Expansion Canberra >> Gold Coast ?

[PHX]

Official crowd: 10,037 at Gold Coast Stadium.

Official crowd: 13,550 at Manuka Oval

Both games had highest supported teams in respective states playing and both had interstate teams as the "home" team.

Discuss.

 

[Ferris_rules]

Canberra is a hole and has no identity or soul.

Its funny it supports Sydney yet the SFC could not care at all about this place.

Does not deserve to have an AFL club, does not support AFL at all, poor coverage in this hole.

I know as I unfortunately live here, but soon to leave !

 

[PHX]

So they dont support AFL and they still get a bigger attendance than the Gold Coast?


Or am I underestimating the Vic Doggies fans numbers that travelled to the ACT compared to the Kangas fans to the Gold Coast?

 

[FootyJunkie]

Does not deserve to have an AFL club, does not support AFL at all, poor coverage in this hole.

Agree, would rather have an NT/North QLD club in the long term. The Sydney clubs should still play away games in Canberra producing 2 or even 4 games there each season.

 

[Doctor Jolly]

Canberra is a hole and has no identity or soul.

Its funny it supports Sydney yet the SFC could not care at all about this place.

Does not deserve to have an AFL club, does not support AFL at all, poor coverage in this hole.

I know as I unfortunately live here, but soon to leave !

SFC does a lot for Canberra. We play our 2nds down there, which gives players in the ACTFL exposure to AFL standard players, and the whole ACTFL league greater exposure in general.

The key difference between the two figures is "north melbourne". North whores itself around, only gathering disrespect. On the other hand the crowd had a lot of bulldogs support compared to most swans games down there.

 

[Hawkers]

Manuka is not a bad place to watch footy and the crowds have been pretty consistent for the last few years.
As for Canberra having their own team that is out of the question.
Canberrans are extremely fickle, probably moreso than Sydneysiders.
They see going to the football as an 'event' rather than something that you just need to do.
We've been lucky that the weather has always been very good. It has never been overcast or raining at any of the games. If it does then expect the crowd to drop to NRL standards.

On a side note the thing that annoyed me the most was the stupid ground announcer saying that we're 'celebrating 150 years of AFL'
I wasn't aware that the AFL setup shop 150 years ago, I thought it was in 1990.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

West Sydney will play3 or so matches per year. why, it is west of Sydney, and allows the AFL to promote the game with a "local" team

 

[Doctor Jolly]

On a side note the thing that annoyed me the most was the stupid ground announcer saying that we're 'celebrating 150 years of AFL'
I wasn't aware that the AFL setup shop 150 years ago, I thought it was in 1990.

You Victorians need to get over the fact that outside of the footy states, Australian rules footy is known as "AFL".

Build a bridge.

 

[Hawkers]

You Victorians need to get over the fact that outside of the footy states, Australian rules footy is known as "AFL".

Build a bridge.

I'm not a Victorian.
Just because the AFL want to brand itself as the sport doesn't make it correct.

 

[PHX]

It wasnt a thread saying to have a team in Canberra, more the viability of a team on the Gold Coast. It's a disgraceful crowd number.

 

[fishmonger]

It wasnt a thread saying to have a team in Canberra, more the viability of a team on the Gold Coast. It's a disgraceful crowd number.

The Gold Coast Shipwrecks anyone ?

how about the Canberra CoastSlayers ?

Here's another shot of that sensational Gold Coast crowd ...

 

[CoastBhoy]

Official crowd: 10,037 at Gold Coast Stadium.

Official crowd: 13,550 at Manuka Oval

Both games had highest supported teams in respective states playing and both had interstate teams as the "home" team.

Discuss.

Now that there is no standing room , it limits even further the crowd , i think nowadays you cant fit many more in at Carrara.

 

[Raiderdave]

Canberra is a hole and has no identity or soul.

Its funny it supports Sydney yet the SFC could not care at all about this place.

Does not deserve to have an AFL club, does not support AFL at all, poor coverage in this hole.

I know as I unfortunately live here, but soon to leave !

The .... sooner..... the better

 

[skelly12]

I'm moving there for Uni...sigh good bye football

 

[Saint77]

Playing AFL matches in Canberra is a waste of time. There should be more matches played in Alice Springs, Darwin or Cairns.

 

[THRILLHO]

I'm not a Victorian.
Just because the AFL want to brand itself as the sport doesn't make it correct.

It's an ingenious marketing ploy by the AFL. The marketing effect of the NRL is diluted because of the three different brandings 'NRL', 'ARL', 'NSW-RL'. And, correct me if Im mistaken, but I read an article where the NRL refused to allow the NSW-RL to use the NRL brand in its grassroots campaign. Something like that. Im happy with AFL differentiating itself from the others. Especially when you have three codes trying to establish itself as football (Union, League and Soccer). I always call Australian Rules AFL in Sydney, saves having to clarify myself if I say footy. Once Im back in Albury, I quickly revert to calling it footy.

 

[fabulousphil]

I know a lot about Canberra football and they had their chance ....... well actually they didn't but IMO the AFL erred by sending the swans to Sydney instead of Canberra.

At that time the ACTAFL was the premier football comp and code in Canberra led by cowboy Neale and a swag of other VFL identities.

Ainslie football club had a swag of money and was looking to join the SANFL, the junior comp was very strong ..... much stronger than today and the local comp was light years ahead of any other in NSW and still is, recently defeating Victoria (county) at the just finished country football champs.

Media coverage was very good and there was plenty of money around.

The then VFL allowed RL to slip in under their guard and set up the Canberra Raiders who effectively killed the local comp and took media, money and juniors of AR.

Canberra has effectively gone from a AR stronghold to a ghost town as far as AR is concerned.

Whilst the Gold Coast has a much stronger junior and senior footy base than Canberra, a faster growing population and bigger/stronger economic outlook.

 

[fishmonger]

Whilst the Gold Coast has a much stronger junior and senior footy base than Canberra, a faster growing population and bigger/stronger economic outlook.

But just no crowds and no 2nd generation local support.

 

[fabulousphil]

But just no crowds and no 2nd generation local support.

Thats a pretty vague and silly reply..... The Gold coast has good support and 2nd generation support.

Guess its not Tassie so it does not suit your agenda.

 

[Mitchell Madness]

Playing AFL matches in Canberra is a waste of time. There should be more matches played in Alice Springs, Darwin or Cairns.

Far too hot during the winter to play too many matches wher eyou have listed. Pre-season is too wet (see stkilda vs brisbane)

 

[one 4 the road]

No-one here in Melbourne cares what bandwagon AFL promoters like you think. Arguing with NRL people like it's your game your defending, telling us Melbourne clubs should fold its a joke.

Stick with NRL and leave us be.

The fact is Doctor Jolly the amount of time you spend dissecting our game and debating how AFL is better than NRL to your Sydney friends is pointless. How would you know?

You’re a Johnny come lately supporter who would be laughed at in Melbourne around real supporters in the home of football. You’re a joke whose opinion is worth 0 when discussing our great game.

Whats it like on top of that pedistool rb?
Just because you live in Melbourne and we don't, gives you no right to say we know nothing about the greatest game.
Pull your head in. you git!
Or better still get off you ass and get up to give us a hand.

 

[staphy]

Thats all the ground holds at Canberra, went to the game go dogs!

 

[Black Falcon]

OK, so we've established that both grounds were pretty much at full capacity. So that defeats the purpose of the thread.

On the broader issue, I agree that Canberra should get 2 games each a year from the two Sydney teams- whether they are Melb team "home games" or not.

Given the AFL's national template, you can't help thinking that one day a team should be based in Canberra. Manuka Oval looks like it could easily be upgraded to 20,000, even to host the visiting Sydney teams. This would be a significant step in it acquiring a team of its own (go Tassie).

Whilst I support the GC concept, I also am truly mystified by the AFL's approach to the Carrara conundrum. You can't run an AFL team with a home crowd of 12,000. There's been plenty of talk about upgrades and a new stadium being built at either Nerang or Robina, but 2 and a bit years is the timeframe. And the AFL has to foot the entire bill.

By the end of this year, there needs to be announcements and work begun on either rebuilding or beginning a stadium. The new GC team cannot begin its life at Carrara as it is, or it will soon be as dead as the BBears were there.

 

[PHX]

Then why were the AFL and media expecting 15,000 and called it a disappointing crowd?

 

[Ferris_rules]

Canberra is a dead set hole of a place. The people, the place the weather geez the AFL community should be happy that there is no club here !

The way they treat the AFL here is appalling to say the least. Even the AFL clubs here show Rugby games ahead AFL games thats the kind of joke Canberra is.

Its so sad that they follow the Sydney team when in all reality the Sydney team could not care about Canberra at all. Canberrans are wannabe Sydney siders its a real joke they telecast all their games at the cost of blockbuster games each week. When in reality they should be promoting AFL game they promote Sydney games, complete irony there !

Tasmania deserves a team well ahead of the places like the hole in the ACT.

I feel really really sad for the people that live here almost pity them, having lived there myself for a couple of years. No wonder it has a high suicide rate here !!!!!!!