Franklin -The Movie

[Ludwig]

Personally I wish them every success, and think that the AFL would be far better served by having two highly functioning teams in NSW. That may take 25 years like it did with us but I wish them well. I only want them to lose when they play us.

Obviously the AFL is in agreement. Today AFL Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick reiterated that the AFL was in for the long haul in Sydney. They simply cannot let it fail. They won't wait 25 years like they did with the Swans, which is why they have given GWS so many perks and opportunities to form a strong contending team.

Despite a bit of animosity brewing between the Sydney clubs, I also hope for GSW success. I think it is good for AFL and especially AFL in Sydney.The 2-club cities like Adelaide and Perth seem to have built a good rivalry that the fans really enjoy.

I think the AFL will think long and hard before taking the COLA away from the Sydney clubs. They don't want a repeat of the Brisbane scenario, where you had the greatest team in footy fall from grace to a sad and costly situation where the AFL will have to lay out more than the mil a year that the COLA costs to keep them afloat. Brisbane is one market, but Sydney is THE market.

Also, Eddie McGuire should keep his mouth shut (asking for the impossible) and be happy about the Franklin deal, since Collingwood reaped the benefits by signing up Jesse White, who I still believe was the big casualty for us getting Buddy.

[Swansongster]

Second club in Sydney 'a terrible move' according to RWO forum user CJK

I think that it just might work for the AFL and I hope it does. A little bit early to tell at the moment. If they are still wooden-spooning in year 5 AFL House will start reassessing the investment but with the crop of players they have and the skin that HQ already has in the game (and the next three years) will have them working hard t protect that investment.

The original commitment was for 20 years. That's a long time in football. Things can change very quickly. I look forwrd to hating them one day. For the moment I wish them well and they are my second team.

[Zlatorog]

I had GWS membership, because I wanted to watch AFL every week in Sydney. Unfortunately, GWS pissed me off with their attacks on Sydney Swans and targeting Swans supporters (e-mails, phone calls, etc.). What they should be doing is getting supporters from other codes instead of trying to convince AFL supporters to sign with them instead.

[707]

I was ambivilent towards GWS at first but their relentless and often stupid attacks on the Swans and the ridiculous draft concessions afforded them by the AFL has me now hating them.

With the staggering number of high draft picks in their squad there is unfortunaely no way they cannot become a very powerful team for a decade. I doubt however that they will become a powerful club which is a different thing.

This latest COLA attack by them on the Swans is completely senseless. COLA is just that, it compensates the player for being drafted to the most costly city in Australia. Whether you are a Swans or a GWS player you still have to bear that extra living expense, it can't be taken away from us but retained by GWS, that severely disadvantages a player drafted by the Swans - stupid argument GWS!

What is not being debated is that unlike Vic, SA & WA clubs, a much larger proportion of Swans and GWS drafees have to move away from their home state to play and in Swans and GWS players have to bear much higher living expenses than Melb, Adel or Perth based players.

COLA should remain but be a fixed amount for players not residing in Sydney (the city) when they are recruited. Complete loss of the COLA will see playrs much more easily lured away by clubs in their home states hen we'll end up like Brisbane Lions post their premiership era. THink about whether you want that to happen AFL, it will set the game back in NSW for generation all because of knee jerk reaction to some great recruiting.

[jono2707]

Obviously the AFL is in agreement. Today AFL Commissioner Mike Fitzpatrick reiterated that the AFL was in for the long haul in Sydney. They simply cannot let it fail.

It's one thing to say they cannot let it fail, but the success of GWS is not a fait accompli regardless of how much money is thrown at it.

Like any new business, regardless of how much is spent at start up and in its early days, sometimes the ability of the market to support that business is overestimated. Throwing wads of money around to develop a market and hence sufficient demand for a particular product doesn't always work. There is no guarantee that the AFL will make this venture successful after 10, 15 or 20 years. Their first few years certainly haven't done too much to give confidence in the success of GWS in the Sydney market.

At least my fears of GWS cannibalising Swans' memberships have not yet had an impact. We seem pretty strong still and our recent off-field moves seem to point to our continued strength on and off the field for a while yet. I am happy about that...

[Reggi]

Fitzpatrick won't be on the commission for ever. When he and d3metriou go there will be a consultant review and happy acres will be dropped like the proverbial. No one wants to throw good money after bad. By his own admission, they are clearly behind their business case already

[Ludwig]

It's one thing to say they cannot let it fail, but the success of GWS is not a fait accompli regardless of how much money is thrown at it.

Like any new business, regardless of how much is spent at start up and in its early days, sometimes the ability of the market to support that business is overestimated. Throwing wads of money around to develop a market and hence sufficient demand for a particular product doesn't always work. There is no guarantee that the AFL will make this venture successful after 10, 15 or 20 years. Their first few years certainly haven't done too much to give confidence in the success of GWS in the Sydney market.

Of course you are right, but what else can the AFL do but throw money at it? And yes, they may well fail even after $100 mil of expenditure. I think it's important for GWS to play finals footy soon and seriously contend for a flag within 5 or 6 years. By all rights, they should be a powerhouse in the making. We can only guess if the fans will follow. Wouldn't it be great for a Swans-Giants Grand Final in a few years.

[R-1]

To think some Swans supporters also bought GWS memberships in that first year............some have dual m'ships.

Disgrace!
Make no mistake! They were our enemy then & will continue to be as long as they are in the comp & in the same state as us.

We shafted their marketing plans of the next 5 years big time when we got Buddy!

We will also attack their 'fringe' players that aren't able to crack it into their team due to an embarrassment of talent handed to them.

They know very wel that they are going to lose some serious talent in the coming years when the Vic clubs really start bringing the Vic players home.
Taylor Adams is one such example at Collingwood.

Yeah look as long as they play in the ACT I'll keep getting their ACT membership.

[annew]

I had GWS membership, because I wanted to watch AFL every week in Sydney. Unfortunately, GWS pissed me off with their attacks on Sydney Swans and targeting Swans supporters (e-mails, phone calls, etc.). What they should be doing is getting supporters from other codes instead of trying to convince AFL supporters to sign with them instead.

I would go to GWS games if they didn't get thrashed because I like watching AFL, unfortunately I have found that their games are either in Canberra or very often clash with swans games. We are still not getting a game every week in Sydney.

[Auntie.Gerald]

it is interesting re Buddy..........his type of contract strikes at so many layers

it is also interesting when coaches/Ceos etc speak out in the media instead of channeling their efforts re the big matters like COLA as it only hurts the code in my opinion as teh game of AFL is bigger then any one team or Chairman or CEO or player etc........so i ignore the rubbish as much as i can

_____________________


RE BUDDY - just a few points

1. First and foremost clubs are about winning Premierships for many reasons but importantly it boosts the viability of the club via new membership, increased revenue, a compelling case for players to stay and or join etc

2. if you suspect you are about to peak and you know the time is now to give your club the best opportunity for premiership success then you go for it, as reality is that the 2014 season is about as good a squad as you could possibly hope for.

3. 'my guess' is that many of our supporters and afl supporters 'in general' have not looked closely at the changing cap space that is occurring for the Swans and that there is significant cap opening........we have a massive change of the guard 'massive' but what the public finds hard is that buddy and Tip coming in to make such a complete squad in 2014/15...........

2010 to 2013 significant retirements just to name a few

Hall - retired
Mickyo - retired
Bradshaw - retired
Kirky - retired
Bolton - retired
Mattner - retired
Mummy - moved on

players bday this year and moving closer and closer to retirement with some happening most likely in 2014/15 and some moving to lower contracts this year on as they are tailing off in ability compared to when they were a little younger and vs the competition coming thru in the squad.

Shaw - 33
ROK - 33
Goodes - 34
LRT - 31
Ted - 31
Mal - 30
Pyke - 30

So that is 14 significant cap space players ie 7 departed and 7 coming up

4. The reality is that we have a very old top end of our squad and we need a Tip and Buddy to keep us competitive from 2015 or 2016 onwards......as our emerging players are very very exciting but are not yet a comparison to the above players at the top of their game.

5. Still a great fear is the contract of buddy ie primarily the length of the contract vs value......... the type of money that he is on concerns some supporters because if he is injured that means 10% of the cap is not being used........but if he playing and playing well for me he is worth 10% of our cap as he is worth two very solid Snr players ie $500k each........he is a season and game changer....... and he can have more game winning impact then two very strong SNr players and the reality is with the draft system it is very difficult to accumulate top tier players - so a decade could pass you by like it has for Nth Melb etc with out a nibble.

[bodgie]

If Goodes can't front or takes a while to get onto the oval and into form it'll almost be par for the course with Franklin as his replacement plus other vets dropping out too. Player prices going up over the years while Franklin is locked at a (high promo worthy) limit.

I was a keen GWS concept supporter but if they're targeting Swans fans they aren't helping grow the sport beyond an existing small market, as they try to creep slowly from their initial outer west base to homebush to breakfast point to the anzac bridge. Ha!

[ShockOfHair]

Thanks AG. Interesting point about our aging list.

I don't mind people criticising COLA, but I'm only taking note of those who don't have a direct interest.
Mitch Morton and Everitt actually have direct experience of the COLA and have no reason to speak in favour of it other than they think it's necessary. Morton played in three states so you'd think he'd have a good player perspective.
On the other side, I saw the head of the coaches association, whoever it is, criticise COLA. Don't know his reasoning but I'd be willing to hear it.

The only other group I'd listen to is a few who are extremely biased, namely footy agents and recruiting managers. Of all the dozens of deals the Swans have done over the COLA period, I haven't heard any of that group - ie, the people who would know - point to a deal that only happened or didn't happen because of the COLA.

[bloodsbigot]

Well that's a convenient backflip by GWS. You just have to laugh. At them... not with them.

[stellation]

I would go to GWS games if they didn't get thrashed because I like watching AFL, unfortunately I have found that their games are either in Canberra or very often clash with swans games. We are still not getting a game every week in Sydney.

The AFL definitely hasn't done their crowd figures any favours in terms of existing AFL fans in Sydney, GWS home games seem to almost always be scheduled for a footy television double header with the Swans away games. I must admit that I've wanted to head down to catch varying games over the last couple of years and have ended up copping out just because it would be a hassle with catching a Swans away game live.

[Doctor]

That's an excellent point Stellation.