Does Geelong's 'lifestyle' factor give them an unfair advantage for free agency signings?

[Seeds]

No the fact they get a real home advantage at Kardinia (crowd, oval dimensions, climatic factors), yet still get a lot of supporters to the MCG and Marvel games is the main reason why they're so strong in the H&A season. GMHBA has been a fortress forever.

We dont get a lot of supporters to the mcg and marvel. We are even massively outsupported by north at melbourne games. Effing north.

 

[Seeds]

"Unfair" is subjective in a competition where many teams have various types of advantages and disadvantages

Which ones are fair and unfair?

It definitely helps Geelong.

20 minutes from the Great Ocean Road. Lower cost of living and relaxed beach lifestyle. Or country lifestyle going inland.

Melbourne teams can't compete with that.

Of course, the quiet life isn't for everyone. But it's a nice niche that Geelong can effectively use as a selling point to many players

Doesnt melbourne have nightlife, coffee culture, restaurants, sports, uni and bascially everything that under 30s want? Young people relocate from the country to melbourne. Not the other way round.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

I call it the 'Moggs Creek' factor. Players love to move to Geelong to 'get away from it all.' The big smoke isn't for everyone, which is why Geelong exists. Does this give them an unfair advantage when signing free agencies? It seems like the team is a hotspot for mature players that want that Dangerfield lifestyle for their families.

I think this has definitely helped Geelong stay competitive for so long. They've been able to top up with high-quality, mature FAs on the regular.

Really? You call it that? I’m not sure how I’d react if somebody brought up the “Moggs Creek Factor” in conversation. I’d probably think they were a bit strange.

 

[sexyhunk]

this thread still going? doesnt it depend on the individual preference, some prefer the beach and surf coast like geelong, some prefer all the happpenings in big smoke like sydney and some prefer nice all year weather like GC or Brisbane.

 

[CrazyJoeFevola]

Have people in melbourne actually been to byron? Its an ugly town with an ugly beach, isnt tropical and has very little trees. Queenslcliff is prettier. Albeit a lot colder and windier.

Yeah I have, which is why I said I hate it but for some reason it has a 'glamour' factor that the surf coast doesn't. And yeah the weather is better

 

[Dangerousfield]

The Irish like it at Geelong

 

[Sttew]

The Irish like it at Geelong

Paddy O'Dangerfield
Mark O'Connor
Zac Tuohy
Sam O'Koning

 

[The King!]

There's a lot of Cats threads up at the moment

 

[Seeds]

Yeah I have, which is why I said I hate it but for some reason it has a 'glamour' factor that the surf coast doesn't. And yeah the weather is better

i dont think peroxide bogans in knockoff designer clothes and unbathed unvaccinated hippies count as glamour.

rich australians wont go near byron. They go overseas or far north queensland if short on time. But mostly just overseas.

 

[HBFlanker]

They pretty much land every free agent/trade target they are linked to, but i put it more down to the fact that they make a commitment to go all in every year. They dont rebuild. They bring in experienced players each year to give themselves the best opportunity for success.

It would be bloody good following Geelong knowing that every year you are a chance to win it.

 

[Seeds]

They pretty much land every free agent/trade target they are linked to, but i put it more down to the fact that they make a commitment to go all in every year. They dont rebuild. They bring in experienced players each year to give themselves the best opportunity for success.

It would be bloody good following Geelong knowing that every year you are a chance to win it.

No we dont. We didnt get stringer, frawley, wells, deludio, goldstein, higgins (when he was still good). In the past 6 years we were the favourites to get all of them at some point. Others im missing as well.

 

[HairyO]

Doesn't Bendigo have like 60k people? You'd need to have half the town attending each week

Same as Tasmania then.

 

[dmc333]

Don't forget the guaranteed to make a tidy profit property developments player get to sign up for. All above board of course, just wise investment advice - like yeah!

It's why players constantly go there for unders in official contract value, the real value is what happens outside of the cap and it's inVisyble to the AFL

Might want to ask how that worked out for Lingy.

 

[sr36]

Location gives them an advantage in terms of recruiting surfers, fisherman or players who want easy access to farmland. Gives them a disadvantage in terms of retaining cashed up 20 somethings who like the city lights, but they're a bloody good club who retain their kids well.

 

[buzzbuzz]

No we dont. We didnt get stringer, frawley, wells, deludio, goldstein, higgins (when he was still good). In the past 6 years we were the favourites to get all of them at some point. Others im missing as well.

You don't have to reply to every single post, you know.

 

[HBFlanker]

No we dont. We didnt get stringer, frawley, wells, deludio, goldstein, higgins (when he was still good). In the past 6 years we were the favourites to get all of them at some point. Others im missing as well.

You also beat out other teams to land:

Stengle
Cameron
Rohan
Dahlhaus
Tuohy
Smith
Dangerfield
Higgins

I think you are going okay.

 

[The Warlord]

And all of one footballer lives in Moggs Creek, the town in which he was raised. If anything, it’s more like the Surf Coast factor

The whole population has boomed, understandably, down that way. Because its an amazing part of the world. If Geelong getting players wanting to come because of it, just reflecting wider social trends.

 

[The Warlord]

What I think certain Melbourne based opposition supporters struggle with is that their clubs sold their souls, leaving their suburban grounds and making Marvel their playing ground. The AFL tried to force Geelong FC to do the same, but the hierarchy at Geelong, led by Brian Cook, recognised Geelong is not in Melbourne and refused to budge. I'm sure clubs like WB, St Kilda, Carlton, and North looked at Geelong standing firm and probably thought, "Did we sign up too quickly?"

By getting taxpayers who by and large reside in Melbourne to fund your struggle.

 

[Foxx]

It's not a "lifestyle" advantage.
It's a cultural advantage.
Geelong are the only side in the AFL to have a whole regional city with 98% of the population Geelong supporters.
What player wouldn't want to be in that environment?

 

[Seeds]

You also beat out other teams to land:

Stengle
Cameron
Rohan
Dahlhaus
Tuohy
Smith
Dangerfield
Higgins

I think you are going okay.

But that wasnt the question i was answering was it. we didnt land even remotely all of them.

and stengle doesnt count.

 

[Seeds]

It's not a "lifestyle" advantage.
It's a cultural advantage.
Geelong are the only side in the AFL to have a whole regional city with 98% of the population Geelong supporters.
What player wouldn't want to be in that environment?

Um dont most footballers want to escape such bubbles because of all the pressure?

 

[Seeds]

You don't have to reply to every single post, you know.

Lol. In the past couple of days ive been accussed of not responding to posts 3 times. Now im responding to too many.

 

[Sttew]

By getting taxpayers who by and large reside in Melbourne to fund your struggle.

True, but that happened well and truly after the Club made a commitment to remain in Geelong and not sell its soul.

And the only reason governments have chipped in is because there are marginal seats in and around Geelong.

 

[Foxx]

Um dont most footballers want to escape such bubbles because of all the pressure?

No.

 

[Seeds]

No.

But thats why players come to geelong. To escape the bubble of melbourne and go live on the beach. Not to get into a new geelong bubble.