Kangaroos' Australian footy leagues plan

[Sydneyfan]

I don't know if everyone knows about it but a couple of weeks ago, the Kangaroos announced a plan where they would try to aligned themselves with a club in every Australian football league throughout Australia. They are trying to entice clubs (especially ones with a Kangaroos nickname or royal blue and white jersey) to change align with the Roos with the Kangaroos providing the clubs that do the Kangaroos away jersey plus several other enticements. Already the Sunshine Football Club (formerly Sunshine YCW) and Campbelltown (Sydney AFL) have aligned with the Roos.There's an article on it @ www.realfooty.com.au

I don't know how everyone else feels about it but it sounds like a great initiative for a club trying to increase its supporter base across Australia. The Kangaroos are in a good position for this with many leagues across Australia already containing a club called the 'Kangaroos'. Richmond and Collingwood are in a similar position with there being 100s of 'Tigers' and 'Magpies' clubs across Australia.

I hope for the Kangaroos' sake it pays off and they are able to attract more support as a result of this initiative.

[This message has been edited by Sydneyfan (edited 08 January 2001).]

 

[CURVE]

Ainslie aligned themselves with the Kangaroos last year, although I believe they still wear the St. Kilda guernsey (don't quote me on the last bit).

If North put the time and effort into this project, I've no doubt it will be a successful venture for everyone involved. And I'm sure other AFL clubs will follow suit.

One question though: How does this help the country clubs and the Kangaroos??

DEVO

 

[mud n blood]

Don't know if the Mt.Gravatt Vultures (blue and white stripes) in the AFLQ have aligned or not, but the recreation club's licence is currently strapped and in trouble.

 

[iron mike]

thanks sydneyfan

interesting read!

 

[CJH]

Langwarrin in the MPNFL have also aligned with the Kangaroos - they already wore the blue and white horizontal stripes!

It benefits the country clubs in the manner that all the 'Kangaroo' clubs will form a kind of cooperative which will enable cheaper purchase of apparel and equipment through buying in bulk.

The Kangaroos themselves benefit through brand name promotion, as well as putting themselves into a position where they would have players come out giving clinics to the junior players at these clubs who may still be impressionable as too which teams they follow.

Also, if you're a kid growing up in a town that uses the Kangaroos brand you may well be likely to follow the Kangaroos AFL team.

This is not likely to solve the Kangaroos problems on it's own and no return would be expected for probably 10 years; until the 'recruited' supporters obtain a degree of affluence.

Nonetheless, it is still a worthy long term plan to grow their support levels.

------------------
This is a hallucination and these faces are in a dream. A computer generated environment; a fantasy island you can do anything and not have to face the consequences.

 

[A fan of the swans]

"Grow their supporter levels"?????

Seems to me that this is just more of the same of what north melbourne tried to do in Sydney last year.

That is to poach other teams supporters without doing any real development.

Lazy lazy lazy

 

[croode]

Originally posted by A fan of the swans:
"Grow their supporter levels"?????

Seems to me that this is just more of the same of what north melbourne tried to do in Sydney last year.

That is to poach other teams supporters without doing any real development.
Lazy lazy lazy

How are trying to affilliate themselves with junior clubs throughout the country pinching other clubs fans?
You tell us what North should do to increase their supporter base.
Or are you so insecure about Sydney's
standing that when their performance drops off, the "supporters" will dump them and go back to Rugby League.

 

[A fan of the swans]

Now, now, now....

No need to get so touchy!

Just commenting on the fact that it is in the culture of the north melbourne football club take the easy way (ie, let others do the work and put in the effort while they sit back and reap the rewards).

It is my belief that this is one reason why north melbourne are struggling to retain supporters and despite their premierships are one of the most vulnerable clubs in the league to being given the chop should it be decided to consolidate the competition.

don't worry--the swans future is very secure and looking very very rosy, thank you very much.

unlike yourselves, we took the plunge into sydney, suffered terribly, but survived and emerged stronger for it

we have been through the worst and have nothing to feel insecure about

can north melbourne say the same? I think not

the worst is yet to come

 

[croode]

Maybe our future dose not look so bright, but it never really ever has and we still survived through all this.
Up to recently the club had not ever recieved financial support from the AFL and has never ever recieved player and draft concessions to help them along unlike you know who. Despite all this we been there on Preliminary Final day consistently with 3 GF appearances and 2 PREMIERSHIPS to boot.
Ah its been a fine decade.
So what have the Swans Done?

Croode

 

[A fan of the swans]

The whole concept of the AFL is MEANINGLESS without a strong team established in Sydney.

What have the Swans been doing?

They have been securing the future of the whole AFL (think of what having a strong and well supported team in sydney means in terms of things such as negotiating TV rights--from which ALL teams, including north melbourne) benefit)

our journey into hell was a necessary one

we surivived

now we are inching our way closer and closer to heaven (only a matter of time)

better than spending all that time in purgatory (where you and your team have been all these years--despite your premiership trophies--and remain)

 

[croode]

The AFL were keen to test themarket in Sydney with the presence of another side. North were happy to oblige. Of course they were only thinking of the benefits to themselves, Why shouldn't they?
As for your comment that North were lazy, laziness dosen't bring success. Reliance on the support of your guardians creates laziness.
As for the swan's future success, there is no doubt that will come about. The AFL desires it and will ensure it.

God it must have hurt the powers that be on GF day 1996 and the subsequent PFs when they put out Brisbane.

Go Roos

 

[A fan of the swans]

It was north melbourne's LAZINESS (ie in targetting existing swans members and supporters with their propoganda instead of cultivating new supporters as they promised) that alientated potential and existing supporters of afl in sydney and ensured that the experiment of having a second team in sydney was a spectacular and embarrassing FLOP!

its no-one's fault that they failed except their own

reliance on your guardians? is that meant to be a sly dig at the swans?

you may wish to read the article that was very kindly posted by dons_r_us "BSA you may like this"

As for your statement:

"As for the swan's future success, there is no doubt that will come about. The AFL desires it and will ensure it."

--you actually contradict yourself

No matter how much the AFL desires something--does not mean that it is guaranteed to occur. Witness the swans in the early years and witness north melbourne's recent embarrassing flops in sydney

go swans

 

[Carey_is_King]

After all these years, all the millions, concessions and assistance, where are you ?
A supporter base which is largely (though not all) theatre-goers and still no on-field success.
North have shown more initiative than any other club in recent years, and most right thinking supporters from other clubs give them credit for that.

------------------
Trample the Weak,
Hurdle the Dead.

 

[A fan of the swans]

All those cliches about swans supporters! And in just the one post! This is a record? Surely!

Envious of our millions, are you?

Watch out--your own motto (Trample the weak, hurdle the dead) might just turn around and bite you one of these days!

 

[Redd]

I really can't believe it when "A Fan of the Swans" says North always takes the easy way out. Are you for real!!
North was the team that first played footy for points in Sydney. Paving the way for another club to enter with the groundwork already done. Now how many clubs want a piece of that action.
North was the only team that was prepared to play footy on Sunday. Now its one of the most popular timeslots!
North was the only team that put their hand up to play Friday night footy. And as usual ever other F****** team now wants what North pioneered. Just another example of the AFL screwing the weaker clubs. They dont have the guts to take the Anzac day game away from some of the bigger clubs do they?
No I'm sorry "A fan of Sydney" North never has it easy. We fight for every scrap and morsel to keep our club going. Not like the two northern teams.

 

[Carey_is_King]

Originally posted by A fan of the swans:
All those cliches about swans supporters! And in just the one post! This is a record? Surely!

Envious of our millions, are you?

Watch out--your own motto (Trample the weak, hurdle the dead) might just turn around and bite you one of these days!

The millions I refer to are those provided to your club by the VFL/AFL (read other clubs) over the early years. Without that you would not be here today. Even then you nearly managed to stuff it up.



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Trample the Weak,
Hurdle the Dead.

 

[croode]

I do not wish to put the Swans or any other club down. I wish them the best(except when they play North). I was merely trying to defend the clubs position.
For the last 30 yrs they have been one of the most innovative clubs in the AFL.
They with Hawthorn first played a game in Sydney in the modern era, pioneered friday night football that has become a big success with other clubs as well. Granted the Sydney venture has been a failure for various reasons but I doubt that it will stop from attempting other projects. As I said, laziness is not part of North's repartoire and it will everything it can to survive, compete and be successful.

Croode

 

[Mr Ripper]

Redd reckons:
North was the team that first played footy for points in Sydney. Paving the way for another club to enter with the groundwork already done.

Pardon me?

 

[Carey_is_King]

Originally posted by Mr Ripper:
Pardon me?

You are excused.



------------------
Trample the Weak,
Hurdle the Dead.

 

[Rooboy 96]

Oh 1996 was a great year... The downtrodden KANGAROOS won the Centenary Premiership and "a fan of Sydney" sitting in the seat infront of mine left half way through the last Quarter... now I am not sure if it is the same fan of Sydney... but my guess is YES... and that is why he hates the now ALMIGHTY KANGAROOS...

 

[The invisible mullet]

Sheesh there are still some pretty bitter Swans fans re North's northern incursions (not all i might add - only those who don't remember the 80s). North Melbourne has to be creative to continue to exist - the Sydney venture may not have worked but I think the partnership building across the country could yield major benefits in the long term (or at least when the money from the TV deal has dried up).

 

[CURVE]

Laziness, arrogance and stupidity are the reasons why Collingwood is at the bottom of the league and Adelaide has fallen from grace. Adminitrators believing the hype that surrounds their "mighty" clubs. Administrators who believe that the power of money and weight of numbers will keep them at the top of the heap. Idiots.

North Melbourne have been on the brink of extinction ever since they were formed in 1869, yet have survivived because everybody associated with the club puts 110% into ensuring the clubs survival. I doubt you'd find anybody in the league who works harder than Greg Miller. Even though we don't always agree with what he does (and says), we know he has the clubs best interests at heart, and would never sell us out.

Sydney failed, but so what. I believe that Canberra was always North best option, but with the redevelopment of Bruce Stadium, Canberra didn't have the facilties for AFL. Now we do. As long as North learn from the Sydney experiment, I'm sure they can make Canberra a success.

Are we not Men
We are DEVO

 

[Hawkforce.]

Swans_fan,

I reckon you owe the board slightly more detailed account of your position.

Exactly which parts of North's policy constituted "laziness"?

And how did it differ from the policy currently and previously undertaken by the Sydney Football Club?

I am willing to be convinced that North's admin got it horribly wrong in Sydney...

but I will need to be convinced, cos they've been a pretty damn good club for over a decade now.

 

[Bloodstained Angel]

Nice post DEVO - I agree and have said so here many a time.

Canberra is the go - I feel Football Destiny points the way there for the Kangaroos (or anyone else contemplating re-location for that matter)

Canberra is an Aussie-Rules town, always has been, don't be fooled by the idiotic hype surrounding the Canberra Raiders in the NRL - those guys are nobodies (and as usual with NRL clubs they're broke too !)

Pre-season and Ansett games are very well attended, usually with nil publicity and these games often feature the Swans (and Canberra people DO NOT follow the Swans - right DEVO ?). In 1998 North played a couple of games at Manuka Oval and drew capacity crowds (again with virually no publicity or promotion). So the passion is there, in bucket-loads, all it needs is regular AFL standard footy being played in the National Capital for it all to fall sweetly into place.

A couple of other little points

1) The Roos Royal Blue is the same Royal Blue used in the ACTs official colours.

2) "Canberra Kangaroos" has a certain ring to it don't you think ?

The most important factor to consider is how North could manage this - I believe their current strategy of trying to have a bob each way, (that is playing games interstate whilst denying they are moving interstate) is wrong.

It upsets and alienates their Melbourne supporters whilst potential interstate supporters are put off by all the two-faced double talk all the time.

For what its worth I think Miller and Co should bite the bullet and say once and for all what they intend to do - stay in Melbourne (and be a MELBOURNE footy club) or relocate lock, stock and barrel interstate.

No half-measures, no teasing, no vaguely worded 'fly in fly out' type policies - just go for it and if they step on some toes - tough bikkies.

cheers

 

[MightyBungHole]

Failed in Sydney??
I don't think one season of poor ticket sales constitutes a failure in Sydney's market. I remember the first hand full of seasons the swans went north they used to give you a ticket to a swans game with each whopper you bought at Hungry Jacks...True...
In 91/92 I again lived in Sydney I used to
get in the S.C.G for free using a
Players/Officials pass given to me from
the Nth Shore F.C....Counting myself the 2
footballer mates I shared house with, the Swanettes and the 6-8 toothless old crones
behind the goals each week I never saw an attendance over 5,000 and these figures were
inflated by at least 20% from what I could see..Think about it...It took the Purchase
of BIG name franchise players (Roos/Lockett) to gain success and then a bandwagon supporter base. I agree there couldn't be a true A.F.L without Sydney, 2 teams for Sydney
sure it'll work given time and the A.F.L's assistance just as it did before..
Think about it Swans Fan, 1. it's good for football . 2. One poor year in a new market doesn't make a failure, anyone in business will tell you that.

Adios El-BungHolio!!

[This message has been edited by MightyBungHole (edited 09 January 2001).]