That was quick... GWS sacks CEO

[ShockOfHair]

GWS give Dale Holmes the flick. Had poor relationship with board and AFL (and with the Swans IIRC).

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/afl/greater-western-sydney-giants-sack-ceo-dale-holmes/story-e6frexwr-1226178514771

Scully's Dad for CEO?

[Primmy]

The newspaper stuff today sells sniffs of NRL shenanigans at Melbourne. What was Holmes thinking of! And no summer training facilities! The man had no idea. Either that or communication was extremely poor. Don't blame the AFL for rejigging.

[jono2707]

Interesting to see that a few people in the Comments section agree with my feelings that this whole GWS thing will not go well. Looks like cracks are appearing already. Hope they don't do too much damage to the Swans brand on their way down...

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Compared to Gold Coast, GWS seems a complete shambles.
And not just Holes and the Scully affair, there recruiting seems very strange. And apparently the homesick factor has come into play (simon tunbridge is running home to Perth).
I wonder if the focus on Marketing, means GWS will be all appearance and no substance.

I too fear they may damage the AFL brand in NSW.

[CJK]

A step close to the Giants folding - good news

[ShockOfHair]

Much as I enjoy it, it's bad news for the Swans. We're handcuffed to the Giants.

[jono2707]

Much as I enjoy it, it's bad news for the Swans. We're handcuffed to the Giants.

That's exactly why I don't enjoy it, but expect it nonetheless. A Giants schemozzle will have a bad impact on the AFL brand in Sydney in general and the Swans in particular.

[CJK]

We were here a long time before the Giants, we'll be here a long time after.

One Team In Sydney

[stellation]

Compared to Gold Coast, GWS seems a complete shambles.
And not just Holes and the Scully affair, there recruiting seems very strange. And apparently the homesick factor has come into play (simon tunbridge is running home to Perth).

I have to disagree with recruiting, I think so far it's been extremely intelligent. Turnbridge is dissapointing for them, but Gold Coast have dealt with similar issues- really every club has, it's just that the new ones have more kids so more likely to have someone bolt.

[Rob-bloods]

Holmes has been around the footy in NSW for a while on the gravy train, the AFL were supposedly spending money in NSW for years but anyone involved wondered where it was going. He strikes me, albeit from afar, as a NSW AFL camp follower and if GWS are to survive they need proven performers, not jobs for the boys. The spending in NSW in the 90s where did the money go what was achieved, now they are 'getting serious' and the Fat Controller will spend 100 million to get GWS right, well woopy do.

[Rob-bloods]

More thoughts on GWS. It seems to me they have been given exceptional concessions and then gone on and pushed the boundary further and further to the chagrin of the AFL, and now the Scully senior thing has seen Holmes take some of the can, what a shame...fish rot from the head...

[liz]

There is an article on the Age site suggesting the Swans may find themselves in a similar boat to GWS if they employ Mitchell Snr in some kind of scouting capacity. Surely the issue with the Scully situation is that what GWS are paying Scully Snr (reportedly a 6 figure sum) isn't commensurate with the role he will be performing?

[Kirkari]

There is an article on the Age site suggesting the Swans may find themselves in a similar boat to GWS if they employ Mitchell Snr in some kind of scouting capacity. Surely the issue with the Scully situation is that what GWS are paying Scully Snr (reportedly a 6 figure sum) isn't commensurate with the role he will be performing?

I read somewhere that Scully's salary is being included in TPPs, just to make it even stranger.

Are the Swans looking at Mitchell Snr for that role?

[Steve]

There is an article on the Age site suggesting the Swans may find themselves in a similar boat to GWS if they employ Mitchell Snr in some kind of scouting capacity. Surely the issue with the Scully situation is that what GWS are paying Scully Snr (reportedly a 6 figure sum) isn't commensurate with the role he will be performing?

You'd think that's the issue, probably also the timing of the offers to the son and father.

Interesting that article (by Caroline Wilson) included:

AFL football boss Adrian Anderson said the league would consider the Mitchell scenario - should it eventuate - on its merits. ''It's a case-by-case situation,'' he said.

''I was asked about the Todd Viney situation at Melbourne but that is completely different because his son is not even at the club yet and the father is a respected assistant coach.

Personally I don't think the Mitchell and Viney situations are dramatically different - both being non-issues. Mitchell Snr has been an assistant coach in the AFL system for a number of years, so both fathers would pass that second criteria. And if it insinuation is that when we signed Mitchell Jnr there was also an offer on the table to the father, then way back then you could have also said "the son is not even at the club yet".

Fair enough Viney Snr was employed at Melbourne prior - although if you're going to question the Mitchell thing, surely you'd at least review the long-term (and presumably generous) contract extension Viney Snr got from Melbourne.

[SimonH]

Much as I enjoy it, it's bad news for the Swans. We're handcuffed to the Giants.

We were here a long time before the Giants, we'll be here a long time after.

One Team In Sydney

But one badly diminished, financially damaged (hopefully not irreparably) team, if GWS were to go to the wall. Which is impossible until 2022 at the absolute earliest anyway, so why wish it upon them, and ourselves?

I wouldn't be Robinson Crusoe, either on this board or among Swans fans (and Sydneysiders who don't follow AFL closely) in general, in having GWS as my new second-favourite AFL side. The more they prove themselves to have their hearts in Sydney, and not at AFL House, the more they'll go up in my estimation.