Oppo Camp Non-Essendon Football Thread XV

[silk]

Does anyone recall whether Southport were ever in the discussion as the expansion club? A lot of the facilities, the admin infrastructure etc. would already have been there. What was the thinking behind starting from scratch with the Suns (and that naff Americanised name).

I'm threorising here, but I'd suggest control. Southport would have there own history and constitution and existing members who would have had some say. With the Suns, the AFL can control everything.

I was genuinely suprised how good southport's home and grounds looked while I was up there.

 

[ghostdog]

I'm threorising here, but I'd suggest control. Southport would have there own history and constitution and existing members who would have had some say. With the Suns, the AFL can control everything.

I was genuinely suprised how good southport's home and grounds looked while I was up there.

Sounds logical. If the game continues to grow up there they might develop another Crows - Power situation. I know there were a lot of pissed off Southport people at the time.

 

[eth-dog]

Ian Hill

37

Ian Hill

Age

24

Ht

175cm

Wt

73kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.2

2star

K

5.7

2star

HB

3.6

3star

M

2.1

2star

T

2.4

4star

G

0.8

4star

D

5.0

1star

K

2.0

1star

HB

3.0

2star

M

1.0

1star

T

0.0

1star

G

0.0

1star

D

10.4

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

4.4

4star

M

1.8

2star

T

2.6

4star

G

1.0

4star

diagnosed with testicular cancer

 

[BrunoV]

I'm threorising here, but I'd suggest control. Southport would have there own history and constitution and existing members who would have had some say. With the Suns, the AFL can control everything.

I was genuinely suprised how good southport's home and grounds looked while I was up there.

I reckon its also a bit geographical.

What is Southport? A suburb of the Gold Coast?

 

[Mikevk123]

Prayers to Bobby and his family. Hope everything goes well mate.

 

[sameolds33]

Still trying to work out why the GC have to play in Darwin other than the recruiting zone connection.
They are in a developing market and playing a winnable game away from home.
AFL is a strange beast at times.

The benefit of playing in football crazy (and starved) Darwin outweighs the dubious benefit of playing a winnable game at home amongst the faithful in a developing market.

The atmosphere and support for the Suns last night, with its local boys done good, would have been a huge emotional lift for the players and widened its support base. Can only be good for development. Not a strange decision at all, I think.

I had family at the game last night. Cousin (Hawks supporter) flew from Melbourne. Brother (Saints supporter) lives in Darwin (flew to the Townsville game a couple of rounds ago) and supported Suns; partly because of the local connections of some of the boys and also because not Hawks.

 

[ghostdog]

I reckon its also a bit geographical.

What is Southport? A suburb of the Gold Coast?

It's at the northern end of the Goldie, but there's so much sprawl between Brisbane and the GC these days it's pretty much indistinguishable IMO.

I don't think it would matter anyway. Brisbane Lions FC is at Springwood, an outer southern suburb, even though they play at the Gabba in town.

 

[TheGrizz]

I'm threorising here, but I'd suggest control. Southport would have there own history and constitution and existing members who would have had some say. With the Suns, the AFL can control everything.

I was genuinely suprised how good southport's home and grounds looked while I was up there.

Worked with Port Adelaide?

 

[rumply]

Better signs for Norf today.

 

[silk]

Worked with Port Adelaide?

They were second though and perhaps it hasn't. They aren't making money, and are controlled at a member and organisational level.

As someone mentioned above too, Bringing in Southport later as a competitor if the market grows might prove a good move as it did in WA and SA. Yet be proven in NSW, but we'll see I guess. Southport could have a good rivalry with Brisbane, who is just up the road, and GC who is just down the road.

 

[silk]

I reckon its also a bit geographical.

What is Southport? A suburb of the Gold Coast?

Fair point, I've been to Goldy 4 times in the past 4 years, and only been past Southport once, as we happened to be heading to the gold course near.

 

[Shermy]

Does anyone recall whether Southport were ever in the discussion as the expansion club? A lot of the facilities, the admin infrastructure etc. would already have been there. What was the thinking behind starting from scratch with the Suns (and that naff Americanised name).

Its the Adelaide vs Port Adelaide situation all over.

Calling them Southport wouldve meant all other GC QAFL sides wouldnt have "joined the fold" from a membership/support standpoint etc

 

[Lore]

 

[doug85]

Jay Clark mentioned on MMM that he phoned recruiters from all clubs after the 2020 draft and all of them said they wouldn’t have taken Phillips over McDonald. Said the same happened with Mccartin over Petraccca.

 

[ant555]

The benefit of playing in football crazy (and starved) Darwin outweighs the dubious benefit of playing a winnable game at home amongst the faithful in a developing market.

The atmosphere and support for the Suns last night, with its local boys done good, would have been a huge emotional lift for the players and widened its support base. Can only be good for development. Not a strange decision at all, I think.

I had family at the game last night. Cousin (Hawks supporter) flew from Melbourne. Brother (Saints supporter) lives in Darwin (flew to the Townsville game a couple of rounds ago) and supported Suns; partly because of the local connections of some of the boys and also because not Hawks.

Not against playing footy in Darwin. In fact I think they should be the 20th side despite them most likely needing extra AFL support.
I see it as strange because they are trying to grow the GC market and crowds. Otherwise why bother putting a team there. The benefit of the GC winning games at home is not dubious. The benefit is the fact that more people will turn up if they are winning a decent percentage of their home games. Let someone else promote footy in the top end. Maybe we should take a home game against the GC there and do our bit given we have the Tiwi Islands.

 

[sameolds33]

Not against playing footy in Darwin. In fact I think they should be the 20th side despite them most likely needing extra AFL support.
I see it as strange because they are trying to grow the GC market and crowds. Otherwise why bother putting a team there. The benefit of the GC winning games at home is not dubious. The benefit is the fact that more people will turn up if they are winning a decent percentage of their home games. Let someone else promote footy in the top end. Maybe we should take a home game against the GC there and do our bit given we have the Tiwi Islands.

I think that they've done as much as they can to build the local support and it'll be slow and incremental until they have sustained on-field success. In the meanwhile, playing in front of different, bigger excited crowds provides lateral development. Change being as good as a rest and all. Development is not linear.

 

[eth-dog]

Weitering off for the game.

 

[ant555]

I think that they've done as much as they can to build the local support and it'll be slow and incremental until they have sustained on-field success. In the meanwhile, playing in front of different, bigger excited crowds provides lateral development. Change being as good as a rest and all. Development is not linear.

Think we are talking different type of development here. It may help with the playing group and the local boys playing but it does zero to develop the GC supporter base and the ability to build a regular core crowd at Metricon. To say they have done as much as they can to build local support is not true. Winning home games build local support as people want to go.
You can argue the same with GWS. Sure going to Canberra gives them 5000 odd more members and builds some supporter base there but the fact they do not play all their home games at home hurts their brand in Western Sydney.

 

[eth-dog]

Why couldn't Collingwood kick like this on ANZAC Day?

 

[sameolds33]

Think we are talking different type of development here. It may help with the playing group and the local boys playing but it does zero to develop the GC supporter base and the ability to build a regular core crowd at Metricon. To say they have done as much as they can to build local support is not true. Winning home games build local support as people want to go.
You can argue the same with GWS. Sure going to Canberra gives them 5000 odd more members and builds some supporter base there but the fact they do not play all their home games at home hurts their brand in Western Sydney.

Would disagree on both points. I live in Canberra and have been to GWS home games. It's very similar to the Darwin game last night. AFL-starved fans very supportive of Giants. Think on field success will do more for brand development in each club's home base but playing in front of enthusiastic footy loving crowds is good for team morale and development of a wide supporter base.

 

[ant555]

Would disagree on both points. I live in Canberra and have been to GWS home games. It's very similar to the Darwin game last night. AFL-starved fans very supportive of Giants. Think on field success will do more for brand development in each club's home base but playing in front of enthusiastic footy loving crowds is good for team morale and development of a wide supporter base.

But it does not develop the market they where looking at developing. I understand what you are saying. I have family on the GC and the comment from them is it is just crazy that they have had to play home games away. The AFL starved fans could get their fix from more established side taking their turn. GWS and GC need to be playing as many games at home as they can. None of the established clubs built their brand by playing home games somewhere else and if you look at Tassie it has not really worked for North at all and the Hawks only drew crowds when they where winning. The wider supporter base does nothing to boost the home crowds. You do not see Melbourne Storm playing multiple games in other markets (under normal circumstances).
10,000 or so will turn up in Canberra or Darwin if random games where scheduled their. Essendon / Carlton / Richmond / Collingwood / Geelong etc should all be playing at least one of their home games a year in either Darwin or Canberra as well as Tasmania.

 

[sameolds33]

But it does not develop the market they where looking at developing. I understand what you are saying. I have family on the GC and the comment from them is it is just crazy that they have had to play home games away. The AFL starved fans could get their fix from more established side taking their turn. GWS and GC need to be playing as many games at home as they can. None of the established clubs built their brand by playing home games somewhere else and if you look at Tassie it has not really worked for North at all and the Hawks only drew crowds when they where winning. The wider supporter base does nothing to boost the home crowds. You do not see Melbourne Storm playing multiple games in other markets (under normal circumstances).
10,000 or so will turn up in Canberra or Darwin if random games where scheduled their. Essendon / Carlton / Richmond / Collingwood / Geelong etc should all be playing at least one of their home games a year in either Darwin or Canberra as well as Tasmania.

I think you are underestimating the support that the new clubs get from the home crowd at these away crowds because they are the underdogs.

 

[doug85]

If Collingwood bottle this

 

[sameolds33]

Was an excellent finish. Wish we were half as good as either of these teams.

 

[TheUnicorn]

Duck Carlton!