GWS is the AFL's biggest problem - not North, GC, or Tassie

[Giant YoYo]

I think some people may have some views about the region which are becoming less correct.

Penrith is becoming less of what it used to be and is slowly becoming more "trendy" due to its distance from the city and house pricing. Incomes are on the up. A number of eateries, breweries and things to do are certainly causing a shift out that way.

There are suburbs around there which are skewing more higher income. Whilst some of the statements I read about Western Sydney/Penrith have some truth I find they are becoming less so. In fact, I'd say parts of Penrith are skewing footy friendly similarly to the Hills district but there's much work to do.

Weekend before last, I had my family ask me whether the Swans put on a watch event at Penrith Panthers Leagues club as there were a number of Swans fans seen at the league's club to watch the Brisbane Lions v Swans game when the Panthers game was on.

Some people may not think much of it but I think it's important to call out such shifts occuring where footy fans get together to watch a footy game at a leagues club. This is a tremendous effort and great job by all wherein footy fans feel comfortable to watch a game of footy there. Keep it up is all I will say, the visibility is important and is leading to a greater acceptance of footy.

Change is slow and takes time. Public perception is a big one if we want to see footy growth in western Sydney and I feel we're on the right track there.

 

[Giant YoYo]

Here's an SMH extract for which makes some good points about the demographic changes occurring in western Sydney which should be considered when discussing this topic, IMO.

Fully aware this is a league story as I couldn't find another one I was after.

It makes some compelling reasons why the AFL sees this region as one of opportunity, should they get it right.

Battle of the west? Parramatta and Penrith are like different countries

A western Sydney derby in the NRL grand final has elicited lazy generalisations about the region. But take a closer look. It’s complicated.

www.smh.com.au

But demographically, culturally and economically, Parramatta and Penrith may as well be different countries.

Sunday’s clash will see two distinct versions of western Sydney represented. A mix of old and new realities, a pinch of “haves” and “have-nots”, plus a hint of what lies ahead, demographically, for the nation’s fastest growing region. Forget the myths about sprawling cookie-cutter suburbs, entrenched disadvantage and cultural wastelands. Western Sydney is complicated.

There was a time when western Sydney teams made much of the region’s “battler” status. Contests between the former Western Suburbs Magpies and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles were famously described as the “fibros” versus the “silvertails”. While pockets of economic hardship remain, disadvantage no longer permeates the region.

The median weekly household income in Parramatta ($2,051) exceeds the national figure by nearly 15 per cent, and top Penrith earnings by over 7 per cent. The redevelopment of Parramatta’s CBD and its pull for large corporates and government agencies – the ABC among them – will likely push incomes higher still.

Parramatta is also home to some of the country’s most highly qualified people. Its proportion of university degree holders is 40 per cent higher than the Australian average and more than two-and-half times greater than Penrith.

Federal education minister, Jason Clare has prioritised addressing educational inequity. “Where you live”, he declared, shouldn’t be a “factor in whether you are a student or a graduate of an Australian university”. That should see places like Penrith targeted for newly announced university places.Western Sydney’s rates of electoral swing at federal and state levels continue to exceed jurisdictional averages. This dynamic is fuelled in part by the region’s increasingly diverse social and cultural mix, bringing with it changing attitudes and allegiances.

Nearly 58 per cent of Parramatta residents were born overseas, compared with around 29 per cent of Penrith dwellers. India is now the most common point of non-Australian origin for both.

Parramatta households are likely to sound different from most Australian homes, with nearly 62 per cent of them echoing with a language other than English. That figure drops to 24 per cent in Penrith, a rate also below the national average.

Penrith, meanwhile, is home to one of the largest populations of Indigenous Australians in the country, numbering nearly 11,000 or
5 per cent of the area’s population.

 

[Walshawk]

I know I do.


No. Now you are continue to be misleading because you ignore all that Pacifica crap.
Pacifica represent 50% of the NRL but represent a small proportion of the Australian population.
The over-represetation of Pacifica actually does not represent western Sydney.

You totally missed my point in that Toby Green represents the Giants, just like Tony lockett represented Sydney, Nic Naitanui represents W.C.E., Dusty martin represents Richmond, Mathew Pavalich represented Fremantle, Joe Daniher fepresents Brisbane etc yet none are local products.

I didn’t miss your points. You missed mine, I posted first and you replied using mistakenly different meaning of words like ‘represent’.

My point remains, that all AFL teams are 90% white/anglo, where as RL teams in western Sydney, just like the people of western Sydney, are way more multil cultural. Those are facts.

 

[Philhawk]

Totally agree with the point above that more representation from players from a western Sydney/pacific island background would do enormous things for the code.

There is such a wealth of talent just waiting to be tapped.

Guys like Steven Crichton in a different world could be the CHF face of western Sydney, if he had followed a different sport in a different life.

 

[Cmarsh]

Totally agree with the point above that more representation from players from a western Sydney/pacific island background would do enormous things for the code.

There is such a wealth of talent just waiting to be tapped.

Guys like Steven Crichton in a different world could be the CHF face of western Sydney, if he had followed a different sport in a different life.

But it's not waiting to be tapped. Not like there are hoardes of Polynesians taking interest in Aussie Rules.

 

[RedV3x]

I posted first

Wow

and you replied

Wow - fancy that.

using mistakenly different meaning of words like ‘represent’.

I purposely used the word "represent" because I believe a team represents it's region.
Not the other way around and not with the AFL draft.
Sure, it's great when it does happen that locals make it through - it's a great promotion
and i understand that the AFL have invested a lot in that regards.

the people of western Sydney, are way more multil cultural. Those are facts.

No, The people of Western Sydney are NOT 50% Pacifica so the NRL is no better than the AFL in that regard.
Many people see the NRL being 50% Pacifica as a problem starting with juniors.
Now, the Vietnamese represent up to 30% of the population is some places - hmm.

 

[Run n Spread]

Interesting. Massive game 1 v4. If GWS had/was showing signs for growth this game should've been Friday night. Not the grave yard slot.
Forget the AFL argument that they prefer a mcg fri night game. Melbourne fans will go anytime/watch anytime and will still watch a Friday night in the same numbers no matter which final.
Fact GWS is put in the least popular spot for a final speaks volumes. I believe the last 3 have all been in the same slot

 

[Bjo187]

Interesting. Massive game 1 v4. If GWS had/was showing signs for growth this game should've been Friday night. Not the grave yard slot.
Forget the AFL argument that they prefer a mcg fri night game. Melbourne fans will go anytime/watch anytime and will still watch a Friday night in the same numbers no matter which final.
Fact GWS is put in the least popular spot for a final speaks volumes. I believe the last 3 have all been in the same slot

I'm either way about it, I would have liked Thursday night, no competition from nsw nrl teams and the best timeslot for maximum viewers. However, the giants fans are mostly young families, so Saturday afternoon they get the best rollout of their supporters.

 

[PaythePerryman]

I'm either way about it, I would have liked Thursday night, no competition from nsw nrl teams and the best timeslot for maximum viewers. However, the giants fans are mostly young families, so Saturday afternoon they get the best rollout of their supporters.

Yep the Giants ask for this time slot as much as possible.
Fun attempt though.
Also it's a Syd home game...they'll pack it out either way.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

Yep the Giants ask for this time slot as much as possible.
Fun attempt though.
Also it's a Syd home game...they'll pack it out either way.

Who's playing NRL on that Saturday afternoon slot, as that could be part of the reason also?

Mind you, final matches with the GWS team are usually played in the afternoon / twilight slot (home or away team) for their preferences so wasn't surprised about that match-up being afternoon.

 

[Bjo187]

Yep the Giants ask for this time slot as much as possible.
Fun attempt though.
Also it's a Syd home game...they'll pack it out either way.

I'm sure the afl want as good of a turn out of giants fans as possible for an all Sydney final, after all finals ticket sales aren't home team specific, they are run by the afl. I think it's gotta be the reason behind putting it Saturday afternoon instead of Thursday, because it is also a disadvantage in amount of recovery time for the loser, which isn't really fair for the team that finished 1st (if they lose the qualifying final).

 

[The Tilt]

Interesting. Massive game 1 v4. If GWS had/was showing signs for growth this game should've been Friday night. Not the grave yard slot.
Forget the AFL argument that they prefer a mcg fri night game. Melbourne fans will go anytime/watch anytime and will still watch a Friday night in the same numbers no matter which final.
Fact GWS is put in the least popular spot for a final speaks volumes. I believe the last 3 have all been in the same slot

Is it really the graveyard slot? It's roughly the same time slot as the Geelong vs Collingwood (1v4 QF) in 2022.

 

[Orange crush]

Is it really the graveyard slot? It's roughly the same time slot as the Geelong vs Collingwood (1v4 QF) in 2022.

Sat arvo is the best time for viewing footy

 

[Walshawk]

I'm sure the afl want as good of a turn out of giants fans as possible for an all Sydney final, after all finals ticket sales aren't home team specific, they are run by the afl. I think it's gotta be the reason behind putting it Saturday afternoon instead of Thursday, because it is also a disadvantage in amount of recovery time for the loser, which isn't really fair for the team that finished 1st (if they lose the qualifying final).

The loser gets the same break as their opponent (actually four hours more). This is the correct order for finals to not disadvantage and teams in relation to their opponent.

 

[Walshawk]

How many non SCG tickets are available to club members? Around 40k? Will be interesting to find out the split of Swans v Giants fans if released.

 

[mchal4]

Sydney Giants ...
Sky Blue + White
Keep Logo/Song
Never mention "GWS"

 

[PaythePerryman]

HomeBush Giants ...
Sky Blue + White
Keep Logo/Song
Never mention "GWS"

View attachment 2095387

Another team with a blue variation?
Orange is awesome. So is the charcoal.

Stick out. Don't blend in

 

[Johnny Bananas]

Orange needed to get snatched somewhere, should have potentially given that to Gold Coast. suns are, yknow, orange as well.

The more I think about this, the more I agree. Suns made a mistake in brand differentiation going with similar colours to the Lions and Crows. Orange would have made them nice and unique.

Oh well, too late now.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

HomeBush Giants ...
Sky Blue + White
Keep Logo/Song
Never mention "GWS"

View attachment 2095387

Looks like a clash jumper but could be interesting if the white stripes could be an orange colour instead.

Mind you, would also consider a name change to Western Sydney Giants in the future.

 

[vindaloo]

HomeBush Giants ...
Sky Blue + White
Keep Logo/Song
Never mention "GWS"

View attachment 2095387

That might be the jumper if/when they become the homebush Kangaroos.

 

[Cubs2Lions]

That might be the jumper if/when they become the homebush Kangaroos.

 

[mchal4]

Another team with a blue variation?
Orange is awesome. So is the charcoal.

Stick out. Don't blend in

Better to blend in and make our 'foreign game' appear more normal to the locals (tribalism)
The whole thing needs a head-to-toe rebrand (e.g. colours)

 

[Bjo187]

Better to blend in and make our "foreign game" appear more normal to the locals
The whole thing needs a head-to-toe rebrand (e.g. colours)

Local game that was played in Sydney and was relatively popular for 40 years until the imported and foreign northern English sport of rugby league invaded into Sydney, disintegrated the unique Australian football culture there and took over, whilst turning the locals against the indigenous game .

 

[RedV3x]

Local game that was played in Sydney and was relatively popular for 40 years until the imported and foreign northern English sport of rugby league invaded into Sydney, disintegrated the unique Australian football culture there and took over, whilst turning the locals against the indigenous game .

The Australian game was reasonably popular despite being effectively banned by the British establishment.
Australian Football was popular in the built up areas whilst rugby more popular in the outer.
In the newspapers Australian Football was headlined as football whilst rugby was headlined district football.
The turning point was the introduction of professionalism with the introduction of rugby league in 1908.
Australian football was banned from enclosed grounds and therefore could not charge admittance.
This professionalism crushed both rugby union and Australian Football.
Despite this Australian Football continued with many young people choosing Australian Football then changing to rugby league when they were adults.
Australian Football was offered the winter lease to the SCG but chose their own ground at Erskineville instead.
The real turning point came with the introduction of television which simply amplfied the dominant sports especially with the introduction of colour television.

 

[RedV3x]

Better to blend in and make our "foreign game" appear more normal to the locals

Yes, lets design a jumper with red, green, and black jumper. with a white crescent moon.