ChrisFooty
Premiership Player
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...of-afl-in-sydney/story-e6frexwr-1226261271224
THE AFL landscape in Sydney has changed dramatically since St Kilda star Lenny Hayes left Pennant Hills to try his luck with the Saints well over a decade ago.
"If you told me back then there was going to be two AFL teams in Sydney, I'd never have believed you," Hayes said.
When Hayes left Sydney as a teenager there were just 11,500 people playing Aussie Rules in Sydney, now there are more than 70,000. Across NSW, numbers have swelled from 42,970 to 136,438 and continue to grow.
"Footy is a lot bigger in Sydney now, it's played in schools," Hayes said.
"When I was at school at Redfield in Dural, there were two guys in the whole school who played AFL."
The star Saints midfielder grew up barracking for the Sydney Swans and hoped they would draft him in 1998. But they picked Jude Bolton instead. Fortunately for both clubs, the pair have made outstanding contributions over more than a decade and formed a mutual admiration for each other.
"He's a great bloke and I admire the way he plays," Hayes said.
"It was the same when we were playing under-18s. We were both banging heads.
"He's been great for the Swans and I wish him nothing but the best."
The Giants and Swans will play alternately in Sydney, ensuring fans will be able to travel to a game every week.
Youngsters with aspirations to follow Hayes and Bolton into the AFL now have the pathway to follow in their footsteps.
Hayes, 32, is out of contract at end of the year but wants to play on.
"I love everything about footy," he said.
"The training's hard but the camaraderie with the boys is brilliant and it's such a great lifestyle. So I'll play for as long as I can.
"Having said that, I don't want to hold anyone back."
THE AFL landscape in Sydney has changed dramatically since St Kilda star Lenny Hayes left Pennant Hills to try his luck with the Saints well over a decade ago.
"If you told me back then there was going to be two AFL teams in Sydney, I'd never have believed you," Hayes said.
When Hayes left Sydney as a teenager there were just 11,500 people playing Aussie Rules in Sydney, now there are more than 70,000. Across NSW, numbers have swelled from 42,970 to 136,438 and continue to grow.
"Footy is a lot bigger in Sydney now, it's played in schools," Hayes said.
"When I was at school at Redfield in Dural, there were two guys in the whole school who played AFL."
The star Saints midfielder grew up barracking for the Sydney Swans and hoped they would draft him in 1998. But they picked Jude Bolton instead. Fortunately for both clubs, the pair have made outstanding contributions over more than a decade and formed a mutual admiration for each other.
"He's a great bloke and I admire the way he plays," Hayes said.
"It was the same when we were playing under-18s. We were both banging heads.
"He's been great for the Swans and I wish him nothing but the best."
The Giants and Swans will play alternately in Sydney, ensuring fans will be able to travel to a game every week.
Youngsters with aspirations to follow Hayes and Bolton into the AFL now have the pathway to follow in their footsteps.
Hayes, 32, is out of contract at end of the year but wants to play on.
"I love everything about footy," he said.
"The training's hard but the camaraderie with the boys is brilliant and it's such a great lifestyle. So I'll play for as long as I can.
"Having said that, I don't want to hold anyone back."
