Colless warns we can't keep up with big clubs

[GongSwan]

Would you really want to interact with Eddie?

Only if I had permission to say and do certain things and was guaranteed immunity from prosecution

[GongSwan]

Actually, I think "profit of doom" is very good.
And Richard certainly makes a change from LRT or Andrejs as a whipping boy.
More seriously, Richard Colless is one of the three or four key people who have given the club an enviable reputation for excellence in off-field matters. Anyone who imagines that a club can have sustained success on-field without competence off-field is deluded.

Well put

[Mountain Man]

I am relieved that the Chairman's name has no hyphen - it would be sad to have another LRT or TDL put down of people who seem to do all they can to contribute to the Swans successes.

[barry]

Actually, I think "profit of doom" is very good.
And Richard certainly makes a change from LRT or Andrejs as a whipping boy.
More seriously, Richard Colless is one of the three or four key people who have given the club an enviable reputation for excellence in off-field matters. Anyone who imagines that a club can have sustained success on-field without competence off-field is deluded.

Its difficult to measure how well Colless has gone or not gone off-field.

There is a sense from AFL HQ that AFL should be bigger in Sydney than it is. That is why they are trying a two pronged strategy with the Giants.

The test, long term for Colless is how well the Giants do over the next decade in comparison to his tenure.

[dimelb]

Its difficult to measure how well Colless has gone or not gone off-field.

There is a sense from AFL HQ that AFL should be bigger in Sydney than it is. That is why they are trying a two pronged strategy with the Giants.

The test, long term for Colless is how well the Giants do over the next decade in comparison to his tenure.

My outsider's reading is that the AFL (Demetriou et al.) thinks that Sydney has done well on RC's watch and they now want to capitalise on it. And note how fast they moved when things looked like going off the rails off-field at GWS.

[BillyRayCypress]

My outsider's reading is that the AFL (Demetriou et al.) thinks that Sydney has done well on RC's watch and they now want to capitalise on it. And note how fast they moved when things looked like going off the rails off-field at GWS.

I don't think that is the case at all. What things were going off rails at GWS that needed attention?

GWS were brought in against the wishes of the Swans. You would be surprised of how sensitive the Swans are about GWS and how far and wide that sensitivity stretches.

AFL should have been bigger in Greater Sydney by now and unfortunately the Swans don't think much past the Eastern Suburbs or selected parts of Sydney.

[dimelb]

I don't think that is the case at all. What things were going off rails at GWS that needed attention?

GWS were brought in against the wishes of the Swans. You would be surprised of how sensitive the Swans are about GWS and how far and wide that sensitivity stretches.

AFL should have been bigger in Greater Sydney by now and unfortunately the Swans don't think much past the Eastern Suburbs or selected parts of Sydney.

The problems I had in mind were to do with the Scullys, father and son, and the AFL's rapid response. I can't remember the details now.
And I realise that many Swans were touchy about the advent of GWS. I was myself, but I now think that it's best for all of us if the new franchise works. Personally I hope it does, and develops into a keen rivalry; we'll all benefit from it in the end.

[ShockOfHair]

Plus the fact that they didn't have a CEO or a training facility. Otherwise, all pretty good.

[DA_Swan]

Club values start from the top and having been to a lot of swans functions it is clear that the leadership Richard provides is fundamental to our respect as a club throughout the competition - he does not get involved in the footy side of things and for those that think the club does not try hard enough to grow its membership base clearly do not know how their club works off the field their club to - I think the current model of footy spend is better for the club than throwing money at trendy membership drives - the success of 05 and 06 and the failure that of that to transfer into a substantial increase in membership numbers clearly shows our place in the Sydney sport market - Colless knows this - he is a realist and is far from doom and gloom - comparisons with Collingwood membership and corporate support are laughable - they are a big club who got a lot of favors from a previous Labor Govt (Westpac Centre) whose premier was a Magpie supporter - Richard Colless is valued very highly by the AFL - keep it real please

[BillyRayCypress]

The problems I had in mind were to do with the Scullys, father and son, and the AFL's rapid response. I can't remember the details now.
And I realise that many Swans were touchy about the advent of GWS. I was myself, but I now think that it's best for all of us if the new franchise works. Personally I hope it does, and develops into a keen rivalry; we'll all benefit from it in the end.

I forgot about that one with the Scully's. The AFL would be wishing all their problems of late were as "bad" as that one, I would think.

A duopoly for all fans concerned is always the better option.

[giant]

Its difficult to measure how well Colless has gone or not gone off-field.

There is a sense from AFL HQ that AFL should be bigger in Sydney than it is. That is why they are trying a two pronged strategy with the Giants.

The test, long term for Colless is how well the Giants do over the next decade in comparison to his tenure.

Actually it's pretty easy to measure - he took over at the lowest point the club had known and has presided the most successful period the club has known since the war. By any measure a reasonable person might wish to consider, Colless has been a phenomenal success.

[Ludwig]

The Swans financial success is very much tied to the general success of AFL in Sydney. There is a great opportunity for the Swans to grow its support base over the next several years, but it means winning over the younger Rugby crowd. Colless has been an instrumental part in getting the Swans to a position where one of the key elements, on field success, is well in place.

If the Swans can go through a period of premiership challenges over the next few years, which I think we can, that will go a long way to building support from all quarters.

The other big factor will be the success of GWS. They really have the big job of winning over the hard core League fans. Hopefully they can ramp up their on field fortunes and become a really competitive side. I think they have the young players to make it happen. A big rivalry between us and GWS will go a long way in turning Sydney into an AFL town, and that will be the key to the Swans financial success.

Imagine a Swans-GWS preliminary final in a packed ANZ stadium. 2015?

[BillyRayCypress]

Imagine a Swans-GWS preliminary final in a packed ANZ stadium. 2015?

I'd prefer a Grand Final meeting.

Its funny how everyone is saying how great Colless is to the success of the Swans yet no one has mentioned Kelvin Templeton for his contribution.

Can anyone tell me what Colless does day to day and what the roie of the CEO is in terms of actually running the Club?

[liz]

I'd prefer a Grand Final meeting.

Its funny how everyone is saying how great Colless is to the success of the Swans yet no one has mentioned Kelvin Templeton for his contribution.

Can anyone tell me what Colless does day to day and what the roie of the CEO is in terms of actually running the Club?

No one has mentioned Myles BH or Andrew Ireland either so not sure what the relevance is of Templeton, a CEO who left the club around a decade ago. No doubt he made a strong contribution while he was at the club but he isn't overly relevant to where the club is heading now.

I doubt Colless does very much "day to day" around the club. He isn't part of the management team. He is chairman of the board, and my understanding is that he is a non-executive chairman. He probably spends his "day to day" looking after his business interests and earning a living, hence enabling him to also give up plenty of time on (I believe) an unpaid basis to participate in steering the strategy and overseeing the corporate governance of the club, which is the function of the board.

[Cpt. Kirk]

Would a luxury tax like the nba have on their salary cap except on each clubs football department spendings work?