Expansion 3rd Western Australian club

Aug 14, 2011
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Yep! Even though the population here is enough, there's almost zero support for a brand new team if at all.

The answer is not a 3rd club, its not more clubs either IMHO ... the H & A is at the heart of the problems when there are so many clubs in Melbourne, H & A is a hangover from the State Leagues when everyone everywhere had a home ground ( WA had 8 clubs, 3 rounds of 7 games, alternating year on year to even up over 2 years). It was about gate takers, now its about members, 11 game seated packages.
We've been too lazy to acknowledge H & A has served its purpose, home grounds are nearly a relic too, its about State, shared grounds.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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That wasnt the case back in 2002-7. Especially around the 2005-7 years.

Back in that 2002-7 period, Eagles made finals each year, got to a couple of grand finals too. Freo were semi decent under Chris Connolly as coach. The point is and was....... Eagles had 45,000 members, Dockers had around 35,000 members.

To show you how crazy that eagles 2002-7 period was at west coast, they packed subiaco every fortnight and there were still another 10-15,000 members on the waiting list. Some were on there for 2-5 years. It came to the point when Half of those Eagles on the waiting list ran out of patience and signed up as dockers members. Thats how desperate WA footy fans were back then to go to AFL games.

I can see that happen again in 5-10 years time where Eagles regularly sell out that 60,000 seat stadium and have 20-30,000 of those members on the waiting list too.

Not seen that claim before, got anything to support your assertion.
 
May 3, 2007
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Not seen that claim before, got anything to support your assertion.
Very hard to show evidence about it. But One of my best mates is a Dockers supporter from Mandurah. He has an uncle and aunty that were Eagles members. Yes, they also were on the waiting list for a good part of 2-3 years until they ran out of patience and Joined as freo members.

Also around that 2000-2009 decade, there were 2 points where dockers memberships and crowd averages jumped up.

the 1st point was in 2003-2004.

In 2003, Dockers membership was 25,347 and average home crowd figures was 31, 688
In 2004, Dockers membership was 32,259 and average home crowd figures was 35, 693

this was mainly due to freo making finals for the 1st time in 2003.

the other point was 2006-7

In 2006, Dockers membership was 35, 666 and average home crowd figures was 37, 063
In 2007, Dockers membership was 43, 343 and average home crowd figures was 37, 474

this was mainly due to Freo making a prelim in 2006.
 
Jun 6, 2016
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The answer is not a 3rd club, its not more clubs either IMHO ... the H & A is at the heart of the problems when there are so many clubs in Melbourne, H & A is a hangover from the State Leagues when everyone everywhere had a home ground ( WA had 8 clubs, 3 rounds of 7 games, alternating year on year to even up over 2 years). It was about gate takers, now its about members, 11 game seated packages.
We've been too lazy to acknowledge H & A has served its purpose, home grounds are nearly a relic too, its about State, shared grounds.

Getting off topic slightly, but this is the whole problem getting in the way of a truly national comp - too many teams in Melbourne and we can't have an equitable h&a fixture, I agree.

Problem with that is the Melbourne clubs aren't going away, too much market share to do away with - if it were viable to do so we'd have less Melbourne clubs a long time ago.

If it were up to me at the time and I was Ross Oakley I would've started up franchises from vic to make a truly national comp. The problem with that is no vic fans would've jumped on board (at best a second interest) - they would've stuck phat with their VFL teams and it would be likely that the VFL would be the higher profile and bigger comp over the national one.

Given the bulk of the footy market is in vic and for vic teams this is the conundrum we have, because footy is a business the bulk of the business is always going to come from vic.

As far a 3rd wa team goes, I see it a popular theory in 1987 but not in 2019.
 

jatz14

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Dec 13, 2011
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In hind sight, probably could have brought in 3 WA sides in 1987 based on WAFL allegiances.... growing pains early but with support shared around you would have 3 financially healthy organizations in an ever growing city/state with a world class stadium a generation later.

Essentially split up what was the state wide support for the Eagles, but from day 1.

Perth City Thunder = Perth/East Perth/Swan Districts (WACA)
Catchment: Eastern Suburbs and share of the Northern Suburbs

Western Eagles = Subiaco/Claremont/West Perth (Subiaco Oval)
Catchment: Western Suburbs, a share of the Northern Suburbs and regional WA due to the "Western" (Australia) brand (Team for all Sandgropers)

Fremantle Dockers = East Freo/South Freo (Fremantle Oval)
Catchment: South of the River extending to Mandurah, Bunbury, Albany and the South West.

Would have been the immediate end of the WAFL though.
Even if it's the perfect plan in hindsight, it was not even remotely possible at the time.

Sent from my XT1068 using Tapatalk
 
Jul 2, 2010
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The answer is not a 3rd club, its not more clubs either IMHO ... the H & A is at the heart of the problems when there are so many clubs in Melbourne, H & A is a hangover from the State Leagues when everyone everywhere had a home ground ( WA had 8 clubs, 3 rounds of 7 games, alternating year on year to even up over 2 years). It was about gate takers, now its about members, 11 game seated packages.
We've been too lazy to acknowledge H & A has served its purpose, home grounds are nearly a relic too, its about State, shared grounds.

If you think things like gate takings, pourage and signage rights arent a thing, then ive got news for you. its not that black and white.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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If you think things like gate takings, pourage and signage rights arent a thing, then ive got news for you. its not that black and white.

Yes, I was keeping it simple. The State league era, the venue manager concept was relatively unknown too.

So many things have changed, we still call it H&A and its a fixture albeit a FIXture. Hell some people still call it a draw.
 
Jun 6, 2016
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Yes, I was keeping it simple. The State league era, the venue manager concept was relatively unknown too.

So many things have changed, we still call it H&A and its a fixture albeit a FIXture. Hell some people still call it a draw.

That some of people are a minority, everyone else knows that it's swing and roundabouts. How would it work with a 3rd club at Optus? I'd imagine it'd be 2 game a week in season sometimes one.

Of course that would depend on whether that club would be viable i:e a public supporter base for starters. I don't think it's there WC and Freo are a rusted on bunch - that much I think we agree on.
 
Mar 5, 2005
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If it's Joondalup or Mandurah, they need to be playing 9 home games in their own stadium, with only the two home derbies at OS.
Would be a farce if either of these sides that are supposedly representing their respective regions outside metro Perth have to play ALL their home games at Burswood. It's bad enough that Freo never got the chance to play any home games in Freo for points.

Only some sort of Perth United FC Royal Falcons conglomerate (WAFL affiliated with West Perth/Perth/East Perth) should be playing ALL home games at OS.
 
Feb 13, 2011
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If it's Joondalup or Mandurah, they need to be playing 9 home games in their own stadium, with only the two home derbies at OS.
Would be a farce if either of these sides that are supposedly representing their respective regions outside metro Perth have to play ALL their home games at Burswood. It's bad enough that Freo never got the chance to play any home games in Freo for points.

Only some sort of Perth United FC Royal Falcons conglomerate (WAFL affiliated with West Perth/Perth/East Perth) should be playing ALL home games at OS.
So like the Geelong arrangement but worse?
 
Jan 26, 2006
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If it's Joondalup or Mandurah, they need to be playing 9 home games in their own stadium, with only the two home derbies at OS.
Would be a farce if either of these sides that are supposedly representing their respective regions outside metro Perth have to play ALL their home games at Burswood. It's bad enough that Freo never got the chance to play any home games in Freo for points.

Only some sort of Perth United FC Royal Falcons conglomerate (WAFL affiliated with West Perth/Perth/East Perth) should be playing ALL home games at OS.

You are by no means the first person to use this name but this has to be the dumbest idea of a team ever.
 
Mar 5, 2005
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You are by no means the first person to use this name but this has to be the dumbest idea of a team ever.

I never said it was a great idea... but can't think of anything else for a third tenant club at Burswood to hang their support on than forced WAFL links where the boat on that possibility has sailed. WC is NoR, Freo is SoR... that covers inner Perth metro.

If there is to be a third WA side... it needs to be the Geelong of WA, and even that seems a bit forced.

AFL should really look at Canberra for #20 if they want to expand the game, right the wrong of a territory they lost to rugby way back when.
 
If it's Joondalup or Mandurah, they need to be playing 9 home games in their own stadium, with only the two home derbies at OS.
Would be a farce if either of these sides that are supposedly representing their respective regions outside metro Perth have to play ALL their home games at Burswood. It's bad enough that Freo never got the chance to play any home games in Freo for points.

Only some sort of Perth United FC Royal Falcons conglomerate (WAFL affiliated with West Perth/Perth/East Perth) should be playing ALL home games at OS.

I don't think Optus Stadium would give up the opportunity to host a double header weekend every couple of weeks, either Friday/Sunday, Friday/Saturday, Saturday/Sunday.

If I were on the marketing team there I'd ask the AFL to never fixture any of the WA teams to play at the same time, except at the same ground, so that I could sell additional memberships for footy weekend passes where existing members of WCE and FFC can add on a little bit (not too expensive) and get to watch the third AFL team like a home member.

The stadium then gets more bums on seats and more pies in hands and more $12.50 vodka lime and sodas
 
Nov 8, 2000
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I never said it was a great idea... but can't think of anything else for a third tenant club at Burswood to hang their support on than forced WAFL links where the boat on that possibility has sailed. WC is NoR, Freo is SoR... that covers inner Perth metro.

Then base it in the east.

Honestly, it's the only option I can see that has a chance of working. A small chance granted, but more than the Joondalup abortions.
 
Aug 14, 2011
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Then base it in the east.

Honestly, it's the only option I can see that has a chance of working. A small chance granted, but more than the Joondalup abortions.

Got to say the MCG works real well in Melbourne - Perths now got a bloody good stadium, why would you not use it?
The issue of where the support for this club would come from is another issue, as are the players (AFL standard otherwise follow Subi :rolleyes: ).
 
Nov 8, 2000
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Being based off Swan Districts, or a totally new entity?

I'd be inclined to go with a totally new entity, but I don't know how to put something together that would capture not just Midland-Guildford, but Armadale, Kelmscott-Maddington-Gosnells as well. But if they could do it, then it might work. The population is big enough, and they have a bit of identity out that way.

But not ******* Joondalup. It's just another soulless suburb.
 
Jun 6, 2016
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I don't think Optus Stadium would give up the opportunity to host a double header weekend every couple of weeks, either Friday/Sunday, Friday/Saturday, Saturday/Sunday.

If I were on the marketing team there I'd ask the AFL to never fixture any of the WA teams to play at the same time, except at the same ground, so that I could sell additional memberships for footy weekend passes where existing members of WCE and FFC can add on a little bit (not too expensive) and get to watch the third AFL team like a home member.

The stadium then gets more bums on seats and more pies in hands and more $12.50 vodka lime and sodas

If I'm interpreting this correctly, you're suggesting a 3rd WA club as every WC and Freo fan's 2nd club?

If so then this 3rd club would be like a "stop gap" for lack of live footy, another GC which no one cares about. Sure purely for the purist footy fan who can't get enough footy but it's a stretch to have the public back this new club as their "2nd" after Freo or WC to make it viable.
 
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