Ok, maybe 'none' was the wrong choice of words. Some demand, but not enough for an AFL team without significant support. Therefore 'insufficient' demand.
I am not convinced that that a team would surely grow demand. Has the Storm grown demand in Melbourne? Maybe. I guess its debatable. If so, not much. In another example, did Australian rugbies national comp build demand or more clearly show how insignificant rugby is in Australia and therefore erode demand? Again debatable. I would say the latter.
If you look at the decline of various sports and clubs in Australia, once they appear to have been rejected, they go down in popularity quite quickly. In rugby union's case, their national league was quite silly because it proved how unpopular union actually is. Prior to that, union could make big boasts without having those boasts being tested. I think the code's image took a blow when its national league clarified where it existed in popularity.
Head to head with rugby league on the Gold Coast, the AFL will lose. It's silly to think otherwise. That loss will be used by rugby league to its advantage. If you must go head to head with league, you should do it in a way that you can win. If you can't win, keep out of the battle until you can.
I don't think you need your own team to either play or watch AFL. You said you came from regional Victoria. Did you you need an VFL/AFL team in your region to inspire you to play or watch the VFL/AFL?
Patience is a virtue. As long as the AFL keeps its development funds flowing to the Gold Coast, players will be drafted, local newspapers in Queensland will write profiles about the drafties, and their friends and families will watch their progress. That will do more for building television ratings than any new Gold Coast team playing in front of crowds of 10,000 or so.
