The state of the Giants and Suns

[Adz]

I think the Suns have more off field potential than the Giants. GWS are winning and have been for quite a while. but still struggle to draw a crowd. They are very reliant on Canberra, and seem to have made little impact in Western Sydney. The Suns numbers are not good, but they have been given a horrid product. If they get some success they might have more upside.

AFL is bigger in SE QLD than western Sydney.

 

[Adz]

GC need to change their strip and colours. It’s gross and is pathetic for a footy team.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Says the bandwagoner.

I notice you have no responses to points he raised just pretend they don’t exist I suppose !

 

[Colonial]

I notice you have no responses to points he raised just pretend they don’t exist I suppose !

All have been answered previously.

 

[Tasmanian saint]

Calls to axe the Suns and lamenting the Giants ‘underachievement’ are knee-jerk.

Gold Coast has suffered from a botched entry into the league for which the AFL are culpable. However, things are never as bad as they seem and can also turn around pretty quickly.

The Giants haven’t blown their window and in my opinion the idea of deliberate 5 year rebuilds are becoming increasingly old hat. With the evenness of the competition, they are probably a few tweaks and some slices of luck away from a flag, they are presently in a better position than most other clubs.

As for their long term futures it is well known that growth and success in non-traditional football states can take generations. The AFL brought these clubs in to get more TV revenue and grow the game longer term in NSW and QLD.

Online streaming could scupper the TV money angle but that doesn’t mean that AFL shouldn’t strive for having at least one game being played every weekend in every state as a key goal of running a national competition.

I suppose things could change and given the rubbery decision making of this administration it’s not impossible that they would do something like relocate the Suns to Tassie but that would say more about the stupidity of the AFL than the ‘failure’ of the Suns.

I agree re the giants don’t think there is to much to worry about onfield get there injuries under control they will be challenging for many years it’s off field crowds ect that there struggling, the suns are a whole different story though been a disaster since day 1 with Gold Coast history of failures it needed to hit the ground running going to be very for the afl to turn them around now !

 

[Cleric]

Okay, so you're clearly not quite up to date.

Yeah, I havent done a tour of the Gold Coasts grounds, but their facilities has been a complaint for a long time, and something the AFL should have had done the first game GC played.

 

[Supersuns]

Yeah, I havent done a tour of the Gold Coasts grounds, but their facilities has been a complaint for a long time, and something the AFL should have had done the first game GC played.

We had a 22 million dollar upgrade in 2017

 

[Tasmanian saint]

We had a 22 million dollar upgrade in 2017

I think his point is the facility’s should have all been built and ready to go right from the start not wait 5-6 years before they built them this has had a major impact on your ability to retain players the afl rushed the expansion to the Gold Coast it should have waited till everything was 100 % ready!

 

[speedpeck23]

GWS aren't no good, they're pretty good. But nobody barracks for that team, literally nobody. Gold Coast are a disgrace of an organisation, couldn't organise a root in a brothel. I'm all for tolerance and inclusion, but only if there is a population demanding it. Noone is demanding it for these teams, they are personas non gratas.

Giants have 30,000 members, Sun's 13,000... both Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions have increased their membership numbers since Giants and Suns started. There is massive potential AFL talent in NSW and Qld ..... give it a chance.

 

[kid_a]

GC need to change their strip and colours. It’s gross and is pathetic for a footy team.

strip yes, totally agree. the colours are aight though

 

[Dr Awkward]

I feel like if the Suns were a good team they would be able to draw decent crowds and create a decent club atmosphere. The sad part is it's hard to see their onfield circumstances changing any time soon. The gold experiment has not really been tested properly. They need 3 - 5 years of a solid team to follow.

 

[Dr Awkward]

It doesn't really matter. Pro sport isn't growing. It's going backwards.

Go to any high school and do a survey on 500 kids on what they did on Friday night. The numbers would be something along the lines of - 50% online gaming, 20% netflix, 20% out and about, 10% watched the footy.

Back in the 90's it would have been more like 40% watched footy, 40% go out, 20% watched a VHS.

and decades before those numbers would have been higher towards footy.

Back then the masses didn't game or have excess to literally 10,000's of movies and TV shows, games, mobiles, online chat, etc, etc at the touch of a button. AFL's biggest threat is other forms of media. Most sport is in the same boat. Look at the people that are interested in sport - most are over the age of 30.. they grew up with sport. Young kids are becoming less and less interested in it. The AFL thinking they will gain fans from putting teams in big populated areas is very wrong. Sport as we know it will be dead in 10 years, and the downfall will be a decline in TV rights deals, less money, and having to pay players less which could break the league as elite sportsmen look to international sports as kids like soccer, basketball, etc. Case in point - Esports kid wins more than Jokovich won in Wimbledon.. this is only the beginning.

I dunno about this, do you have any evidence? I appreciate there is a logic there, but not sure it is reality. I did a lot of online gaming but also remained interested in footy.

Remember that the AFL has successful dreamteam, supercoach etc

 

[Johnny Bananas]

GWS are winning and have been for quite a while. but still struggle to draw a crowd. They are very reliant on Canberra, and seem to have made little impact in Western Sydney.

You are aware that the Showground has a higher average attendance this year than Manuka? And last year. And the year before.

 

[Colonial]

You are aware that the Showground has a higher average attendance this year than Manuka? And last year. And the year before.

shhh don't let facts get in the way of a good rant.

 

[____]

I think the Suns have more off field potential than the Giants. GWS are winning and have been for quite a while. but still struggle to draw a crowd. They are very reliant on Canberra, and seem to have made little impact in Western Sydney. The Suns numbers are not good, but they have been given a horrid product. If they get some success they might have more upside.

I feel like if the Suns were a good team they would be able to draw decent crowds and create a decent club atmosphere. The sad part is it's hard to see their onfield circumstances changing any time soon. The gold experiment has not really been tested properly. They need 3 - 5 years of a solid team to follow.

Both statements are correct in regards to the Suns.

The crowds the Suns were getting in early-mid 2014 proves they have potential and that the AFL made the right call putting a team there.

People seem to forget the Suns were in before the Giants for a reason and that if North had've accepted the move to the Gold Coast GWS wouldn't exist and the AFL would still be a 16 team comp

 

[Colonial]

Both statements are correct in regards to the Suns.

The crowds the Suns were getting in early-mid 2014 proves they have potential and that the AFL made the right call putting a team there.

People seem to forget the Suns were in before the Giants for a reason and that if North had've accepted the move to the Gold Coast GWS wouldn't exist and the AFL would still be a 16 team comp

If North moved to Qld we would still have the Giants and, quite possibly, Tassie.

 

[kid_a]

Footy is just as big on the Gold Coast as rugby league. One of the very few places in QLD where this is the case.

 

[speedpeck23]

If North moved to Qld we would still have the Giants and, quite possibly, Tassie.

Agree ....way back in 2001 the AFL Commission planned to have 2 teams in Sydney and 2 teams in SE QLD.....basically to make sure an AFL match was played every week in these locations.

 

[Giant Pete]

In my opinion GWS should have won a flag already. Every year same thing, injuries and a lack of game plan have cost them. They need to rectify things asap or risk missing their window.

What needs to be done:
1) Review Leon Cameron: he either needs to change things up or go. He can’t keep doing the same thing. In my opinion he’s not strong tactically and therefore I think GWS need to get someone new in.

2) Review Medical Department: every year injuries cripple their season. There is something broken and they need to fix it. Overhaul is needed.

I want to see GWS win a flag but their time is running out

“Time running out”? Exactly the opposite.

 

[smashbox gill]

“Time running out”? Exactly the opposite.

By time running out i mean potentially losing your superstars ie) Kelly, Coniglio etc

 

[Sentinel]

If the Swans survived their era of 1988-1994 to become what they have today then there is no reason why both Gold Coast and GWS can't thrive long term in a far more financially stable competition.

 

[Colonial]

By time running out i mean potentially losing your superstars ie) Kelly, Coniglio etc

Kelly just re-signed.

Cogs well I guess we will find out soon.

But Greene & Haynes have signed long term and most of the others are signed up.

 

[Rusty Beam]

Unfortunately I’ve heard from a very reliable source that Dew has lost the majority of the playing group at the Suns. They are upset as the communication levels between the two are basically non-existent.

Harbrow had a fairly public and open crack at Dew this week.

 

[kreglze]

Unfortunately I’ve heard from a very reliable source that Dew has lost the majority of the playing group at the Suns. They are upset as the communication levels between the two are basically non-existent.

Harbrow had a fairly public and open crack at Dew this week.

Can you please point me in the direction of the public crack from Harbrow?

 

[Rusty Beam]

Can you please point me in the direction of the public crack from Harbrow?

Public from the point of view of being in front of the playing group and coaching staff.