Footy dying in the nations capital

[fishmonger]

thoughts ...

nice to see that the Kangaroos and Swans Reserves exercises by the AFL were positive for the development of footy.

be interesting to see what sort of a crowd they get for the upcoming game there.

Tuggeranong,Wildcats to merge: Amalgamation aims to improve the ACT's competition

AFL Canberra has been forced to defend the future of Australian football in the national capital as it prepares to reduce the number of

sides participating in its premier

league.

The organisation denied the

impending amalgamation between

the Tuggeranong Hawks and the

Canberra Wildcats was a sign the

football code was struggling for support

in the ACT despite there being

just four Canberra sides in the new

six-team competition.

AFL Canberra, which supports the

merger, said it would lead to a more

even competition.

Chairman Geoff Gosling said while

AFL Canberra ultimately wanted to

increase the number of teams, it was

important that those sides were

competitive and sustainable.

He said fielding six competitive

teams in the current environment,

including Queanbeyan and the Sydney

Swans reserves, was better for

the competition than having seven

teams where two or three were

regularly beaten by blow out scores.

‘‘I haven’t given up on increasing

the number of teams,’’ Gosling said.

‘‘We’ve still got a taskforce in

which there is a focus of putting

resources and developing resources

into Tuggeranong and Weston Creek

and the Molonglo district, in which I

believe will start being built next

year, and in Gungahlin.

‘‘It’s unfortunate that we are

starting the process by amalgamating

two clubs, but the vision’s there for

the immediate to the long-term

futures.

‘‘In five to 10 years, we hope to be

increasing the number of teams and

that they are viable and at this stage

the Gungahlin area is my next

target.’’

Discussions about the amalgamation

started between the sides last

month with the goal being to

improve the quality of the competition

and provide Australian football

in Canberra’s southern suburbs.

Tuggeranong has had strong player

numbers but limited off-field backing

and finances, while the Wildcats

have the off-field support but

struggled on the field.

While both clubs said at

yesterday’s announcement that most

members and players support the

proposed merger, it is yet to be

finalised.

Members need to endorse the

amalgamation at general meetings,

which will be held as soon as possible

with the competition starting in five

week’s time.

If the merger goes through, the

new entity will be known as the

Tuggeranong Weston Football Club.

Canberra Wildcats president John

Glenn said whenever sides amalgamate

there were going to be

difficulties.

‘‘We could have survived for this

season but that’s not really the issue,

the issue is longer term than this

year,’’ he said.

‘‘We’ve got a team we could put

out there and we were hopeful of an

under-18s team as well. So we could

have survived this year both

financially and in terms of players

but, from my point of view, what

we’ve got to do is create a career path

through the junior ranks.’’

Not all parties have been happy

with the handling and direction of

the merger, with Wildcats general

manager Geoff Bartley a casualty of

an amalgamation he says he

initiated.

Bartley said he would not be

involved with the new club — all-but

severing his 50-year involvement

with Australian football in the ACT.

He believed AFL Canberra forced

him from his role with the Wildcats.

He said the future of Australian

football in the ACT was now dubious.
"‘Until they have some kind of

equalisation process in place for the

future of football in Canberra then

the code won’t go forward,’’ Bartley

said.

‘‘There will always be the clubs

that have money and the rest don’t.

They’re talking about putting other

teams into Gungahlin and eventually

into Molonglo but without licensedclub

backing those clubs can’t be

competitive, they’ll just be the same

as these clubs are . . . There’s no

strong go-forward position. ’’

The move towards amalgamating

the sides has support from NSW/ACT

AFL general manager Dale Holmes.

‘‘In the short term, I think going

back to six teams in the competition

is not a bad thing thing in the context

of the challenge that the Wildcats

have had,’’ Holmes said.

 

[Bollox]

Not...goood....news....

i'm...

afraid

 

[harmesy 37]

The Swans should not be fielding their own team in the ACT league.

They could have four or five players play for each Canberra club. It is ridiculous having a team 20% better than all the rest.

Wildcats... haven't heard of them. Are they a newish club?

 

[Bollox]

The Swans should not be fielding their own team in the ACT league.

They could have four or five players play for each Canberra club. It is ridiculous having a team 20% better than all the rest.

Wildcats... haven't heard of them. Are they a newish club?

So not only do Sydney then have the disadvantage of their reserves playing in a second rate comp compared to other clubs...we also must split them up to negate any potential teamwork that might arise ?

Good thinking.

 

[Zeke]

Someone got excited with the return key.

 

[Hawkers]

The Tuggeranong Hawks are useless. I don't think they have been any good for a very long time.
Probably good for the comp to get some competition back

 

[Spook]

So not only do Sydney then have the disadvantage of their reserves playing in a second rate comp compared to other clubs...we also must split them up to negate any potential teamwork that might arise ?

Good thinking.

Works well for Ade, WCE, Freo and Port

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Swans should join the VFL and run their reserves out of Albury/Wodonga.

 

[Chewy]

Is Canberra still the capital of Australia? I thought they had relocated Parliament House to Sydney.
Ah, my mistake, I was thinking of Kirribilli House.

No, the only good things to have come out of Canberra are Alex Jesaulenko, James Hird and Girls Who Drink Jizz Vol 17

This thread should be moved to the Regional Football Board

 

[privatopia]

Yeah we're going backwards again here. North were important up here for exposure at the biggest level but they're openly blatant whinging and complaing about having to come up here wasn't exactly embraced.

As for the swannies reserves playing here, I've no worries with that, it was good experience for our young fellas to have a crack at some bigger name players. They brag about names they've played on (and got whipped by).

Wildcats were the product of almagamation and now find themselves amalgamated again so a few boys are gonna plain miss out this year because of money, not enthusiasm, so thats a shame.

We'll see what happens after some pro-active management direction and a long term plan can be achieved. Not holding my breath, but we do have some strong clubs here so the game will never die. Even got a healthy women's league (no pr0n jokes )

 

[NimChief]

I feel for the ACT.

Basically the AFL chose the Gold Coast over them because they were more interested in their bottom line then a traditional footballing territory.

The AFL effectively yanked the Roos out, and what they brought to the territory in terms of regular top level football and replaced us with some piecemeal package of Doggies and Demons games.

I also blame the Roos. We unceremoniously dumped the territory, which had really taken the club up over the past few years, in favour of the Gold Coast and the mullah they offered us. Canberra had turned into a real fortress for us, and we turned our backs on the territory and the 1500 odd members that had put their money where their mouth's were to support us.

The AFL and the Roos need to shoulder alot of the blame here imo.

 

[Pres]

North were important up here for exposure at the biggest level but they're openly blatant whinging and complaing about having to come up here wasn't exactly embraced.

Huh? Evidence?

Mate lets be honest it was the locals who didn't embrace the games by turning up with their feet.

No one to blame but themselves.

 

[Port01]

So not only do Sydney then have the disadvantage of their reserves playing in a second rate comp compared to other clubs...we also must split them up to negate any potential teamwork that might arise ?

Good thinking.

The optimistic view would be that you could develop 3 ruckmen or two full backs etc simultaneously, or have your midfielders pay on each other in a serious competition. As the earlier poster says works well in Perth and Adelaide.

 

[Azzballz Deluxe]

I reckon there should be a nsw/act 2nd tier comp. Canberra can have one side they can all get behind that way. Same deal with newcastle, gosford and woolongong. It would also be a good guide as to how aussie rules is doing in these regions, for consideration of future AFL sides.

Thoughts?

 

[liz]

The optimistic view would be that you could develop 3 ruckmen or two full backs etc simultaneously, or have your midfielders pay on each other in a serious competition. As the earlier poster says works well in Perth and Adelaide.

The standard of play in the SANFL / WAFL isn't comparable, though, with the ACTAFL (she says, stating the bloody obvious).

When Adelaide or Perth-based AFL players go and play with their local team, they line up alongside some pretty decent footballers who are well coached, train pretty hard, some of whom are semi-professional. AFL-listed players don't dominate the "best lists" of these games. Many aren't even walk up starts to get a game in the senior team of their local club.

If you spread the Swans reserves amongst the ACT clubs, they'd be so far superior, especially fitness-wise, than their team mates that they'd probably get very little out of it. Sure, they might have some more challenging one-on-one contests, and there are some issues with the margins that they generally win by, but in terms of learning tactically and becoming well-drilled in a team sense, it would be a disaster for their development, IMO.

Would it be better for the Canberra league. Possibly. But while the Swans have some obligations to support the competition that hosts them, their number one priority has to be to develop players capable of stepping up to AFL senior footy. I think they're far more likely to achieve that playing as a single team, as they do now (with some modifications for this season) than by spreading them out.

 

[fishmonger]

Huh? Evidence?

Mate lets be honest it was the locals who didn't embrace the games by turning up with their feet.

No one to blame but themselves.

exactly how many do you expect to turn out ?

Manuka only holds 15,000 and most of the games featuring the Swans sold out.

I'm sure most of those people turned up with two feet.

Perhaps your club should ask itself why it shafted Canberra for a region which averaged around 4,000 a game less.

 

[one 4 the road]

exactly how many do you expect to turn out ?

Manuka only holds 15,000 and most of the games featuring the Swans sold out.

I'm sure most of those people turned up with two feet.

Perhaps your club should ask itself why it shafted Canberra for a region which averaged around 4,000 a game less.

They went to a region that averages 4,000 less because they were getting about 4 times as much cash.
Simple math.
Now they have turned their backs on that and wont to fight on in Melbourne.
Good luck.

 

[fishmonger]

They went to a region that averages 4,000 less because they were getting about 4 times as much cash.
Simple math.
Now they have turned their backs on that and wont to fight on in Melbourne.
Good luck.

to answer the original question, that is what I call voting with your taxpayer funds, not your feet.

 

[Bollox]

Like many (including Paul Roos) i;m still pissed off our reserves have to play in that mickey mouse league... whilst others gain an advantage by being able to have their depth players getting gametime at a high standard.

Try to imagine how you;d feel if your reserves played for Echuca whilst the rest of the comp (except one) got to play VFL SANFL WAFL.

You cannot even drop a guy and reasonably expect him to regain some form. You get worse by playing against substandard opposition and there's nothing underpinning the seniors.

Lost interest and to be honest i dont give a rats friggin ass about Canberra anymore....ITS THE AFL's RESPONSIBILITY NOT OURS

 

[one 4 the road]

The game in the capital is a reasonable standard.
The "big 4" Belconnen, Ainslie, Eastlake and Queanbeyan have the backing of a licenced club. Tuggers blew it when they got in bed with a Rugby Union club and thought that they would continue to pour endless money into them. The Wildcats are new themselves but they changed their name from Weston Creek because they couldn't attract players of any calibre, they now have the backing of the Labor club but still cant get both on and off field personel.
The league needs for this merger to go ahead and to build a strong 6 team comp. Slowly gently try to build the numbers.
In the last 15 years clubs that have come in and all failed (Bateman's Bay, ADFA, Campbeltown, Wagga Wagga Tigers) 2 of these clubs Campbeltown and Wagga both dominated their leagues before moving up, neither side made a finals appreance in the time they were in the ACTAFL.
People in the area have to let this happen and give it some time, we all wont everything done quickly these days and it just doesn't work.

 

[one 4 the road]

Like many (including Paul Roos) i;m still pissed off our reserves have to play in that mickey mouse league... whilst others gain an advantage by being able to have their depth players getting gametime at a high standard.

Try to imagine how you;d feel if your reserves played for Echuca whilst the rest of the comp (except one) got to play VFL SANFL WAFL.

You cannot even drop a guy and reasonably expect him to regain some form. You get worse by playing against substandard opposition and there's nothing underpinning the seniors.

Lost interest and to be honest i dont give a rats friggin ass about Canberra anymore....ITS THE AFL's RESPONSIBILITY NOT OURS

Thats why you left the Sydney league because you couldn't play together, at least canberra lets you develop your younger guys the way you want and not put them in a team that you have no control over.

 

[Bollox]

The game in the capital is a reasonable standard.
The "big 4" Belconnen, Ainslie, Eastlake and Queanbeyan have the backing of a licenced club. Tuggers blew it when they got in bed with a Rugby Union club and thought that they would continue to pour endless money into them. The Wildcats are new themselves but they changed their name from Weston Creek because they couldn't attract players of any calibre, they now have the backing of the Labor club but still cant get both on and off field personel.
The league needs for this merger to go ahead and to build a strong 6 team comp. Slowly gently try to build the numbers.
In the last 15 years clubs that have come in and all failed (Bateman's Bay, ADFA, Campbeltown, Wagga Wagga Tigers) 2 of these clubs Campbeltown and Wagga both dominated their leagues before moving up, neither side made a finals appreance in the time they were in the ACTAFL.
People in the area have to let this happen and give it some time, we all wont everything done quickly these days and it just doesn't work.

Horseshit...no matter how much you sugar coat it...it will remain POOR STANDARD compared to VFL SANFL WAFL.

It aint good enough to even provide legitimate competition for Sydney's reserve grade....and wtf is an AFl club's 2nd's doing playing in a comp without enough half decent players to support 7 clubs in the first place ?...doing the AFl a favour and doing their work for them ?

ACT is NOT our repsonsibility...if we could help make it work we would have by now.

AFL has no excuse not to permit Sydney ressies to play VFL...it has been asked for and knocked back so many times and its always for THEIR SELFISH REASONS.

ACT Footy is an EMBARASSMENT at the moment...and it is causing an AFL club to be hamstrung.

 

[harmesy 37]

Horseshit...no matter how much you sugar coat it...it will remain POOR STANDARD compared to VFL SANFL WAFL.

It aint good enough to even provide legitimate competition for Sydney's reserve grade....and wtf is an AFl club's 2nd's doing playing in a comp without enough half decent players to support 7 clubs in the first place ?...doing the AFl a favour and doing their work for them ?

ACT is NOT our repsonsibility...if we could help make it work we would have by now.

AFL has no excuse not to permit Sydney ressies to play VFL...it has been asked for and knocked back so many times and its always for THEIR SELFISH REASONS.

ACT Footy is an EMBARASSMENT at the moment...and it is causing an AFL club to be hamstrung.

I thought the Swans were trying to get an involvement in at VFL level.

What happened there?

What I object to is seeing Canberra teams being spanked week after week by a Sydney reserves team. It isn't good for the comp, and it isn't good for the Swans' development.

The Lions play their reserve team in the QAFL, don't they? but the local teams are competitive. Mt Gravatt won it last year. Yeah, Swans reserves need to either have four or five players per team in ACT, or play outright in the VFL.

 

[one 4 the road]

Horseshit...no matter how much you sugar coat it...it will remain POOR STANDARD compared to VFL SANFL WAFL.

It aint good enough to even provide legitimate competition for Sydney's reserve grade....and wtf is an AFl club's 2nd's doing playing in a comp without enough half decent players to support 7 clubs in the first place ?...doing the AFl a favour and doing their work for them ?

ACT is NOT our repsonsibility...if we could help make it work we would have by now.

AFL has no excuse not to permit Sydney ressies to play VFL...it has been asked for and knocked back so many times and its always for THEIR SELFISH REASONS.

ACT Footy is an EMBARASSMENT at the moment...and it is causing an AFL club to be hamstrung.

Then put your hands in your own pockets and PAY the money to get YOUR teams into another league.
You used to send blokes to melbourne but the COSTS were to great great. You then played in Sydney but got no competition.
Came to Canberra and were given a run for your money the first couple of years and have since dominated, partly on the back of not having a long injury list and using the best under 18's in the state as top up players.
The league isn't asking you to prop up the league.
ACTAFL has been here a lot longer than the Swans have been in Sydney.
Brisbane seems to do alright in the QAFL.
Can't have your cake and eat it to.

 

[fishmonger]

Then put your hands in your own pockets and PAY the money to get YOUR teams into another league.
You used to send blokes to melbourne but the COSTS were to great great. You then played in Sydney but got no competition.
Came to Canberra and were given a run for your money the first couple of years and have since dominated, partly on the back of not having a long injury list and using the best under 18's in the state as top up players.
The league isn't asking you to prop up the league.
ACTAFL has been here a lot longer than the Swans have been in Sydney.
Brisbane seems to do alright in the QAFL.
Can't have your cake and eat it to.

Why doesn't the AFL just help the Sydney AFL to lift its salary cap and attract quality players to the comp ? Why ... because it is focusing on developing Auckickers. It thinks that in 20 years time, these kids will be grown up and helping lift the quality of the local league. What they don't realise is that these kids are moving interstate to leagues where they actually get paid a decent amount to play, and the AFL is fostering this further with its scholarship schemes. This will just continually drain these states of talent. The AFL doesn't give a rats about the senior comp because, no matter how minor, state leagues compete for interest with the AFL - at least until there is an AFL match played in Sydney each week. Same situation in Brisbane. It also doesn't give a rats about the Swans or the Lions unless they are winning and attracting interest for the AFL comp in our major cities.

The AFL is riddled with conflicts of interest which make it a terrible, terrible national governing body.