ground advantage

[reigning premier]

They're the Blacktown Bogans.

A team after your own heart Annie????

[Bob Neil]

I am rather sure that a second Sydney team will struggle. First, who are their fans gonna be? Not me. I think most Sydney sider Swans fans are very unlikely to change their loyalties. So, its gonna take them ages to build a fan base.

I can't wait for the McBogans to start - I'm dumping the latte-sipping Swans and heading west. Just think about the agro in the crowd at games - the intra state hatred is second to none.

[Doctor J.]

If you are going to complain then at least get it right.

These 'handouts' to the Swans were actually loans and have all been repaid with interest.

The living costs reflect the real extra cost of Sydney, plus the worst grassroots football infrastructure of any state.

As for housing prices, Sydney still has the highest median house price, still 9% higher than Perth's and 20% higher than Melbourne's.

Don't bother.
Clowns like Kanga still believe that Santa Claus is real.
Never interested in the truth, just keep perpetuating urban myth.

[Kanga]

Don't bother.
Clowns like Kanga still believe that Santa Claus is real.
Never interested in the truth, just keep perpetuating urban myth.

So it is okay for your team to get a loan and repay it, but not the NMFC. Go figure? That really is flawed logic.

As for Santa Claus, are you ready to spoil that party for all the kids on this site? No doubt Paul Roos is waiting under the tree each Xmas for a forward capable of kicking goals!

Good luck this weekend......

[reigning premier]

So it is okay for your team to get a loan and repay it, but not the NMFC. Go figure? That really is flawed logic.

As for Santa Claus, are you ready to spoil that party for all the kids on this site? No doubt Paul Roos is waiting under the tree each Xmas for a forward capable of kicking goals!

Good luck this weekend......

I think you're using flawed logic Kanga. In every instance the AFL has loaned Sth/Sydney money, there has been conditions attached. One of them was to relocate to Sydney!

Nth Melbourne has exactly the same offer (If not better). When NMFC does go down, and let's be honest, without AFL intervention, it's going to happen eventually, you'll get little sympathy aanywhere, let alone here.

[Kanga]

I think you're using flawed logic Kanga. In every instance the AFL has loaned Sth/Sydney money, there has been conditions attached. One of them was to relocate to Sydney!

Nth Melbourne has exactly the same offer (If not better). When NMFC does go down, and let's be honest, without AFL intervention, it's going to happen eventually, you'll get little sympathy aanywhere, let alone here.

...and why would I look for sympathy here? Every time I offer a constructive comment someone on hear goes back to the old NMFC bailout/Gold Coast relocation saga. Tiresome.

Sticking to the point of the thread seems hard for you guys when I offer an opinion. Shame.

[Cheer Squad]

Nice try, perhaps a smidgen of the handouts the Swans have received over the 25 odd years since their relocation + the ongoing 'Sydney top up to the salary cap' to cover increased living costs could be shared around. I understand Perth's house prices have outstripped Sydney's over the last few years.....

Kanga, the VFL didn't know what it was doing when it sent the Swans to Sydney. It could not afford to watch the club collapse, as this would have crippled the code in Sydney, and compromised development of the national competition. And whatever financial assistance was given to the Swans over the years will pale into insignificance compared to what's needed to establish a credible team in western Sydney.

[Kanga]

Kanga, the VFL didn't know what it was doing when it sent the Swans to Sydney. It could not afford to watch the club collapse, as this would have crippled the code in Sydney, and compromised development of the national competition. And whatever financial assistance was given to the Swans over the years will pale into insignificance compared to what's needed to establish a credible team in western Sydney.

So it seems someone will finally agree (partly) with what I said in #20.

This is a little off the track of the topic, but:
The AFL is financially strong enough to prop up a Western Sydney team. You can be damn sure that the team will get the opportunity to have blockbuster games (eventually) such as Westies v Swans etc.

As has already been mentioned:
1. TV rights with a game in NSW every week = big increase in $$
2. Growing the game in the 'neglected' geographic centre of Sydney
3. Getting to see more quality teams playing in Sydney, whether it is Blacktown or Homebush
4. Additional media focus on the AFL generally in this market.
etc etc....

All of this will be beneficial for the AFL and the Swans! The Westie's v Swans game will become a grudge match like Port v ADL & WC v Freo.
TV rights $$ will (again) be used to pay for any expansion plans.....

[Cheer Squad]

So it seems someone will finally agree (partly) with what I said in #20.

This is a little off the track of the topic, but:
The AFL is financially strong enough to prop up a Western Sydney team. You can be damn sure that the team will get the opportunity to have blockbuster games (eventually) such as Westies v Swans etc.

As has already been mentioned:
1. TV rights with a game in NSW every week = big increase in $$
2. Growing the game in the 'neglected' geographic centre of Sydney
3. Getting to see more quality teams playing in Sydney, whether it is Blacktown or Homebush
4. Additional media focus on the AFL generally in this market.
etc etc....

All of this will be beneficial for the AFL and the Swans! The Westie's v Swans game will become a grudge match like Port v ADL & WC v Freo.
TV rights $$ will (again) be used to pay for any expansion plans.....

It sounds like you're assuming the best case scenario will come to pass. Being a Sydneysider, I have my doubts about the whole thing. I think you will find it was much easier to establish the Swans in Sydney than establish a second team.

[RED&WHITE BUNNY]

What do we all want as swans fans ? TO WIN THE FLAG. We should be making it hard for the other clubs to play us on our turf.chopping and changing home grounds won't help us.if the swans want ANZ to be there home, Train there 24-7 not once every 1-2 months

[Darren Thomson]

This stirs people up abit doesn't it? ANZ is not the best lpace to watch footy. The SCG is much better for spectators, if you spend the money for the better seats. You gotta love the Orielly stand on centre wing, at ANZ its 75 bucks to sit in what would be the outer at SCG, I was horrified first time I went there. The ground condition is in question a lot of the time because of League, union and every other game they play there, the retractable stands leave the wings in disrepair and make the players use the corridor, which creates more stoppages because they are all in there fighting, as it should be, for the ball. Personally, you can't beat the atmosphere of the SCG, next year it will hold 44000, although I remeber a game agsinst Cats some years ago where they claimed 44000. 96 prelim final was chockers and the noise was deafaning. At Anz you can't hear the crowd from the other side of the ground, I winder if the lpayers even know we are there