13 minutes ago, A F said:

 

Why would you move a team from Western Sydney to Canberra? Bad call. There is growth potential in Western Sydney, where Gold Coast isn't big enough or football loving enough.

I would say Canberra has far better opportunity to develop grass roots support than Western Sydney.  Better go for modest success than going for the big lottery win.  The AFL is going to keep gifting premierships to those northern clubs for decades. That is going to eventually kill the game. 

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by america de cali

7 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Brisbane started in 1986 (30 years ago) and then relocated to Brisbane as the Brisbane Lions in 1996 (twenty years ago). It had three premierships in a row but now they are lucky to draw crowds averaging 17,000 in a city of 2.2 million.

GWS will be going to emulate Brisbane from an attendance viewpoint

If Brisbane start winning again they'll have similar crowds to us. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. If GWS can get up to 15-20,000 a week, that's better than a lot of the NRL teams in NSW, so I reckon the AFL would be happy with that. 

The Gold Coast shouldn't have a team. Fullstop.

9 minutes ago, Stretch Johnson said:

They actually have some talent

Their midfield is weak for mine. Swallow allegedly wanted out last year and if he goes their midfield is bog ordinary. Ablett is done at the Gold Coast. He may reinvigorate himself at another club, but he's done at the Suns. Hall is a turnover merchant and Miller goes alright, but not specularly. Lynch, Wright, Saad, Kolajashni and Martin have great promise and in Lynch's case, he's a star. But you win it in the midfield and they're a long way from having a winning midfield.

3 minutes ago, A F said:

If Brisbane start winning again they'll have similar crowds to us. I'm not sure what point you're trying to make here. If GWS can get up to 15-20,000 a week, that's better than a lot of the NRL teams in NSW, so I reckon the AFL would be happy with that. 

The Gold Coast shouldn't have a team. Fullstop.

The point I am trying to make is that if it is so difficult for Brisbane it will be impossible for GWS

They need some toughness in there midfield too many outside players 

6 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

The point I am trying to make is that if it is so difficult for Brisbane it will be impossible for GWS

Okay. Let's dissolve GWS and we'll take Shiel and Kelly, thanks very much.

8 minutes ago, america de cali said:

I would say Canberra has far better opportunity to develop grass roots support than Western Sydney.  Better go for modest success than going for the big lottery win.  The AFL is going to keep gifting premierships to those northern clubs for decades. That is going to eventually kill the game. 

That is the truth. 

20 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

It is all about getting a TV audience on the East Coast..Tasmania is not part of anything now, or going forward

Do you know what the northern AFL TV ratings are? I bet they are not impressive. Sport viewership is now very fragmented with a lot of competition and also social media. Casual viewers are not watching as much as they used to. Even in the US, TV ratings for all the major sports have declined. With four basket case expansion clubs to support the AFL would have to ensure their continuous success for decades just to maintain a tenuous toe hold. Bad for the heartland competition.

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by america de cali

27 minutes ago, A F said:

I'd be [censored] off if I was Leon Cameron. I reckon GWS have a real cultural problem, which may continue to cost them the flag, despite all their talent. They play like millionaires and lack that killer instinct. They should have beaten the Suns by close to 100 if they were serious flag contenders today. It should have been 50 or 60 points the difference at half time, but they took their foot off the pedal and let the Suns get a few in a row.

Think theyre coming back now.......ugg.

8 minutes ago, Wadda We Sing said:

Think theyre coming back now.......ugg.

Yeah, although the Suns stopped at three quarter time. I reckon we would have beaten GWS today. They've been okay, but the Suns have been abysmal. 

i never understood some media people's hype about the suns this year. Losing solid players and with an ageing star who's having a mare of a season so far, I didn't know why some predictors had them in their top 8. Seemed pretty cut and dry to me, but maybe by the end of the year I may be singing a different tune. Time will tell

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by Deelirium

27 minutes ago, A F said:

 

Why would you move a team from Western Sydney to Canberra? Bad call. There is growth potential in Western Sydney, where Gold Coast isn't big enough or football loving enough.

I 100% agree.  I live in the godforsaken place, and I'm certain they will never have the support to warrant an AFL team.  The Raiders (League) and Brumbies (Union) struggle to get 15,000 to a game.

1 hour ago, A F said:

I just wonder if it's worth relocating the Suns to Tassie. There'd be more buy in from supporters down there. QLD will never turn to the AFL. They, like NSW, don't support sport enough anyway. You only have to look at rugby attendances for both codes. Union is dying and league is struggling. What say you, @Nasher? I know we've had this discussion multiple times, but given where the Suns are at I just wonder if the AFL should cut their losses.

Who would barrack for them? Most people in Tassie are already well and truly affiliated with an AFL team (reckon I'd drop Melbourne?). This has always been the problem with a Tassie team - all it does is dilute the existing clubs supporter base.

At least with the expansion clubs, there is some chance of game growth, even if it looks remote and is slow going.

12 minutes ago, america de cali said:

Do you know what the northern AFL TV ratings are? I bet they are not impressive. Sport viewership is now very fragmented with a lot of competition and also social media. Casual viewers are not watching as much as they used to. Even in the US, TV ratings for all the major sports have declined. With four basket case expansion clubs to support the AFL would have to ensure their continuous success for decades just to maintain a tenuous toe hold. Bad for the heartland competition.

Not sure on actual figures. But i do know that is the sole reason both clubs exist. It is the AFL dream

it is a joke in reality. 

11 minutes ago, Nasher said:

Who would barrack for them? Most people in Tassie are already well and truly affiliated with an AFL team (reckon I'd drop Melbourne?). This has always been the problem with a Tassie team - all it does is dilute the existing clubs supporter base.

At least with the expansion clubs, there is some chance of game growth, even if it looks remote and is slow going.

But do you think they’d struggle to get people to watch? Because that’s what’s happening now.

32 minutes ago, A F said:

Their midfield is weak for mine. Swallow allegedly wanted out last year and if he goes their midfield is bog ordinary. Ablett is done at the Gold Coast. He may reinvigorate himself at another club, but he's done at the Suns. Hall is a turnover merchant and Miller goes alright, but not specularly. Lynch, Wright, Saad, Kolajashni and Martin have great promise and in Lynch's case, he's a star. But you win it in the midfield and they're a long way from having a winning midfield.

Their list is all over the one that Neeld had.  Anyhow they have some issues.

Definitely change required.

8 minutes ago, Stretch Johnson said:

Their list is all over the one that Neeld had.  Anyhow they have some issues.

Definitely change required.

Oh, it's better than the one Neeld had, but it's not like they'd be making finals simply with a new coach.

As you say, they have some issues.

I’m interested to see how the Saints go tonight. I know it’s against West Coast over there and so it’ll be tough, but I’d hate to see them get blown out of the water. It would put a bit of a dampener on our win over them last week.

Thus far, both teams have 0 defence. Old fashioned shoot out on the cards...

I remember a few years back people were saying the suns are well ahead of the giants. Now look at them. They are a shambles. Eade is going to set them way back. I wonder how much ablett really cares and how frustrated he is with his teammates. 

I really hope there is a miracle tonight and the lions win

Paddy McCartin looks fat. He's got no definition at all. I guess nobody told him the scrutiny No. 1 picks get? 

Im sure Christian Petracca will remind him when they next catch up

8 minutes ago, dees189227 said:

I remember a few years back people were saying the suns are well ahead of the giants. Now look at them. They are a shambles. Eade is going to set them way back. I wonder how much ablett really cares and how frustrated he is with his teammates. 

I really hope there is a miracle tonight and the lions win

I think the AFL are hoping Mark Evans can conjure up a Peter Jackson-esque job on the Suns.

[censored] off Essendrug...

1 hour ago, america de cali said:

I would say Canberra has far better opportunity to develop grass roots support than Western Sydney.

Which has the bigger population and therefore the biggest potential for support and growth? W. Syd. or Canberra?

Aussie rules ceded Canberra to league years ago. (A mistake, but it won't get rectified.)

1 hour ago, Sir Why You Little said:

It is all about getting a TV audience on the East Coast..Tasmania is not part of anything now, or going forward

It's been said a thousand times but Tassie is already Aussie Rules territory. If you're going to spend serious dollars on expansion, make sure it's into new territory.

 

The AFL will tip money into GWS and GC for a generation or more, until kids come through who have literally grown up with the game. (Supporters more so than players.)

It's not a 5 or 10 year thing, it's a 50 year thing. You don't have to like it. But that's the way it is.

So the suns can get a back of the jumper sponsor but we still can't? Come on surely someone loves us out there.

Ablett on 16 possies. Very quiet night. 

Edited April 1, 20178 yr by dees189227