Giants fans will outnumber Swans fans

[Cheer Squad]

The SCG is our home and never more so now that the AFL has deemed Sydney's west worthy of a new team. Therefore all of our home games should be played at our home at Moore Park and people in Sydney who don't like that now have another option...

I'm sure the club will be delighted with the sentiment behind that message.

[jono2707]

I'm sure the club will be delighted with the sentiment behind that message.

I'm not sure what your problem is here but I certainly detect malice behind the sarcasm. I was not aware of the SCG lobby but if my preference to want to watch the mighty Swannies play there means that I am part of that lobby well so be it. That said I will happily do next week what I have done for a number of years and go out to Homebush to cheer on the boys, however some people I know will not be going or various reasons...

[Cheer Squad]

I'm not sure what your problem is here but I certainly detect malice behind the sarcasm.

You're imagining things.

[jono2707]

You're imagining things.

Ok I may be. I'll accept that if thats the case. I think a so-called SCG lobby is imagined too...

It will be very interesting to see how many Swans people bother to make the trip to the game at Homebush. It is an away game after all.

[Bas]

You guys must not have attended the final against Carlton at Homebush a couple of years ago. We got a crowd of just over 40,000 there and it was the best atmosphere game in Sydney for years.

Club members who engage in the sort of activities I mentioned in post #50.

Here's another scenario.

The SCG lobby have been on the club's case for years to abandon Homebush as a venue.

They began seriously boycotting the venue in 2008, decimating attendances and gate takings at our matches, and undermining the "blockbuster" strategy, including at finals. Never mind that large match attendances are a symbol of pride for just about every other club.

Then, in 2009, they succeeded in forcing the club to introduce "SCG only" memberships, further undermining the club's finances.

This season, they've succeeded in getting the club to drop a home game at Homebush, restore it to the SCG, and in the process, abandon our support base in Canberra via the annual Manuka Oval match.

It's bloody-minded stuff, but it's been effective.

Now, they have their sights on the Giants and the AFL itself.

The same logic applies - don't attend, regardless of whether the Swans are playing, because turning up in large numbers will only encourage the club and the AFL to keep scheduling matches there. And who wants to support the Giants via gate takings anyway?

So if we are outnumbered on the night, we won't have to look very far to find a reason.

You're quite wrong.

Whatever the arrangements between the AFL, the ACT Government, and the Giants, there was nothing to stop us requesting that an "away" game be scheduled at Manuka Oval.

All the club has done is sacrifice the annual Manuka Oval match in favour of playing an "away" game against the Giants at Homebush. That allowed the club to meet the contractual requirement to play 3 matches at Homebush, but still appease the SCG lobby by giving them an extra home game.

You're imagining things.

I'm blaming the SCG lobby for Folau's possible suspension. Someone hypnotized him, I'm sure of it. Knocked Scully out of the game too.

I'm wearing my GWS cap on Saturday night whilst sitting in the GWS members section. I'm a Foundation member and proud of it.

Cheer Squad, Fruit loops or Scrambled eggs for breakie?

[Cheer Squad]

I'm wearing my GWS cap on Saturday night whilst sitting in the GWS members section. I'm a Foundation member and proud of it.

Then you should have quoted this other post as well.

If they're going in GWS colours, that's who they'll be supporting.

[wolftone57]

The SCG is our home and never more so now that the AFL has deemed Sydney's west worthy of a new team. Therefore all of our home games should be played at our home at Moore Park and people in Sydney who don't like that now have another option...

So you would play Collingwood and Essendon at the SCG? The revenue loss would be huge. I remember a game against Collingwood at the SCG and it was a sell out and Tickertek said they could have sold another 20,000 tickets at least. I would love to still see the big blockbusters at Homebush where we will get 50,000 to 70,000 people. The Pise & Bombers each have quite a following here.

[wolftone57]

We will not be outnumbered as I have another one for the Swans camp

[Adelaide Swan]

I'm blaming the SCG lobby for Folau's possible suspension. Someone hypnotized him, I'm sure of it. Knocked Scully out of the game too.

I'm wearing my GWS cap on Saturday night whilst sitting in the GWS members section. I'm a Foundation member and proud of it.

Cheer Squad, Fruit loops or Scrambled eggs for breakie?

Well why are you here when you could be in the GWS forum?

[DLBIA14]

Well why are you here when you could be in the GWS forum?

He's here because when its the Swans home game, i suspect he'll be in a Swans cap whilst sitting in the Swans members area.

As it were I think a lot of Swans fans will be on board both sides. I'm not comfortable with that myself but we've all just got to respect it.

[Adelaide Swan]

He's here because when its the Swans home game, i suspect he'll be in a Swans cap whilst sitting in the Swans members area.

As it were I think a lot of Swans fans will be on board both sides. I'm not comfortable with that myself but we've all just got to respect it.

Agreed, I am not comfortable with all myself but we just have to live with it.

I did it with the T20 Big Bash cricket league but I couldn't have cared less.

As far as football is considered, I could never go for two teams.

[jono2707]

Whilst I'm not too comfortable with Swans people donning an opposition team's colours either I can see that it is being done in support of the good of the game in Sydney. I sincerely hope the game grows sufficiently in this town to support two teams.

One of the reasons in my mind why some of games have been played at Homebush was to give people of the west a chance to 'have a look' at the AFL in the hope that some of those people who wouldn't have otherwise attended a Swans game at the SCG would follow the AFL more closely. Now that there is a team aimed squarely at the western suburbs market I would think that the appeal of Swans games at Homebush may diminish. We have gone from some fabulous crowds at Homebush several years ago to some disappointing numbers, none of which would have sold out the SCG. Obviously over the next 2 years the capacity of the SCG will be way down. When the construction is finished I am sure the Swans and the AFL will look at the attendance to Swans games at Homebush and consider whether the upgraded SCG will be the sole home ground for the Swans going forward. Interest in GWS will also be a factor in this.

I say the above without reference to the contractual status of Swans games at Homebush - maybe someone knows where that stands?

[royboy42]

Whilst I'm not too comfortable with Swans people donning an opposition team's colours either I can see that it is being done in support of the good of the game in Sydney. I sincerely hope the game grows sufficiently in this town to support two teams.

One of the reasons in my mind why some of games have been played at Homebush was to give people of the west a chance to 'have a look' at the AFL in the hope that some of those people who wouldn't have otherwise attended a Swans game at the SCG would follow the AFL more closely. Now that there is a team aimed squarely at the western suburbs market I would think that the appeal of Swans games at Homebush may diminish. We have gone from some fabulous crowds at Homebush several years ago to some disappointing numbers, none of which would have sold out the SCG. Obviously over the next 2 years the capacity of the SCG will be way down. When the construction is finished I am sure the Swans and the AFL will look at the attendance to Swans games at Homebush and consider whether the upgraded SCG will be the sole home ground for the Swans going forward. Interest in GWS will also be a factor in this.

I say the above without reference to the contractual status of Swans games at Homebush - maybe someone knows where that stands?

I'm pretty sure that when the stadium was being built for the 2000 games, that the AFL chucked in a few mill to ensure it would be designed in such a way that Aussie Rules could be played there.

I guess that meant so it would not be set up as a rectangular stadium suitable only for the rugby games.


There are different schools of thought as to how successful that was.


However, the contract the AFL drew with the stadium has not to my knowledge ever been released into the public domain...so who knows how long the swans will be there and for how many matches??

[desredandwhite]

As I understand it, the AFL have an agreement with ANZ stadium, not us. Having said that, they will continue to schedule 1-2 blockbusters a year for us there - we will pull larger crowds than the Giants for the forseeable future, and the AFL will want to maximise crowds for the big games - collingwood, Geelong, Essendon.

[Daisi]

Hi Guys,

I'm a long term swans member, but won't go to Homebush. It's too far away, it takes too long to get there, the seats are bad and the food is too expensive. I live in the inner west.

I hate it.

Especially when I can see the game live on TV.

As for travelling from the Northside. Last time my elderly mother who lives in Manly went to Homebush- for the cricket, she got home around midnight.

She won't go there to see the swans either..