Folau to Western Sydney

[KirkysSocks]

Here at work a few AFL diehard find it hard to understand that most people in sydney don't care about AFL. They simply can't comprehend and this to me shows how arrogant the AFL has been. Everytime i go back to sydney and want to talk about rules to anyone i am either told to stop or the convo doesn't go beyond say 1 reply. Apart from the die hard swannies and expats there is just no support for the code, not in the short term and not in the long term. But AFL people won't listen, they are convinced support is high. Even swans TV ratings are embarrassing in Sydney.

Yeah i might come across as negative and i will be shot down by the die hard who will argue there is plenty of support for AFL in sydney but i honestly think this money could and should be spent on developing juniors elsewhere.

[ScottH]

Have you ever watched the 05 GF. Judd mis-kicked about half of his possessions and he was awarded BOG.

Not to mention Brownlow boy in that same game.

[Big Al]

Here at work a few AFL diehard find it hard to understand that most people in sydney don't care about AFL. They simply can't comprehend and this to me shows how arrogant the AFL has been. Everytime i go back to sydney and want to talk about rules to anyone i am either told to stop or the convo doesn't go beyond say 1 reply. Apart from the die hard swannies and expats there is just no support for the code, not in the short term and not in the long term. But AFL people won't listen, they are convinced support is high. Even swans TV ratings are embarrassing in Sydney.

Yeah i might come across as negative and i will be shot down by the die hard who will argue there is plenty of support for AFL in sydney but i honestly think this money could and should be spent on developing juniors elsewhere.

I am a league fan from the western suburbs of Sydney and your observations are spot on. The interest in the Swans is a lot higher than it used to be but the interest in the AFL is very low. People are willing to talk about the Swans because they are Sydney's team but most won't talk about or know anything about the wider issues in the AFL.

It is very much a league culture out in the west and I think the AFL is pushing @@@@ uphill with their move into the area. As you say the money could have been spent on on junior developement and if they want an 18th team then have a team in an area that is crying out for one like Tasmania

[Melbourne_Blood]

Rugby League should go after an AFL player.

[KirkysSocks]

I am a league fan from the western suburbs of Sydney and your observations are spot on. The interest in the Swans is a lot higher than it used to be but the interest in the AFL is very low. People are willing to talk about the Swans because they are Sydney's team but most won't talk about or know anything about the wider issues in the AFL.

It is very much a league culture out in the west and I think the AFL is pushing @@@@ uphill with their move into the area. As you say the money could have been spent on on junior developement and if they want an 18th team then have a team in an area that is crying out for one like Tasmania

It's amazing the stupidity i have had to hear today.

Unless you have lived in this region or have close friends or relos who have nothing to do with AFL and have lived in Sydney for a large amount of time then your (afl fan) opinion is void and you have no right in thinking you know the sydney sporting landscape. I keep getting expert opinions from people who haven't even stepped outside their confines in melbourne to travel south of the yarra let alone north of the murray. These same people call RL rugby and when corrected give you the typical arrogant "what ever same game rugby both are @@@@" so i irk them by calling rules AFL.

But i still support my claim that GWS is just a front so the AFL can achieve it's maximum price when negotiating TV rights. The Fat Controller has KPIs too meet and if he doesn't won't get that extra half million he seems to award himself as a pay rise each year. A dash for cash from the boys club who run the code, heck a bag of spuds can run the afl. They know if it fails they can just relocate one of the smaller melbourne clubs who each year struggle.

BTW how would you feel if you were over looked in the draft say in the last two years because your disposal was a bit suspect and then the AFL announce they are signing a spud who can't kick for 3 mill for years?

[Big Al]

It's amazing the stupidity i have had to hear today.

I'm confused... you quote me and then you write this underneath. Are you having a go at my post????

[KirkysSocks]

I'm confused... you quote me and then you write this underneath. Are you having a go at my post????

ahh sorry Mister Al no i was agreeing with you..sorry i didn't double check as i am doing work, reading rwo and listen to stupidity.

Dam re reading it came across as having a go..sorry didn't mean it.

[Big Al]

ahh sorry Mister Al no i was agreeing with you..sorry i didn't double check as i am doing work, reading rwo and listen to stupidty.

Cool...

oh and Mister Big will do

[hot potato]

An AFL game in Sydney EVERY WEEKEND, A Geelong, a Hawthorn, a Collingwood versing either SWANS or UP THERE ISRAELY AND HIS MOB...
IT'S A BEAUTIFUL THING.... CAN'T WAIT....

[sWAns63]

Is Folau worth a million+ a season

GWS have signed Rugby League player Israel Folau for reputed million+ a season for 4 years

[jono2707]

No but Josh Kennedy is.

[sWAns63]

I reckon it's a ploy to show potential stars from other clubs they have bags of cash & drive up contracts now causing a surplus of players in the competition

[stellation]

Have a look at the Fairfax rate card for advertising costs; a quarter page ad in the SMH sports sections costs around $6k during the week, around $8k on a Saturday. I think it's reasonable to assume that there's enough interest, based on the media storm today, to get a story on Folau that's at least a quarter page into the SHM about once a fortnight during pre-season and regular season? So we'll say Jan-Sep, once a fortnight- 18 articles... if that was advertising space that'd be $100k.

Add in the same for New Ltd (well, possibly a few less articles there!)... add in so,e for getting mentioned on the radio... add in some forgetting on the tele...

Based on the frenzy today, I think they could gamble that he could be saving them $500k per year in advertising for the next few years just in getting the name Team GWS (or whatever it ends up being) in the media.

[Matt79]

GWS' new name... The GWS Converts.

Has more than one meaning.

[swansrob]

As a player, almost certainly not. As a marketing tool, perhaps.