AFL Contribution to GWS

[shearer]

As someone who has grown up on Sydney footy i really get the dirts when i read about how the AFL is ploughing in more than $100 million into making team GWS a success.

Am i nieve into thinking the AFL could take 1 or 2% of the Team GWS budget and redirect that back to the Sydney Clubs? Or better still not charge the clubs affiliation fees or pay for umpires?

At the end of the day the AFL have got to decide wether they give a ^%$ about the kids when they leave junior football and want to go to senior footy. Not every kid is going to get drafted, why not put the money into the infrastructure of all the leagues in Sydney/NSW.

just a thought, but most clubs are struggling and it must irk people when they read about the money being pumped into the new team.

[tara]

Shearer if you think the clubs are struggling you should look at the umpiring appoitments this week - Graham and his cohorts have obviously done a great job over the summer recruiting as despite the growing popularity of the game is Sydney umpire numbers again appear to be dwinling as now most Div three matches will be under the control of club umpires. Perhaps they could also direct a bit back to developing their own umpires rather that the current system which obviously is going backwards.

[shearer]

Tara, i think the only place they advertise for umpires is on the sydney afl website.why not spend some money and advertise in the daily rags?

[Rafters]

Fair comment. A few random comments/thoughts:

* I guess they are directing some of the money into the two academies and also into coaching & development officers on the ground so not all directly to GWS.
* Sydney has also some of the finest grounds going around now (Blacktown, Purser, Goanna Park, North Dalton & Monarch - maybe even drummoyne given the grandstand works there but not sure) which had some of AFL funds allocated.
* Definitely takes alot to fund an AFL side from scratch & it will be interesting to see the impact it will have on sponsors to clubs on that side of the Harbour Bridge.
* I expect that there will be more juniors interested in playing the game in ten years from now.
* There are alot more employees at NSWAFL than 20 years ago when there seemed to be only Craig Davis and a few others.
* I rather that they direct some money into NSW footy rather than none whatsoever (or to another state) ... it is a good complaint to have in terms of where to allocate to the funds once in the state
* As a Chartered Accountant, I would love to see the flow of funds in order to make a detailed critique