Dimenhydrinate
Club Legend
- Jun 18, 2009
- 1,751
- 4
Prepare to be surprised.
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AFLW 2024 - Round 8 - Chat, game threads, injury lists, team lineups and more.
Expansion Forget GC and WSYD. AFL should he supporting overseas leagues.
- Thread starter garygee
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Prepare to be surprised.
Putney Magpies
Team Captain
I would love to see this happen!!! But it never will!!
Michael2010
Team Captain
Why the heck not? AFL is a fast exciting game that has every chance for expansion. All the dirty tactics in the game such as tagging out opponents with rough play etc might have to completely taken out from the game but AFL has every chance of expansion. But it wouldn't be australian rules anymore, it'd be international rules and the AFL itself would have to change it's name, which I'm all in favour of. Just sticking to Australia for a sport = idiotic, the states might be able to sustain sports themselves because they've got around 300 mill people plus a whole bunch of illegals to sustain sports such as NFL but Australia psh you've seen what's happened to the NRL and the Melbourne Storm well that's due to the failure of the NRL in expansion overseas more to it successful expansion. AFL are looking to expand that's why they are going for international rules games in Ireland and trying to play games in India, I'm not sure if it's exactly the right plan but it's definitely on the right track for the sport.
Ironic that this thread is dated back in 2008, becuase times have changed at AFL House towards international development since then.
Demetriou in his speech at the GC Suns launch talked about growing the game in Sth Africa, the Pacific Isles,etc. The VFL/AFL is finally a little serious about international development.
The overall thrust of the thread is wrong, GC and WS, Tas - all important for the game. But its good to see the AFL dipping a toe into other waters.
The Pacific Isles (incl PNG) are worthy of serious development in particular.
Demetriou in his speech at the GC Suns launch talked about growing the game in Sth Africa, the Pacific Isles,etc. The VFL/AFL is finally a little serious about international development.
The overall thrust of the thread is wrong, GC and WS, Tas - all important for the game. But its good to see the AFL dipping a toe into other waters.
The Pacific Isles (incl PNG) are worthy of serious development in particular.
We're all ears.
I'll be watching this space over the next five to ten years. If the AFL are fair dinkum and are going to put the time and money into areas like PNG, the Pacific Islands and South Africa, we may be surprised at the results. I'm all for exposing the world to our great game. RL has cachet because it is international. I would love for our game to be able to challenge these other football codes, or for it to at least be a viable option for athletes. Of course there are massive obstacles, with so many of these countries already having strong sporting cultures surrounding other sports, but I say the more people we can get to fall in love with Aussie rules and support it in their own country, the better off we'll all be. Australia will always be the beating heart of the game. But I would love to see the game take off meaningfully elsewhere.
forwardpocket
Debutant
The two should dovetail nicely - both expansion in Qld and NSW PLUS internationally - in other words expansion with GC and GWS is important to fully nationalise AUSTRALIAN Football. As distinct from "Southern States and NT and parts of Qld and eastern suburbs Sydney and Riverina Football".
It will increase TV rights in time - ratings are poor in Qld and NSW for AFL apart from Swans and Lions games. Over 50% of the population live in those two states. Ratings will at least double in time, though that may take a few years - like it did with Swans and Lions.
The great thing about the recent rapid growth in international Australian Football is that it opens up the game to multicultural Australia and recent migrants. It gives AFL more credibility and appeal with young Aussies of Asian or Pacific or Kiwi or African or European or Sth American background - who live in western Sydney in particular.
If that Sth African recruit is as good as he was touted for GWS - that will be great for attracting young African Australians to the game. Already there seems growing interest amongst those from Polynesian backgrounds due to Folau and Hunt.
The under-16 championships with Pacific and World teams played at Blacktown was a great idea. Expect Pacific to win games in next two years in Div 2. With growth in PNG more rapid than anywhere - don't be surprised in the Pacific team is in the u-18 nationals and pushing for a Div-1 place against WA, SA, Vic Metro and Vic Country within the next 5 to 10 years.
I think WITHOUT any international expansion - the task of getting GWS to be successful would be far more difficult than it is. With it the chances are quite good. Sheedy and others there know this and are welcoming the multicultural communities of western Sydney. Play part of next year's International Cup at Blacktown - that'd be another boost.
It will increase TV rights in time - ratings are poor in Qld and NSW for AFL apart from Swans and Lions games. Over 50% of the population live in those two states. Ratings will at least double in time, though that may take a few years - like it did with Swans and Lions.
The great thing about the recent rapid growth in international Australian Football is that it opens up the game to multicultural Australia and recent migrants. It gives AFL more credibility and appeal with young Aussies of Asian or Pacific or Kiwi or African or European or Sth American background - who live in western Sydney in particular.
If that Sth African recruit is as good as he was touted for GWS - that will be great for attracting young African Australians to the game. Already there seems growing interest amongst those from Polynesian backgrounds due to Folau and Hunt.
The under-16 championships with Pacific and World teams played at Blacktown was a great idea. Expect Pacific to win games in next two years in Div 2. With growth in PNG more rapid than anywhere - don't be surprised in the Pacific team is in the u-18 nationals and pushing for a Div-1 place against WA, SA, Vic Metro and Vic Country within the next 5 to 10 years.
I think WITHOUT any international expansion - the task of getting GWS to be successful would be far more difficult than it is. With it the chances are quite good. Sheedy and others there know this and are welcoming the multicultural communities of western Sydney. Play part of next year's International Cup at Blacktown - that'd be another boost.
There's a fair bit to what you've said, it's quite possible that expansion into West Sydney and internationalising are flip sides of the same coin.
forwardpocket
Debutant
Actually this article from The Australian on Sheedy, GWS and multicultural and international aspects - which I hadn't seen - says it all too - http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/features/how-the-west-will-be-won/story-e6frg8h6-1225877143160
Putney Magpies
Team Captain
You must be mad.... it will always be called Aussie Rules Football and thats how it will always be remembered...
Putney Magpies
Team Captain
Aussie Rules in Great Britain dont get any funding from the AFL... Team going to the 2010 Euro Champs in Denmark/Sweden next week are paying for themselves to got to the tournament....
