Great support for the Swans in Tassie

[JF_Bay22_SCG]

... and the sooner we get a 'Man City' in Western Sydney, the quicker we will grow as a club and as a game in Sydney.

I'm sorry, but if that makes us 'Man United', then I'd rather pass. As a Sydney Fc fan I find the "Bling Bling" monniker not only boring but irritating. I'd find rich vs poor thing equally annoying, especially if it is artificially created. I find the Central Mariners "we are doing for the community" ethos even more enfuriating. They have cash because Sydney Fc's benefactor Peter Turnbull had a fight with Frank Lowy so has put his money into them, the so called 'people's club'.

The Adelaide Crows & West Coast Eagles are the "Man Utds" of their respective cities. They are just as fake & plastic & are nearly as commercial as their Mancunian namesake. In a league with clubs of over 100 years of ages, these teams are merely franchises run along businesses lines using a state of origin theme. I could do without us being seen in the same light to be honest.

Let me use the analogy of the West Sydney Razorbacks as proof of my point. When they came in, did they bring new fans to the game of basktball? Or did they just split the Kings supporter base into two?

The last thing the AFL needs in Sydney is a footy version of the beleaguered Pigs. It weakens the AFL brand as a whole.

JF

[cruiser]

I find the Central Mariners "we are doing for the community" ethos even more enfuriating. They have cash because Sydney Fc's benefactor Peter Turnbull had a fight with Frank Lowy so has put his money into them, the so called 'people's club'.

You have no idea what the Mariners are doing insofar as their involvment with the Central Coast community is concerned. The involvement of the team and the club in the community up here has nothing to do with ownership and financial backing of the club. Before sprouting off your prejudiced nonsense I suggest that you go do some research (sorry everyone, we're getting right off topic here).

[swansrule100]

we arent the biggest team here, if collingwood or essendon come to aurora stadium heaven help us.

Theres a strong growing support base here though, i know when i was at school in 1992, 1993 and 1994 i was the only person i knew going for us.

But a lot of younger people seem keen on the swans these days, i know the sports shop (balls n bumpers) in launnie goes through a lot of swans stuff.

[TheGrimReaper]

I'm sorry, but if that makes us 'Man United', then I'd rather pass. As a Sydney Fc fan I find the "Bling Bling" monniker not only boring but irritating. I'd find rich vs poor thing equally annoying, especially if it is artificially created. I find the Central Mariners "we are doing for the community" ethos even more enfuriating. They have cash because Sydney Fc's benefactor Peter Turnbull had a fight with Frank Lowy so has put his money into them, the so called 'people's club'.

The Adelaide Crows & West Coast Eagles are the "Man Utds" of their respective cities. They are just as fake & plastic & are nearly as commercial as their Mancunian namesake. In a league with clubs of over 100 years of ages, these teams are merely franchises run along businesses lines using a state of origin theme. I could do without us being seen in the same light to be honest.

Let me use the analogy of the West Sydney Razorbacks as proof of my point. When they came in, did they bring new fans to the game of basktball? Or did they just split the Kings supporter base into two?

The last thing the AFL needs in Sydney is a footy version of the beleaguered Pigs. It weakens the AFL brand as a whole.

JF

I think the new club would have the bling, bling feel to it. As it's the love-child of the AFL and that it gets it's support. We'll always have the battlers tag mate and that's because of the South Melbourne link. And that's the way I would rather see the Swans. Even though our story has become rags to riches of late, I'll always consider us the battlers no matter what.

But that, could be because of where I grew up though.

[Damien]

IIRC the "unified" Tassie league only lasted a few years. There were traditionally 3 Leagues in the state, which is far from unusual given the size of the state and the travel times needed for a statewide league.

Yeah 1986-2000 it lasted. Which is really a pity. Started with North and South Launceston both joining the TANFL which was the southern league, Devonport and Burnie joined in the next year or so, followed by Launceston in the 90s.

The crowds really started dropping off in the mid 90s, mainly thanks to saturated AFL TV Coverage and by the late 90s, a few southern clubs pulled out, finally the northern clubs rebelled and this left the three big southern clubs, North Hobart, Glenorchy and Clarence without even a league until they all agreed to join the SFL.

There is currently talk of a statewide league reforming with the southern and northern clubs only playing each other once a year but whether that happens remains to be seen.

There is a fair bit of anger still brewing in Southern Tasmania over Launceston getting all the AFL games and the amount of attention York Park and I guess Launceston has received from both the State and Federal Government thanks to it being one of the closest election seats in the country (Bass). I know many people who boycott the York Park games due to it.

An AFL team would have to be heavily supported by the State Government and would have to play in both Hobart and Launceston.

[satchmopugdog]

I just love the footy being in Launceston. It makes it feasible to travel to the games for me.

It is a sad indictment of people's attitudes if they boycott games for that reason. I think they would not have gone to the games much anyway if they are small minded.

It always amuses me with work meetings that are held in Oatlands or Campbell Town to cut down the travel for West Coasters or Circular Head people or North East people or East Coast people. Rather than go to Hobart all the time they OCCASIONALLY have meetings somewhere else and the Hobart people still grizzle and moan even though they still don't have to travel that far. As I said in the match report Hobartians need to strap on the oxygen tanks to drive North of the Tasman Bridge.

[Bear]

I'm sorry, but if that makes us 'Man United', then I'd rather pass. As a Sydney Fc fan I find the "Bling Bling" monniker not only boring but irritating.

It's ok mate, we're not actually Manchester United.

I was simply using something called an analogy.

You can rest easy, we're not going for the bling bling etc.

[mcs]

... and the sooner we get a 'Man City' in Western Sydney, the quicker we will grow as a club and as a game in Sydney.

If we are the Man Utd of football then sorry Im going to have to go support someone else Im afraid! First and foremost, one of my other passions is MCFC

I hate to see a comparison between the glory hunting (Not all I admit) plastic fans of MUFC and the loyal diehard fans of Sydney Swans FC.

I'd like to think we are more like MCFC.... more of a club that has battled against superior rivals for a long time (In our case moreso while we were in Melbourne), or through difficult times after our move to Sydney with little success to speak of overall, but with a core of diehard fans who always begin every season dreaming of glory, even when the prospects are not so bright.

And if the swans are Utd then surely we dont want "a Man City' in Western Sydney. If I remember correctly was it not 2-1 and 1-0 to City in away and home games this season?? And also I do believe City now have more points from Derbies in the premier league era then Utd.
We have enough trouble beating teams like Collingwood and the Rooboys, let alone adding another bogey team to go with it!

[Damien]

It is a sad indictment of people's attitudes if they boycott games for that reason. I think they would not have gone to the games much anyway if they are small minded.
.

I don't get how it is small minded to protest Launceston having a hold on all live AFL in Tasmania? Most people I know who refuse to go, go to Melbourne regularly to watch their teams so it has nothing to do with their commitment.

It's not as if northerners come screaming down the Midlands Highway to watch Australia play in the one day series or tests.

I think most Hobart people accept they will never get a 100% hold on major events like every other capital city does but a share of these things is completely reasonable.