Certified Legendary Thread China History in the Making

[Janus]

Sheedy just throws as many idea darts as possible and if one lands, he gets the credit, and if it doesn't...well, he's got plenty more.

 

[Pappagallo]

Sheedy just throws as many idea darts as possible and if one lands, he gets the credit, and if it doesn't...well, he's got plenty more.

It’s such a poorly worded paragraph. The flow of it is Kevin mentions China once and six years later voila! Kevin you’re a genius!

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Ew. Ol’ Kev must be one of the mythical Footy Gods because he gets credit for inventing bloody everything.

“In 2011, Kevin Sheedy called for a game to be played in China for premiership points. Many said he was crazy. It happened in 2017.”

Don't have a go at Sheedy, its just some Melbourne based academic trying to link in a Melbourne and Victorian angle to something they werent good enough to do.

Sheedy has been an evangelist for the game, both nationally and internationally, he took over from Barassi and before that it was Harry Beitzel who at the end of the 1967 season, mortgaged his house and took a team of Victorian players on the Australian Football World Tour to play the Irish in Ireland England and New York.

Harry got blazers and slouch hats made up for the players and I'm pretty sure it was legendary athletics coach Percy Cerutty who said look at those Galahs when he saw them at the airport. Beitzel then decided to adopt the team nickname as a badge of hour.

There is glory enough for all in this venture to take the game to all corners of the world, including the expats who have started teams and leagues all around the world over the last 50 years. Those guys wont be remembered by name, but their efforts as a collective, should never be forgotten by historians, academics or fans.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Here you go. Rooch wrote this great story in November last year about both the 1967 and 1968 Galahs tour to commemorate the 50th anniversary.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/h...e/news-story/6d17af518902e6d7ec112151f609b705

 

[Ford Fairlane]

We are at Hong Kong airport now waiting for return flight to Adelaide. About 2 or so hours to boarding.

pastmyprimus has a much longer wait for his Melbourne flight.

 

[VineValerian]

Back to back games - Port v GWS in Shanghai follwed by Port v Saints in Honkers.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Back to back games - Port v GWS in Shanghai follwed by Port v Saints in Honkers.

Just need that HK$32 billion stadium and precinct project to be built at the old Kai Tak airport to get a game in Honkers and make sure they build an oval not a rectangle.

 

[Lockhart Road]

We are at Hong Kong airport now waiting for return flight to Adelaide. About 2 or so hours to boarding.

pastmyprimus has a much longer wait for his Melbourne flight.

Plenty of time for you to pop out to the Pro Drinkers Corner. You know you want to.

 

[Pappagallo]

Don't have a go at Sheedy, its just some Melbourne based academic trying to link in a Melbourne and Victorian angle to something they werent good enough to do.

Sheedy has been an evangelist for the game, both nationally and internationally, he took over from Barassi and before that it was Harry Beitzel who at the end of the 1967 season, mortgaged his house and took a team of Victorian players on the Australian Football World Tour to play the Irish in Ireland England and New York.

Harry got blazers and slouch hats made up for the players and I'm pretty sure it was legendary athletics coach Percy Cerutty who said look at those Galahs when he saw them at the airport. Beitzel then decided to adopt the team nickname as a badge of hour.

There is glory enough for all in this venture to take the game to all corners of the world, including the expats who have started teams and leagues all around the world over the last 50 years. Those guys wont be remembered by name, but their efforts as a collective, should never be forgotten by historians, academics or fans.

I’d probably cut the Kevisionary a bit more slack if I could remember at least one time that he gave us some credit for our significant efforts wrt China.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

I’d probably cut the Kevisionary a bit more slack if I could remember at least one time that he gave us some credit for our significant efforts wrt China.

He has always been positive towards Port Adelaide FC. Like you I haven't heard him saying anything publicly about our China venture, but I know he has privately praised us about it, from the guy Sheedy and GWS President Tony Shepherd asked in 2011, to help the GWS find a Chinese Electronics goods manufacturer to be their major sponsor.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Plenty of time for you to pop out to the Pro Drinkers Corner. You know you want to.

I do but time to board soon. We will be back and spend some time in HK. Save me a chair. Try not to offend dangerous people when we are in your vicinity.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Just quickly we did Suzhou yesterday. Did the Master of Nets Garden, Embroidery Institute and a canal cruise. Didn't quite live up to its billing of Venice of China.

Probably me least favourite part of the tour. I think Shanghai has much more to offer and would love to see it sans tour in the future.

Bund tunnel, Science and Tech area, Museum of Natural History and Arts Centre on my list.

 

[pastmyprimus]

If you’re half thinking of going to see Port play next year in Shanghai just don’t hesitate. And if you can combine it with a tour. We did a 10 tour day that included Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai.

Exceeded my expectations. Just so much to see and do. Saw both the modern and traditional China, and both are must sees. Our tour guide was brilliant. Didn’t have to worry about a thing. Everything was organised. If you’re a first timer to China it’s a hassle free way to travel.

The tour squeezd a lot in. Would have liked to have spent more time in some places (eg, the Great Wall) and less in others but that’s the nature of organised tours. And it’s hard to anticipate what you will and won’t like beforehand. I still give our tour a big, big tick.

 

[Willsy10]

Waiting and waiting to board plane to Sydney in Shanghai and then to Adelaide. Been a great trip, with the slight hiccup of a day or two of sickness but overall a great trip to do with the old man.

Did the same tour as Ford fairlane, rising power and pastmyprimus and had the pleasure to meet all three. Special mention to Ford's wife for helping me out with some medication on the Friday when it looked like I might not have got up for Saturday. Very thoughtful.

Looking forward to getting home now.

On [device_name] using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[5107power]

If you’re half thinking of going to see Port play next year in Shanghai just don’t hesitate. And if you can combine it with a tour. We did a 10 tour day that included Beijing, Xi’an and Shanghai.

Exceeded my expectations. Just so much to see and do. Saw both the modern and traditional China, and both are must sees. Our tour guide was brilliant. Didn’t have to worry about a thing. Everything was organised. If you’re a first timer to China it’s a hassle free way to travel.

The tour squeezd a lot in. Would have liked to have spent more time in some places (eg, the Great Wall) and less in others but that’s the nature of organised tours. And it’s hard to anticipate what you will and won’t like beforehand. I still give our tour a big, big tick.

Who did you book your tour through? Was it done as a package (eg game tix, flights,accommodation transfers etc?) I’m interested in next year prob by myself (albeit I should know some port people on the trip) 1st time traveller and have no clue about overseas travelling

 

[pastmyprimus]

Who did you book your tour through? Was it done as a package (eg game tix, flights,accommodation transfers etc?) I’m interested in next year prob by myself (albeit I should know some port people on the trip) 1st time traveller and have no clue about overseas travelling

I booked my tour through Phil Hoffman travel, and it included practically everything (flights, hotels, ticket to the game, bus rides and tickets to tourist attractions, shows, transfers, all breakfasts and some lunches and dinners). You can choose from several options.

I’d recommend a tour for a first time traveller to China.

 

[GremioPower]

I'm reacting to (and digressing from) the first sentence rather than to your more expansive blog.

"Trial relocation by stealth" is an interesting experiment.

Imagine how many home games GC (or others, for the purpose of comparison) could sell off before this equation...

"membership revenue + net home game day return + net payment for/return from 'home away from home' games"

...is impacted negatively.

My gut feeling is that purely on revenue, Gold Coast could afford to sell more "home" games, making "Gold Coast home games at home" more a "monthly special event" than a regular fortnightly-ish thing, unlike the way AFL is marketed elsewhere. Only someone closer to "that market" could possibly make a call on whether that will help or hinder them putting down roots in that community. A discussion for a different thread there. Point is only that a traditional club can only sell off so many games before week-in, week out supporters get annoyed, and Gold Coast aren't a traditional club at all.

The Kangaroos have already sold 3 home games/year to Tasmania until 2021 and are putting roots down there via several other initiatives... more so than the Hawks IMO, so I expect to be playing the Roos in Hobart, not in Shanghai. I can't see the Tasmanian state government "bidding against" the Victorian money already invested in a presence in Shanghai. One phone call from the AFL to Hobart re North's "future activities" could preempt a contest entirely.

I expect the AFL have a shortlist for us for Shanghai 2019: the minnow who travels least (Saints), the lowest drawing better known side (Carlton) and a wildcard - Sydney. The VIC state government won't want to "pick a winner" from an under-performing minnow and an under-performing "big old money" club, they'll defer to the AFL's choice. Carlton has lots of latent supporters out of long-past historical successes and lots of folks who don't like them for exactly the same reasons. Well connected behind-the-scenes folks will work towards Carlton making the trip for a brown paper bag full of our money*, while I think their media will get behind the 'underdog' Saints. Sydney more than GWS is very visually marketable with the Opera House silhouette. IMO their fans wouldn't be as upset as insular North fans (for example) would be at losing a home game. If the stereotype holds Sydney fans would enjoy the travel "for the experience of the special event" ... but does that aspect matter when the game is a sellout anyway?

It's a bloody hospitality and networking event with a serious AFL game attached My money is on Carlton v Port for Shanghai 2019.

*Carlton has some experience with brown paper bags full of money, but that's a story for another day

All that I wrote on the blog post about AFL in China could be summarized in two sentences: "the possibilities are endless; and everyone can contribute and be rewarded for its success."

 

[Eddie Dingle]

I’d probably cut the Kevisionary a bit more slack if I could remember at least one time that he gave us some credit for our significant efforts wrt China.

If you ever get the chance to meet and chat with Sheeds and you let him know you are a Port Adelaide person he will tell you how much he has always and continues to admire our club.

He is a big fan.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Yeah I don’t really see any reason for Port fans to be badmouthing Sheedy. In terms of personality he was basically Choco before Choco was. I could easily see him as a Port Adelaide person in an alternate universe where everything aligned that way.

 

[Pappagallo]

If you ever get the chance to meet and chat with Sheeds and you let him know you are a Port Adelaide person he will tell you how much he has always and continues to admire our club.

He is a big fan.

Eddie and Kevin sittin’ in the tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Yeah I don’t really see any reason for Port fans to be badmouthing Sheedy. In terms of personality he was basically Choco before Choco was. I could easily see him as a Port Adelaide person in an alternate universe where everything aligned that way.

Apart from his “they stole Wanganeen from me” quips I don’t have too much of an issue with him, but in this case he’s getting credit for something that really has nothing to do with him. I’ll concede that might not necessarily be his fault though as REH pointed out.

Still as a widely-accepted visionary of our game you’d think he’d come out at least once and show support for the one club with the balls to go “out there” despite the naysayers.

 

[Papa G]

Sheedy takes for too much credit for inventing Indigenous footballers.

 

[OneGreatClub]

John Ralph reckons GWS have stuck up their hand and Tourism Oz wants more bang for their $$$.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...r/news-story/5ff084fcccde4bb694e6a4bfc7f55fda
GREATER Western Sydney has joined St Kilda as a contender to play Port Adelaide in China next year. The AFL will officially review its latest China sojourn on Thursday and prepare a report for the AFL commission as Gold Coast’s hopes of a 2019 game drift. Victorian trade minister Philip Dalidakis heavily lobbied the AFL to include a Melbourne team next year as part of a business delegation in Shanghai. St Kilda is seen as the perfect Victorian team to sell a home game because they are heavily in debt, want to grow their commercial base and have sold games overseas before.

Gold Coast has lost its two China games by 112 points, with its football department to be heavily consulted if it was to return. Tourism Australia’s heavy investment in the game means it wants bang for buck, which means Sydney-based side GWS is seen as an attractive contender. A significant percentage of western Sydney has an Asian heritage, which would help building interest and business links. AFL executive David Stevenson said the league was open to all options as it seeks to continue aggressively growing the game. “We have spent our time getting the game right. We will do a pretty comprehensive review on Thursday going through all aspects of the game,” he said.....
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport...r/news-story/5ff084fcccde4bb694e6a4bfc7f55fda

REH, are you able to get a link or content of the Australian article with Suns not happy about Victoria getting a piece of the China pie potentially in lieu of them next year?
It seems oppo clubs (apart from Adelaide) aren’t so “happy to lleave China To Port”

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

REH, are you able to get a link or content of the Australian article with Suns not happy about Victoria getting a piece of the China pie potentially in lieu of them next year?
It seems oppo clubs (apart from Adelaide) aren’t so “happy to lleave China To Port”

Ok this is it. Gotta get another picture of Mr Gui in, the one the Oz ran with for this story.

A Greg Denham story. Stephen Ciobo is not only the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, but he is the member for Moncrieff which covers a big chunk of the Gold Coast from Southport in the north along the tourist strip of Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach down to Miami and the NW part of his electrote goes out to Nerang and covers where Carrara stadium is. So the local Gold Coast member who has control of the purse strings at tourism Australia is flexing his musles a bit for his team.

You may remember that a few months after the Suns were selected as our opponent a tourism survey of 3.6 million Chinese yes 3.6m not 1,500 or 20,000 like in a bigger survey in Oz, rated where they want to go for a holiday around the world and the top 3 spots went to two Chinese cities and one in Thailand and the Gold Cast was ranked 4th in the world. Its why I say they have been dumb so far with their strategy

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...i/news-story/a44afdd319a286009a4a673b52f2ccb9
Gold Coast have signalled an intention to keep playing in Shanghai again next year, sparking potential conflict between the federal and Victorian governments over access to the lucrative Chinese market. New business opportunities and federal government assistance may lead to a change of heart by the Suns, who have not ruled out playing Port Adelaide for a third straight year in Shanghai next season. The Suns say the environment has changed since informally ruling out further participation in China, as exclusively reported in The Australian earlier this year.

Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane and his board, encouraged by new developments in their China strategy leading into last Saturday’s game against Port, have commissioned a report by Suns chief executive Mark Evans to be tabled at next month’s board meeting. A key element to the Suns’ potential backflip has been a new engagement in sponsorship and partnership opportunities in China. While the Suns have received almost $1 million by surrendering two home games on the Gold Coast to play in China, they are in the process of exploring deals that could net them far more cash and provide more opportunities for their community. The Suns’ chances of playing more home matches for premiership points in Shanghai have been enhanced by the federal government Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment Steve Ciobo’s mission to China last week. Ciobo, who is a resident of the Gold Coast and a strong Suns supporter, is the first minister from Malcolm Turnbull’s government to visit China in eight months. Tourism Australia has been a huge supporter of the historic Chinese games, with an investment exceeding $1 million in the first two years. “Obviously, the federally controlled Tourism Australia has a huge interest in the game because the Gold Coast is the number one destination of Chinese tourists each year,” Cochrane told The Australian yesterday. “The Gold Coast is a very, very strong tourism market for China so it’s important and in the best interest of the federal government to support the game.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...i/news-story/a44afdd319a286009a4a673b52f2ccb9

Tony Cochrane has been pretty quiet this year but this is his take on why they still want to keep the game. They have woken up it seems to the many possibilities. Plus a couple of mates know mayor Tom Tate very well and he does a lot of travelling to China to spruik the GC and they tell me he is very keen to keep the game.

“The last time I looked I didn’t know the Victorian government controlled the AFL, maybe the minister still thinks it’s the VFL,” Cochrane said. “Myself and all the other interstate presidents would be fascinated that the Victorian government would have a say in the calendar. We had no idea that the Victorian government are in that position, nor should they be.“And we, the Gold Coast Suns, have done the hard yards of a difficult road over the first two years, and we believe we have an absolute pre-emptive right with the AFL to have a presence in China. That’s certainly our understanding from the AFL Commission and the AFL management that we’ll be given every chance to consider whether we wish to return for a third year.

“It’s been completely pushed to one side that it’s our home game we’re giving up, and because of that we have certain rights. There’s no question that it’s Port Adelaide’s agenda, but we’ve done two very difficult years of a massive exercise for a young club. Not to mention we have consistently been on the road since the start of March, which has stretched us, no question. “But there’s no question each year we’re gaining in confidence about what we do, and we’ve got a lot to evaluate before we decide that we don’t wish to proceed in future years. Our board has asked Mark Evans to prepare a report on that eventuality and to have that ready for the June board meeting.”

The chairman described Ciobo’s presence in China for four days as a “huge feather in his club’s cap”. Cochrane said he had been encouraged by a “strong” tourism and Gold Coast study delegation who attended this year’s game.“They hosted a number of major functions in Shanghai around the game, all of which went exceedingly well.“So from our point of view it’s very important for the Gold Coast Suns to do what it can to develop strong relationships in our community and clearly tourism and education are two very important drivers of the Gold Coast economy.” The chairman said education was the fastest growing sector on the Gold Coast between all the various high schools, colleges and universities. “So it’s a big plus and it will be a big consideration that will be part of Mark’s report on whether we return to Shanghai or not.”

AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said from China on the weekend that he would not be part of those discussions. “That is a decision for Tony Cochrane, Mark Evans and their board,” he said. “But they need to work out what this market means to them. It’s a home game they take here.”

 

[OneGreatClub]

Ok this is it. Gotta get another picture of Mr Gui in, the one the Oz ran with for this story.

A Greg Denham story. Stephen Ciobo is not only the Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, but he is the member for Moncrieff which covers a big chunk of the Gold Coast from Southport in the north along the tourist strip of Main Beach, Surfers Paradise, Broadbeach, Mermaid Beach down to Miami and the NW part of his electrote goes out to Nerang and covers where Carrara stadium is. So the local Gold Coast member who has control of the purse strings at tourism Australia is flexing his musles a bit for his team.

You may remember that a few months after the Suns were selected as our opponent a tourism survey of 3.6 million Chinese yes 3.6m not 1,500 or 20,000 like in a bigger survey in Oz, rated where they want to go for a holiday around the world and the top 3 spots went to two Chinese cities and one in Thailand and the Gold Cast was ranked 4th in the world. Its why they have been dumb so far with their strategy

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...i/news-story/a44afdd319a286009a4a673b52f2ccb9
Gold Coast have signalled an intention to keep playing in Shanghai again next year, sparking potential conflict between the federal and Victorian governments over access to the lucrative Chinese market. New business opportunities and federal government assistance may lead to a change of heart by the Suns, who have not ruled out playing Port Adelaide for a third straight year in Shanghai next season. The Suns say the environment has changed since informally ruling out further participation in China, as exclusively reported in The Australian earlier this year.

Gold Coast chairman Tony Cochrane and his board, encouraged by new developments in their China strategy leading into last Saturday’s game against Port, have commissioned a report by Suns chief executive Mark Evans to be tabled at next month’s board meeting. A key element to the Suns’ potential backflip has been a new engagement in sponsorship and partnership opportunities in China. While the Suns have received almost $1 million by surrendering two home games on the Gold Coast to play in China, they are in the process of exploring deals that could net them far more cash and provide more opportunities for their community. The Suns’ chances of playing more home matches for premiership points in Shanghai have been enhanced by the federal government Minister for Tourism, Trade and Investment Steve Ciobo’s mission to China last week. Ciobo, who is a resident of the Gold Coast and a strong Suns supporter, is the first minister from Malcolm Turnbull’s government to visit China in eight months. Tourism Australia has been a huge supporter of the historic Chinese games, with an investment exceeding $1 million in the first two years. “Obviously, the federally controlled Tourism Australia has a huge interest in the game because the Gold Coast is the number one destination of Chinese tourists each year,” Cochrane told The Australian yesterday. “The Gold Coast is a very, very strong tourism market for China so it’s important and in the best interest of the federal government to support the game.”
https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...i/news-story/a44afdd319a286009a4a673b52f2ccb9

Tony Cochrane has been pretty quiet this year but this is his take on why they still want to keep the game. They have woken up it seems to the many possibilities. Plus a couple of mates know mayor Tom Tate very well and he does a lot of travelling to China to spruik the GC and they tell me he is very keen to keep the game.

Thank you. All that mocking by Eade and the Vics and others and how the tables are turning with now potentially teams fighting for the opportunity.
Play this well and carefully Port, we need to ensure we do very well out of this ourselves as we are the ones who have opened the door for the AFL and some competition between other clubs fighting to play us there will be a good thing indeed.

 

[Janus]

This is the perfect opportunity to leverage a second game in Shanghai under lights. If we can get two games at the stadium, it defrays the $5m cost ($4m + $1m lighting) to $2.5m each game...and travel companies can do a nice bit of business in between the games with tours etc.

Might even be less than that if state governments offer to pitch in money.