Why isn't there a single combined Black Diamond & Sydney AFL competition

[saviour01]

Not sure if AFL Sydney's priority should be northern NSW at the expense of Sydney.

[Pekay]

NSW/ACT would call the shots over AFL Sydney should the need occur.

[Jupiter]

NSW/ACT would call the shots over AFL Sydney should the need occur.

I think an obvious objective would be to improve the Prem Div and head it towards one day state league level (get more talent in from wider area), also Plats and maybe one other comp have some more interesting developments with some new clubs competing - kids in Newcastle, Hunter, Central Coast and Gong etc have home based options to play in better comps. I'd start with Prem div, relegate 2 of current clubs and bring in best performing 2 from outside, next 2 or 3 enter Plats - really like Pekay's 2 divisions suggestion to reduce travel - finals playoff. These are just ideas but show there is so much scope to improve the local scene that is not even being considered. Same old same old and whinge about it is the status quo.

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Gosford failed.
Central coast juniors failed.
Hunter failed.

Teams going to Sydney have not worked in the past.
Sydney AFL should focus on getting a prem div team in the corridor west of Ashfield going all the way to Penrith. Half of the Sydney population lives in this area.

Isn't that where Wests obvious strategic direction should be focused? They are at Ashbury/Ashfield - look west instead of toward the crowded "inner" city. Winning long term pivot I would of thought.

[andreww1]

Probably growth of the game in northern NSW for a start?

Forcing players and supporters from Northern NSW to travel to Sydney every second week is not going to grow the game. And having Sydney Prems clubs travel to Newcastle twice a year will not grow the game. Both comps would lose players because of the excessive and unnecessary travel. If the game needs to grow in northern NSW then the AFL in conjunction with the clubs need to put more caching and promotional resources in to the area.
Sorry but this idea of including the north in Sydney does not have any legs at all.


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[Pekay]

Forcing players and supporters from Northern NSW to travel to Sydney every second week is not going to grow the game. And having Sydney Prems clubs travel to Newcastle twice a year will not grow the game. Both comps would lose players because of the excessive and unnecessary travel. If the game needs to grow in northern NSW then the AFL in conjunction with the clubs need to put more caching and promotional resources in to the area.
Sorry but this idea of including the north in Sydney does not have any legs at all.


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To you it doesn't - you should know that what those in club land think means very little to those making the decisions.

[Pekay]

Gosford failed.
Central coast juniors failed.
Hunter failed.

Teams going to Sydney have not worked in the past.
Sydney AFL should focus on getting a prem div team in the corridor west of Ashfield going all the way to Penrith. Half of the Sydney population lives in this area.

I'd like to see a prems team out of Blacktown Olympic - but certainly not the manufactured Magic. But would West surrender their history in the inner west?

Parramatta geographically should come next - are they strong enough to do it again?

The issue out here is an unstable junior base - funny that just 20km to the north of Blacktown, East Coast are thriving. The hills will always be strong in juniors.

Quakers Hill were dissolved too early I think, now with Marsden Park, Schofields and Riverstone experiencing a boom in housing.

Gosford won a flag didn't they? Hunters came close in 18s all those years ago, their ressies foray was probably 10 years too early. Maybe that needs reviving, given the pathway to being identified is a lot brighter from Sydney these days.

[Coastal Boy]

Without a doubt, no club from north of Sydney would be interested in the concept. The travel would be horrendous and for what gain? The concept looks better from a Sydney perspective than the other way around. It would rip the guts out of the local competition. The comp north of Sydney is 100% amateur. They would eventually struggle to compete against clubs who pay their players.

Rugby League have tried it with powerful, money laden clubs from the Central Coast playing in the Metro Cup(or equivalent) only to retreat to reality soon enough and a lot poorer for the experience.

You also need to factor in the logistics of it. Aren’t SydneyAFL telling clubs they need to have women and U19s as a part of their licence agreement? Asking multiple teams to make road trips is something that would wear thin very quickly.

It’s great to conceptualise but it’s a no from me.

[Ballinabenny21]

I'd like to see a prems team out of Blacktown Olympic - but certainly not the manufactured Magic. But would West surrender their history in the inner west?

Parramatta geographically should come next - are they strong enough to do it again?

The issue out here is an unstable junior base - funny that just 20km to the north of Blacktown, East Coast are thriving. The hills will always be strong in juniors.

Quakers Hill were dissolved too early I think, now with Marsden Park, Schofields and Riverstone experiencing a boom in housing.

Gosford won a flag didn't they? Hunters came close in 18s all those years ago, their ressies foray was probably 10 years too early. Maybe that needs reviving, given the pathway to being identified is a lot brighter from Sydney these days.

Hunters 18s won flag in 1999 and Gosford won flag (I think) around 2013/2014