A Third Team In Sydney - It's Only a Matter Of Time !!

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Bjo187

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Sydney's North Shore FC, formed 1903 (playing mainly at Gore Hill synthetic oval, St Leonards- first game starts 8.10 am, last of 7 games starts at 7.20pm!), in 2021 has 14 snr teams (inc. 6 adult men's teams, 2 U19 male teams, 5 women's teams, & a Masters team)- with over 440 snr players.

(Go to 8.4.21 for full details, & results of Rd.1 for NSFC, player bios etc. in later posts).

AFAIK, it is the biggest snr GR AF club in Australia- & the biggest of all time. In season 2020, it had 12 teams, with 400+ players- in 2016, it had a total of only 6 teams (& no women's).

In Melb. the big snr GR clubs are Xavier, St Kevins, Fitzroy, & Melbourne Uni. Women's FC. They are all Amateurs, in the VAFA.
In 2021, Fitzroy FC has 119 snr adult male players in 4 teams- not including multiple U19 males, & women's teams (latter joint venture with the Fitzroy-based Aust. Catholic University).
None are close, however, to North Shore FC.

Would there ever be an afl club for north sydney? Seems a good area for one as it's the other side of the bridge to the scg. North could relocate there and be the north sydney kangaroos actually. Good contrast to the swans colors too.
 
Nov 26, 2016
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Would there ever be an afl club for north sydney? Seems a good area for one as it's the other side of the bridge to the scg. North could relocate there and be the north sydney kangaroos actually. Good contrast to the swans colors too.

I like the idea of North playing a few games there. North Sydney Oval has pulled a few 10k preseason crowds. It would be good to see it redeveloped to an AFL standard.

A few games a year there would supplement losing Tassie. They could play home games against against the Swans and Giants to guarantee a crowd.
 

NoobPie

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I like the idea of North playing a few games there. North Sydney Oval has pulled a few 10k preseason crowds. It would be good to see it redeveloped to an AFL standard.

A few games a year there would supplement losing Tassie. They could play home games against against the Swans and Giants to guarantee a crowd.

But nobody would actually support them would they? I'm pretty sure north sydney is the Swans third strongest area after eastern suburbs and the inner west
 

RedV3x

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But nobody would actually support them would they? I'm pretty sure north sydney is the Swans third strongest area after eastern suburbs and the inner west.

The North Shore is a strong Swans area and a strong AFL area.
The trouble with North's history is that they never ever committed.
At least they were honest but you're never going to get decent crowds unless you say are prepared and ready to move.
North would have had larger crowds in Sydney, G.C. and Canberra if had said they were serious (even though they weren't)
Same goes for Tasmania. The first club to commit to Tasmania will receive their total support.
Unfortunately to much has transpired now and only a stand-alone club will suffice now.
 
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Aussie in exile

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I like the idea of North playing a few games there. North Sydney Oval has pulled a few 10k preseason crowds. It would be good to see it redeveloped to an AFL standard.

A few games a year there would supplement losing Tassie. They could play home games against against the Swans and Giants to guarantee a crowd.
There could be a potential problem if they want to play at the North Sydney oval
We are talking here of one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world if the not the biggest with a huge following worldwide
 
Apr 12, 2012
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There could be a potential problem if they want to play at the North Sydney oval
We are talking here of one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world if the not the biggest with a huge following worldwide

Won’t happen
 
May 4, 2009
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There could be a potential problem if they want to play at the North Sydney oval
We are talking here of one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world if the not the biggest with a huge following worldwide
that is not going to happen.

Adam Peacock makes a good point on Fox Sports regarding takeovers. The ones you hear about in the media never happen. These things are done behind closed doors.
 

HavUEvaSeenTheRain

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There could be a potential problem if they want to play at the North Sydney oval
We are talking here of one of the biggest soccer clubs in the world if the not the biggest with a huge following worldwide
It’s too bad they weren’t behind Weatern United.
 

Pippen94

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Man U should create a team to play out of revamped Brookvale. Huge soccer catchment is the north shore
 

NoobPie

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Man U should create a team to play out of revamped Brookvale. Huge soccer catchment is the north shore

I reckon a new soccer franchise in north sydney will get great crowds initially......and they'll just keep getting bigger and bigger from there

It will thrive because the famous northern soccer spirit .......and the participation rates of course

My god a hamster learns quicker!

🤣🤣🤣🤣
 

NoobPie

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What we know is that there will be at least ten stories about interests considering buying an A League franchise for thrupence for every one transaction

And Pippen94 will link every one them here with some line about the interest of "investors" in the A League and assume people will be impressed
 

Pippen94

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What we know is that there will be at least ten stories about interests considering buying an A League franchise for thrupence for every one transaction

And Pippen94 will link every one them here with some line about the interest of "investors" in the A League and assume people will be impressed

One of the world's richest sporting brands looking to invest in A league but that's a bad thing.
 

RedV3x

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Huge soccer catchment is the north shore.

Funny, that's a region where I'd say soccer is least popular.
North Shore is known as the home of rugby union.
Australian Rules Football has been strong on the North Shore since 1903 as a NSWFL founding club.
Of course, rugby league is still strong there.
Remind me again of the powerhouse soccer clubs there.
 

Seedsfan

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Funny, that's a region where I'd say soccer is least popular.
North Shore is known as the home of rugby union.
Australian Rules Football has been strong on the North Shore since 1903 as a NSWFL founding club.
Of course, rugby league is still strong there.
Remind me again of the powerhouse soccer clubs there.
There is no hope of this relocation happening I wouldn’t engage him.
 

MC Bad Genius

No, not THAT MC Bad Genius. The other one.
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I like the idea of North playing a few games there. North Sydney Oval has pulled a few 10k preseason crowds. It would be good to see it redeveloped to an AFL standard.

A few games a year there would supplement losing Tassie. They could play home games against against the Swans and Giants to guarantee a crowd.
North Sydney Oval is never going to be a top-grade AFL ground though. It's simply not big enough.

Also, I'd venture a guess that a majority of Swans fans would be from North of the harbour, so you'd be relying on a third team converting fans to a new club, which is never easy.
 

Bjo187

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North Sydney Oval is never going to be a top-grade AFL ground though. It's simply not big enough.

Also, I'd venture a guess that a majority of Swans fans would be from North of the harbour, so you'd be relying on a third team converting fans to a new club, which is never easy.

It could be reconfigured though there is parkland it could go into, with taking down a few of the old stands.
 

RedV3x

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It could be reconfigured though there is parkland it could go into, with taking down a few of the old stands.

You beat me to it. There is plenty of room simply by re-aligning and re-shaping the ground, taking out a bit of a grassy embankment.
Having said that, there isn't much room for anything other than a boutique ground without major changes.
 

RedV3x

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I'd venture a guess that a majority of Swans fans would be from North of the harbour.

No, but a good number.

so you'd be relying on a third team converting fans to a new club, which is never easy.

When the Swans came to Sydney they were seen as representing Australian Rules Football in Sydney.
The same could be said for the Lions, Eagles and Crows when they came to their respective cities.
The arrival of the Dockers in W.A. signalled the change from a "state" team to a "local" team.
The arrival of the power just recognised a very powerful SANFL club.
A North Shore AFL club would take a bit from those scenarios - the club would truly identify with the region.
If we look at the NRL there are observations to be made.
1. Fans don't travel South over the Harbour Bridge - new fans would be drawn from the area playing at North Sydney.
2. North Sydney has a strong identity across the football codes.
3. When the North Sydney Bears folded there was upswing in AFL interest from the area.
4. Eastern Suburbs change to Sydney City and the Swans increasing identify as Sydney city rather than NSW Swans.
 
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Pippen94

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You beat me to it. There is plenty of room simply by re-aligning and re-shaping the ground, taking out a bit of a grassy embankment.
Having said that, there isn't much room for anything other than a boutique ground without major changes.

Ha - ppl here rezoning site & removing heritage items
 
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