GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - A GIANT COMPROMISE by Whispering Jack

The announcement of the name of the new AFL franchise - the Greater Western Sydney Giants - has been met in football circles by a mixture of dismay and derision.

Among the main arguments of those who oppose the name are that the "Giants" is an unoriginal moniker and that it's "too American"; that it fails to adequately reflect the indigenous nature of the region where the new franchise is located.

I agree, and that is why I suggest a compromise that will please everybody.

Let's call them the Greater Western Sydney Giant Wombats!

The Giant Wombat roamed the region long before the white man invaded its shores bringing to the land such alien foods as battered saveloys and chiko rolls and unusual modes of vehicular travel like the Leyland P76.

According to wikipedia, the "Diprotodon, or the Giant Wombat, or the Rhinoceros Wombat, was the largest known marsupial that ever lived. Along with many other members of a group of unusual species collectively called the 'Australian megafauna', it may have existed from 1.6 million years ago until about 40,000 years ago."

Now imagine that!

A living species older than Kevin Sheedy roaming the environs of Blacktown (and the animal even looks like Sheeds)!

The connection between the new outfit, the Giant Wombat and the Western Sydney region could even be exploited to popularise our sport in a place where, let's face it, nobody gives a wombat's arse about our game.

I'm alluding, of course, to reviving the symbol of the area made popular by Sydney icons Roy and HG during the 2000 Olympic Games - Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat.

Now, Fatso is a Giant Wombat if there ever was one! I miss him and I have no doubt that millions of Sydneysiders do as well.

Who could ever forget one of the great moments of Australian sporting history when Fatso, the three official Olympic mascots, and the Boxing Kangaroo took part in that enthralling diving contest?

And let's not forget that a statue of Fatso stands in the heartland of the Western Sydney area at Olympic Park.

I don't much like the new jumper either. No red head could ever consider playing in that gear so what are they going to do about our heroic young men who go by the name of "Bluey"?

I also think they have the graphics all wrong with that ridiculously contorted letter "G". A simple "W" for wombat would suffice or, even better, they could replace the letter with a facsimile of Fatso's face, thereby reprising the now forgotten national heritage of placing our local marsupials on guernseys started so many years ago by the late Christopher Skase at the Brisbane Bears.

So please Andrew Demetriou.

You strike me as a fair minded person who understands the spirit of compromise. Make them change the name to the Greater Western Sydney Giant Wombats!

Perhaps the club song could extoll the ways of the wombat. "eats, roots and leaves"!

Edited November 17, 201015 yr by deefuture

Yes let us bring back the great fat arsed wombat FATSO. Brilliant idea.

Wombat : Eats Roots and Leaves ............ I thought that was the domain of the NRL ?

Wombat : Eats Roots and Leaves ............ I thought that was the domain of the NRL ?

A quick way of appealing to the psyche of the locals!

I can't see the Giants having any impact on the Western Sydney region. Rugby League always has and always will have a stronghold on the west. Israel Folau will be lucky to play more than one season in the AFL, he just simply doesn't look like he has the skills to match it with the best in the AFL. A team in Tasmania or Darwin would have been more useful than the implementation of the GWS "Giants".

Wombat : Eats Roots and Leaves ............ I thought that was the domain of the NRL ?

and just where do you think gws is?

I can't see the Giants having any impact on the Western Sydney region. Rugby League always has and always will have a stronghold on the west. Israel Folau will be lucky to play more than one season in the AFL, he just simply doesn't look like he has the skills to match it with the best in the AFL. A team in Tasmania or Darwin would have been more useful than the implementation of the GWS "Giants".

An opinion that says the GWS Giants will not survive or work, from somebody who lives up there...Thank God. I see this franchaise as Business Lunacy.

An opinion that says the GWS Giants will not survive or work, from somebody who lives up there...Thank God. I see this franchaise as Business Lunacy.

The Swans could only draw 41,000 to the semi against Carlton last year which was played at the Olympic Stadium at Homebush, which is in the same area as their future home ground, The Sydney Showground. The idea that the brand GWS will survive and be successful is indeed business lunacy.

The Swans could only draw 41,000 to the semi against Carlton last year which was played at the Olympic Stadium at Homebush, which is in the same area as their future home ground, The Sydney Showground. The idea that the brand GWS will survive and be successful is indeed business lunacy

Sheedy's the coach.

Say no more.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - A GIANT COMPROMISE by Whispering Jack

The announcement of the name of the new AFL franchise - the Greater Western Sydney Giants - has been met in football circles by a mixture of dismay and derision.

Among the main arguments of those who oppose the name are that the "Giants" is an unoriginal moniker and that it's "too American"; that it fails to adequately reflect the indigenous nature of the region where the new franchise is located.

I agree, and that is why I suggest a compromise that will please everybody.

Let's call them the Greater Western Sydney Giant Wombats!

The Giant Wombat roamed the region long before the white man invaded its shores bringing to the land such alien foods as battered saveloys and chiko rolls and unusual modes of vehicular travel like the Leyland P76.

According to wikipedia, the "Diprotodon, or the Giant Wombat, or the Rhinoceros Wombat, was the largest known marsupial that ever lived. Along with many other members of a group of unusual species collectively called the 'Australian megafauna', it may have existed from 1.6 million years ago until about 40,000 years ago."

Now imagine that!

A living species older than Kevin Sheedy roaming the environs of Blacktown (and the animal even looks like Sheeds)!

The connection between the new outfit, the Giant Wombat and the Western Sydney region could even be exploited to popularise our sport in a place where, let's face it, nobody gives a wombat's arse about our game.

I'm alluding, of course, to reviving the symbol of the area made popular by Sydney icons Roy and HG during the 2000 Olympic Games - Fatso the Fat-Arsed Wombat.

Now, Fatso is a Giant Wombat if there ever was one! I miss him and I have no doubt that millions of Sydneysiders do as well.

Who could ever forget one of the great moments of Australian sporting history when Fatso, the three official Olympic mascots, and the Boxing Kangaroo took part in that enthralling diving contest?

And let's not forget that a statue of Fatso stands in the heartland of the Western Sydney area at Olympic Park.

I don't much like the new jumper either. No red head could ever consider playing in that gear so what are they going to do about our heroic young men who go by the name of "Bluey"?

I also think they have the graphics all wrong with that ridiculously contorted letter "G". A simple "W" for wombat would suffice or, even better, they could replace the letter with a facsimile of Fatso's face, thereby reprising the now forgotten national heritage of placing our local marsupials on guernseys started so many years ago by the late Christopher Skase at the Brisbane Bears.

So please Andrew Demetriou.

You strike me as a fair minded person who understands the spirit of compromise. Make them change the name to the Greater Western Sydney Giant Wombats!

Atually I like how Roy and HG describe them: the Great Western WSydney Arbibs

Wombat : Eats Roots and Leaves ............ I thought that was the domain of the NRL ?

Well we have to become more like them over there so as to gain their acceptance.

I notice that even supporters of this scheme acknowledge there will be risks but usually add them as a dismissive afterthought to their arguments. IMO the risks are enormous with failure the most likely result. Risk is an unavoidable fact for every sound business model. This is not a sound business model but a huge gamble based on the presumption that Sydney siders will be converted to our game and that the NRL will remain in decline. Highly unlikely as our game despite 30 plus years of heavy exposure over there has done very little. Any new support will be minimal. This club for how long it survives will be the subject of derision and scorn from Sydney siders as well as from most other AFL supporters. To me it appears the AFL is getting very cocky with their recent successes and the current difficulties of the NRL and are acting like Arab oil sheiks with their grand folly projects. Or like trying to introduce democracy in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Expansion clubs like Fremantle and Port in already established AFL strongholds still remain poor cousins in terms of support and respect to the WC and Adelaide. The GC will experience the same problem but their initial chances of success are far better than GWC.

As for growth, I think the AFL would be better off investing this money in developing the game overseas and ensuring there are suitable grounds built so grass roots competitions can develop. They are just throwing money and goodwill away at a demographic who don't care, want or need us.

Edited November 19, 201015 yr by america de cali

Western Sydney like South Queensland is a phenomenal growth area so if the AFL is serious about a national comp they have to take on the challenge........and it is a big one. Very surprised Sheedy didnt headhunt Bachar Houli for his off field personal qualities to be an "ambassador" to the large Lebanese Muslim community. The unoriginal moniker, "GIANTS", is awful comparable to those of our national netball teams named after American birds !

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY - A GIANT COMPROMISE by Whispering Jack

The announcement of the name of the new AFL franchise - the Greater Western Sydney Giants - has been met in football circles by a mixture of dismay and derision.

Among the main arguments of those who oppose the name are that the "Giants" is an unoriginal moniker and that it's "too American"; that it fails to adequately reflect the indigenous nature of the region where the new franchise is located.

I agree, and that is why I suggest a compromise that will please everybody.

So please Andrew Demetriou.

You strike me as a fair minded person who understands the spirit of compromise. Make them change the name to the Greater Western Sydney Giant Wombats!

Gondwana's?

Very surprised Sheedy didnt headhunt Bachar Houli for his off field personal qualities to be an "ambassador" to the large Lebanese Muslim community.

What is that supposed to mean? What exactly are Houli's off-field personal qualities?

What is that supposed to mean? What exactly are Houli's off-field personal qualities?

Surprised you find that observation so mysterious. There have been numerous articles and tv pieces on Houli's devotion to his religion, his charitable work and frequent addresses to Islamic school students . It should have been a no-brainer by the AFL to get him on board. El Masri of the NRL Bulldogs attracted many Lebanese to follow Rugby League.