Team GWS

[ShockOfHair]

It's quite entertaining, even if you're not an AFL fan, which is the point of the exercise.

But I don't know what Sheedy means when he says Jock McHale "basically invented" AFL.

[swansrob]

Kevin Sheedy

Notice the little niggles against the Swans in this article. There will be plenty more of them, no doubt.

On unearthing new talent:

''It might just happen one day here - you might just get a superstar out of Parramatta or Baulkham Hills or Campbelltown. Albury, maybe - that's our zone. You might just find the captain of Greater Western Sydney. And the Sydney Swans will never have known. Some good players have come out of our zone.''

Sheedy realises there is already a superstar of the game, a current captain of a certain other Sydney based AFL side from Albury, right?

[magic.merkin]

Sheedy realises there is already a superstar of the game, a current captain of a certain other Sydney based AFL side from Albury, right?

I think he recognises that at the end with "some good players have come out of our zone."

[swansrob]

I think he recognises that at the end with "some good players have come out of our zone."

True, but what about "And the Sydney Swans will never have known"?

[magic.merkin]

I'm not sure if we have been allowed access to that zone, or if we have been cultivating it in the past 5-10 years.

[Trickster]

They're called the Blacktown Bogans and their brand is generic.

Western Sydney Bogongs-Because they smell a little odd, they are annoying and they'll only be aound for a season!
Their colours will be muted brown and faded grey with elegant flannelett sash accross the (pot) belly.
Team song will be a mash up of Khe Sanh and the long lost music from the Resches commercials

[liz]

True, but what about "And the Sydney Swans will never have known"?

I'm not sure if we have been allowed access to that zone, or if we have been cultivating it in the past 5-10 years.

The Albury area falls within the Murray Bushrangers zone. Most kids who are any good at underage levels are likely to be playing TAC Cup with the Bushrangers and therefore as exposed to the draft as underage Victorian youngsters. The area has been a Swans zone for a decade or more in the sense that the club has had first dibs on any players who fall through the draft into the rookie draft - ala McNeill in the most recent draft.

It is probably a fair observation that the Swans haven't gone looking for very rough diamonds in this region in recent years, preferring instead to focus on the scholarship scheme. So West Sydney could well unearth some hidden gems by taking punts on players who don't quite make it into the draft. But are there more such players in South NSW than in any other region of the country? Who knows.

The other aspect that Western Sydney might benefit from is targetting athletes in that region at age ranges 14-17 who may not yet be playing AFL, or wavering between this and other sports - ie what the scholarship scheme aims to do for the rest of NSW. But given that it is too early to tell how many decent AFL players have been unearthed by the scholarship scheme, who knows whether GWS will unearth gems via this approach. (And the Swans will essentially have the same path to uncovering gems from parts of NSW, given that both clubs will have their own academy.)

[COBHC]

Not quite...
It's a Greater Western Stuff-up - AFL Premiership - Fox Sports

Fox Sports definately have been fooled with their NRL bias, knowing Kevin Sheedy, that was most likely a joke.

I'm not a fan of GWS but, it'll be interesting to see how they go in the AFL though. Bring them on I say, so we can crush them down to size.

[AnnieH]

Bloody blacktown bogans (well, Sheeds anyway) had the whole BACK PAGE of the Sun-Herald yesterday, and the whole TWO PAGES that's normally reserved for the Swannies inside.

Swans take note.

[Cheer Squad]

Bloody blacktown bogans (well, Sheeds anyway) had the whole BACK PAGE of the Sun-Herald yesterday, and the whole TWO PAGES that's normally reserved for the Swannies inside.

Swans take note.

He's quite good at getting publicity, isn't he?

It will be interesting to see what tactics he employs over the next couple of years to build the new team's profile. I think there will be plenty more little digs at us.

As to how we respond, well, that's the big question. Probably play a straight bat for the time being until Sheedy really turns up the heat.

[Bas]

I disagree. It was great publicity for the AFL. I hope GWS become a strong team quickly.

This is the FIRST Sydney AFL team originating in NSW. What is the big deal? Is it that difficult to support two teams?

Sheedy is the perfect man for the job. Plenty of nuff nuff's out west to recruit.

[Wardy]

I disagree. It was great publicity for the AFL. I hope GWS become a strong team quickly.

This is the FIRST Sydney AFL team originating in NSW. What is the big deal? Is it that difficult to support two teams?

Sheedy is the perfect man for the job. Plenty of nuff nuff's out west to recruit.

I do agree regarding the exposure this is giving AFL - so far its all going according to plan - plant a few seeds of doubt, get Sheeds to write a letter to Roos inviting him to join the club - see the over the top reaction in the Sunday Telegraph, which was hilarious - the man & his marketing team are doing the job they have been employed to do. What some just dont get - or just dont want to get is that we have the potential here to have a real cross city rivalry - like West Coast & Freo, like Carlton & Collingwood - this is what they are trying to create, and with time - it just might happen, you dont know unless you have a go!!! its lifting the profile of AFL in this state. I for one hope it works.

They had a free plug yesterday when Israel Filou (?) at an NRL camp and said in his interview that he hoped that the AFL went really well out west, and that there was room for everyone. this shocked the media present and David Gallop wasn't impressed - you just cant buy that kind of stuff.

Lets just wait and see what Sheeds comes up with next.

[AnnieH]

I do agree regarding the exposure this is giving AFL - so far its all going according to plan - plant a few seeds of doubt, get Sheeds to write a letter to Roos inviting him to join the club - see the over the top reaction in the Sunday Telegraph, which was hilarious - the man & his marketing team are doing the job they have been employed to do. What some just dont get - or just dont want to get is that we have the potential here to have a real cross city rivalry - like West Coast & Freo, like Carlton & Collingwood - this is what they are trying to create, and with time - it just might happen, you dont know unless you have a go!!! its lifting the profile of AFL in this state. I for one hope it works.

They had a free plug yesterday when Israel Filou (?) at an NRL camp and said in his interview that he hoped that the AFL went really well out west, and that there was room for everyone. this shocked the media present and David Gallop wasn't impressed - you just cant buy that kind of stuff.

Lets just wait and see what Sheeds comes up with next.

Oh they have a rivalry all right!!
I'm hating them with passion. (But I do love Sheeds shennanigans!!)

[Asterix]

Hopefully between the Swannies and the Westies we can see the further demise of rugby league, and the rise and rise of soccer and AFL.

Imagine, two Sydney teams in the Grand Final and Australia winning the World Cup.

Mmmmmmmm. Maybe my grandkids will see that one day!

[Big Al]

Hopefully between the Swannies and the Westies we can see the further demise of rugby league, and the rise and rise of soccer and AFL.

Imagine, two Sydney teams in the Grand Final and Australia winning the World Cup.

Mmmmmmmm. Maybe my grandkids will see that one day!

The success of GWS does not have to be at the expense of Rugby League. There is room for both codes to co-exist and be successful.