Well done to the AFL.
They are not interested in simply co-existing with rugby league in the Western Sydney, they want to take over. When questioned about this whole issue being "a war" they take two steps back and say "we didn't say anything about a war, that's the media". But the way they have approached this entire expansion thing has been nothing short of bullish and arrogant and I really hope it backfires on them. Actually poaching current rugby league players and talking up the signing of another three or so more signals the fact that they are out to destabilise RL in the hope of gaining maximum exposure. The latest comments from the GWS Marketing Manager proves this. They talk of the fact Hayne, Jennings and Folau only ever played league was because league was the only option which is absolute rubbish. You could apply the same 'lack of options' logic to AFL players in Melbourne.
I can only imagine the outcry in Melbourne if,say, the shoe was on the other foot. Knowing the Melbourne media though, they'd probably give the code trying to infiltrate into the AFL zero coverage unlike what we are seeing with GWS.
It's a shame RL doesn't have its house in order to seriously repel this obvious competitor.
