AFL Games in Sydney 2012

[firsty]

lots of games to watch next year

I think I have got this correct

[R-1]

And hey three of those off weeks are Canberra games anyway. Looks good.

[alison.z]

There are quite a few Giants games that I would have to give up watching the Swans live in order to attend ... Why would you put the two Sydney teams in adjoining time slots??

[Damien]

There are quite a few Giants games that I would have to give up watching the Swans live in order to attend ... Why would you put the two Sydney teams in adjoining time slots??

TV loves the back to back local teams games. Ad/Port and WCE/Freo will often have those back to back features. Allows the FTA network to go with 6 hours of continuous coverage with high local interest.

I wont be attending Greater Western Shifty games personally, but having a look at the draw, most Swans people who do attend, could probably get home or to a pub close to the start of the Swans games on TV.

[alison.z]

Yeah can understand that ... I just like to make sure i'm properly ready for Swans games haha

[Damien]

Yeah can understand that ... I just like to make sure i'm properly ready for Swans games haha

haha, yep important to be prepped!!

Hopefully the pubs around Moore Park and the one at the Novotel understand the opporunity and gear up for people watching the earlier or later game. Good opporunity for them. I was in Perth in 07 for the West Coast game and the pubs near Subi were packed with WCE eagles fans having early pre game drinks and checking out the Freo/Adelaide game on TV.

[firsty]

Added Swans TV times
if you want to see a game live most weeks in Sydney you are well catered for
the Swan's TV games are on different days for rounds 3 and 19
the Swans have a bye round 12
for the others as Damien said you can catch the Swans games at a pub on the way to or from the GWS game
I probably won't go to a GWS game to see them get smashed by one of the top sides... but one of the bottom teams where there is a possibility of them getting their first win, count me in

[Big Al]

Thanks for doing this Firsty. It's greatly appreciated.

All I need now is the Wests Tigers draw so I can start planning the year.

[R-1]

Yeah getting from Manuka to a footy-showing pub or my house shouldn't be too hard in round 7. Might miss the first quarter or so, though.

[Bas]

Thanks Firsty.

So I note that Saturday night games have gone back to a 7:40 pm start. I imagine to cater for all the twilight games.

I'm actually looking forward to the first game at Skoda so as to check out the facilities and new screen.

I don't understand why they are playing Collingwood there but would be great atmosphere if you're a collingwood supporter.

Strange to have 2/3 games at ANZ against the Giants. I thought they wanted to get large crowds in to ANZ. It will at least slightly improve Swans winning stats there.

However, great to have games against Geelong and Saints back at the SCG.

[desredandwhite]

I'll definitely go to a few GWS games next season. Blacktown is just ten minutes down the road. The first game at Skoda would be good, but it makes it hard to see our game against the Saints unless they have it playing on TVs at the ground etc. I'll probably go to the GWS/Richmond game as we have a bye that round. Then perhaps against Port late in the year. I want the Giants to do well (but will be happy to see us smash them into the turf in our two games) for the sake of AFL in this state.

[SimonH]

I'll definitely go to a few GWS games next season. Blacktown is just ten minutes down the road. The first game at Skoda would be good, but it makes it hard to see our game against the Saints unless they have it playing on TVs at the ground etc. I'll probably go to the GWS/Richmond game as we have a bye that round. Then perhaps against Port late in the year. I want the Giants to do well (but will be happy to see us smash them into the turf in our two games) for the sake of AFL in this state.

Blacktown, which by any measure is a tiny, boutique suburban ground, having got an AFL game for premiership points, is huge, and has been sadly overlooked as a story to date. The fact is that the Showgrounds (ahem, Skoda) is on the fringes of the target market that GWS want, where Blacktown is (Canberra aside) right in the core of it. As small as it is, to have it full and pumping, will do much more for the Giants' brand and community engagement, than playing at a half-full Homebush Bay.

Having grown up with the wonder that is suburban footy, I really applaud any measure that sees clubs moving around and playing different places within the one city. Especially at grounds that aren't just generic concrete stadia.

[stellation]

Blacktown, which by any measure is a tiny, boutique suburban ground, having got an AFL game for premiership points, is huge, and has been sadly overlooked as a story to date. The fact is that the Showgrounds (ahem, Skoda) is on the fringes of the target market that GWS want, where Blacktown is (Canberra aside) right in the core of it. As small as it is, to have it full and pumping, will do much more for the Giants' brand and community engagement, than playing at a half-full Homebush Bay.

Having grown up with the wonder that is suburban footy, I really applaud any measure that sees clubs moving around and playing different places within the one city. Especially at grounds that aren't just generic concrete stadia.

I completely agree, Simon. I understand why they are looking at the Showgrounds, but after a couple of trips to Blacktown for pre-season games I do constantly find myself thinking "they could have probably bumped the capacity to 15k with one more stand and then just play sold out or close to sold out games for a few years before the move to help build up a buzz. I'm really pleased they've got 1 game there, if they weren't doing Canberra too I suspect there may have been at least 1 more.

[ugg]

While the playing surface in Blacktown is immaculate and cannot be faulted, the rest of the ground has a lot to live up to. As already mentioned there needs to be at least one more stand in place to take over from the lack of seating for the majority of the ground. It may be fine seating on the grass in the relative warmth of early March but try doing that in the dead of winter on a cold and bitter Saturday night.

Secondly, getting there is quite a nightmare if a largish crowd is expected. There aren't enough proper car parking spaces at the ground, with the majority of fans having to park on adjacent fields during the NAB games in previous years. The lack of good public transport to the ground exacerbates the problem of getting fans to the game. Shuttle buses may alleviate this problem but who will bear the cost - the club, the fans or the AFL?

[Bas]

If anyone at the local RSL had some brains they would get people to park at Rooty Hill RSL and run shuttle buses.