So how/why is ACT a better fit for NM?
Apart from the fact most people here & in even in Melbourne can't be bothered with them anyway.
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GWS is the AFL's biggest problem - not North, GC, or Tassie
- Thread starter Walshawk
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So how/why is ACT a better fit for NM?
Apart from the fact most people here & in even in Melbourne can't be bothered with them anyway.
sherb
Hall of Famer
Absolutely.
They've branded themselves as Greater Western Sydney but haven't been prepared to totally commit to the area. Playing home games in Canberra, from the outset, is evidence of that. They should be playing them all here.
They also showed their hand early on when they decided to align themselves with the Manly senior club, which (in effect) was taking an almighty dump on the good people involved in the senior game in the west of Sydney.
It's the vibe. It's north NM. ACT is a drive from Melbourne. Historically they were well-received.
Exactly my point.
NM actually have reasonable support (a bit better than most) outside of Melbourne.
I don't know if was player association or all the moving about.
GWS has to stop the player drain every year!
A lot of their best players are playing for mostly Victorian clubs and for GWS to be a success in NSW they need to be successful on the field every year if not the AFL can look forward to forking out 30 + million dollars every year to keep them afloat!
The first thing to help them to survive in a hostile market is get Alister Clackson as coach and the AFL help them keep their best players and recruit some others out of contract from other clubs or say even someone like a Dusty Martin.
A lot of their best players are playing for mostly Victorian clubs and for GWS to be a success in NSW they need to be successful on the field every year if not the AFL can look forward to forking out 30 + million dollars every year to keep them afloat!
The first thing to help them to survive in a hostile market is get Alister Clackson as coach and the AFL help them keep their best players and recruit some others out of contract from other clubs or say even someone like a Dusty Martin.
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Not sure Clarkson would make much difference at the moment. It'll need more than him.
It reminds me of the early 1990's when Ron Barassi got on the front foot in support of the 'Sydney experiment' & pushed the AFL to get behind the club in the then hostile territory.
I think that was the statement the AFL needed to make then. Today It needs similar, but overall IMO it needs a multi pronged approach. First is to play all GWS home games AT home. 2nd is retention of players & some marquis players. Even change the name to Sydney Giants, stuff what the Swans want.
Play someone else in the ACT.
Clarkson, along with your suggestions would make a difference IMO.
The team is there. The AFL are never wrong. So make it work, FOR Sydney, not FOR the AFL's imagination that it'll just flow along & grow on its own.
The branding and everything about the GWS doesn’t represent anything about the area they’re from. AFL came in hard and cocky about the move West and I don’t think that’s help grow the franchise.
Homebush is a waste land. Outside one off major events at the Olympic Stadium it’s a terrible area and one to avoid especially in winter. A new home in the West closer to the major hubs in Parramatta, Penrith, Blacktown, Liverpool is needed
Swans crowds now average 26-31k well down from the 42k+ crowds they always got pre 2018. Support has dropped even in the heartland of town.
Homebush is a waste land. Outside one off major events at the Olympic Stadium it’s a terrible area and one to avoid especially in winter. A new home in the West closer to the major hubs in Parramatta, Penrith, Blacktown, Liverpool is needed
Swans crowds now average 26-31k well down from the 42k+ crowds they always got pre 2018. Support has dropped even in the heartland of town.
- Nov 21, 2013
- 8,418
- 6,892
- AFL Club
- Melbourne
Peoples confidence is still low about returning to watch games after covid.
The AFL thinking they are omniscient will make them keep making the same mistakes with GWS
sherb
Hall of Famer
Say what?
- Moderator
- #86
It peaked at 35k in both 1997 and 2007 (that year was helped by playing at Homebush) and has hovered between 25k and 33k since 2000 with 2 seasons (2012 and 2021) averaging below 25k in a year. Our crowds are down on 2019 but not at a historic rate.
The AFL didn't make a mistake GWS was on target and looking good before it basically self-destructed.
- Apr 24, 2018
- 4,077
- 3,360
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
I don’t think anyone is talking about on field results they obviously should have probably done better then one grand final appearance with the talent they have had . It’s of field that has been a battle it doesn’t matter how you try and frame it there crowds in western Sydney have been absolutely shocking there actually going backwards that should be extremely worrisome for the afl .
- May 13, 2012
- 15,812
- 5,972
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Other Teams
- Brumbies, Socceroos
There was much hysteria about the Giants' "talent" early on, to such an extent that we were denied Albury as part of our academy zone.
The truth is, I'd be genuinely surprised if even half of our top 20 picks ended up staying for more than 5 seasons.
The fact is that often, we have had to pay overs to keep blokes at the club.
The truth is, I'd be genuinely surprised if even half of our top 20 picks ended up staying for more than 5 seasons.
The fact is that often, we have had to pay overs to keep blokes at the club.
- Apr 24, 2018
- 4,077
- 3,360
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
On field results are the least of gws problems trying to sign some members and actually getting people to turn up and watch games should be there priority . Because the numbers they have got in the first 10 years are in no way adequate to support and sustain a afl team .
Exactly and that has highly influenced onfield performance.
When you have both occurring, then fans pick up on it and instead of supporting the club when most needed they back away from the club.
You only have to look at the Swans and how they were nearly shipped off to Canberra to see a parallel.
I think that's partly a consequence of paying overs early to players and creating that culture of expectation of more money.
The longer term future should involve a lot more locals on the list, but it shouldn't be an unattractive place to play - there are advantages to living in Sydney that a lot of players would like. I'd imagine the relative anonymity would be appealing to a heap of players. It's just a matter of finding them.
- Apr 24, 2018
- 4,077
- 3,360
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
They were getting terrible crowds when they were top 4 and contending though. I understand generally for most clubs on field results have a direct link to crowd numbers but gws don’t seem to be able to draw a crowd at anytime
- Apr 24, 2018
- 4,077
- 3,360
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
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The AFL idea was for GWS to trade their draft picks but most AFL clubs would not oblige.
The result was that GWS was overblown with "potential'.
When this potential matured all at the same time, they couldn't retain a lot of the talent because they didn't didn't have the characteristics of an established club, that is GWS didn't have seasoned experienced players, prime players through to up and coming players and the economics associated with that spread.
Today the go-for-it, crash, burn and rebuild cycle targetting "the window", once very common has been replaced by a managed balanced approach with some players being retired regardless so there is always some injection of new blood into the club.
Wouldn't have thought they'd have to. Not like their training ground is in Penrith.
- May 13, 2012
- 15,812
- 5,972
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Other Teams
- Brumbies, Socceroos
Attendances were definitely trending upwards the year before COVID struck.
Also, I have a vague memory that the 2016 prelim was the 2nd most watched AFL game in terms of TV ratings.
Thirdly, sponsorship revenue has been excellent the whole way through.
- Apr 24, 2018
- 4,077
- 3,360
- AFL Club
- St Kilda
I believe 12 k was your average for attendance
and of course a preliminary final is going to rate well no matter who is playing
- May 18, 2022
- 4,027
- 5,533
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
- Other Teams
- Washington Wizards
GWS have failed to capitalise on their successful recruiting and target the market that they are in. Western Sydney has people who are first generation Australians and is rapidly expanding. People will show curiosity in the game with the right framework. But at the moment, they are so beige and boring that there is no reason to support them. Even when they were successful, people never felt a connection. The Giants is a boring name to go with the colour scheme that is relatively original in world sport. For a new AFL fan, why would you support GWS when Sydney is better? Why would you support GWS in Victoria, SA, or WA? You wouldn't. Except maybe to be different but it's a minuscule niche. 30,000 memberships from nothing a decade a bit ago sounds good but for the size of it, that's fairly ordinary. Western Sydney could arguably account for 2 millionish people (with some wider boundaries of NSW included). The Gold Coast has 600,000 accounting for the boundaries.
The way you build interest is through community but the Giants have no presence in an area where the Wanderers are more dominant. And NRL. The trick for GWS to be successful is integrate more into the community and become recognisable. AFL players are saying that people don't recognise and don't care about the game might be good for keeping a low profile, but it's not good for building a fan base. Taranto, Whitfield, Coniglio - Western Sydney people should have at least heard of them. For all the faults of Gold Coast, they have done a good job at building some fans in the area and the small but committed fan base show interest. Kids are in QLD are starting to know Rowell and Anderson and build connection. GWS supporters have Tom Green and that's it.
If they moved to Canberra, it might improve things temporarily but then NSW returns to not having enough teams. If they were given assistance, it's a bit ridiculous. And 11 games in a market that doesn't have the interest is a stupid idea from a revenue perspective.
To fix the debacle, it's about a clear brand that targets the demographics they are in. And they've never really done that. A rushed project with a rushed outcome.
The way you build interest is through community but the Giants have no presence in an area where the Wanderers are more dominant. And NRL. The trick for GWS to be successful is integrate more into the community and become recognisable. AFL players are saying that people don't recognise and don't care about the game might be good for keeping a low profile, but it's not good for building a fan base. Taranto, Whitfield, Coniglio - Western Sydney people should have at least heard of them. For all the faults of Gold Coast, they have done a good job at building some fans in the area and the small but committed fan base show interest. Kids are in QLD are starting to know Rowell and Anderson and build connection. GWS supporters have Tom Green and that's it.
If they moved to Canberra, it might improve things temporarily but then NSW returns to not having enough teams. If they were given assistance, it's a bit ridiculous. And 11 games in a market that doesn't have the interest is a stupid idea from a revenue perspective.
To fix the debacle, it's about a clear brand that targets the demographics they are in. And they've never really done that. A rushed project with a rushed outcome.
- May 13, 2012
- 15,812
- 5,972
- AFL Club
- GWS
- Other Teams
- Brumbies, Socceroos
Yes, but it was a very high rating prelim - that's kinda the point.I believe 12 k was your average for attendance
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