Western Melbourne - NRL Expansion (2nd Victorian Team)

[Pneuma]

GWS will be beneficial for AFL long term but boy that club's had a rocky start. The arrogant and divisive way AFL goes about things hasn't helped their cause either. GWS Giants is obviously a terrible nickname for a club too.

Club created by arrogant white men who believe Kevin shoddy is a national hero. Doomed to fail

 

[flippikat]

I could certainly see it down the track but Im not sure Storm are strong enough to start to split the fans and corporates and for me the NRl would be better served bringing in new fanbases and sponsors than diluting existing ones.
Perth, Adelaide and possibly Wellington would all be ahead for that reason imo.

That's the crux of the whole problem.

We have two huge markets in Australia - Perth & Adelaide - that have no representation in our game's top tier.

Why he hell would we want to risk splitting the Storm's supporter & sponsorship base when we have those markets empty?

OK, I know what some would say.. "What about the Dolphins? We put a derby in Brisbane before putting teams back in Perth & Adelaide".

To that I'd reply that there's a compelling case for Perth & Adelaide to have been teams 17 and 18 (adding a 2nd Brisbane team *after that*), but I can understand Brisbane 2 being righting a long-standing wrong - having a derby in our sport's heartland's "Second City" that hasn't been there since the Crushers were closed.

 

[Perth Red]

That's the crux of the whole problem.

We have two huge markets in Australia - Perth & Adelaide - that have no representation in our game's top tier.

Why he hell would we want to risk splitting the Storm's supporter & sponsorship base when we have those markets empty?

OK, I know what some would say.. "What about the Dolphins? We put a derby in Brisbane before putting teams back in Perth & Adelaide".

To that I'd reply that there's a compelling case for Perth & Adelaide to have been teams 17 and 18 (adding a 2nd Brisbane team *after that*), but I can understand Brisbane 2 being righting a long-standing wrong - having a derby in our sport's heartland's "Second City" that hasn't been there since the Crushers were closed.

and news ltd wanting Broncos off FTA!

 

[Steel Saints]

GWS will be beneficial for AFL long term but boy that club's had a rocky start. The arrogant and divisive way AFL goes about things hasn't helped their cause either. GWS Giants is obviously a terrible nickname for a club too.

The thing is Melbourne 2 needs to learn from the mistakes of GWS. A couple of examples. Firstly, don't recruit a high profile AFL player. Secondly, if hypothetically, Melbourne 2 will be based in the west, then have a stadium in the west.

GWS initially set up camp at Blacktown. Then they abandoned Blacktown and pretty much western Sydney by moving centrally towards Homebush.

Also Western Melbourne needs to put in the hard yards now and for many years to come before it gets announced as a club, rather than becoming a club and investing afterwards.

 

[taipan]

Sounds good to me.Didn't realise the population was that big.
Much cheaper airfare for the code than the airfares to Perth.
No shouldn't have said that, for obvious reasons
Nonetheless an interesting read about Western Melbourne ,with an additional proviso.Do not call themselves the Greater Western Melbourne.

 

[Pneuma]

That's the crux of the whole problem.

We have two huge markets in Australia - Perth & Adelaide - that have no representation in our game's top tier.

Why he hell would we want to risk splitting the Storm's supporter & sponsorship base when we have those markets empty?

OK, I know what some would say.. "What about the Dolphins? We put a derby in Brisbane before putting teams back in Perth & Adelaide".

To that I'd reply that there's a compelling case for Perth & Adelaide to have been teams 17 and 18 (adding a 2nd Brisbane team *after that*), but I can understand Brisbane 2 being righting a long-standing wrong - having a derby in our sport's heartland's "Second City" that hasn't been there since the Crushers were closed.

Comparing Melbourne to Perth and Adelaide is a bit interesting. Melbourne is easily the second biggest market in Australia. The other two pale into insignificance. As for putting a team in Adelaide I can’t believe what I’m reading. It’s easily the most fumbling state in Australia. It’s a cesspit of football ignorance.

 

[Pneuma]

Watching the ignoramus from Perth realising the door is closing yet again makes this bid honourable regardless of its merit

 

[taipan]

More chance of me bedding a Kardashian than Melbourne being team 18.

No thanks well used merchandise. Like buying a bald tyre from Bob Jane.

 

[Canard]

Comparing Melbourne to Perth and Adelaide is a bit interesting. Melbourne is easily the second biggest market in Australia. The other two pale into insignificance. As for putting a team in Adelaide I can’t believe what I’m reading. It’s easily the most fumbling state in Australia. It’s a cesspit of football ignorance.

Adelaide is more into AFL than Melbourne?

That will do me.

Sorry @Pneuma I was responding to you in good faith, I didn't realise this was joke account.

Well played sir.

 

[Canard]

Back on topic.

Melb 2 is a shittier idea then PNG based in Australia.

 

[flippikat]

Comparing Melbourne to Perth and Adelaide is a bit interesting. Melbourne is easily the second biggest market in Australia. The other two pale into insignificance. As for putting a team in Adelaide I can’t believe what I’m reading. It’s easily the most fumbling state in Australia. It’s a cesspit of football ignorance.

Yet most other sports leagues have a team in Adelaide. Why is that?

 

[Pneuma]

Adelaide is more into AFL than Melbourne?

That will do me.

Sorry @Pneuma I was responding to you in good faith, I didn't realise this was joke account.

Well played sir.

I’m just describing my experience of the two cities and that’s my opinion. Suggest you settle down and just accept some people might have differing opinions to you.

 

[Pneuma]

Yet most other sports leagues have a team in Adelaide. Why is that?

The sports have a reasonable presence there. It’s the most afl centric city in Australia imho but sports like basketball have a strong enough presence to play in the nbl as an example.

 

[Pneuma]

Back on topic.

Melb 2 is a shittier idea then PNG based in Australia.

This idea has clearly rattled an annoyed you. As such it’s worthwhile.

 

[meltiger]

GWS will be beneficial for AFL long term but boy that club's had a rocky start. The arrogant and divisive way AFL goes about things hasn't helped their cause either. GWS Giants is obviously a terrible nickname for a club too.

Maybe if they move entirely to Canberra. No one in Sydney gives a shit

The Giants are a perfect example of why a 2nd team here is as Canard suggests a long long long way off.

The Storm have done amazingly carving out their spot, but they need a consolidation period before anyone does anything that risked cannibalising their support. They are a credit to the game, why risk ruining that.

Don’t get me wrong, as with some others who posted, I’m a proud Western Suburbs person (Altona) and would LOVE a club out here. But geez. That’s way way off

Canard touched on United. They, as well as GWS are a perfect example of how not to do it. They haven’t been able to fully engage the local clubs, and with pitch 2 at Tarneit under construction still, they sold themselves as a Western Suburbs club, yet have been playing out if AAMI / East if the city ffs. FWIW I am a day 1 member and very much want them to succeed but it’s been a clusterf**k to date.

The focus at this stage should be on strengthening the Storm

PVLs brain fart on this really feels like the Giants ‘dots on a map’ stupidity.

 

[Perth Red]

Back on topic.

Melb 2 is a shittier idea then PNG based in Australia.

Its not an idea, its a Vlandys blurt to try and steal some newspaper space from the Tassie announcement. Its embarrassing he feels the need to do it really. And to choose something as far fetched as another Melb club to do so makes him a laughing stock. Right up there with college football players feeding the NRL!

 

[RedVee_8]

If a potential Western Melbourne team can find a way to tap into its strong Pasifika market, it could open up a whole fanbase. Using the Samoan parades for the RLWC last year as an example, there were thousands of Samoan & Pasifika fans rallying every weekend in Melbourne - particularly out West! Areas like Altona, Caroline Springs, Melton, etc saw unprecedented numbers of support.

Did the rest of Melbourne know what was going on ?

 

[Canard]

The sports have a reasonable presence there. It’s the most afl centric city in Australia imho but sports like basketball have a strong enough presence to play in the nbl as an example.

Yes Melbourne with 10 teams (Geelong included) with multiple clubs that average over around 50k a game, isn't much of an AFL centric town.

 

[Pneuma]

Yes Melbourne with 10 teams (Geelong included) with multiple clubs that average over around 50k a game, isn't much of an AFL centric town.

Keep it going mate. You are clearly triggered. I’ll just sit back and enjoy.

 

[Pneuma]

Did the rest of Melbourne know what was going on ?

Yes. All 6 million of them. I asked them.