Season 2016 - early days

[ZaccyJ]

Thainy went on to kick another 7 in the second half and seal a Bats club record I believe.

I remember Motor dragging him in the 4th to prevent him kicking 20. Some things are more important

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So I see old mate Jarjoura is taking his cancer to Parramatta in the hope to infect another Sydney AFL club. Dead set, what are they smoking out at Gipps Rd?

[saviour01]

So I see old mate Jarjoura is taking his cancer to Parramatta in the hope to infect another Sydney AFL club. Dead set, what are they smoking out at Gipps Rd?

lol. They lost a few to Blacktown didn't they? But seriously, you'd have to be on something if you think bringing him to the club is a good thing.

[saviour01]

Blacktown will have a handy midfield in div 1. Looked good.

[Pekay]

Blacktown will have a handy midfield in div 1. Looked good.

How you've changed your tune. Was only a few pages back you were scoffing at them being in Div 1.

What was the result of the 'friendly'?

[saviour01]

How you've changed your tune. Was only a few pages back you were scoffing at them being in Div 1.

What was the result of the 'friendly'?

129-21. 59-19 at ht but they kicked the first 2 and really took it to us for the first 10 mins. Having a 7ft ruckman up against a guy whos played ruck twice helped but they held their own in the first quarter up against our handy midfield.

[Pekay]

Dragons win I assume?

[saviour01]

Yes

[Mug Punter]

I remember Motor dragging him in the 4th to prevent him kicking 20. Some things are more important

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So I see old mate Jarjoura is taking his cancer to Parramatta in the hope to infect another Sydney AFL club. Dead set, what are they smoking out at Gipps Rd?

He's almost had as many clubs as Kevin Eynaud, and a similar effect I suspect

[Pekay]

A nice heart warming puff piece on the Magic FB page, about how they are doing it all themselves, with no concessions or leg ups, building a strong culture etc etc.

Can't help but think if it was all a bit different.

What if they didn't have all these Div 1 players from the likes of East Coast, Penno, Mac Uni etc start their tough journey in Div 3.

Being a 'start up' club drawing players exclusively or majority from the Blacktown LGA.......

People with full time job doing the hard yards in local schools, after work, out of their own pockets rather than access to a plethora of AFL paid development officers...

And what if they didn't (at the time) have part time use of the elite football ground in Sydney, they wouldn't have been such an attractive destination for other players. Kicking a football around at Whalan Reserve, after the obligatory emu bob for glass, needles and knives as the original Kangaroos had to before games...we all know that the days of them plugging away at the Ponds paddock and Wright Reserve have well and truly gone. The worst they can do is have to brave their ankles on the shoddy BISP No 2. Poor souls.

Sure, they've kicked on leaps and bounds from this 'leg up', I doubt their Swisse Club award was gifted to them. They do some good work if their page is anything to go by.

But would their rapid rise been the same if they didn't have the HQ help, the fact that their early days of having a list of development officers giving them such an elite (by lower division standards) list and spent a few years being beaten like a redhead child? Maybe......but I doubt it. Thumpings don't attract players, not out in the west no less.

And now we play the old colts 'shuffle' where one club pilfers (for lack of a better word) another for cattle (in this case, the Riff, an established club with a strong history of Under 18/19s in the area losing the majority of players to Magic, correct me if I'm wrong) for whatever reason it may be, a coach leaves, the promise of better opportunities etc.

Open for discussion, I'm one of the very very few on this forum that puts his name to his comments, so I'm open to criticism. As long as the Magic's Number 1 ticket holder doesn't send me FB messages! And I'm not referring to you Ash..your messages are alright!

[BOOMERHARVES]

You seriously underestimate the effort and passion that the VOLUNTEERS at the magic actually put into the club.

Amazing that those Penno, East Coast and Mac Uni recruits live in the Blacktown LGA (Akmens, Connors, Moeller, Corr to name a few). Does that mean that those other clubs were recruiting from out of their areas to get them there???

Not too sure what the "Plethora of AFL Development Officers" had to do with kicking the club off in 2012 as it was a senior club!!??!? And these Development Officers again giving them an elite (by lower div standards) team?? My understanding is that the Development Officers work with schools??? The playing squad was developed around mates of mates.

Maybe you could sit on the committee to assist the club moving forward seeing as you have a Blacktown/Quakers Hill past and a burning desire to continually check up on the club!!.. We would love to have you in the mix, and welcome you down.

[Digby Morrell]

Good direction for the conversation. Maybe to help the discussion with some extra colour around the points raised...

- Echoing Ash's comments.. it's insulting to those who have worked bloody hard at the club to state that it's done by people being paid. Just like any other club, we have a team of volunteers (pioneered by 3-4 in particular) who have seen the club grow since Day 1.
- we still train the entire pre season at Wright Reserve, and one night a week during the year.
- We get to play at amazing facilities at BISP. But we pay for these by the hour, much like any other club would pay ground hire. The Ponds were not an option as the council gave preference (fairly) to the existing tennants, the growing soccer club.
- The perception that we were a team of Development Officers in the early years is exaggerated. 17 of 32 in year 1 had never played AFL before at all. Others came from clubs and most likely wouldn't have played footy at all if not to play with mates at the Magic. Not really sure on the relevance of this point.
- There definitely were some pastings given out in Div 3. Fair to say, that was a very uneven comp that has become more balanced through divisionalisation. Keeping in mind - we were well beaten by UTS in our first year GF, after finishing 3rd at years end. And only just got over Maroubra in year 2.
- You're right. The Swisse Award was won from a killer video (by a player) and all the players getting behind it on Facey. The winner was based on votes - they were counted on the site.
- we've responded on here before about AFL assistance. We get the same treatment as any other club. We don't ask for any different.

Based on the high level of interest on here... Come have a beer with us at a meeting one night. There's no AFL representation or anything sinister. Just a group of men and women trying to grow the club and game in a tough market.

PB.

[Pekay]

Consider my post as your opportunity to set the record straight then. While I don't have the time to respond to all your rebuttals right now, I'll read with interest tomorrow.

As for your offer, I've been an active committe member of my club and served in a coaching capacity since 2002 and wound up in 2014. Perhaps more than most have given back to the game in our competition. But I appreciate the offer.

[BOOMERHARVES]

By no means doubting your commitment to your club and as a revered figure in the Sydney AFL. Just an offer as you seem to have strong interest in the Magic.

[DLH]

There's no doubt that the Magic were the AFL's attempt to fill the Premier Division void in Western Sydney from day one, they can hardly claim there was organic demand.

As sure as night follows day they will miraculously find themselves in PD by 2018, a testament to the success story of Australian Football in the region, to be trumpeted long and loud by the head honchos in Melbourne no doubt.

[Coastal Boy]

There's no doubt that the Magic were the AFL's attempt to fill the Premier Division void in Western Sydney from day one, they can hardly claim there was organic demand.

As sure as night follows day they will miraculously find themselves in PD by 2018, a testament to the success story of Australian Football in the region, to be trumpeted long and loud by the head honchos in Melbourne no doubt.

I reckon the clubs in the area have had plenty of opportunity over many years and decades to build to have a Premier Division team. I say good luck to Blacktown if they get there. I doubt it though.