Signed ... Andrew Demetriou.

Brilliant retort! Trying responding to the criticism RR, or are you one of the spineless fear-monkeys?

There is such a difference in the way Gold coast and GWS are going about it. You look at the coaches, Guy Mckenna and Kevin Sheedy. Mckenna all class and down to business. Sheedy should be a politician with all his spin and bulldust. Recruiters, grubby allen an absolute dog of a bloke. Gold Coast went quietly about there business and got most of the players they wanted on just above salaries we expect. GWS throwing millions at young unproven players on long contracts.

What has happened tonight to bring all of this on?

Gubby Allen was on TFS and for all intents and purposes looked like an untrustworthy slimeball. Then Damien Barrett reported that Tom Scully has been offered $7million over 6 years (!). Finally, there's that article which I posted above about protection for players who have only signed one contract. Adds up to the AFL basically wanting to try to take Tom Scully off us for GWS since 2009.

Brilliant retort! Trying responding to the criticism RR, or are you one of the spineless fear-monkeys?

Hmmm ... bit touchy are we this morning Web? C'mon, re-read your post. Adrian Anderson couldn't have written it better himself.

How about a bit of passion for your beloved Demons? Don't know about you but it rankles me that we've been hurting for 47 years trying to win a flag, yet along come these neon-lit interlopers smugly broadcasting that they're going ton win one within four years of entering the comp.

Not only that, but that they're going to do it by ripping the guts out of the poorer clubs by poaching their best young talent!

So, sorry if I don't share your unbridled enthusiasm for seeing GW$ succeed. I'm a Dees supporter.

I can't believe the exceptional levels of vitriole and elitist, xenophobic hatred on here. And from supporters of the first Australian Football club, the one that wrote the original rules.

No, we DON'T all want to see GWS fail. I don't. Putting aside the personalities and bosses surrounding this venture, there is NOTHING undesirable about seeing our NATIONAL GAME become ever more national. That is one of the things I love about this game.......it reflects the unique nature of our sporting culture and our people, and it's popularity is rightly growing, and greatly so. To all of you suggesting that the creation of a club in one of the largest working class population hubs of our nation will somehow poison the competition, the game, or our beloved Demons, perhaps you could become a little less bigotted, and a little less afraid.

Your anger toward this venture is simply ugly, and plainly lacking in foresight. What EXACTLY are you all afraid of? Did you all have the same fear when the Eagles came in? Did you all resent the VFL becoming the AFL?

I played senior footy in the 80's as a schoolkid in Sydney for a North Shore club, and we used to go to the west to play Mt.Druitt, and Penrith. After avoiding getting my teeth kicked in, I used to imagine how great it would be if footy become the mainstay of those areas over Rugby League. Well, here it is.

It's a great game, and it's our ONLY national game. Let go of the sooky whingeing, suck it up, and celebrate it.

GWS is about to rape, pillage and plunder the oldest football club in the world, and steal away any desire i have to go to the footy...yeah lets celebrate....

Shut your hole mate!

Edited June 30, 201114 yr by tatu

Its plain as day that they are struggling to attract players so they are resorting to rumour and innuendo. Why would players want to play at this new AFL FRANCHISE??? Money is all they have to offer. Western Sydney makes Broady look like the French Riviera, they will be getting crowds well south of 10,000 and success will be around 5 to 10 years off.

This is the Fat Controller's little baby, rest assured he will do everything he can to make it a success, ethics and integrity will be left at the door. Here is a man that used to be CEO of the AFLPA, a now he is trying to screw the players over through manipulating and fudging figures. The AFL are heading the way of FIFA, Ron Evans, former Chairman of the AFL, owner of Spotless catering, who won the contract for catering at Docklands Stadium???

Mike Fitzpatrick current chairman of the AFL is part of a consortium which owns ANZ Stadium at Homebush. Now despite pegs being left on the ground prior to last weeks Syd v Collingwood game, the ground having the worst surface in the AFL and the fact that Sydney supporters do not like travelling out to Homebush, the AFL still schedule matches out there. I wonder why???

Brilliant retort! Trying responding to the criticism RR, or are you one of the spineless fear-monkeys?

I'll second that Webber.

As I was reading this thread I was thinking much the same as you (although I must admit xenophobia didn't really cross my mind). This is an Australian game, and the last I looked, Sydney is a part of Australia. There has always been an AFL presence here and the competition has been particularly strong (by Sydney standards) in the Western suburbs.

Yes, the AFL has gone about setting up these new franchises very poorly, but I think it's ridiculous to wish failure on expansion into Sydney's NRL heartland.

I'll second that Webber.

As I was reading this thread I was thinking much the same as you (although I must admit xenophobia didn't really cross my mind). This is an Australian game, and the last I looked, Sydney is a part of Australia. There has always been an AFL presence here and the competition has been particularly strong (by Sydney standards) in the Western suburbs.

Yes, the AFL has gone about setting up these new franchises very poorly, but I think it's ridiculous to wish failure on expansion into Sydney's NRL heartland.

I don't think anyone here would be against expanding the game nationally, I feel our supporters have taken umbrage to the underhanded manner in which the AFL are going about it. In particular the article in today's Hun which suggest that the consultation process was a mere charade.

I can't believe the exceptional levels of vitriole and elitist, xenophobic hatred on here. And from supporters of the first Australian Football club, the one that wrote the original rules.

No, we DON'T all want to see GWS fail. I don't. Putting aside the personalities and bosses surrounding this venture, there is NOTHING undesirable about seeing our NATIONAL GAME become ever more national. That is one of the things I love about this game.......it reflects the unique nature of our sporting culture and our people, and it's popularity is rightly growing, and greatly so. To all of you suggesting that the creation of a club in one of the largest working class population hubs of our nation will somehow poison the competition, the game, or our beloved Demons, perhaps you could become a little less bigotted, and a little less afraid.

Your anger toward this venture is simply ugly, and plainly lacking in foresight. What EXACTLY are you all afraid of? Did you all have the same fear when the Eagles came in? Did you all resent the VFL becoming the AFL?

I played senior footy in the 80's as a schoolkid in Sydney for a North Shore club, and we used to go to the west to play Mt.Druitt, and Penrith. After avoiding getting my teeth kicked in, I used to imagine how great it would be if footy become the mainstay of those areas over Rugby League. Well, here it is.

It's a great game, and it's our ONLY national game. Let go of the sooky whingeing, suck it up, and celebrate it.

I'm with you Webber, good post. I'm not against Demetriou's plan of aggressive expansion at all. I want this game to be played world wide - this is clearly not going to happen in my lifetime, but the place to start is making sure it's played everywhere in Australia. I'll be as crapped as anyone if we lose Scully, but I don't translate that in to wanting the whole GWS to fail. That's churlish and over the top.

Furthermore I hate it when people speak for me - no, not everyone wants the venture to fail. You guys kind of sound like a child who has cracked the sads because Mummy and Daddy are having another baby and have asked you to share your toys with him - bitter and resentful at your baby sibling when they've done nothing other than enter the world.

I don't think anyone here would be against expanding the game nationally, I feel our supporters have taken umbrage to the underhanded manner in which the AFL are going about it. In particular the article in today's Hun which suggest that the consultation process was a mere charade.

You are right about everyone, myself included, taking umbrage at the way in which this has been gone about; but unfortunately, right from the original post's "I do hope to see this blight on our game FAIL.Hopefully quickly enough to rechannel the resources to deserving clubs/states." (note the reference to "more deserving states), this thread has been full of comments wishing the move into Sydney's west is a massive failure.

Living in Sydney and seeing how little interest the Swans create here I am amazed that anyone could possibly think this market it right for a second team.

I want to see Aussie Rules as the undisputed premier football code in the country.

Therefore, GWS must succeed.

But hopefully not at the expense of MFC.

I'm indifferent to the expansion.

I'm hostile at the execution

Some of you don't know what you are angry about...

Is it expansion itself? I don't know why, the game has to grow to thrive. Imagine where the VFL would be if it didn't expand.

Is it the tactics concerning Tom? This I can understand. But it their only way of attracting players to the hell hole that is GWS.

And just on the tactics - most have you fallen hook, line and sinker.

They put their rumours and innuendo out there and you eat it up like a hungry mule.

Stop devouring the sh!t they are serving, roll your eyes at the Stevens' and the Ralph's of this world spreading their "mail," and have faith in a kid that will help lead the Melbourne Footy Club to a flag.

Yes, the AFL has gone about setting up these new franchises very poorly, but I think it's ridiculous to wish failure on expansion into Sydney's NRL heartland.

I think they're doing it very well.

It irks me to admit it, but Vlad deserves the coin he's on.

So many things add up to future GWS success. The grassroots support being given up there = kids take up the game. The elimination of head injuries at AFL level = mums prefer their kids to play Aussie Rules over rugby. Racial vilification, respect for women, etc = families are well disposed to Aussie Rules over rugby.

The money is there, the timing is right. It's now or never. GWS will succeed.

May they lose to the mighty Demons in a grand final.

Living in Sydney and seeing how little interest the Swans create here I am amazed that anyone could possibly think this market it right for a second team.

I live in Sydney and feel almost exactly the opposite; as it would seem, do the NRL.

I can't believe the exceptional levels of vitriole and elitist, xenophobic hatred on here. And from supporters of the first Australian Football club, the one that wrote the original rules.

No, we DON'T all want to see GWS fail. I don't. Putting aside the personalities and bosses surrounding this venture, there is NOTHING undesirable about seeing our NATIONAL GAME become ever more national. That is one of the things I love about this game.......it reflects the unique nature of our sporting culture and our people, and it's popularity is rightly growing, and greatly so. To all of you suggesting that the creation of a club in one of the largest working class population hubs of our nation will somehow poison the competition, the game, or our beloved Demons, perhaps you could become a little less bigotted, and a little less afraid.

Your anger toward this venture is simply ugly, and plainly lacking in foresight. What EXACTLY are you all afraid of? Did you all have the same fear when the Eagles came in? Did you all resent the VFL becoming the AFL?

I played senior footy in the 80's as a schoolkid in Sydney for a North Shore club, and we used to go to the west to play Mt.Druitt, and Penrith. After avoiding getting my teeth kicked in, I used to imagine how great it would be if footy become the mainstay of those areas over Rugby League. Well, here it is.

It's a great game, and it's our ONLY national game. Let go of the sooky whingeing, suck it up, and celebrate it.

A bit of sanity, webber....well spoken

But don't be too harsh on some posters. They are just letting their emotions bubble over at the totalitarian methodology of the Central Committee and their apparatchiks

Gubby Allen was on TFS and for all intents and purposes looked like an untrustworthy slimeball. Then Damien Barrett reported that Tom Scully has been offered $7million over 6 years (!). Finally, there's that article which I posted above about protection for players who have only signed one contract. Adds up to the AFL basically wanting to try to take Tom Scully off us for GWS since 2009.

Barrett (some journalist !) said "upwards" of $7 million over 6 years. This is about the 5th or 6th different value over time offer I've read or heard. Incredible.

As soon as Barrett mentioned the words "Tom Scully" in discussion, Gubby Allen instantly reacted, and retorted briefly "Who says we've been..(in talks with Scully)", before regaining composure and continuing on with a "cool stance". I'm convinced as much as he is a smooth, cunning, smug, 'at all costs', type operator. He hasn't talked to Scully, which is supported by Lynch and Scully himself.

At the same time he didn't deny or object to the Ward matter.

Great publicity anyway.

It's not the expansion into Western sydney that is bothering supporters , it's the blatant salary cap breaching and draft fixing that is hurting the game. Why even have a salary cap or draft? Mate, the NRL would be laughing at the AFL's blatant cheating of it's own rules.

Better put some money on GWS to win the 2015/16 flags now, Because the cups are already engraved...

I'm indifferent to the expansion.

I'm hostile at the execution

+1

I live in Sydney and feel almost exactly the opposite; as it would seem, do the NRL.

Absolutely, the feeling up north is one of fear and paranoia.

Plus their game at the minute is poorly run (they cannot get News Corps tentacles out of the running of the game) and are at a point in time where they are utterly distracted by three games a year (SoO).

I would love someone to explain to me how SoO helps their game attract people to the NRL.

No-one I have talked to can.

They have created a three game series where the standard is far better than everything they see every week - diluting the NRL brand - and attract people to their state every year - meaning fans of clubs in the bottom half only talk about NSW or Qld every year - diluting club loyalties.

It's like someone shooting themselves in the foot and screaming "how great is this!"

Went off on a tangent, sorry.

Your anger toward this venture is simply ugly, and plainly lacking in foresight. What EXACTLY are you all afraid of?

I'm afraid that Tom Scully will hold up a premiership cup in an orange jumper. I'm afraid that Melbourne will get close to a premiership but be lacking that one true midfield star to get us over the line. I'm afraid that offering $7M to a 20 year old is taking away my chance to watch a Tom dominate in a Melbourne jumper for the next 12 years. And I'm afraid that all of this is possible because the AFL is quiet happy to have the heart ripped out of a 150 year old club with truly die hard supporters to gain a few extra band wagon supports in a city that doesn't give a sh*t!!

Edited July 1, 201114 yr by Mac7

I'm afraid that Tom Scully will hold up a premiership cup in an orange jumper. I'm afraid that Melbourne will get close to a premiership but be lacking that one true midfield star to get us over the line. I'm afraid that offering $7M to a 20 year old is taking away my chance to watch a Tom dominate in a Melbourne jumper for the next 12 years. And I'm afraid that all of this is possible because the AFL is quiet happy to have the heart ripped out of a 150 year old club with truly die hard supporters to gain a few extra band wagon supports in a city that doesn't give a sh*t!!

I turned on my nightlight and all I was afraid of went away - its just all the nightmares you are having by things that go bump in the night - lots of baddd people making up rumours and stories - we all may wake up tomorrow ( at the end of the season) and your fears are realised but it might also be a bright sunny day.

Im going to sleep well tonight ( given that we will pummel the doggies) and leave what will be to what will be

Edited July 1, 201114 yr by nutbean

...in a city that doesn't give a sh*t!!

Tell that to the crowds who turned out for the ticker tape parade following the Swans premiership win in 2005 (the NRL premier has never been given such a reception). Tell that to the Lord Mayor who presented the Swans team with the key to the city and who had the Swans flag flown on top of the Harbour Bridge for the week following the win.

Agree with a lot of your sentiments, but that is just uninformed.

I'm indifferent to the expansion.

I'm hostile at the execution

Pretty much my thought on this whole sordid business.