Canberra's own AFL team

[Canberra Pear]

Canberra Comets
Canberra Cosmos
Canberra Cannons
I think there was even a Baseball team or something once

All failed really.

Raiders are still around though right? NRA or something isn't it?

But seriously the Goverment down there is to build a new Stadium, or are at least talking about one in the CBD up to 40K spectators....but soccer and Rugby only!!

I think there are only two failed on that list, and they're in leagues that contracted or no longer exist. I think the Comets are still going. The Canberra Cavalry (baseball) is definitely still going well.

The Raiders are doing well in the NRL (the NRA wouldn't be popular here). There's still more Aussie Rules players than league players here though. Rugby union is pretty popular with the Brumbies in the Super Rugby (but the Giants still have higher crowds). The stadium will likely be 25k-30k. There was early plans for it to include an oval configuration, but it looks like it'll be too tighter squeeze in the preferred location.

 

[Dr Tigris]

The Giants are Canberra's team as long as they treat Canberra seriously.

I can't see an ACT AFL team, too small and base and too many other options.

 

[Roobs321]

I can't see it either, as there isn't much scope for growth, and a lot of the AFL fans there aren't necessarily long-term residents (compared to a Geelong or even Gold Coast), maybe just AFL expats cycling through the city for a several year stint. I'm a Raiders fan and the Brumbies have a robust fanbase. The W-League team also made a lot of sense prior to the last few years of women sport, having an available pool of young professional working women to draw upon in an area where soccer isn't really overshadowed by other codes and in a gender where soccer was generally more encouraged in teenage years (think back to high school, and also someone like Sam Kerr), and the local AFL Canberra sides are respectable, but I think a Hawks/North in Tassie situation, especially with the tangible nearness of a side like GWS, is really the best option for now. Compared to Tasmania, Canberra gets the Swans and GWS on FTA every week as 'part' of NSW, so there is more consistent exposure compared to a Hawks/North. Manuka also isn't quite right for a fulltime home ground. You'd need to be able to play regular night games there as well, which the AFL might not be used to in terms of climate.

 

[Aussie in exile]

Cant see the Raiders disappearing in our lifetimes.

Or our kids or grandkids.
When people think of a sporting team from Canberra they think Canberra Raiders

 

[NoobPie]

Or our kids or grandkids.
When people think of a sporting team from Canberra they think Canberra Raiders

Just like, When people think of a sporting team from Sydney they'll think of the Sydney Swans

And particularly their kids or grandkids.

 

[Canberra Pear]

I can't see an ACT AFL team, too small and base and too many other options.

Canberra's the second biggest city in Australia without a team. Only Newcastle is bigger - and they're not a candidate for a new team. Canberra has double the population of Hobart and triple the population of Darwin.

Tasmania is obviously the best option for team 19, but there's nobody else ahead of Canberra for team 20. Darwin is tiny. Sydney needs GWS to be able to play 11 home games before a third team comes in.

Perth3 makes the most sense of the rest, but there's less benefit to it. Everybody in Perth already follows a team. A Canberra team gives an option for neutral fans in a contested market. Also gives an option for games in the Riverina (Albury and Wagga) which lean Aussie Rules, but are still contested between codes.

The Giants are Canberra's team as long as they treat Canberra seriously.

While I want a Canberra team, I'm happy with the Giants in the medium-term. But if the Giants want to be here longer term, I think they need to step up their Canberra game.

They do do a lot in the community, but their presence is still too small. We only get three AFLM games a year. As a result, they don't get anywhere near the same media attention as the Raiders or Brumbies. We need more games and more presence from the Giants, but they can't give up Sydney games. They'd need to convince some Melbourne teams to have home games here against them.

 

[Established1870]

Honestly it doesn't help GWS that they're trying to do a North and act like they're the team for Canberra despite the fact they're never playing there full time. Would rather the AFL just bite the bullet and keep GWS in Sydney full time (****, give them games in southern Sydney if need be) and let them grow out as a fully Sydney team and let Canberra have their own full-time AFL side alongside Tassie.

 

[Teen Wolf]

Would rather the AFL just bite the bullet and keep GWS in Sydney full time

They also need to roll up their sleeves and take a good hard look in the mirror, give 'em what for and don't take no for an answer. Or, hey, maybe securing 11 H&A games per year at suitable venues in their 'hood is a complicated issue that can't be solved by pounding tables and stomping feet.

 

[Canberra Pear]

They also need to roll up their sleeves and take a good hard look in the mirror, give 'em what for and don't take no for an answer. Or, hey, maybe securing 11 H&A games per year at suitable venues in their 'hood is a complicated issue that can't be solved by pounding tables and stomping feet.

There are definitely a few options to work around the Easter Show.

They could play a bigger run of home games later in the season. ANZ Stadium could be used for a bigger game. Or a revamped Blacktown Oval could be used against smaller teams (and help them get more games across Western Sydney).

Outside of Sydney, they could play a couple of games in Newcastle and I believe post-Covid, they're still looking to play an LA game.

There are definitely some options for suitable stadiums, they just need some creative thinking.

 

[Teen Wolf]

There are definitely some options for suitable stadiums, they just need some creative thinking.

Those options don't require creativity, they require money.

GWS have settled on the option that works best for GWS. If the RAS or Blacktown City Council or Whoever want more/some AFL played at their venues, the onus is on them to come up with a better deal than what the Giants have got going on at Manuka.

 

[Colonial]

Those options don't require creativity, they require money.

GWS have settled on the option that works best for GWS. If the RAS or Blacktown City Council or Whoever want more/some AFL played at their venues, the onus is on them to come up with a better deal than what the Giants have got going on at Manuka.

Yeah the last time we dealt with the Blacktown council we got screwed.

 

[Bjo187]

Yeah the last time we dealt with the Blacktown council we got screwed.

In what way?

 

[Colonial]

In what way?

The mayor at the time (a cricket nut) wanted the precinct built as the headquarters of NSW Cricket.

He got the AFL and Giants on board to finalise the deal with the NSW government funding.

Once done he told the Giants they couldn’t be based there full time only part-time.
So the Giants bought the ex-Olympic archery complex to rebuild as a full time base and the Mayor then turned it around saying the club had abandoned Blacktown, which is bullshit.
Even though we still play pre-season, AFLW, and NEAFL(Now VFL) games there, even though the club had every right to be pissed as they were screwed.

 

[Canberra Pear]

The mayor at the time (a cricket nut) wanted the precinct built as the headquarters of NSW Cricket.

He got the AFL and Giants on board to finalise the deal with the NSW government funding.

Once done he told the Giants they couldn’t be based there full time only part-time.
So the Giants bought the ex-Olympic archery complex to rebuild as a full time base and the Mayor then turned it around saying the club had abandoned Blacktown, which is bullshit.
Even though we still play pre-season, AFLW, and NEAFL(Now VFL) games there, even though the club had every right to be pissed as they were screwed.

As a Sydneysider (I think) would you prefer a game played at Blacktown or Canberra for the Easter Show?

For instance, the Suns have an average crowd of 7.7k at Giants Stadium and have never topped 8.3k. Blacktown has a nominal capacity of 10k.

I know there's been some history, but if it meant being able to play 11 games in Sydney, would you be alright with a regular season match against the Suns at Blacktown?

 

[Chief Ten Beers]

I think there are only two failed on that list, and they're in leagues that contracted or no longer exist. I think the Comets are still going. The Canberra Cavalry (baseball) is definitely still going well.

The Raiders are doing well in the NRL (the NRA wouldn't be popular here). There's still more Aussie Rules players than league players here though. Rugby union is pretty popular with the Brumbies in the Super Rugby (but the Giants still have higher crowds). The stadium will likely be 25k-30k. There was early plans for it to include an oval configuration, but it looks like it'll be too tighter squeeze in the preferred location.

Canberra Baseball team has slid into administration today...

 

[Colonial]

As a Sydneysider (I think) would you prefer a game played at Blacktown or Canberra for the Easter Show?

For instance, the Suns have an average crowd of 7.7k at Giants Stadium and have never topped 8.3k. Blacktown has a nominal capacity of 10k.

I know there's been some history, but if it meant being able to play 11 games in Sydney, would you be alright with a regular season match against the Suns at Blacktown?

Ex Western Sydney boy. Now central west.
All for us to move a game or 2 or 3, once the Giants are wholly Western Sydney, to Blacktown or even a game to the central west of NSW.
Would also be all for that 1 game in the US.

 

[Arwib]

Canberra's the second biggest city in Australia without a team. Only Newcastle is bigger - and they're not a candidate for a new team. Canberra has double the population of Hobart and triple the population of Darwin.

Even this sorta understates it. The Capital Region of NSW, ie people within an hour or two drive of here and economically linked to Canberra, has another roughly 200k, on top of the 430k in the city itself. If we're going to call Tasmania a single market despite the distances involved, it's pretty reasonable to look at a similar sized catchment here as the effective market.

 

[Canberra Pear]

Ex Western Sydney boy. Now central west.
All for us to move a game or 2 or 3, once the Giants are wholly Western Sydney, to Blacktown or even a game to the central west of NSW.
Would also be all for that 1 game in the US.

Without an upgrade I think the Suns would be the only team drawing a small enough crowd to fit into Blacktown. But at near capacity I think it would have a pretty cool atmosphere.

Is the plan for the Giants match in the US to come from their home games, or to get a Victorian team like Port in Shanghai? I don't think they have any leeway to take any games away from Manuka, but seven games in Sydney seems surely too few for the Sydney fanbase.

A Central West game would be pretty awesome. Even as a preseason match. Are there any facilities that could host with minimal upgrades?

 

[Canberra Pear]

Even this sorta understates it. The Capital Region of NSW, ie people within an hour or two drive of here and economically linked to Canberra, has another roughly 200k, on top of the 430k in the city itself. If we're going to call Tasmania a single market despite the distances involved, it's pretty reasonable to look at a similar sized catchment here as the effective market.

Very true. I like to consider the Riverina-Murray in Canberra's zone too (with a game each in Albury and Wagga). That region is another 250k or so.

Obviously not many would be making the trip the whole way to Canberra, but would act as a secondary area like Launny to Hobart.

 

[SnusCG]

The Giants are Canberra's team as long as they treat Canberra seriously.

I can't see an ACT AFL team, too small and base and too many other options.

I assume it's been covered but the population of Canberra is 400k+, Bigger than Hobart and Launceston combined who people have been calling for years to have a team, bigger than Darwin by about 250k+ people, who have similarly had calls for a team and bigger than Geelong by 150k+ people who already support one of the largest fanbases in the AFL.

The city also absolutely loves its sport, and particularly AFL. Manuka oval typically sells out most games, which in a neutral city without a team, having two interstate clubs come in and fill the stadium is very impressive.

 

[Dogs till i die]

I assume it's been covered but the population of Canberra is 400k+, Bigger than Hobart and Launceston combined who people have been calling for years to have a team, bigger than Darwin by about 250k+ people, who have similarly had calls for a team and bigger than Geelong by 150k+ people who already support one of the largest fanbases in the AFL.

The city also absolutely loves its sport, and particularly AFL. Manuka oval typically sells out most games, which in a neutral city without a team, having two interstate clubs come in and fill the stadium is very impressive.

Visited Canberra last week and was convinced of their support of AFL. Walked past Eastlake FC's oval on Friday night and haven't seen so many kids and parents at an Auskick clinic anywhere. Also visited Ainslie FC, very impressive set up.

 

[SnusCG]

Visited Canberra last week and was convinced of their support of AFL. Walked past Eastlake FC's oval on Friday night and haven't seen so many kids and parents at an Auskick clinic anywhere. Also visited Ainslie FC, very impressive set up.

Have a lot of family still living in the ACT and can honestly say the place would completely and wholeheartedly support a local team in masses.

They would also likely get a lot of support from all around southern NSW too through areas like Albury, Wodonga etc, and given that the ACT government already sponsors GWS just to play some games there, I think you can be confident they'd get even higher levels of funding and sponsorship from the ACT government.

 

[Tonatopia]

Canberra would be a perfect Division 2 side.
The AFL needs to open up to Nation, and include teams in Canberra, Darwin, Hobart & Launceston.

The time for a national Divisional competition has arrived, and as you can see, they are exploring it with the new VFL. However, the AFL is in no-mans land atm. They just seem to copy the USA NFL fixed license structure, instead of looking at the EPL model.

 

[Dirty Bird]

North Melbourne Kangaroos ---> North Queensland Kangaroos (9x Cairns, 1x Townsville, 1x Mackay)
St Kilda Saints ---> Tasmanian Saints (6x Launceston, 5x Hobart)
Western Bulldogs ---> Canberra Bulldogs (11x Canberra)
Essendon bombers ---> Essendon Bombers (11x MCG)

Sell Marvel Stadium for property developers and rake in money.

 

[Chicken Parma]

North Melbourne Kangaroos ---> North Queensland Kangaroos (9x Cairns, 1x Townsville, 1x Mackay)
St Kilda Saints ---> Tasmanian Saints (6x Launceston, 5x Hobart)
Western Bulldogs ---> Canberra Bulldogs (11x Canberra)
Essendon bombers ---> Essendon Bombers (11x MCG)

Sell Marvel Stadium for property developers and rake in money.

And Carlton? Do they do the same as Essendon?