GWS is the AFL's biggest problem - not North, GC, or Tassie

[kranger]

Yes its tough breaking into NRL heartland.

Using GWS & the Suns any time the AFL want (games in Canberra, China) does nothing to develop a following pattern that heartland clubs take for granted (ignoring the whinges over time slots).

I would agree.

That you chose to ignore hometown derbies to make those numbers worse does nothing for the argument you are making.

I didn’t actually have an argument. I was just making an observation of how the two teams are currently going in their ‘home markets’. And since games in Canberra and Gold Coast don’t get to draw an excess number of supporters from a big brother team, it seemed fair to remove the Swans games to make it a fairer comparison.

 

[Kwality]

I didn’t actually have an argument. I was just making an observation of how the two teams are currently going in their ‘home markets’. And since games in Canberra and Gold Coast don’t get to draw an excess number of supporters from a big brother team, it seemed fair to remove the Swans games to make it a fairer comparison.

Observation or conclusion.

 

[kranger]

Or introduction?

 

[RedV3x]

Yes its tough breaking into NRL heartland.

It's not more like a soccer heartland or a sporting waste land.
But yes, it's hard to sell a sport in a vacuum.

 

[kalex6251]

on a positive note ..... adam kingsley

Adam Kingsley

Age

48

Ht

183cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

16.9

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

5.4

4star

M

4.1

4star

T

1.3

3star

No current season stats available

D

16.4

4star

K

10.4

4star

HB

6.0

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

3star

can coach

one less challenge they have to worry about

[edit] footy classified suggesting kingsley might need a mentor .... work stress flagged as an issue to watch out for ... interesting

 

[Walshawk]

GWS virtually admitting that they have no idea what they are doing off field. Change is needed, let’s hope the new CEO does something about GWS.

‘The NRL is stronger here than when the Giants started’: Swans, GWS want AFL to lift its game

Frustrated Sydney club chiefs have pleaded with the AFL to lift its game in NSW, pointing out that Australia’s biggest state has lost significant ground to the NRL over the past decade.

www.theage.com.au

 

[Rob]

If you're measuring the strength of the AFL by the inverse of how strong the NRL are then you're a ******* idiot.

 

[Falconista]

GWS virtually admitting that they have no idea what they are doing off field. Change is needed, let’s hope the new CEO does something about GWS.

‘The NRL is stronger here than when the Giants started’: Swans, GWS want AFL to lift its game

Frustrated Sydney club chiefs have pleaded with the AFL to lift its game in NSW, pointing out that Australia’s biggest state has lost significant ground to the NRL over the past decade.

www.theage.com.au

Article totally ignores the fact that Penrith have never been stronger in the NRL and Parramatta are having a good period. It's bloody competitive in Sydney's west.

 

[Walshawk]

Article totally ignores the fact that Penrith have never been stronger in the NRL and Parramatta are having a good period. It's bloody competitive in Sydney's west.

There is a problem though when you look at how few Giants fans were at the SCG Sunday. I reckon 1,000 tops. They draw less fans to the SCG that most Vic clubs. Where is the rivalry?

 

[almuz]

Sydney AFL followers are generally middle class RM Williams wearing Swans supporters

GWS’s short term pain is caused by this, the west doesn’t give a * about AFL. It’ll take at least another 20 years to change hearts and minds in Rugba Looiige heartland

 

[Walshawk]

Sydney AFL followers are generally middle class RM Williams wearing Swans supporters

GWS’s short term pain is caused by this, the west doesn’t give a * about AFL. It’ll take at least another 20 years to change hearts and minds in Rugba Looiige heartland

What do you think will make folks in Western Sydney switch from RL?

 

[sherb]

As a small snapshot of how things are, I can tell you juniors have dropped off here in the outer west.

At the local senior club, we haven't been able to get an Under 19s side on the field since 2019, as the kids just aren't coming through.

 

[RedV3x]

What do you think will make folks in Western Sydney switch from RL?

Two basic points.
Very few people "swtich" codes. It's more about attracting generational change starting with the young.
WTF people talking as if r.l. is the problem - western Sydney is about SOCCER.
For the size of W.S. there isn't much r.l.

 

[Rob]

Two basic points.
Very few people "swtich" codes. It's more about attracting generational change starting with the young.
WTF people talking as if r.l. is the problem - western Sydney is about SOCCER.
For the size of W.S. there isn't much r.l.

They might play soccer, but they don't watch it. Not live anyway.

 

[Walshawk]

Two basic points.
Very few people "swtich" codes. It's more about attracting generational change starting with the young.
WTF people talking as if r.l. is the problem - western Sydney is about SOCCER.
For the size of W.S. there isn't much r.l.

Nup. Just some of the biggest RL clubs in the world. Wanderers crowd and interest has crashed. They sits behinds all NRL clubs there these days.

 

[Seedsfan]

It's not more like a soccer heartland or a sporting waste land.
But yes, it's hard to sell a sport in a vacuum.

West Sydney is NRL land

 

[Seedsfan]

Sydney AFL followers are generally middle class RM Williams wearing Swans supporters

GWS’s short term pain is caused by this, the west doesn’t give a * about AFL. It’ll take at least another 20 years to change hearts and minds in Rugba Looiige heartland

The AFL has done a good job at eating into Rugby and the Waratahs. Out west it’s league always has been

 

[sherb]

West Sydney is NRL land

Certainly at senior level, I'd be interested to see comparative soccer/RL numbers at the junior level however. A lot of kids play soccer.

 

[Prince Imperial]

Dave Matthews has been the CEO there for a decade. Off field, the club is struggling to attract fans in WS with poor crowds and TV ratings (just 9k and 10k in the Sydney market for their last two matches). The club lost $3m last year and has a debt of over $9m to the AFL of which no interest is being charged.

Whenever I've heard him interviewed, he's come across as whiny and uninspiring. It's no doubt a very tough gig, but surely they need fresh leadership.

 

[madmug]

They might play soccer, but they don't watch it. Not live anyway.

Having lived in Sydney (near Paramatta for a good while), the people don't go to sports events en mass. NRL grounds don't hold too many, because they don't need to.

I don't know what the AFL expect to happen in the great West, 50k crowds will never ever happen. Even 30k is asking for too much.

One can only hope they grow to a worthwhile size considering the fortune put into the scheme.

 

[RedV3x]

West Sydney is NRL land

Not participation wise and not that passionately.

 

[RedV3x]

The AFL has done a good job at eating into Rugby and the Waratahs.

Rugby has done a good job in losing support. AFL has always been strongest in certain areas.

Out west it’s league always has been

Not to any great degree.

 

[Seedsfan]

Rugby has done a good job in losing support. AFL has always been strongest in certain areas.


Not to any great degree.

I agree that Rugby has lost supporters but the AFL have definitely won support in those parts of Sydney. It’s a bit of both

 

[RedV3x]

Having lived in Sydney (near Paramatta for a good while), the people don't go to sports events en mass. NRL grounds don't hold too many, because they don't need to.

Yep.

I don't know what the AFL expect to happen in the great West, 50k crowds will never ever happen. Even 30k is asking for too much.

With every sporting team you cannot build without onfield success (and absence of off-field drama)

One can only hope they grow to a worthwhile size considering the fortune put into the scheme.

people keep forgetting that the expansion teams were underwritten by media rights.

 

[RedV3x]

I agree that Rugby has lost supporters but the AFL have definitely won support in those parts of Sydney. It’s a bit of both

Rugby has lost support and AFL has become more of an option.
Getting AFL into schools has been critical, yes, so congrats to the AFL on that part.
You cannot very play AFL if it's not an option.