20th AFL Team

[Bjo187]

Yes albo will likely try fund an n.t team because he will prefer that to a Canberra team as it's less threat to the nrl. It assumes he gets in again next year and 2028 I think would be the election after that.

In saying that, the png team is reportedly a 2028 entry, I dunno how a government could put that burden on future governments when they don't even know if they'll be re-elected yet? But the timeline for png funding and entry potentially matches up to funding being offered to n.t in 2028 for a 2031 entry. I hope I made sense there and I hope neither happen to be honest.

 

[Coolangatta]

What do you think does happen if NT is team 20? They suck away from home like GC, can't compete because of player retention, lack of good staff, etc? They just linger at the bottom most years, take 20+ years to make finals, etc. Throw in some unwatchable games. I liked the Suns-Geelong game, but not sure how watchable early season games would be compared to those. And if NT does come in, I don't see the AFL booting them out. Would be deeply unpopular.

 

[kreglze]

Happily play 11 games at Carrara over heading to Darwin for 2 weeks a year.

I honestly can't see it happening though. Oppressive conditions and I imagine the player retention would be just as bad if not worse than what GC went through.

 

[Bjo187]

What do you think does happen if NT is team 20? They suck away from home like GC, can't compete because of player retention, lack of good staff, etc? They just linger at the bottom most years, take 20+ years to make finals, etc. Throw in some unwatchable games. I liked the Suns-Geelong game, but not sure how watchable early season games would be compared to those. And if NT does come in, I don't see the AFL booting them out. Would be deeply unpopular.

Would literally never, ever win a flag.

 

[Canberra Pear]

I agree with you that Canberra is a better candidate for Team 20 than NT (even in combination with NQ). However, I am pessimistic about Canberra’s chances of having a team by 2032.

Even with no government funding, Canberra would be cheaper than the NT. If it's the AFL that has to foot the bill, I'm sure they'd rather be paying $25m a year for Canberra than $40m a year for the NT.

The ACT Government has significant budgetary concerns due to the expenditure on the Trams, has issues with NRL and other rectangular codes that want a vastly more expensive new stadium, and seem content with the current status quo agreement with the Giants. This contrasts to the active lobbying by the NT Government for Team 20, where they have a business case already and have established a formal taskforce.

In this ACT election year there has been no grassroots campaign for Canberra to have an AFL team 20, and people seem content with the status quo as evidenced by the sellout crowds for the Giants games. The main sports related grassroots campaign in Canberra was to save the beloved Canberra United female soccer team from folding, with all major Canberra media outlets publicising it and petitions formally presented to our Legislative Assembly- and even then the cash strapped Barr government reluctantly gave a one off $200k and brought forward the $250k annual payment from the future year. This only guarantees Canberra United playing at the elite female national soccer competition for a year though.

The sporting landscape is difficult already, and I find it hard to see where additional ACT government $ and sponsorships can be obtained for a full time AFL Team 20 in Canberra. Even though a decision was given for a Canberra men’s team to join the ALeague soccer, this had been formally delayed by a year due to financing difficulties. We are also pushing to get a cricket BBL franchise, and with Rugby Australia committing to Brumbies staying in Canberra till 2025, the government and private sector may need to offer additional $ to keep the Brumbies here.

I'm really not sure an AFL team would be that expensive for the ACT Government. They're already looking to upgrade Manuka, so that wouldn't be any extra cost.

The ACT Government pays $2.85m a year to the Giants, that'd just transfer to a Canberra team.

The ACT Government previously stated that they saw a return on investment for the games. More money came back into Canberra than the $2.85m a year spent, mostly from travelling fans.

A team of our own would bring more than four times as many fans. That includes bigger travelling teams (which we've established never come to Canberra now), plus finals.

Not to mention 50 high-paid people now living and spending their money in Canberra.

I can't find the article now, but apparently the Canberra logo received $1m worth of exposure during the 2019 grand final. The exposure would be so much greater for the city actually having a team named Canberra.

If Manuka wasn't already getting an upgrade, and the ACT Govt wasn't already paying an AFL club millions a year, it might be a tall order. But as it stands, I think it'd be financially irresponsible for the ACT Government not to look into it.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Even with no government funding, Canberra would be cheaper than the NT. If it's the AFL that has to foot the bill, I'm sure they'd rather be paying $25m a year for Canberra than $40m a year for the NT.



I'm really not sure an AFL team would be that expensive for the ACT Government. They're already looking to upgrade Manuka, so that wouldn't be any extra cost.

The ACT Government pays $2.85m a year to the Giants, that'd just transfer to a Canberra team.

The ACT Government previously stated that they saw a return on investment for the games. More money came back into Canberra than the $2.85m a year spent, mostly from travelling fans.

A team of our own would bring more than four times as many fans. That includes bigger travelling teams (which we've established never come to Canberra now), plus finals.

Not to mention 50 high-paid people now living and spending their money in Canberra.

I can't find the article now, but apparently the Canberra logo received $1m worth of exposure during the 2019 grand final. The exposure would be so much greater for the city actually having a team named Canberra.

If Manuka wasn't already getting an upgrade, and the ACT Govt wasn't already paying an AFL club millions a year, it might be a tall order. But as it stands, I think it'd be financially irresponsible for the ACT Government not to look into it.

1. I don’t think the AFL will foot the bill for NT or ACT. It will be upto the relevant state and territory governments, investors and sponsors to substantially do that, with the AFL financial exposure being minimal? NT will undoubtedly be more expensive, and will only be a team 20 candidate if the Commonwealth comes to the party - If it does, I unfortunately think NT will be Team 20, and if not NT will not be in contention.

2. If our ACT government is spending $2.85 million on the Giants for 3 AFL games (2 AFLW and 1 pre-season game), won’t 11 AFL games, 5 AFLW games and 2 pre-season games cost even more?

3. Yes, acknowledge your points about the return on investment, brand value and team members spending money locally

4. Whilst I get the need for a business case (which only NT seems to have done in contrast to WA3 or ACT), our financially constrained ACT Government seems happy with the status quo? They have announced many business case reports in this election year, but nothing in relation to Team 20 options?

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

Fair points. Unfortunately, I just don’t think North members or their Board will agree to be Northern Kangaroos. From what I understand, and North members in this forum will have greater insight, North see their future in Melbourne especially with the Arden Street redevelopments, and any games moved out of Hobart will be eventually brought back to Melbourne as soon as it’s financially feasible.

Victorian clubs want to play in Victoria - even if in the short term games need to be sold to secondary markets to enable this. Even financially struggling St Kilda, didn’t want to renew their 1 game contract in the Cairns secondary market, and are looking to move some of their existing Marvel games to the MCG - presumably because this would generate a better financial return.

Yes, North seem to be chips in with Arden St, especially since Australia’s biggest urban renewal project will literally be built around the club’s base over the next few decades.

Most supporters were hopeful that the club would pivot and take some of those home games back to Victoria after the Hobart deal expires. However, I was pretty dismayed to hear Jen Watt’s comments last month where she essentially said that the club needs the secondary market cash and will be selling those games to the highest bidder after they leave Hobart.

You’re spot on about the members and board not allowing a relocation to happen, the constitution makes that (and mergers) nearly impossible to approve.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

Yes, North seem to be chips in with Arden St, especially since Australia’s biggest urban renewal project will literally be built around the club’s base over the next few decades.

Most supporters were hopeful that the club would pivot and take some of those home games back to Victoria after the Hobart deal expires. However, I was pretty dismayed to hear Jen Watt’s comments last month where she essentially said that the club needs the secondary market cash and will be selling those games to the highest bidder after they leave Hobart.

You’re spot on about the members and board not allowing a relocation to happen, the constitution makes that (and mergers) nearly impossible to approve.

Thanks for the response. As a non-Victorian whilst I think there are too many Victorian teams (and #VICBIAS) in a national competition, I respect your members for your tenacity, resilience and determination to hold on to your heritage against all the odds - I honestly thought you would have been the Gold Coast Kangaroos! If your club didn’t succumb then to relocation, I can’t see how North will succumb now when its financially stronger and with the new constitutional safeguards.

To clarify though, whilst the North constitution makes relocation/ mergers almost impossible to happen, what about co-location? Does North playing 4-5 matches on an ongoing basis in Darwin require members to approve it in a high enough percentage as specified in the constitution for a relocation, or is it just a majority decision by the Board and CEO?

 

[Giant YoYo]

what about co-location?

Given the amount of games played in Melbourne between Melbourne teams, Melbourne teams are best placed for secondary markets, IMO.

 

[Canberra Pear]

1. I don’t think the AFL will foot the bill for NT or ACT. It will be upto the relevant state and territory governments, investors and sponsors to substantially do that, with the AFL financial exposure being minimal? NT will undoubtedly be more expensive, and will only be a team 20 candidate if the Commonwealth comes to the party - If it does, I unfortunately think NT will be Team 20, and if not NT will not be in contention.

By foot the bill, I mean distribution.

The Giants and Suns need ~$25 each, Canberra would probably need between $20-25m to start with. The NT will need $40m.

IF the Commonwealth agrees to fund that $15m difference in perpetuity, then there's not a lot we can do. But that's a huge if.

And if they don't, there's no way the AFL could choose the NT over Canberra. No way the AFL would choose to spend $15-20m extra each year on the one team.

2. If our ACT government is spending $2.85 million on the Giants for 3 AFL games (2 AFLW and 1 pre-season game), won’t 11 AFL games, 5 AFLW games and 2 pre-season games cost even more?

If we were buying them from an interstate team like we are now, then yes.

If it's our own team, then it's just contributing to them rather than buying games (same as the Raiders and Brumbies).

3. Yes, acknowledge your points about the return on investment, brand value and team members spending money locally

So yes, we would get a heck of a lot more for that $2.85m. And if that's all the ACT Government spends, then it looks like a great deal for the ACT.

4. Whilst I get the need for a business case (which only NT seems to have done in contrast to WA3 or ACT), our financially constrained ACT Government seems happy with the status quo? They have announced many business case reports in this election year, but nothing in relation to Team 20 options?

Who knows. A business case is only $100-200k. You used to say the same about finances being too tight for a Manuka redevelopment and that seems to be pushing forward. A business case is pretty small change in the scheme of things.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Given the amount of games played in Melbourne between Melbourne teams, Melbourne teams are best placed for secondary markets, IMO.

Agreed. Melbourne teams have more flexibility and can offer more games as well. We'd probably be pushing for four regular games in Canberra if we had a Melbourne team playing here.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Agreed. Melbourne teams have more flexibility and can offer more games as well. We'd probably be pushing for four regular games in Canberra if we had a Melbourne team playing here.

Agree.

Canberra needs more than it's getting. 3 games per year with such an extended duration of no games isn't great as a footy fan.

If Canberra didn't already have sufficient footy interest coupled with migration from footy regions into it, I'd imagine it would really struggle with 3 games per year. Possibly start to go backward over time.

Giants in Sydney require more games for different reasons, to grow interest. The current set up is trying to balance both cities but is really not ideal from a fan/growth perspective and the fact this topic keeps being discussed across the board is demonstrative of that.

In the highly unlikely event we can solve the lack of Canberra games problem by way of Melbourne teams being rotated playing in Canberra then the Giants can be fixtured to play the Melbourne teams in Canberra. If that opens up the Giants to possibly play more games in Sydney in due course then great.

I've been on two Melbourne trips this year and watched a total of 6 games (2 were Giants games) while there. I'm also coming down to Canberra this weekend for my second Giants game in Canberra this year. I'd certainly come down for games in Canberra if Canberra had footy games on even when the Giants weren't playing.

The AFL doesn't need to convert me since I'm already a footy fan but it has a huge job of doing so in Western Sydney with its lack of games and ensuring there are enough games in Canberra, which I don't believe there are.

Alternatively, Canberra can get its own team and I will come down to Canberra for a weekend trip away to watch a game of footy.

 

[Walshawk]

Even with no government funding, Canberra would be cheaper than the NT. If it's the AFL that has to foot the bill, I'm sure they'd rather be paying $25m a year for Canberra than $40m a year for the NT.



I'm really not sure an AFL team would be that expensive for the ACT Government. They're already looking to upgrade Manuka, so that wouldn't be any extra cost.

The ACT Government pays $2.85m a year to the Giants, that'd just transfer to a Canberra team.

The ACT Government previously stated that they saw a return on investment for the games. More money came back into Canberra than the $2.85m a year spent, mostly from travelling fans.

A team of our own would bring more than four times as many fans. That includes bigger travelling teams (which we've established never come to Canberra now), plus finals.

Not to mention 50 high-paid people now living and spending their money in Canberra.

I can't find the article now, but apparently the Canberra logo received $1m worth of exposure during the 2019 grand final. The exposure would be so much greater for the city actually having a team named Canberra.

If Manuka wasn't already getting an upgrade, and the ACT Govt wasn't already paying an AFL club millions a year, it might be a tall order. But as it stands, I think it'd be financially irresponsible for the ACT Government not to look into it.

AFL clubs have around 200 staff. Great for the local economy.

 

[Cunnington Cartel]

Thanks for the response. As a non-Victorian whilst I think there are too many Victorian teams (and #VICBIAS) in a national competition, I respect your members for your tenacity, resilience and determination to hold on to your heritage against all the odds - I honestly thought you would have been the Gold Coast Kangaroos! If your club didn’t succumb then to relocation, I can’t see how North will succumb now when its financially stronger and with the new constitutional safeguards.

To clarify though, whilst the North constitution makes relocation/ mergers almost impossible to happen, what about co-location? Does North playing 4-5 matches on an ongoing basis in Darwin require members to approve it in a high enough percentage as specified in the constitution for a relocation, or is it just a majority decision by the Board and CEO?

That’s right. The club has been able to achieve that through the debacle of the past 5 years as well. I’m not Victorian either and I want to see the national footprint of the league grow, as well as the sport in general. I don’t necessarily think it needs to be one or the other, though. There are no other unrepresented areas in Australia that could support a club that is bigger than North or any of the other smaller Victorian teams.

I think the keys to sustainability lies in grassroots. If the heartland Aussie rules states continue to churn out elite playing talent and there’s also a sizeable increase in draftable players from NSW and QLD then there’ll be enough playing talent to fill 20 clubs and beyond. If the player pool is big enough, then the AFL can add clubs in unrepresented cities as the demand for footy grows in those regions and they have the capacity to sustain their own AFL club. Even if this means we head towards 22 or 24 teams later in the century. The Victorian power base is reduced further every time a new team gets added, so I’d rather see expansion progress in a more orderly fashion that retains all of the current clubs.

Here is the section of the constitution about relocations. As you can see, provided the club retains its status as a Melbourne-based club then the door could be left open for a potential co-location, like you described. This is why Watt’s comments pissed me off because it was on the back of the story about North potentially being given the NT as an academy zone. Andy D was also recently named as Chair of the NT Taskforce and he has already tried to shaft his former club once. It all just seems a bit too coincidental for my liking.

 

[threenewpadlocks]

The reason that there's no political pressure for a Canberra team is simply in large part because of the existing contracts and investment for GWS to be based there until 2031.

Over the next ~5 years, we'll have a lot better idea of what the future of Canberra, GWS and the AFL post-Tasmania looks like (and indirectly, if Sydney keeps growing as it has in the post-COVID era, how this may influence GWS).

Political and social will for an AFL team can develop very quickly, especially as a closer inspection of GWS and Canberra post-2031 needs to be looked at, and what looks like nothing now can change very quickly by 2029-30 etc.

I don't think the fact that there doesn't seem to be much of a push for a Canberra right now makes that much of a difference - things can move quickly and we can go from everyone focusing on Tasmania in 2027-28 to plans for a Canberra team being very sudden and immediate for a 2032 entry, post-contract, being organised in 2028-30 imo.

 

[Bjo187]

The reason that there's no political pressure for a Canberra team is simply in large part because of the existing contracts and investment for GWS to be based there until 2031.

Over the next ~5 years, we'll have a lot better idea of what the future of Canberra, GWS and the AFL post-Tasmania looks like (and indirectly, if Sydney keeps growing as it has in the post-COVID era, how this may influence GWS).

Political and social will for an AFL team can develop very quickly, especially as a closer inspection of GWS and Canberra post-2031 needs to be looked at, and what looks like nothing now can change very quickly by 2029-30 etc.

I don't think the fact that there doesn't seem to be much of a push for a Canberra right now makes that much of a difference - things can move quickly and we can go from everyone focusing on Tasmania in 2027-28 to plans for a Canberra team being very sudden and immediate for a 2032 entry, post-contract, being organised in 2028-30 imo.

I think there is a push happening but behind the scenes, because talk of their own team will kill interest in gws and the contract has another 7 years or so to run. The afl wouldn't want a repeat of north in Hobart, especially with 7 years still to run.

To me, if you read between the lines there is definitely chats happening between the act government and afl behind closed doors. The stadium upgrade of Manuka, Dillon mentioning Canberra a few times in press conferences, they are going about it the right way, not in public. Their leader Barr is an afl man, of course he has his snout in the trough on this.

 

[Canberra Pear]

The reason that there's no political pressure for a Canberra team is simply in large part because of the existing contracts and investment for GWS to be based there until 2031.

Over the next ~5 years, we'll have a lot better idea of what the future of Canberra, GWS and the AFL post-Tasmania looks like (and indirectly, if Sydney keeps growing as it has in the post-COVID era, how this may influence GWS).

Political and social will for an AFL team can develop very quickly, especially as a closer inspection of GWS and Canberra post-2031 needs to be looked at, and what looks like nothing now can change very quickly by 2029-30 etc.

I don't think the fact that there doesn't seem to be much of a push for a Canberra right now makes that much of a difference - things can move quickly and we can go from everyone focusing on Tasmania in 2027-28 to plans for a Canberra team being very sudden and immediate for a 2032 entry, post-contract, being organised in 2028-30 imo.

I think that's very well said.

Even in the past year, I've noticed more Canberrans being vocal about the idea. Comments sections on reddit and social media have had more Canberrans pushing for it. I remember earlier in the year the Footy with Broden podcast (light-heartedly) mocked the idea of Canberra getting Team 20, and retracted his statement after Canberrans bullied him (also light-heartedly).

Conversely, Darwin and Cairns have made a lot of noise, but it seems very top-down. AFL NT seems to be telling the NT is needs a team, whereas the majority of comments I read from Darwin folks just can't see it happening. Canberra seems to have more support on the ground, but less from the top (at least publicly).

Hopefully the more sell outs we get, the more the momentum can grow.

 

[Badger17]

I think there is a push happening but behind the scenes, because talk of their own team will kill interest in gws and the contract has another 7 years or so to run. The afl wouldn't want a repeat of north in Hobart, especially with 7 years still to run.

To me, if you read between the lines there is definitely chats happening between the act government and afl behind closed doors. The stadium upgrade of Manuka, Dillon mentioning Canberra a few times in press conferences, they are going about it the right way, not in public. Their leader Barr is an afl man, of course he has his snout in the trough on this.

There're definitely tentative discussions happening behind closed doors, however the government are more focused on cricket for the minute. The BBL and Sheffield Shield are seen as a more achievable goal than an AFL side, but the push for more cricket is also being used as justification for more investment into Manuka and other oval facilities which are stepping stones to a potential push for an AFL side.

Everything would change overnight if the AFL were to tap the ACT Government on the shoulder and show genuine interest in a Canberran side, which is a decent chance of happening considering the realistic options for a 20th team IMO.

 

[Bjo187]

There're definitely tentative discussions happening behind closed doors, however the government are more focused on cricket for the minute. The BBL and Sheffield Shield are seen as a more achievable goal than an AFL side, but the push for more cricket is also being used as justification for more investment into Manuka and other oval facilities which are stepping stones to a potential push for an AFL side.

Everything would change overnight if the AFL were to tap the ACT Government on the shoulder and show genuine interest in a Canberran side, which is a decent chance of happening considering the realistic options for a 20th team IMO.

Yes I think the cricket stuff is a means to an end on the bigger prize of a footy team. Remembering that the bbl is only 10 games I think over 2 months or something and isn't as popular as the AFL which brings more exposure, travelers etc.

 

[RedV3x]

Yes I think the cricket stuff is a means to an end on the bigger prize of a footy team. Remembering that the bbl is only 10 games I think over 2 months or something and isn't as popular as the AFL which brings more exposure, travelers etc.

Definitely. "The BBL and Sheffield Shield are seen as a more achievable goal than an AFL side" but nowhere near as impactful. An AFL side brings a lot more in the way of economic benefits.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Anybody have access to Code Sports? It's also on NewsCorp sites.

The twitter ACT chief minister Andrew Barrr reportedly said Canberra could be home to the 20th team.

I'll wait until I can read the article before I get too excited, but Barr being so publicly forward would be a huge step forward.

 

[RedV3x]

Anybody have access to Code Sports? It's also on NewsCorp sites.

The twitter ACT chief minister Andrew Barrr reportedly said Canberra could be home to the 20th team.

I'll wait until I can read the article before I get too excited, but Barr being so publicly forward would be a huge step forward.

Codesports seems to be just another organisation trying to make money out of sports.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Anybody have access to Code Sports? It's also on NewsCorp sites.

The twitter ACT chief minister Andrew Barrr reportedly said Canberra could be home to the 20th team.

I'll wait until I can read the article before I get too excited, but Barr being so publicly forward would be a huge step forward.

Twas posted on reddit:

It shapes as the most consequential AFL game ever played in the nation’s capital. The red-hot Hawthorn trying to keep its finals fairytale alive against a GWS Giants team that has revived its top four chances.

Yet beneath that is a quiet success story. Canberra has become a Giant part of the orange tsunami’s operation in a year where crowd records are set to be broken.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, whose government renewed its deal with the Giants in 2022 through to the end of 2032, thinks it could be a glimpse of the AFL’s future in Canberra.

“Canberra’s population will soon reach half-a-million people and Territory Gross State Product will pass $50 billion,” Barr tells CODE Sports.

“The broader region is approaching one million people and this population and economic growth will continue. ”

“At some point in the future the AFL will consider adding a twentieth team to the national competition, a team representing the broader Canberra region (ACT and Southern NSW) would have to be in the mix for consideration,” Barr says.

A stand-alone Canberra team may seem fanciful, yet the numbers are compelling.

Manuka Oval, celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend, will be heaving on Sunday with all seats sold out on Wednesday; the earliest sellout time in memory. That will make it three sellouts from three Giants games in Canberra this season, another first.

A crowd of 13,5000 would take the average attendance this season beyond 13,000, which would be the highest ever for the Giants in Canberra.

Those are significantly higher averages than what Tasmania (9657 – entering the AFL in 2028) and the Northern Territory (8419 – mooted as a possible 20th team) have achieved for AFL games this year.

For the moment, GWS CEO Dave Matthews is understandably happy with the status quo.

“We’re proud to be Canberra’s AFL team – we have been for more than a decade now and will be for years and years to come,” he tells CODE Sports.

Manuka oval is celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend. Picture: Getty Images

Unlike other club’s interstate cash grabs, the Giants have been in for the long haul. The Giants’ ten year deal follows on from an initial decade in Canberra starting in their debut year of 2012.

It’s a commitment that has built their membership base in the ACT to an all-time record of 6840 in 2024.

Yet there’s also crucial practical elements that make the ACT essential for the Giants.

Barr's non-committal, but he definitely made the case for Canberra, and didn't tie us to the Giants.

Did well to throw our hat into the ring without disgruntling the Giants for the current partnership.

 

[MelbourneGWS]

This is the second part of the article - reiterates how Giants are Canberra’s AFL team, and how the current relationship has worked for the club, AFL, players, members and the region. Barr is indeed non committal, and there are significant budgetary difficulties, pressure for a new stadium by other codes, and need to find additional $ for Canberra United.

The Easter Show in Sydney renders the Giants ENGIE Stadium out of action for six weeks around the April event, so without a second venue that they can call their own the Giants would be handicapped immensely as a season finds its groove.

This year the Giants opened the season with a home win before the blackout period, in which they gained two important wins at Manuka in Round 7 and 8.

“Canberra is our home,” Matthews says.

Dave Matthews said the Giants are ‘proud to be Canberra’s AFL team.’ Picture: Phil Hillyard

“We’re welcomed with open arms and some of our club’s most historic moments have occurred at Manuka Oval.”

On the field two of the Giants most important players, midfield titan Tom Green

12

Tom Green

Age

23

Ht

192cm

Wt

92kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

3star

CL

2.8

4star

D

11.5

3star

K

4.3

2star

HB

7.3

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.3

4star

CL

2.8

5star

and high-flying intercept defender Harry Himmelberg, are products of the GWS Academy who played in Canberra before being drafted. Another former Giants academy member and Canberra product, Jack Steele

9

Jack Steele

Age

28

Ht

187cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

20.9

5star

K

8.7

3star

HB

12.2

5star

M

3.7

4star

T

6.8

5star

CL

3.6

5star

D

21.3

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

4.6

5star

D

16.8

4star

K

5.0

2star

HB

11.8

5star

M

2.6

3star

T

6.4

5star

CL

3.6

5star

captains St Kilda, highlighting the potential talent source of the area.

And while the Giants benefit, they are also doing a bunch of heavy lifting for the code itself. A presence there is essential, given the establishment of the Canberra Raiders and the ACT Brumbies helped diminish the Australian rules culture in the city during the 1980s and 1990s.

Having a team playing in Canberra also gives the AFL a hard-to-measure political presence. In addition to the ACT government partnership, this weekend, like all Canberra games, there will be Federal MPs, staffers, senior public servants and even international ambassadors in the stands.

The AFL is an expert at getting things done with government, and the Canberra matches are crucial to greasing the wheels. Ever since the Giants were born, it’s been an AFL strategy to get footy novices of the Canberra political classes on board with the Giants and to Manuka games.

“We’re proud of everything we’ve achieved alongside the ACT Government over the past 13 years. It’s a partnership that has been a success on every measure,” Matthews says.

Barr believes the partnership gives as much the other way too.

“Without the partnership the ACT would be the only state or territory that didn’t have any AFL,” he says underlining that a sense of national sporting legitimacy for the region comes from the Giants.

“Beyond the sporting benefits, there are significant economic benefits for Canberra through direct expenditure, tourism and destination marketing.”

Melbourne, Sydney and regional NSW are the ACT’s biggest domestic tourism markets, so regularly having games beamed nationally from Manuka between a Melbourne team and a Sydney team with associated marketing signage plastered over the ground ticks all the boxes.

All that, however, won’t sway Hawk tragic Barr to don the orange this Sunday.

“The round 13 clash in Launceston (a Hawthorn win) was epic, hopefully this Canberra clash will produce the same result!”finals fairytale alive against a GWS Giants team that has revived its top four chances.

Yet beneath that is a quiet success story. Canberra has become a Giant part of the orange tsunami’s operation in a year where crowd records are set to be broken.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, whose government renewed its deal with the Giants in 2022 through to the end of 2032, thinks it could be a glimpse of the AFL’s future in Canberra.

“Canberra’s population will soon reach half-a-million people and Territory Gross State Product will pass $50 billion,” Barr tells CODE Sports.

“The broader region is approaching one million people and this population and economic growth will continue. ”

“At some point in the future the AFL will consider adding a twentieth team to the national competition, a team representing the broader Canberra region (ACT and Southern NSW) would have to be in the mix for consideration,” Barr says.

A stand-alone Canberra team may seem fanciful, yet the numbers are compelling.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Barr's non-committal, but he definitely made the case for Canberra, and didn't tie us to the Giants.

Did well to throw our hat into the ring without disgruntling the Giants for the current partnership.

Good signs.

It makes absolutely perfect sense for the AFL/Giants to maintain/build up the footy infrastructure and interest in the region rather than have to essentially start from scratch should Canberra get its own team like they had to with the Suns/Giants. I have suspected this for sometime, too.

In some sense, it would be the AFLs expectation for the Giants to play in Canberra, it's beneficial to all.

I don't see there being too much of a distinction between the AFL/Giants until such time that the Giants are less reliant on the AFL and become member owned.