AFL respect in Sydney

[neored]

Originally posted by barry
What the hell does the NRL have to do with Bob Carr or the AFL?
If you are going to compare sports, at least do it with a national one like Soccer or netball, or even cricket. (They all play the GF at the highest ranked teams home, irrespective of ground capacity)

Bob Carr probably knows more about AFL than NRL, but that doesnt mean he cannot spot an injustice.

Surely your not suggesting that the AFL grand final be played outside Melbourne? That'd be tantamount to blasphemy were I'm from.

The simple argument from many victorians is this: Melbourne is the home of football, its the birthplace of the game. For over a hundred years we have taken care of the game , nurtured , poured our heart and soul into it ... and suddenly we have people wanting to take it away.

I accept that the game is national, I can begrudgingly accept that Sydney should receive some salary cap exemption ... but to see a week without finals in Victoria is something that I can never accept.

For a hundred years of loyal service , the Victorian people only want one thing ... to be able to see a footy match. To pay homage to the game that we love and which will always be ours.

The AFL should be careful, careful that while spreading the game (which most people in Victoria support) it does not turn its back on the heart of the game. People have been screwed enough in Victoria and they've just about had enough, and if the AFL doesn't want to end up like the NRL (which is a mickey mouse competition) then they'll start listening to the people that truly love the game... and would never abandon it on a whim.

[bay_4]

For over a hundred years we have taken care of the game , nurtured , poured our heart and soul into it ... and suddenly we have people wanting to take it away.

...scuse me while I vomit.

People have been screwed enough in Victoria and they've just about had enough,

Yeah, really screwed. Like supporters of Melbourne based clubs who don't have to travel to see away matches their team plays against other Melbourne teams.

Shirley you can't be serious!

[robbieando]

You all are forgetting the reason why the contract was signed in the first place 13 years ago. Its easy to state what the hell was the AFL thinking, but it not so easy to state why it took place.

The AFL had 2 options

1) Find the finance to pay for it share of the Great Southern Stand redevelopment and keep AFL football at the MCG, or

2) Not find the money and revert to playing its key games at the then very unpopular Waverley Park, thus meaning less "fans" could get into the Grand Final year, thus causing a public relations nightmare.

The AFL picked option 1, and to get the finance for the multi-million dollar deal, in the middle of the resession and with little captial of its own, it had to show to the banks and the MCC itself that it could "pay" for this loan in terms of big money AFL matches such as Finals and the Grand Final, so a requirement from the MCC and the banks was the 40 year deal which we have today.

I don't know about you, but I think the AFL made the right decision

[Damien]

Tying a growing national competition to a Melbourne based ground for 40 years is a bad decision.

Surely there were other options to ensure the Great Southern Stand - I didn't see the ACB offer two tests a year or soccer guarantee an international a year.

I agree we are stuck with it and I agree MCC have every right to demand everything in that contract, but the AFL were wrong to sign a contract that basically said "We want a national competition, but we are going to make sure Victoria is always number 1". It simply isn't right and all it does is reinforce the belief that the AFL is the VFL with some guest teams brought in for the licence fees.

The MCG need AFL more than the AFL need the MCG. It is the greatest ground and our grand final should be there, but this contract was signed as if the AFL couldn't survive without it. That surely isn't the case.

[scurrilous]

Originally posted by Damien
Surely there were other options to ensure the Great Southern Stand - I didn't see the ACB offer two tests a year or soccer guarantee an international a year.

You see, this is the type of response I'd expect from a deer with no eyes.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by neored
Surely your not suggesting that the AFL grand final be played outside Melbourne? That'd be tantamount to blasphemy were I'm from.

The simple argument from many victorians is this: Melbourne is the home of football, its the birthplace of the game. For over a hundred years we have taken care of the game , nurtured , poured our heart and soul into it ... and suddenly we have people wanting to take it away.

I accept that the game is national, I can begrudgingly accept that Sydney should receive some salary cap exemption ... but to see a week without finals in Victoria is something that I can never accept.

For a hundred years of loyal service , the Victorian people only want one thing ... to be able to see a footy match. To pay homage to the game that we love and which will always be ours.

The AFL should be careful, careful that while spreading the game (which most people in Victoria support) it does not turn its back on the heart of the game. People have been screwed enough in Victoria and they've just about had enough, and if the AFL doesn't want to end up like the NRL (which is a mickey mouse competition) then they'll start listening to the people that truly love the game... and would never abandon it on a whim.

This is complete and utter crap. ONE game is not going to make a difference... living here, I hear garbage like this all the time... "It's our league, we earned it." It's bull, it really is. What escapes Victorian fans is that they can't just grab the money from interstate teams - the license fees, the merchandise, the travel packages, the TV DEAL... but then treat them like lesser members of the same competition.

Any Victorian who still thinks that the game should make unfair concessions for Victoria... well... Port Melbourne plays at TEAC Oval, fellas. You'll find Williamstown at Point Gellibrand. Coburg is at City Oval, down the road from where Pentridge used to be. Go follow them, because you aren't needed in the AFL.

[scurrilous]

Come on then Robbie, lets go watch the `borough and leave little Charlie on his high horse.

[robbieando]

Ah no, I agree with Charlie, I however look at the facts, reasons amd legal problems and see that the AFL and the MCC are in the right. Deal should change but until the MCC agree to, I'm happy with the way things are

[Damien]

Originally posted by scurrilous
You see, this is the type of response I'd expect from a deer with no eyes.

ri...ght

[Nico]

It is very interesting how the Melbourne media play on this thing about us folk down here being parochial and not wanting to go to an all interstate GF.

Plugger 46 is like a very large percentage of footy followers, when he says he would go to see 2 interstate teams. Melbournians love their footy and when your team is out of the equation come finals time, it is amazing how people become far more objective about the next final and indeed go along to the finals to "watch the footy" for purest reasons. They even get objective about the umps because their team is not playing.

All of a sudden they can "see" the free kicks and agree with the umps. Finals time really is buzz time down here no matter for whom you barrack.

The media merely assume that you won't go to see other teams play, but there are a lot of people who go to up to 3 games a weekend just for the footy.

I suspect the AFL is very aware of the above and know a good crowd will always be guaranteed.

[cos789]

A lot of Victorians have a tunnel vision perspective .They think that they own football and the league .They forget they caused the formation of the AFL due to fact that they were unwilling just to watch Vics play ,they had to poach .from interstate .It's not enough that the WA and SA leagues are decimated ,but when our teams are doing well we can't watch them in the finals .

Anyway there are solutions .
1. Money can solve any problem.
2. Swap finals games for high profile games e.g. International and state of Origin games ,doubleheaders etc .
3.A Victorian and non-Victorian conference .With a super -bowl final .That way Victorians only have to watch their teams .The rest of Australia can watch the best .

[scurrilous]

a deer with no eyes is a no eyed deer

[Dave]

Originally posted by Plugger46
I'm from Melbourne, an AFL member, and i would be interested in two interstate sides playing in a final down here, as would most I suspect.

It is not an issue for us, playing down here, because we have plenty of support and can win down here just as easily as we can in Sydney.

Mind you, giving a balanced argument I can see where everyone is coming from with regards to finals in Melbourne.

This is the home of football, and always will be though. It is a tough one.

I have no problem with the GF being in Melb. because I truly believe it is the greatest arena on the planet.
It's only the lead up finals that I have any issue with.

[footyhead]

You are all crazy,
what a pity that the greatest game in the world is run by morons.
why don't we just play every afl game @ the G ?

[Damien]

Originally posted by Dave
I have no problem with the GF being in Melb. because I truly believe it is the greatest arena on the planet.
It's only the lead up finals that I have any issue with.

I think that is very much the view of non victorians and those with a fair mind within in it!