GWS are going to win the premiership

[Demonic Ascent]

Yes, GWS got the mini-draft picks, but Gold Coast took more advantage of that than GWS did. They got Jack Martin and O'Meara out of it,

They had to trade out early picks for those players, they didn't get them gifted as part of their concessions.

while 2/4 top-end draft selections GWS picked up with the resulting draft picks traded to them are no longer at the club (O'Rourke and Plowman).

Irrelevant.

But unlike Gold Coast, GWS didn't get many decent senior players in; Ward was all they could get in the initial year and he was hardly an established name, and Davis and Scully were young and unproven. And yes, GWS also have a great academy zone... but GC are going to get a top-5 rated player (Bowes) and a top-10 rated talent (Scheer) this year through their academy, so they aren't doing too bad either.

I have a problem with the Academies as a whole in what is meant to be a professional sports comp with the key pillars of draft and salary cap as part of the parity/equalisation policies. But GWS having access to the Riverina which is a footy rich area is different to GC having access to parts of Queensland.

Also, injuries are apart of good football management. That the Giants haven't suffered that many injuries to their star players this season is further testament to how professionally run they are (and yes, they're probably also a bit lucky, but that isn't the AFL's fault).

Irrelevant. The point was that GC would be performing better if it wasn't for their injuries - this is in the context of a discussion regarding their concessions. The GC concessions were less than GWS but still generous and if not for injuries to their 4 A-grade starting mids they'd be playing finals too.

GWS aren't very sustainable at the moment, everyone knows this. The AFL have taken one of the biggest risks in its history by introducing a club into NRL heartland. That's why it's important to make them competitive early. Sydney sports fans are fair-weather at the best of times, and to get the early adopter fans GWS need to at least be a competitive team. That Final win on the weekend could be a massive boost for the club; 60k turned up to watch it (a decent bit of them GWS supporters) and beating your cross-town rival in a game like that is great promotion for the club. Of course the expansion clubs don't have a core supporter base yet, they've been around less than a decade. That's what they're currently trying to build with all their community work. It's a 20+ year plan and it can't be judged after just 5 years. GWS and GC might well fail, but we won't know that for another 15 years at least.

Besides, premiership teams all throughout history are littered with "unfair" advantages. GWS haven't even won a flag yet and people are already complaining.

I don't have a problem with GWS and I agree the game and result on the weekend is good for the game. I want both GWS & GC to succeed. However the bolded part is where we differ. The AFL didn't set them up to be competitive, they set them up for immediate success - in a sports comp that success comes at the expense of others and when they're given such inherent advantages not just at start up but ongoing it leaves a bitter taste towards the competition as a whole.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Probably the same thing which happens to Melbourne based clubs when you see a downturn in on-field performance.

Fair weather support isn't confined to Sydney by any means.

Of course not - but at least the very worst supported Vic clubs can count on a diehard of 20k to turn up to their games - even Melbourne over the last 10 years were drawing 17k to games vs the expansion sides (one exception last year which was exceptional circumstances) and over 30k members. The NSW clubs won't have anywhere near that level of support so how do they intend to become sustainable?

 

[Demonic Ascent]

This thread just gets dribblier with almost every post.

Seriously.... Some people....

I'll only respond to you once to point out how you completely fail to address any of the relevant points of a post to prevent the thread degenerating into your level of discourse.

 

[Colonial]

I'll only respond to you once to point out how you completely fail to address any of the relevant points of a post to prevent the thread degenerating into your level of discourse.

This thread and all 5 or so others are at the base bay 3 lvl. Even lower.

Just the usual cry baby salty tears.

Oh and still no plans on how to fix it. (I dont think theres something to fix)

 

[sherb]

Of course not - but at least the very worst supported Vic clubs can count on a diehard of 20k to turn up to their games - even Melbourne over the last 10 years were drawing 17k to games vs the expansion sides (one exception last year which was exceptional circumstances) and over 30k members. The NSW clubs won't have anywhere near that level of support so how do they intend to become sustainable?

I beg to differ particularly with the Swans. I would maintain that their minimum support level now would be between 15-20k.

In 1992 (3 wins), 1993 (1 win) and 1994 (4 wins) their average home attendances were 9963, 9423 and 9814 respectively. This was after they hadn't made the finals since 1987.

You have to be kidding if you think that after such a sustained period of success and competitiveness that their minimum crowds now would not be considerably higher than in those three years.

As for the Giants, well of course it is going to take a considerable amount of time to build up a core level of support. That is a given.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Money and integrity make strange bedfellows.

Yeah, the AFL should just give away the broadcast rights for free. Then we'd have more integrity.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Allow the Vic clubs to have the same advantages with their own Academies as your team does with its Academy is a good start.

Remove Priority Pick access to Academies altogether is the way to go. The AFL can run the Academies as development programs, no need to have them linked to clubs. Is this a professional sports comp based on parity/equalisation or not? If it is then the draft needs to be a key pillar of that. I'd also remove Father/Son selections to, their time has come.

 

[McCrann]

There is a lot of talk about the fact the GWS Giants have no supporters.

To some extent that is true. However, in 2016 the GWS Giants achieved the significant milestone of not being the least supported team in the AFL - for the first time.

GWS overtook Gold Coast on home crowd attendance figures with a record level of Home Crowds.

The success of the GWS Giants in 2016 and their likely success over the coming years suggest the GWS Giants can continue to grow their crowds over the next few years with the next target for overtaking being of course the currently hapless Brisbane Lions.

Bottom 3 AFL Teams by Home Crowd Numbers - 2016 Total (Average Home Crowd)

16. Brisbane Lions - 187,816 (17,074) - lowest since their Wooden Spoon year of 1998.
17. Greater Western Sydney Giants - 135,664 (12,333) - RECORD HIGH
18. Gold Coast Suns - 127,168 (11,560) - RECORD LOW

Growth & Projections of GWS Giants Crowds

2015 - 118,651 (10,786)
2016 - 135,664 (12,333) = 14.3% growth in average crowds.
2017 - 155,122 (14,102)
2018 - 177,370 (16,124)
2019 - 202,810 (18,437)
2020 - 231,898 (21,082)
2021 - 265,159 (24,105)
2022 - 303,190 (27,562)
2023 - 346,675 (31,516)
2024 - 396,397 (36,036)
2025 - 453,251 (41,204)

Of course, the growth in crowd numbers is not going to continue over a decade at the same rate. Crowds of that magnitude in 2025 would mean GWS Giants were the third best supported team in 2016 behind only Adelaide & Collingwood - and just a smidge in front of Richmond 2016 version (admittedly very disappointing) - with a total crowd of 452,709 (41,155).

There is of course another considering - the capacity of Spotless Stadium is currently about 24,000. So even if the GWS Giants were to continue to increase their crowds by about 14% per year for the next few years - not unlikely given the glut of Premierships so many folks say they're going to win, they would reach capacity in 2021 anyhow! (Even before then if you consider the games they play at Manuka Oval each year).

Even at that point with a crowd average of 24,000 or so they would still be below the Brisbane Lions all-time home crowd average of 25,044 (which has of course now dropped for six consecutive years).

It won't be easy to catch the Brisbane Lions on crowds, but I guess it's something to aim at.

The other point is. There is no point judging the GWS Giants on their crowds until at least the 2020s, and more fairly about 2025 or so or even 2030.

It will only be then, after they start coming down the other side of this initial burst of success will their sustainability be able to be properly judged.

This is a 20-30 year project/ experiment before its worthwhile really taking a long hard look at it - and the same for the Gold Coast for that matter.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

I beg to differ particularly with the Swans. I would maintain that their minimum support level now would be between 15-20k.

In 1992 (3 wins), 1993 (1 win) and 1994 (4 wins) their average home attendances were 9963, 9423 and 9814 respectively. This was after they hadn't made the finals since 1987.

You have to be kidding if you think that after such a sustained period of success and competitiveness that their minimum crowds now would not be considerably higher than in those three years.

As for the Giants, well of course it is going to take a considerable amount of time to build up a core level of support. That is a given.

We'll have to see - it hasn't been tested since then so you could well be right. If they have a period like Brisbane has over the last 10 years though I can see them being in a similar situation.

 

[sherb]

We'll have to see - it hasn't been tested since then so you could well be right. If they have a period like Brisbane has over the last 10 years though I can see them being in a similar situation.

Brisbane average home attendance this season 17074.

 

[DrEvil_]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it? The vast majority of people on this board weren't saying this is 2013/14.

Richmond were in the finals in 2013/14

 

[TTRRAAVVIISS]

The entirety of your club's supporters could fit into my local oval down the street. Doesn't mean those 20,000 are less passionate, but to supporters of the other clubs it's quite foreign for a top-4 team to pull less than 15,000 at home week in week out. GWS is a minnow in comparison to the Dees and North.

Haha the only minnow is your capital city of Adelaide. Compared to east coast cities, the city of churches is just a big country town at the ass end of the world. NSW has a population of 7.6 million. A good 2 million of those are in GWS. Isnt Adelaide actually shrinking in population? In 30 years there might only be a couple of hundred inbred yokels left in Adelaide so it makes sense to put a team where the population is sky rocketing

 

[tige19]

There is a lot of talk about the fact the GWS Giants have no supporters.

To some extent that is true. However, in 2016 the GWS Giants achieved the significant milestone of not being the least supported team in the AFL - for the first time.

GWS overtook Gold Coast on home crowd attendance figures with a record level of Home Crowds.

The success of the GWS Giants in 2016 and their likely success over the coming years suggest the GWS Giants can continue to grow their crowds over the next few years with the next target for overtaking being of course the currently hapless Brisbane Lions.

Bottom 3 AFL Teams by Home Crowd Numbers - 2016 Total (Average Home Crowd)

16. Brisbane Lions - 187,816 (17,074) - lowest since their Wooden Spoon year of 1998.
17. Greater Western Sydney Giants - 135,664 (12,333) - RECORD HIGH
18. Gold Coast Suns - 127,168 (11,560) - RECORD LOW

Growth & Projections of GWS Giants Crowds

2015 - 118,651 (10,786)
2016 - 135,664 (12,333) = 14.3% growth in average crowds.
2017 - 155,122 (14,102)
2018 - 177,370 (16,124)
2019 - 202,810 (18,437)
2020 - 231,898 (21,082)
2021 - 265,159 (24,105)
2022 - 303,190 (27,562)
2023 - 346,675 (31,516)
2024 - 396,397 (36,036)
2025 - 453,251 (41,204)

Of course, the growth in crowd numbers is not going to continue over a decade at the same rate. Crowds of that magnitude in 2025 would mean GWS Giants were the third best supported team in 2016 behind only Adelaide & Collingwood - and just a smidge in front of Richmond 2016 version (admittedly very disappointing) - with a total crowd of 452,709 (41,155).

There is of course another considering - the capacity of Spotless Stadium is currently about 24,000. So even if the GWS Giants were to continue to increase their crowds by about 14% per year for the next few years - not unlikely given the glut of Premierships so many folks say they're going to win, they would reach capacity in 2021 anyhow! (Even before then if you consider the games they play at Manuka Oval each year).

Even at that point with a crowd average of 24,000 or so they would still be below the Brisbane Lions all-time home crowd average of 25,044 (which has of course now dropped for six consecutive years).

It won't be easy to catch the Brisbane Lions on crowds, but I guess it's something to aim at.

The other point is. There is no point judging the GWS Giants on their crowds until at least the 2020s, and more fairly about 2025 or so or even 2030.

It will only be then, after they start coming down the other side of this initial burst of success will their sustainability be able to be properly judged.

This is a 20-30 year project/ experiment before its worthwhile really taking a long hard look at it - and the same for the Gold Coast for that matter.

Western Sydney is the absolute pits, they barely get 10k to their own Rugby League teams. I can't see them average more than 15k at their stadium, do you really think people in Western Sydney will support the Giants more than Melbournians do the Storm?

 

[Bokonon]

Completely irrelevant to the post you quotes, but thanks for the response.

Dont see how
But ok

 

[Slats]

There's more Giants threads than PerthBoy threads lately.

What in the world is going on?

 

[Glorious couch life]

Yeah, the AFL should just give away the broadcast rights for free. Then we'd have more integrity.

Yeah.., yeah that's what they should do.

There's plenty of examples where the AFL has opted to maximise revenue at the expense of integrity. I'm not sure whether your example would make much difference.
There's plenty of others though;


The AFL should address inequalities in fixturing, even though it would likely affect revenue. That would provide a better reflection of the best teams every year, and show some integrity.

The AFL shouldn't act like petulant kids and punish Sydney because they took Buddy from under the nose of GWS. It was pretty clear Franklin was to be used as much a marketing tool as he was GWS' best player. That doesn't excuse the AFL for sanctioning Sydney for acting within the AFL's own rules and picking him up.

The whole idea of a draft is to try and even up the competition. There's been plenty of examples where this has been compromised (father/son, priority pics etc), but the scale of the GWS concessions, along with the way the Acadamies have been structured is next level stuff. It's clearly been done to ensure immediate $ucce$$ at the expense of fair and even competition. The AFL should try and ensure the clubs are more evenly represented, so that when GWS wins their flag/s, it'll be worth just as much as the Western Bulldogs next one, or Fremantle's first.

To be clear. I've got no issue with GWS acting the way they have - taking full advantage of their concessions, loading up on picks secured via the mini-drafts, securing players from the Riverina via their academy. They've been incredibly savvy, and it will pay off big time.

My issue is with the AFL. They've been incredibly short-sighted here in my opinion, and the backlash will come in some form. Look for them to try and handicap GWS in some way down the track, and probably acting outside their own rules to do so.

 

[go you pups]

Doggies hate our supporters guts(goes with being a Richmond supporter) but I hope they win the flag this year.

Only BRWB does mate

I kinda disliked you lot through the 00s because of Libba scratching, Wallet/Brown etc, but once Wallace sent you guys to the bottom and we were losing prelims again that angst was forgotten about.

We hold grudges against St Kilda, Adelaide because of our finals history and a heap of close H and A games over the years too so we have built up a rivalry with them two, but nowadays it's GW$ we hate.

 

[Jobe Watson]

They had to trade out early picks for those players, they didn't get them gifted as part of their concessions.

Yes, I understand that. But the point was GWS have not benefitted anywhere near as much from those mini-draft picks as suggested.

Irrelevant. The point was that GC would be performing better if it wasn't for their injuries - this is in the context of a discussion regarding their concessions. The GC concessions were less than GWS but still generous and if not for injuries to their 4 A-grade starting mids they'd be playing finals too.

That's a complete assumption. You can't know that.

I don't have a problem with GWS and I agree the game and result on the weekend is good for the game. I want both GWS & GC to succeed. However the bolded part is where we differ. The AFL didn't set them up to be competitive, they set them up for immediate success - in a sports comp that success comes at the expense of others and when they're given such inherent advantages not just at start up but ongoing it leaves a bitter taste towards the competition as a whole.

And again, other clubs have advantages. Freo have signed exactly one father/son pick in their lifetime, yet Melbourne had a BnF winner in the form of Jack Viney hand delivered to them as recently as 3 years ago. GC and GWS won't have father/son eligible players for 2 decades. Fairness?

If we want to make the competition really eQual, let's get rid of father/son selections. And let's have it so that every club in the league has to spend the exact same amount on their footy department regardless of revenue. And let's have a 17 game fixture where everyone plays each other once. And let's rotate the Grand Final around the country so Melbourne teams aren't advantaged.

But no, this competition isn't eQual. Never has been, never will be. At least GWS are getting advantages for the potential overall betterment of the game in this country. Potential short-term pain for 16 other clubs, potential long-term gain for 18 clubs.

 

[BRWB]

Only BRWB does mate

I kinda disliked you lot through the 00s because of Libba scratching, Wallet/Brown etc, but once Wallace sent you guys to the bottom and we were losing prelims again that angst was forgotten about.

We hold grudges against St Kilda, Adelaide because of our finals history and a heap of close H and A games over the years too so we have built up a rivalry with them two, but nowadays it's GW$ we hate.

I don't hate Richmond mate - I do have contempt for delusional Tiger fans - 'we are a top 4 team..#weareeveryonesgrandfinal..etc .

Likewise I have total contempt for delusional GWS fans denying the comp has been rigged for them.

 

[mightymouse75]

There's more Giants threads than PerthBoy threads lately.

What in the world is going on?

The sky is falling.

 

[PP34]

Sorry, but how else do you expect the AFL to build a club from the ground up? One that NEEDS to be at least semi-competitive within 5 years of its inception?

Draft picks guarantee nothing. Go through the recent drafts and see how many of GWS' first round draft picks have actually turned into decent, best 22 players... the hit rate is about 50%. GWS have a two time All-Australian player and he isn't some 22 year old wonderkid that GWS got with one of their gazillion top 10 picks - he was a 27 year old bloke that Collingwood didn't want anymore. Scully, Ward, Davis, Patful, Griffen, Stevie J, Mumford... all players who are currently contributing to the GWS success and who were acquired through trades and free agency, the same options that are available to every other club in the league.

Now of course GWS got a nice leg-up when entering the competition. But plenty of other clubs do too. Are you complaining about Carlton getting to sign father/son picks? Players that aren't available to any other club in the league except your own (unless you choose so)? I doubt it.

I never cared for expansion in the first place and still don't. Not one bit convinced that the Giants are going to be a big long term success.

Regardless, if you don't understand the importance of having so many extra picks I don't know what to say. Any footballer recruiter would kill to have as many chances at getting young talent as GWS has. Your point about them missing a fair few picks just proves what I'm saying. A regular club does that and they're very likely to spend more and more years in irrelevance. Even the picks they've missed have turned into some decent returns with clubs thinking they might just need a second chance.

Where are these great Carlton father sons we are getting? I certainly don't see any.

Ironic coming from a Carlton supporter, clearly you've forgotten your own history as far as financial dealings go..

I'm well aware of our financial dwalings. However that was in a much different era when teams were free to do as they pleased. Totally irrelevant to the modern day AFL. I've never liked how dominant money is in sport and always will feel that way.

Wow! Everything!

Really?

Surely it is the AFL's job to care about money. It is the AFL's job to get the best possible return from a broadcasting deal.

It's absurd to suggest otherwise.

A fair chunk of that cash goes toward shoring up clubs that might feel the pinch if the AFL decided they simply don't care about money when it comes to negotiating that broadcasting deal. Would that be better?

That's bullshit. The media doesn't have "a say in everything". What does that even mean?

The AFL has a product and they have tried to get the best price for it. What's wrong with that?

Imagine if they did the opposite. That would be grossly negligent.

Pretty rich coming from a Carlton supporter.

The AFL only cares about lining the pockets of their own men and having enough money for projects like the GWS one.

Where did I ever suggest they should take some shittier deal for TV rights? I hate everything about the modern AFL and the fact that you try to justify their money grabbing is laughable. Stuff the fans, all about the broadcasting and advertising bucks!

The media has plenty of say in things. To suggest otherwise is ludicrous. Just look at 7 and the influence their broadcast money has. You've got them and other outlets constantly pushing agendas that are all about having a nice squeaky clean image. campaigners like Mike Sheehan have played a part in this for years. Now you've got it with Caro.

The AFL was never meant to be a product. Was always a game for the people to enjoy, instead now it's become everything we try to get away from when we go to watch a sport.

I have no idea how you can support a league chasing the dollar so much. The league is deadset one of the most selfish out there. They don't give two shits about the grassroots level, and they certainly don't give two shits anymore about the longtime fans of the game.

Ahhh so it is about money.

When the argument benefits you...

Nope not at all. Would much rather 100,000 be able to go to a game, particularly when there's plenty more footy supporters in Victoria.

Like I said where's this other 100k stadium in Australia that is best suited to catering for football fans?

 

[go you pups]

And again, other clubs have advantages. Freo have signed exactly zero father/son picks in their lifetime

Because they're only 21 years old

Not every ex-AFL player has boys or children in fact, or boys who are good enough to follow their dads footsteps. Hopefully we see one or two in the next ten years from them.

GWS having the mini draft completely diluted the 2011, 12 and 13 drafts don't try and defend them that they didn't benefit from it.

If there's no mini draft then more players would be spread out evenly across them 3 drafts and perhaps kids who have moved on like Adams, Treloar, Plowman etc would still be at GWS as there may have been more opportunity for them and GWS may not have had massive list capital and have to use the rookie list more which they've barely done in their time in the comp.

At least GWS are getting advantages for the potential overall betterment of the game in this country. Potential short-term pain for 16 other clubs, potential long-term gain for 18 clubs.

Get ****** it's to the benefit of everyone

Tell that to my 60yo Dad or my 63yo uncle or 62yo aunt who have been devout Doggies people their whole lives, born and bred in the area that this may be the last era they see a flag in yet the $FL have came in and taken a massive percentage out of any chance we do have of winning one in the next 5 or so years.

You won't find a lot of people who agree with that conclusion you made.

 

[BRWB]

I never cared for expansion in the first place and still don't. Not one bit convinced that the Giants are going to be a big long term success.

Regardless, if you don't understand the importance of having so many extra picks I don't know what to say. Any footballer recruiter would kill to have as many chances at getting young talent as GWS has. Your point about them missing a fair few picks just proves what I'm saying. A regular club does that and they're very likely to spend more and more years in irrelevance. Even the picks they've missed have turned into some decent returns with clubs thinking they might just need a second chance.

Where are these great Carlton father sons we are getting? I certainly don't see any.


I'm well aware of our financial dwalings. However that was in a much different era when teams were free to do as they pleased. Totally irrelevant to the modern day AFL. I've never liked how dominant money is in sport and always will feel that way.


The AFL only cares about lining the pockets of their own men and having enough money for projects like the GWS one.

Where did I ever suggest they should take some shittier deal for TV rights? I hate everything about the modern AFL and the fact that you try to justify their money grabbing is laughable. Stuff the fans, all about the broadcasting and advertising bucks!

The media has plenty of say in things. To suggest otherwise is ludicrous. Just look at 7 and the influence their broadcast money has. You've got them and other outlets constantly pushing agendas that are all about having a nice squeaky clean image. campaigners like Mike Sheehan have played a part in this for years. Now you've got it with Caro.

The AFL was never meant to be a product. Was always a game for the people to enjoy, instead now it's become everything we try to get away from when we go to watch a sport.

I have no idea how you can support a league chasing the dollar so much. The league is deadset one of the most selfish out there. They don't give two shits about the grassroots level, and they certainly don't give two shits anymore about the longtime fans of the game.

Nope not at all. Would much rather 100,000 be able to go to a game, particularly when there's plenty more footy supporters in Victoria.

Like I said where's this other 100k stadium in Australia that is best suited to catering for football fans?

Awesome post.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

Yeah.., yeah that's what they should do.

There's plenty of examples where the AFL has opted to maximise revenue at the expense of integrity. I'm not sure whether your example would make much difference.

That's a powerful argument.

The AFL should address inequalities in fixturing, even though it would likely affect revenue. That would provide a better reflection of the best teams every year, and show some integrity.

The fixture is lopsided but I don't see how it's deliberately skewed to benefit certain clubs over others.

If you want to cut it back to 17 H&A games, there's an argument for that but it would mean shortening the season by a month. I don't think it's a given that this would be a net positive.

The AFL shouldn't act like petulant kids and punish Sydney because they took Buddy from under the nose of GWS. It was pretty clear Franklin was to be used as much a marketing tool as he was GWS' best player. That doesn't excuse the AFL for sanctioning Sydney for acting within the AFL's own rules and picking him up.

It seems like only yesterday people were saying Sydney are gifted undue advantages. Now they're the victims.

It's interesting how things shift around to suit the grievance du jour.

The whole idea of a draft is to try and even up the competition. There's been plenty of examples where this has been compromised (father/son, priority pics etc), but the scale of the GWS concessions, along with the way the Acadamies have been structured is next level stuff. It's clearly been done to ensure immediate $ucce$$ at the expense of fair and even competition. The AFL should try and ensure the clubs are more evenly represented, so that when GWS wins their flag/s, it'll be worth just as much as the Western Bulldogs next one, or Fremantle's first.

That's a matter of opinion on whether it was excessive and it's not a given that GWS are going to dominate.

The Suns got similar concessions and they don't seem to be sure things. So maybe GWS deserve some credit as well for running a tight ship instead of just having any success dismissed as being handed to them by the AFL. It didn't work out for the Suns so clearly concessions don't just automatically translate to dominance.

Also, you complain about the draft concessions but GWS have backed themselves to build a list and retain and develop that young talent, even though they've lost a few along the way. Surely that is more credible – and less deleterious to the objective of a level playing field – than the GC route of simply buying the best player in the league.

I would rather have the expansion sides up and running and playing well – like GWS – than being a basket case headed for a complete overhaul because they can't retain players – like GC. People can complain about them getting concessions but the GWS outcome is undoubtedly better for the competition as a whole than the GC outcome.

My issue is with the AFL. They've been incredibly short-sighted here in my opinion, and the backlash will come in some form. Look for them to try and handicap GWS in some way down the track, and probably acting outside their own rules to do so.

OK, I'm sure everyone will be keeping an eye out for that on the back of your expert tip.

 

[Rotayjay]

Haha the only minnow is your capital city of Adelaide. Compared to east coast cities, the city of churches is just a big country town at the ass end of the world. NSW has a population of 7.6 million. A good 2 million of those are in GWS. Isnt Adelaide actually shrinking in population? In 30 years there might only be a couple of hundred inbred yokels left in Adelaide so it makes sense to put a team where the population is sky rocketing

Adelaide has always (and always will be) a footy-mad city which is much smaller than Melbourne. Nothing wrong with that. The population is not shrinking.

Weird, dumb post.