Analysis Melbourne Storm & GWS

[demondavey]

Whilst there has been a considerable amount of support for GWS on the eve of their maiden GF appearance, there has also been a very large anti sentiment that is prominent due to the way their inception came about. We all know how that was, no need to paw the ground again. I’ve heard quite a few callers on ABC and SEN today expressing their disgust at GWS as they are the AFL’s ‘love child’ (as one caller described), and another saying that Collingwood ‘should have won’ and umpiring was ‘skewed to the favour of GWS’.

That got me thinking, in 1998 the Melbourne storm entered the NRL. The need to create the Storm after the super league collapse seemed a sensible one commercially; to expand rugby into the Victorian market traditionally monopolised the VFL and AFL. This expansion project was a far cry from the traditionalist Sydney clubs, and was tapping into an unknown market to a degree.

Now, in 2019, the Storm are again featuring in finals and have won 3 premierships as well as runners up on 4 occasions. Not bad for the ‘plastic’ club. I’ve spoken to many football fans whom follow rugby, and the support for the Storm is significant, but aren’t we risking significant double standards here by paying out on GWS yet getting behind an NRL expansion club? Or is it convenient because they are ‘Victoria’s team’? So we can forget the hypocrisy we preach re GWS but rejoice in the success of the Storm?

Is it fair to say that the Storm now have their own tradition and heritage? And that they to started somewhere? Maybe think twice about bagging out the Giants if you’re putting on your Storm colours and cheering them on towards another premiership when they play the Roosters this weekend, because by right, according to some, they are a manufactured organisation in a non rugby league state, so the ‘traditionalists’ ought to dump the storm and follow a ‘real’ NRL side.

 

[Franc de Borges]

Don’t care about the Storm but I think it’s the concessions that GWS were given that annoy people (not me). Not sure that the Storm were given anything like that (they don’t have a draft for a start).

 

[The Goon]

I live in Sydney, and the Storm are truly hated by League supporters up here. Success may have something to do with it, but I've never heard them referred to as plastic or anything other than a true team. The fact that this year they had the 4th highest home attendance may have something to do with it though. Hard to call a team plastic when they're drawing more fans through the gate than most of the traditional clubs.

 

[FRUMPY]

I’ve heard quite a few callers on ABC and SEN today expressing their disgust at GWS as they are the AFL’s ‘love child’ (as one caller described), and another saying that Collingwood ‘should have won’ and umpiring was ‘skewed to the favour of GWS’.

Otherwise known as 'Nuffies' - anyone who is willing to stay on hold for 30mins to say one sentence on the radio is a nuffie of the highest order.

 

[demondavey]

I live in Sydney, and the Storm are truly hated by League supporters up here. Success may have something to do with it, but I've never heard them referred to as plastic or anything other than a true team. The fact that this year they had the 4th highest home attendance may have something to do with it though. Hard to call a team plastic when they're drawing more fans through the gate than most of the traditional clubs.

But go back to when they first started, in a non rugby league state. Every club starts somewhere don’t they? And they have built their own history. Just like the Giants will.

 

[theyellowsash]

port adelaide were at the top within 5 years of joining the competition, and won their first flag in their 7th (or 8th) year. gws are into their first final in their 10th year. at this point its been long enough that im fine with gws being good, provided they dont have a lions/hawks type of dynasty. just the 1 as a start up, but they still need to work for any more.

except this weekend they can get ****ed. if we dont make the gf next year, im fine with them winning.

 

[Professor Knowall]

The Giants are hated because as a brand new club, they were granted some concessions in order to not be just a list of duds and rejects, and they've made a success of it.

The Suns are hated because as a brand new club, they were granted some concessions for the same reason, and they've made a failure of it.

Either way - success or failure - the new clubs were bound to be hated.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

The Giants are hated because as a brand new club, they were granted some concessions in order to not be just a list of duds and rejects, and they've made a success of it.

The Suns are hated because as a brand new club, they were granted some concessions for the same reason, and they've made a failure of it.

Either way - success or failure - the new clubs were bound to be hated.

I don't hate the Suns, or GWS.

I think the concessions given to Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond in their fixturing outweigh any concessions that any other club gets.

All the decent players handed to GWS and the Suns have gone to Richmond, Collingwood and Essendon anyway due the 'big games' the AFL gifts them - so what's the problem?

 

[Kreuuuzeurns]

Otherwise known as 'Nuffies' - anyone who is willing to stay on hold for 30mins to say one sentence on the radio is a nuffie of the highest order.

SEN talkback is the bigfooty for baby boomers who haven’t bothered with the internet.

Are they anymore nuffy than us

 

[Mofra]

I don't any Melbourne Storm fans who deride the Giants. I barely know anyone that follows both codes closely.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

I barely know anyone that follows both codes closely.

I do.

 

[My Tilly]

port adelaide were at the top within 5 years of joining the competition, and won their first flag in their 7th (or 8th) year. gws are into their first final in their 10th year. at this point its been long enough that im fine with gws being good, provided they dont have a lions/hawks type of dynasty. just the 1 as a start up, but they still need to work for any more.

except this weekend they can get f’ed. if we dont make the gf next year, im fine with them winning.

Port Adelaide have always been a strong club with a great history so everything was in place for them to be successful. Giants have had to build a club on vacant lot and start from scratch with no culture or identity to speak of. The AFL handed them the best talent in the country for years on end so I guess it was inevitable they would click into gear at some point in time.

 

[demondavey]

The Giants are hated because as a brand new club, they were granted some concessions in order to not be just a list of duds and rejects, and they've made a success of it.

The Suns are hated because as a brand new club, they were granted some concessions for the same reason, and they've made a failure of it.

Either way - success or failure - the new clubs were bound to be hated.

The Giants making a success of it clearly irks people. Why don’t people talk about the fact they have developed a decent culture with their selections? What did GWS do that GC didn’t?

 

[demondavey]

I don't any Melbourne Storm fans who deride the Giants. I barely know anyone that follows both codes closely.

Most footy fans I know all get on the storm. I just find it comical so many people can call GWS artificial and undeserving yet celebrate a storm win because they’re ‘ours’.

 

[Millky95]

The Giants making a success of it clearly irks people. Why don’t people talk about the fact they have developed a decent culture with their selections? What did GWS do that GC didn’t?

I haven't looked too much into the start or either club but from what I've heard GWS got more start up concessions than GC. I also think GWS did better when picking a coach and captain

 

[theyellowsash]

Most footy fans I know all get on the storm. I just find it comical so many people can call GWS artificial and undeserving yet celebrate a storm win because they’re ‘ours’.

do people celebrate the storm outside of being just 'yay melbourne'? the storm have only ever had 1 single home game (including finals) with a greater attendance than gws's current membership. i feel like only storm members care, and everyone else is just meh rather than celebrating anything to do with them.

plus rugby culture is so much more money-franchise based that clubs folding/merging/moving/starting every year is just a footnote rather than the headline story it would be in afl. theres probably only a couple of clubs in the nrl that can claim to have any sort of consistent history.

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

I couldn't give the slightest about rugby, I don't even acknowledge it's existence.

 

[Blackas87]

But go back to when they first started, in a non rugby league state. Every club starts somewhere don’t they? And they have built their own history. Just like the Giants will.

Did the NRL create the Storm? Did the NRL give them heaps of concessions at their start up?

Do Melbournians actually get behind the Storm during finals time? They’ve made 19 finals series’s out of 22 seasons but I barely hear anything of them. When the AFL finals are on they dominate Victoria. It’s all about the Tigers and Giants, not the Storm

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Don't care for Rugby League but I'd be disappointed in their fans if they didn't hate them for systematically cheating the salary cap like they did.

 

[Tranquilli37]

I don't hate the Suns, or GWS.

I think the concessions given to Collingwood, Essendon and Richmond in their fixturing outweigh any concessions that any other club gets.

All the decent players handed to GWS and the Suns have gone to Richmond, Collingwood and Essendon anyway due the 'big games' the AFL gifts them - so what's the problem?

I agree, the fixture is biased towards Vic clubs, and theyve lost alot of talent to them as well, so all the more reason to respect their accomplishment! On top of injuries/ suspenaions also, so good luck to them.

 

[NoobPie]

Port Adelaide have always been a strong club with a great history so everything was in place for them to be successful. Giants have had to build a club on vacant lot and start from scratch with no culture or identity to speak of. The AFL handed them the best talent in the country for years on end so I guess it was inevitable they would click into gear at some point in time.

How did they?

The Giants got a set of picks in their first two years as start up. They didn't get anything "handed to them" after that. That's nonsense

 

[Wojcinski]

Don't care for Rugby League but I'd be disappointed in their fans if they didn't hate them for systematically cheating the salary cap like they did.

Didn't they lose premierships over it though?

 

[My Tilly]

How did they?

The Giants got a set of picks in their first two years as start up. They didn't get anything "handed to them" after that. That's nonsense

You just admitted they received a set of picks as a start up. That's a bloody hand out!
The Giants and Suns were strategically set to enter the competition during that period of time because of all the young talent emerging over the previous decade.
The AFL knew damn well it was opportune time to start them up. Enter the comp in 2009, they miss the boat.

Look at GWS's first draft and the players they were handed.
9 of the first 11 picks!
They also get picks 13 and 14 in which they took Taylor Adams and Devon Smith.

If you don't think that's a handout, I'll offer you $2 for Richmond to beat GWS on Saturday

 

[NoobPie]

You just admitted they received a set of picks as a start up. That's a bloody hand out!

How else were they meant to set them up? It certainly wasn't "for years on end"

The Giants and Suns were strategically set to enter the competition during that period of time because of all the young talent emerging over the previous decade.
The AFL knew damn well it was opportune time to start them up. Enter the comp in 2009, they miss the boat.

Unbelievable tin foil hattery

Look at GWS's first draft and the players they were handed.
9 of the first 11 picks!
They also get picks 13 and 14 in which they took Taylor Adams and Devon Smith.

If you don't think that's a handout, I'll offer you $2 for Richmond to beat GWS on Saturday
[/QUOTE]


So they were given an endowment of draft picks in year one which they have used very very well

 

[Navyblues09]

If GWS end up with the same bandwagon support the Storm have then the AFL will be laughing.

Most people who say they support the Storm are the same as those who make Sydney the most popular AFL team. 99.9% will never attend a game, 99% will never even watch a game on TV. But they’ll say they support the local team.

The Storms success though shows why the AFL desperately want and need GWS to win premierships. They did it with Brisbane, did it with Sydney, did it with West Coast, did it with Adelaide and Port. Freo and GC are just failures though, AFL either don’t care as much or they’re simply poorly run.

But a new franchise needs early success to gain new supporters, if they keep failing they’ll fail fairly quickly. Crowds are already appalling for both GWS and GC.