Season 2016 - early days

[Mug Punter]

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.

Ultimately the Blacktown Magic (hate that American franchise style name....) will survive or prosper on the back of their volunteers and degree of community engagement. I don't think there is any doubt that they were a NSWAFL assisted birth. And if the club grows and prospers then it will have been the right decision.

Only time will tell but overall I'm not a huge fan of how the NSWAFL try and pick winners with new clubs (Beirut United for example were a disaster despite their self righteous trumpeting of cultural diversity) and let existing proud clubs wither on the vine.'

Having said that there is a huge geographical footprint between Parramatta and Penrith with plenty of young kids that should be able to make this work. If there is no NSWAFL intervention from now on then and they genuinely are on the same playing field as other western Sydney clubs then I think this is largely a dead issue...

[Mug Punter]

What are some other areas of Sydney that people on here feel are ripe for a new senior team?

I genuinely think an upper North Shore team based out of St Ives or Hornsby could work with similar investment to the Magick.

Possibly a team in Mosman to cater for the burgeoning Mosman Swans and the increased private schoolboys playing AFL?

An Old Ignatians AFC hopefully to be followed by other OB clubs as they get their football programmes up and running

A re-born Newtown playing out of Erko, how good would that be?

[Footy Barista]

Camden will be the next premier division club

[Pekay]

I think DLH put it quite succinctly, the creation of the Magic wasn't organic. Would it have gone ahead if the Development HQ wasn't based at Blacktown?

Regardless, you folk are here to stay, and may or may not have put a lot of minds at ease with your rebuttals. Whether or not you were assisted in building the club, you are doing your own thing now and building the club as your vision sees fit.

Perhaps I was having a bitter day yesterday.

Perhaps my little bloke will kit up for you in the future, who knows what the next 18 years holds? Id he chooses to play footy. If he chooses soccer or rugby he'll be the fittest kid out there, coz he'll be walking to training every night.

[saviour01]

Camden will be the next premier division club

We have a trial with them this Tuesday, be interesting to see how they are these days.

[Mug Punter]

Camden will be the next premier division club

What, with no juniors of note and a semi-rural catchment area? I'll have some of what you're on.

I can see them Div 1 at best....

[justabaraker]

The clearances in and out are starting to come in and there are some of note...

Jarjoura to Parra
Matt Edwins to Camden
Brayden Fowler out to Vic
Jamie Vlato gone from ECE
Scott Reed gone from ECE
Stephen OConnor gone from ECE
Sands and Etto gone from Wests
Mudge back to the Dragons
Jono Gourlay back to Penno
Karl Merson from ECE back to Dragons
Jason Moeller to Victoria
Talbot and Bilbe gone from Penno

I went out to watch Penno in a practice hitout - they are my early tips for the PD flag

[Footy Barista]

What, with no juniors of note and a semi-rural catchment area? I'll have some of what you're on.

I can see them Div 1 at best....

Yeah na , I don't really care about what you think mate

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The clearances in and out are starting to come in and there are some of note...

Jarjoura to Parra
Matt Edwins to Camden
Brayden Fowler out to Vic
Jamie Vlato gone from ECE
Scott Reed gone from ECE
Stephen OConnor gone from ECE
Sands and Etto gone from Wests
Mudge back to the Dragons
Jono Gourlay back to Penno
Karl Merson from ECE back to Dragons
Jason Moeller to Victoria
Talbot and Bilbe gone from Penno

I went out to watch Penno in a practice hitout - they are my early tips for the PD flag

Earl shaw to St George has to be a biggy?

Mersons time at East Coast was worth the drama this time last year, not sure where his loyalty stands......

Penno will be favourites for sure along with st George and UTS have 41 clearances already!!! I think if they do not make the 5 this year it would be a dramatic fail , I think its time for them to make a move its been 5 longs years

[Pekay]

The clearances in and out are starting to come in and there are some of note...

Jarjoura to Parra
Matt Edwins to Camden
Brayden Fowler out to Vic
Jamie Vlato gone from ECE
Scott Reed gone from ECE
Stephen OConnor gone from ECE
Sands and Etto gone from Wests
Mudge back to the Dragons
Jono Gourlay back to Penno
Karl Merson from ECE back to Dragons
Jason Moeller to Victoria
Talbot and Bilbe gone from Penno

I went out to watch Penno in a practice hitout - they are my early tips for the PD flag

Vlatko has only managed the only game in the NT. Not sure if injured or fishing.

[BOOMERHARVES]

I dare say Jamie Vlatko will still be playing at ECE this year! Probably just permitted out for a one off game in the NT wet season league.

[ZaccyJ]

What, with no juniors of note and a semi-rural catchment area? I'll have some of what you're on.

I can see them Div 1 at best....

They do possess 60% of Campbelltown's premier div side, and now with Edwins it's not that great a stretch to see them push up. All they need now is the desire to play at a higher level.

[Woosh]

I see Camden getting there. If they want it they need to chase it though.

[andreww1]

Yeah na , I don't really care about what you think mate

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Earl shaw to St George has to be a biggy?

Mersons time at East Coast was worth the drama this time last year, not sure where his loyalty stands......

Penno will be favourites for sure along with st George and UTS have 41 clearances already!!! I think if they do not make the 5 this year it would be a dramatic fail , I think its time for them to make a move its been 5 longs years

UTS must have a fantastic nationwide recruitment strategy. They have someone coming in from just about every state in Australia. How do they do it?

[Mug Punter]

The clearances in and out are starting to come in and there are some of note...

Jarjoura to Parra
Matt Edwins to Camden
Brayden Fowler out to Vic
Jamie Vlato gone from ECE
Scott Reed gone from ECE
Stephen OConnor gone from ECE
Sands and Etto gone from Wests
Mudge back to the Dragons
Jono Gourlay back to Penno
Karl Merson from ECE back to Dragons
Jason Moeller to Victoria
Talbot and Bilbe gone from Penno

I went out to watch Penno in a practice hitout - they are my early tips for the PD flag

All the Swans Academy players who missed the draft (Behagg, Baron-Hay, Veale, Hebron et al) have all gone to the NEAFL, presumably to play for the blazer wearers.

Now I know that this makes sense and it's the whole idea of the third pathway option, plus if you wanted the NEAFL to work Sydney had to have at least three teams. But if I was North Shore and three of my best juniors do not pass go, do not collect $200 (but perhaps get their degree paid for) and go straight to Sydney Uni then, rationally or not, I would be feeling pretty annoyed.

And once in the Sydney Uni program is there anything to see them drift down to their PD team? because if Sydney Uni become the automatic club of destination for the best six junior coming out of the academy every year it won't be long before these kids start flooding their PD sides too. And then I'd be really annoyed if I was North Shore

Yep it's great for Sydney Uni but is it good for Sydney football? Discuss! Cue usual diatribe against me.....

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[QUOTE=Footy Barista;690315]Yeah na , I don't really care about what you think mate

- - - Updated - - -

Peanut!!

[The Student]

Cue the usual diatribe against me, never mind the fact that I'm spouting utter garbage again. Obviously you have been paying zero attention over the past twelve months when we have said over and over and over again that unless a player is studying at the Uni, or their father played at the club or if they have an SU degree they are not permitted to play PD and get drafted to other clubs. This goes for any new recruit to the club.

And nobody gets their degrees paid for. The scholarships offered wouldn't cover a year's tuition. But if they did do you think they would be better off playing for North Shore for a pat on the back and your undying love? And I assume you have a problem with players getting paid match payments or are you just against people furthering their education?