Long-term future of the AFL.

[Canberra Pear]

Last thing we need is two teams in Western Sydney. One will never work let alone two. It is the part of Australia that likes RL the most and AF the least. Totally unsuitable demographics.

By the time the aerotropolis is up and running, GWS will not be in Western Sydney. They'll be squarely Central Sydney.

The idea behind the aerotropolis is creating a third city within Sydney. The Swans already represent the "Eastern Harbour City". The Giants are based out of the "Central River City", and the aerotropolis will be the centre of the "Western Parklands City".

The theory is to make it possible for most of the people in each city to get to their respective CBDs in 30 minutes, so it's advantageous to have stadiums in the centre of these cities.



As Johnny Bananas said, nobody is seriously considering a third Sydney team before 2050. By then, GWS would have had four decades to establish themselves (longer than the Swans had before GWS' entry) and the Central City will have nearly 2m people.

By then, the Western City will have a further 1.5m people (essentially an Adelaide without a team). And unless West Tigers make a strategic move, there'll be no major team based in the middle of that city.

I'm not saying there should definitely be a team based there, but a lot can happen in 30 years. It should at least be on the AFL's radar. Especially with much of the aerotropolis still a blank canvas. At a minimum, the AFL should be ensuring there's AFL infrastructure available in case they do decide to make a move.

 

[Bjo187]

My mate that grew up in western sydney reckons the dumbest thing the giants did was not base themselves in Parramatta and play out of a stadium there. It's basically the second Sydney city apparently.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

My mate that grew up in western sydney reckons the dumbest thing the giants did was not base themselves in Parramatta and play out of a stadium there. It's basically the second Sydney city apparently.

I agree, a stadium next to Western Sydney Stadium would have been the best idea. Fortunately for the Giants, the new metro line will make Olympic Park easier to get to.

 

[Bjo187]

I agree, a stadium next to Western Sydney Stadium would have been the best idea. Fortunately for the Giants, the new metro line will make Olympic Park easier to get to.

I didn't know about this new line. What's the process to get to Olympic park now? Looking at the map of the new line it's only 6 stops to Sydney Olympic park, no line changes.

 

[Johnny Bananas]

I didn't know about this new line. What's the process to get to Olympic park now? Looking at the map of the new line it's only 6 stops to Sydney Olympic park, no line changes.

Train to Lidcombe, get off and catch a train shuttle to Olympic Park. The metro line will do Parramatta to Olympic Park in one stop.

 

[Bjo187]

Train to Lidcombe, get off and catch a train shuttle to Olympic Park. The metro line will do Parramatta to Olympic Park in one stop.

Interesting, I thought there was a train station right at Olympic park and always had been.

 

[Walshawk]

Interesting, I thought there was a train station right at Olympic park and always had been.

There is but you have to change lines halfway.

 

[Walshawk]

Again with the Sydney bashing.
It is the part of Australia that likes soccer the most and AF is unttried. Totally suitable demographics open to a little promoption.

Nah. It's better to go fishing where the fish are. Not sure what you mean by AF being ''unttreid'', but if you mean that the AFL has not had a crack, I disagree. They have simply had no traction at all. The people of Western Sydney have next to zero interest. It is like putting a second NRL team in Melbourne. How do you reckon that would go?

 

[Tigerlaird]

Nah. It's better to go fishing where the fish are. Not sure what you mean by AF being ''unttreid'', but if you mean that the AFL has not had a crack, I disagree. They have simply had no traction at all. The people of Western Sydney have next to zero interest. It is like putting a second NRL team in Melbourne. How do you reckon that would go?

Rugby League is not popular in Melbourne, but the people who like it (like myself) like it to the extreme

 

[Aussie in exile]

My mate that grew up in western sydney reckons the dumbest thing the giants did was not base themselves in Parramatta and play out of a stadium there. It's basically the second Sydney city apparently.

The whole GWS thing has not been handled very well in my opinion

 

[Coolangatta]

Personally I don’t think that GWS should be moved to Canberra if the experiment fails. I think that the AFL should wait until at least mid 20 forties to make a decision on whether to pull the plug on GWS or not.

But I also think that Canberra should have a team in the 2030s which means that you can’t move GWS to Canberra unless you merge them with the Canberra team.

But I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. It would probably be better if the GWS experiment doesn’t work out to relocate them to wherever the 21st team would be. I guess it depends on where they want to expand beyond Canberra if Canberra is the 20th team.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Personally I don’t think that GWS should be moved to Canberra if the experiment fails. I think that the AFL should wait until at least mid 20 forties to make a decision on whether to pull the plug on GWS or not.

But I also think that Canberra should have a team in the 2030s which means that you can’t move GWS to Canberra unless you merge them with the Canberra team.

But I’m not so sure that’s a good idea. It would probably be better if the GWS experiment doesn’t work out to relocate them to wherever the 21st team would be. I guess it depends on where they want to expand beyond Canberra if Canberra is the 20th team.

All the while GWS play games in Canberra there, Canberra won't have its own team

 

[RedV3x]

My mate that grew up in western sydney reckons the dumbest thing the giants did was not base themselves in Parramatta and play out of a stadium there. It's basically the second Sydney city apparently.

Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney and there is no stadium there - simple.

 

[RedV3x]

It's better to go fishing where the fish are.

That makes no logical sense at all if indeed the idea is to expand.
The idea was to expand and establish a truly national competition.
IMO the AFL has definitely succeeded though they could always do better.

 

[Aussie in exile]

That makes no logical sense at all if indeed the idea is to expand.
The idea was to expand and establish a truly national competition.
IMO the AFL has definitely succeeded though they could always do better.

Only when we have teams in Tassie and Canberra can we be considered truly national, and all the while GWS play games in Canberra, Canberra won't be getting their own team
Sorry to pour water on your fire

 

[Coolangatta]

All the while GWS play games in Canberra there, Canberra won't have its own team

Yeah, like I said, I don't think Canberra needs to have a team until the 2030s, but I agree that Canberra has no chance of getting a team until GWS stops playing games there. So what I would personally do is give GWS another five years to play home games in Canberra and then after that the games played there are by Victorian teams until Canberra enters the league. This will also allow the Giants to grow their western Sydney base.

 

[RedV3x]

Only when we have teams in Tassie and Canberra can we be considered truly national, and all the while GWS play games in Canberra, Canberra won't be getting their own team
Sorry to pour water on your fire

Being "truly national" doesn't mean a team in every possible city.
The AFL is way ahead of the NFL in this regard.
Nobody says the NFL is not a truly national competition
and it makes an absolute laughing stock of the NRL

 

[Bjo187]

Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney and there is no stadium there - simple.

There was no stadium in Blacktown either, till one was built. The point being they should have been based and had a stadium built in Parramatta prior to entering the competition.

 

[Walshawk]

There was no stadium in Blacktown either, till one was built. The point being they should have been based and had a stadium built in Parramatta prior to entering the competition.

The AFL starting GWS in Blacktown shows their lack of understanding of Sydney. Just because they had a compliant council protested to throw in cash, they made a significant strategic error. Parra would have been great (well much better than Blacktown) and they may not have abandoned like they did with Blacktown.

 

[Walshawk]

That makes no logical sense at all if indeed the idea is to expand.
The idea was to expand and establish a truly national competition.
IMO the AFL has definitely succeeded though they could always do better.

Ot depends what you mean by expansion. Trying to ‘convert’ western Sydney is futile. Best to connect with people that are already AFL fans (or at least open to it) in places like Tasmania and Canberra. If the AFL had their time again I reckon Tas would have entered in 2011 and Canberra in 2012. We would have 18 solid clubs and now be taking about 19th and 20th teams in 2035.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Parramatta is a suburb of Sydney and there is no stadium there - simple.

There's not, but there's an oval with space around it immediately west of Western Sydney Stadium.

If there ever was an AFL stadium to be built in Parramatta, that would've been the spot to put it. And then it would have taken advantage of the infrastructure of the stadium already next to it. And no sharing deal with the Easter Show.

It's of little consequence now. GWS is settled at Olympic Park now, including their training oval being upgraded to AFLW standard, and increased transport links coming. But it would've been a good option if it were looked into back in the day. Much closer and central to their target fanbase.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Being "truly national" doesn't mean a team in every possible city.
The AFL is way ahead of the NFL in this regard.
Nobody says the NFL is not a truly national competition
and it makes an absolute laughing stock of the NRL

The NRL is a laughing stock by calling itself the NRL, but the fact remains until we have teams in Canberra and Tassie we are not a national sport

 

[Tigerlaird]

Canberra Pear if Canberra gets an AFL team would you barrack for them or stick with Power?

 

[Canberra Pear]

Canberra Pear if Canberra gets an AFL team would you barrack for them or stick with Power?

That's a very good question.

I'd barrack for both. I'd buy memberships for both, buy merch for both, watch both of their games. But I'm not sure who I'd support when they play each other.

Port means a lot to me, definitely couldn't give them up. But I'd probably more actively support Canberra as I'd be going to more games and I'd be trying to get fellow Canberrans on board.

 

[Tigerlaird]

That's a very good question.

I'd barrack for both. I'd buy memberships for both, buy merch for both, watch both of their games. But I'm not sure who I'd support when they play each other.

Port means a lot to me, definitely couldn't give them up. But I'd probably more actively support Canberra as I'd be going to more games and I'd be trying to get fellow Canberrans on board.

Ah yeah make sense. And I hope it happens!