2007 Draw

[Sanecow]

Since the rounds from 16 - 22 are designed to even up the competition by playing good teams against one another and leaving the bad teams to grab some cheap points, I'd say that this will give AFL clubs far more scope to complain about an unfair draw in 2007. Not that complaints from the clubs are a driving force in the AFL.

It certainly puts a big question mark over Roos decision to tank mid-season.

[hammo]

Great!! So we can expect the Swans to reduce the price of memberships then??

Seriously, I think this is a bad move. Only 11 games of football in Sydney per year, essentially on every second weekend.

If the AFL is serious about growing the code then more games at Telstra Stadium should be part of the draw.

I don't know why the AFL bothers with Darwin, Launceston or Canberra. Canberra has a population of 300,000 people - a sell out at Manuka is about 18,000. Western Sydney has a million people - and an average crowd at Telstra is about 40,000. Surely the AFL realise this??

On the issue of Melbourne games, I suspect the matches in Canberra will substitute at least one of our Melbourne games. As the Swans requested the Canberra matches I suspect we will miss out on our Melbourne request.

[Tuco]

Originally posted by hammo
Great!! So we can expect the Swans to reduce the price of memberships then??

Seriously, I think this is a bad move. Only 11 games of football in Sydney per year, essentially on every second weekend.

If the AFL is serious about growing the code then more games at Telstra Stadium should be part of the draw.

I don't know why the AFL bothers with Darwin, Launceston or Canberra. Canberra has a population of 300,000 people - a sell out at Manuka is about 18,000. Western Sydney has a million people - and an average crowd at Telstra is about 40,000. Surely the AFL realise this??

On the issue of Melbourne games, I suspect the matches in Canberra will substitute at least one of our Melbourne games. As the Swans requested the Canberra matches I suspect we will miss out on our Melbourne request. [/B]

Agree totally about the Membership prices. I tihnk if Victorians realised how much it costs to be a Swans member They'd be shocked.

[Danzar]

Originally posted by Tuco
Well despite being based in Sydney, I think it is great news that we aren't losing any more games in Melb. The fanbase, and the experience of playing on the MCG is vital to our success.

Forget Marn Grook, though. Games in Canberra is the true tokenism in the AFL.

Manuka is an appalling venue that can't cope with the support the Swans muster there.

I've been there twice in the last three years and am yet to successfully purchase a pie or take a piss.

Manuka's not too bad. It's represents a road trip if you're from Sydney and has a bit of charm to it.

Plus, I like the fact that you can trot onto the Oval the day before the game and have a kick.

[DST]

Originally posted by Tuco
Agree totally about the Membership prices. I tihnk if Victorians realised how much it costs to be a Swans member They'd be shocked.

It costs me $220.00 to see 6 games, all of which I have no gaurantee of getting a seat so essentially when we play at Telstra Dome & Geelong you need to reserve a seat on top of that.

DST

[ScottH]

Originally posted by DST
It costs me $220.00 to see 6 games, all of which I have no gaurantee of getting a seat so essentially when we play at Telstra Dome & Geelong you need to reserve a seat on top of that.

DST

You only need a reserved seat at Telstra for the Bombers, otherwise you can sit up in the nose bleed section.

[Tuco]

Originally posted by Danzar
Manuka's not too bad. It's represents a road trip if you're from Sydney and has a bit of charm to it.

Plus, I like the fact that you can trot onto the Oval the day before the game and have a kick.

I find the trip down the freeway a bit of fun. But of the 9 of us who made the trip this year not-a-one will do it again, And I find this pretty sad, really. Maybe I can twist some arms next year. But probably not.

But I can't blame them. A lot of this twee kick and giggle stuff starts to get old pretty quickly, certainly when you consider that for the services provided the price is astronomical.

Especially if you can't get a seat.

Leaning against a concrete wall in freezing temperatures, sacrificing 30-40mins of game time to buy a beer, and perhaps 20-30 more mins if you're hungry (last time the stalls ran out of food before it was even quarter time) and where the chances of getting a crack at a toilet are worse than hopeless is pretty mickey mouse however you look at it.

From memory it hasn't rained on a Swans game there yet, either. How much would that venue suck if it did?

The Swans basically paid the Dogs cash for that Sydney fixture. Surely Syd wouldn't be expected to do the same for this Canberra game?

[Young Blood]

Originally posted by hammo
I don't know why the AFL bothers with Darwin, Launceston or Canberra.

1. Because it's (supposedly) a national competition.
2. Because the game owes Tasmania and NT for the players they have produced that have helped make the competition what it is today.
3. Because the AFL wants to maintain interest (and player numbers and merchandise/membership sales and TV ratings) in these markets.

[hammo]

Originally posted by Tuco

From memory it hasn't rained on a Swans game there yet, either. How much would that venue suck if it did?

It never rains in Canberra

[hammo]

Originally posted by Young Blood
1. Because it's (supposedly) a national competition.
2. Because the game owes Tasmania and NT for the players they have produced that have helped make the competition what it is today.
3. Because the AFL wants to maintain interest (and player numbers and merchandise/membership sales and TV ratings) in these markets.

Western Sydney is a bigger market than Canberra, Darwin and Launceston combined. The AFL would do far more for growing the game by scheduling Dogs-Swans or Dees-Swans at Telstra Stadium than Canberra.

[Tuco]

Originally posted by DST
It costs me $220.00 to see 6 games, all of which I have no gaurantee of getting a seat so essentially when we play at Telstra Dome & Geelong you need to reserve a seat on top of that.

DST

Ye Gods. A Demon fan can get 18 home and Away games for only a fraction more money. Man you guys are getting screwed.

[Zlatorog]

I've also read the article and here's my rant:

1. Unless AFL has got financial arragements with ACT governement there is no reason I can think of why would AFL still schedule games there.

2. Andrew D is becoming very inward looking chap in my opinion. I'm having the impression that he would like to return to the glory days of VFL where non-victorian clubs used to provide some exotic entertainment for Victorians. I don't think he is serious in developing game in Sydney. Most likely he is pushed by the sponsor and TV rights buyers than his own believe where is the future of the AFL. At least the draw looks like that.

3. With petrol prices most likely to rise aboe $2 next year, I wonder how many people would bother to travel to Canberra next year to watch AFL games there. I know I won't bother, because it will become too expensive.

End of my rant.

[Danzar]

Originally posted by Tuco
I find the trip down the freeway a bit of fun. But of the 9 of us who made the trip this year not-a-one will do it again, And I find this pretty sad, really. Maybe I can twist some arms next year. But probably not.

But I can't blame them. A lot of this twee kick and giggle stuff starts to get old pretty quickly, certainly when you consider that for the services provided the price is astronomical.

Especially if you can't get a seat.

Leaning against a concrete wall in freezing temperatures, sacrificing 30-40mins of game time to buy a beer, and perhaps 20-30 more mins if you're hungry (last time the stalls ran out of food before it was even quarter time) and where the chances of getting a crack at a toilet are worse than hopeless is pretty mickey mouse however you look at it.

From memory it hasn't rained on a Swans game there yet, either. How much would that venue suck if it did?

The Swans basically paid the Dogs cash for that Sydney fixture. Surely Syd wouldn't be expected to do the same for this Canberra game?

Solution 1 - get your ticket early in the stands. Reserved seats, nice toilets.
Solution 2 - book a nice hotel with friends and plan activities. Poker, Twister, whatever your fancy.
Solution 3 - host a 'game-day' big-breakfast. Cook a big barbeque for your mates and have a 'strategy-session'.
Solution 4 - get drunk at every possible opportunity.
Solution 5 - Do one thing in Canberra not related to Footy. Go to the gallery or something.

[Young Blood]

Originally posted by hammo
Western Sydney is a bigger market than Canberra, Darwin and Launceston combined. The AFL would do far more for growing the game by scheduling Dogs-Swans or Dees-Swans at Telstra Stadium than Canberra.

The AFL has more objectives than simply 'growing the game'. But even on this count, it's not as clear as you make out that Western Sydney should be the #1 priority. If it were just a matter of market size, then surely the AFL should go to Tokyo, Mexico City or Mumbai? The question you should ask is what's the marginal gain from staging a game in a given location. Sydney folk already have the option of going to 8 games at the SCG and 3 at Telstra Stadium. What impact would additional games at TS have on the number of people who attend a game, or on general interest and support for AFL. Compare that to the impact of holding the games in the other locations.

[Zlatorog]

I think we should ask question a bit differently. Is Sydney market big enough to have an AFL game every week, or are we all happy to have it every fortnight? I'm not implying that we should watch the Swans every week in Sydney, but I think we deserve a game every week. Ever since VFL moved the Swans to Sydney, the whole development of the AFL in Sydney have been going at a very slow pace. And that is the fact.