Be warned, check first...

[jono2707]

It doesn't matter if they take him seriously or not, it doesn't matter that they aren't blindly accepting whatever he says.

What matters is that every so often he gets his name, or more to the point GWS' name into the media.

It's a tough gig, the Swans have struggled to get a decent run in the paper for 30 years and they still get SFA, even after a sustained run of finals reaching success since the mid-nineties.

I wouldn't take any outrageous statement from Sheedy as a sign of desperation, just him doing his job...

It will be interesting to see if GWS achieve any form of improvement over the poor coverage the Swans get in the Sydney media. If they do then I agree - Sheeds would have done his job. As long as the off-field success on GWS in no way adversely affects the Swans, I'm all for it.

[Bas]

Wow, I wonder if crows and port supporters think like that as cross town rivals, or freo and eagles?

If they hold memberships for both clubs, they probably do.

I hope Mark Harvey gets a gig with GWS after his horror sacking. He would be experienced with bogan supporters and great experience to assist Williams.

Back on topic...............

I did hear a rumour many years ago that South Australians were actually proof that Tasmanians migrated.

So one membership for each head!

[Lucky Knickers]

Putting aside emotional attachments to either club, and how you rank them, I'm wondering if you'll end up spending less on the Swans, in order to help financially support GWS?

Wonder no more my friend - the answer is no.
Swans first - always.

[Cheer Squad]

Wonder no more my friend - the answer is no.
Swans first - always.

[msb]

If they hold memberships for both clubs, they probably do.

I would be staggered if a crows member had a port membership and vice versa. They hate the living hell out of one another. Still there may be one or two that do.

[BSA5]

Let me ask you a general question about being a member of different clubs.

Suppose the Swans are drawn to play Port Adelaide at the SCG on the same day as GWS are drawn to play Collingwood out at Homebush. Which game would you choose to attend, if timing or other commitments prevented you from attending both?

Um, is that a serious question? Swans every single time. I don't know how you could even think I wouldn't. I'm a Swans fan, not a GWS fan. Buying a GWS membership won't change that. I want to see GWS in town, I want to see them get established, for the good of the Swans, footy in NSW and the AFL, and I'd probably attend a few matches, but it would be nothing compared to the Swans. My appreciation for GWS would be not much greater than it currently is for the Gold Coast.

[ernie koala]

As I've said elsewhere, I believe that the AFL would have directed Sheeds and the rest of the GWS mob to lay off poaching Swans players. Mutually agreed trades would be ok but not poaching. The AFL in all their wisdom have decided that Sydney can accommodate two teams, but they would not want to undermine the Swans reasonably tenuous position in such a competitive market. They will instead be seeking to bring in new players, such as those already signed with GWS, instead of shipping guys across town. I wouldn't be stressing out about who is going to get taken from us by GWS as I don't think that's how things are going to happen...

And as I've said elsewhere, this is just wishful thinking.
IMO, there is a high probability we'll loose one of our young guns to GWS...
And I agree with Royboy 42, the AFL would love nothing more than a quickly developed, fierce rivallry, between GWS and the Swans.
And the best way to kick that off would be GWS poaching one of our players.

[Cheer Squad]

Um, is that a serious question? Swans every single time. I don't know how you could even think I wouldn't. I'm a Swans fan, not a GWS fan. Buying a GWS membership won't change that. I want to see GWS in town, I want to see them get established, for the good of the Swans, footy in NSW and the AFL, and I'd probably attend a few matches, but it would be nothing compared to the Swans. My appreciation for GWS would be not much greater than it currently is for the Gold Coast.

It was a serious question, but you don't need to be so defensive about it. I wasn't judging you.

I asked you and Lucky Knickers the sort of questions being asked at the moment by both the Swans and the Giants. There's a possibility that dual membership holders will have an effect on the potential revenue stream for each club through match day attendance, membership revenue, merchandise etc.

It's reasonably well known that the Swans are worried about cannibalisation of their membership base by the Giants; the Giants have been probing for dissatisfied Swans members for a while now. I attended our NAB Cup match at BOP earlier this year and observed several people in Swans colours being asked if they wanted to be put on the Giants mailing list. A few people said "OK", others didn't.

You'd also remember the damage the club inflicted on itself a few years ago with the membership re-pricing fiasco. There was plenty of people who left after that, and the anger was well reflected in these pages at the time. I reckon some of them would be the sort of people the Giants are after.

I suppose answers to these questions will become clear from next year onwards.

[jono2707]

And as I've said elsewhere, this is just wishful thinking.
IMO, there is a high probability we'll loose one of our young guns to GWS...
And I agree with Royboy 42, the AFL would love nothing more than a quickly developed, fierce rivallry, between GWS and the Swans.
And the best way to kick that off would be GWS poaching one of our players.

Nup ain't gonna happen. And I agree with Cheer Squad's fears that GWS will cannibalise the Swan's fans and revenue streams and therefore have a negative impact on the Swans. My opinion and I am sticking to it until I see some good solid reasons why there needs to be a second team here in Sydney and until I see the health of the game improve in this city with two teams competing with each other for a finite number of fans.

[BSA5]

It was a serious question, but you don't need to be so defensive about it. I wasn't judging you.

I asked you and Lucky Knickers the sort of questions being asked at the moment by both the Swans and the Giants. There's a possibility that dual membership holders will have an effect on the potential revenue stream for each club through match day attendance, membership revenue, merchandise etc.

It's reasonably well known that the Swans are worried about cannibalisation of their membership base by the Giants; the Giants have been probing for dissatisfied Swans members for a while now. I attended our NAB Cup match at BOP earlier this year and observed several people in Swans colours being asked if they wanted to be put on the Giants mailing list. A few people said "OK", others didn't.

You'd also remember the damage the club inflicted on itself a few years ago with the membership re-pricing fiasco. There was plenty of people who left after that, and the anger was well reflected in these pages at the time. I reckon some of them would be the sort of people the Giants are after.

I suppose answers to these questions will become clear from next year onwards.

Not defensive, just thoroughly confused. I have no idea why you're struggling with the concept of a person buying a membership for another club in order to support the AFL as a whole, without particularly supporting the club itself. I also have no idea why you think any Swans fan obsessed enough to post here regularly would choose a Giants game over a Swans game, regardless of their membership status for either club.

[Bas]

I think Sheedy said he purchased memberships to parramatta and penrith and I doubt he will be jumping allegiance.

Even if I have a GWS membership, I will always give preference to a Swans game over a GWS game.

Except if GWS is higher up the ladder

This is Sydney and we're fickle !

[Triple B]

I also have no idea why you think any Swans fan obsessed enough to post here regularly would choose a Giants game over a Swans game, regardless of their membership status for either club.

Round 22, Swans firmly entrenched in the top 4, home final sewn up playing Port in a nothing game at the SCG with our coach Henry Playfair resting 11 players in readiness for the finals.

GWS equal 8th with Carlton playing each other at the RAS for a spot in the finals....

I'm afraid the temptation to dance on the Carlton grave would be too great, I'll be at the RAS.

[aardvark]

Getting back on topic I watched Sam Reid (Dogs variety) play for Willy against the Mighty Port Melbourne and GWS can have him. He was useless !!

[Owen87]

In South Australia you can have an SANFL membership which includes entry to every game played at AAMI stadium and there are plenty of people that have this so to a degree they have a membership which enables them to watch both the crows and port

[Nico]

Getting back on topic I watched Sam Reid (Dogs variety) play for Willy against the Mighty Port Melbourne and GWS can have him. He was useless !!

Agree. He must have played some good footy during the season because what I saw of him today was pretty ordinary. Ed Barlow, was, well, Ed Barlow.