looking to do.

A major competitor is looking at expanding into your territory. So of course you should obsess over it. What are their plans, what are the threats, what are the opportunities. It's just sensible business behaviour.

The ARU in the first O'Neill administration would sit down every year and study in detail (including doing a heap of surveys and other market research) what the NRL, AFL and soccer were all up to. They benefited hugely from that. For example, was it an accident that the 2001 British Lions test was held on a weekend where there were no NRL games? Of course not. Is it a coincidence that they have tests in Melbourne during the AFL rest week? Of course not.

The NRL should do way more obsessing about its competitors, not less.

This is the wrong attitude, we need to be proactive and not reactive.

Defence is sometimes the best offence, but not when the bombardment is to a point of total destruction. The game must be united under one banner and start making it's own waves.

 

[LeagueXIII]

The problem is News Ltd's self interest which takes precedence over the growth and development of the game.

 

[Brutus]

Why the f**k did Bob Carr see the need to waste 20mill dollars of NSW taxpayers money to fund a friggin AFL project in Blacktown anyway? What a total waste of NSW taxpayers' money.

 

[Shorty]

This has nothing to do with putting a team into Western Sydney but creating the agenda for the next TV contract. The AFL is a very well run sport. If the AFL can extract an extra $40m a season out of the next TV contract, they will be able to finance extra teams in Sydney and South East Queensland with the TV money alone. I agree with Copa about the drip effect. Currently they have the cash to throw around. Imagine if they get $1b deal next time around. Last night I channel hopped during the cricket and found one NAB Cup match on Foxsports and another on Main Event. One was from Darwin. Last week they were broadcasting games from South Africa and Dubai. Foxsports has been replaying old VFL and AFL games over the last two months. Besides a week old Super League match or those half hour club previews, the last Rugby League match on Foxsports was a highlights package of 30 years of Grand Finals at Xmas time. The NRL has no plan for the future. The only plan they have is to react to what ever other sports do,

Yeah spot on.
AFL is taking every corner of Australia by both hands and knows exactly how to manipulate it for it's advantage.

I tell you what,I love my league but I am quite worried about our future.
When was the last time you heard about the NRL with such big plans?

I know it's risky but I think we need a whole new governing board.
We look like the chick that has lots of potential but always stands in the corner quietly while the far less attractive chick sits on the boss' desk and flirts like a trollop.

....yeah;-)

 

[Misanthrope]

A 10,000 seater stadium? That's ambitious of them.

 

[The Fruit Pickers]

Why the f**k did Bob Carr see the need to waste 20mill dollars of NSW taxpayers money to fund a friggin AFL project in Blacktown anyway? What a total waste of NSW taxpayers' money.

Its not an AFL project

 

[griff]

This is the wrong attitude, we need to be proactive and not reactive.

Defence is sometimes the best offence, but not when the bombardment is to a point of total destruction. The game must be united under one banner and start making it's own waves.

To be proactive and be on the offence you first need to understand what you need to do to attack the competitor most effectively. Find out their weaknesses and attack them.

Uniting the game under one banner is not the silver bullet though.

 

[meltiger]

Where as the AFL are the governing body of everything Aussie Rules, even in Victoria they now call themselves AFL/Victoria much to the disgust of many loyal Victorian fans.

I suspect if the NRL issued a directive to all lower bodies that the sport be referred to as NRL rather than Rugby League there would be outrage on here too.

 

[LeagueXIII]

If you were a corporate why would you want to pay top dollar for two sports to advertise when you can help one become national whilst marginalising the other? Would be cheaper wouldn't it, after all it is a corporate world we live in?

 

[ucantseeme]

I assume that local RL teams will be able to use this Cricket/AFL ground at Blacktown as well. Could be a bonus. Another AFL team could weaken the Swans. And a West Sydney AFL team which has little support would be an ongoing embarassment for their game. Similar to the NZ Knights in the A-League before they folded. Imagine a crowd of 5000 or less at an 80,000 seat stadium every fortnight. Doesn't look good on TV.

The NRL should, right now, be looking to make further inroads in Victoria by riding the Storms' wave of success. A big push into Melbourne, a big push into AFL heartland at a grassroots level. The Storms' purpose built RL stadium in 2009 will be a massive boon for the game. Get Slater, Inglis, Smith out to the schools spreading the gospel. And a membership drive.