Why has GWS done much better than Gold Coast?

[iameviljez]

GwS got better concessions, and coming after Gold Coast pushed out the picks Gold Coast got in 2011,2012,2013,2014 drafts.
Also Sydney is closer to Melbourne, means homesick players probably get to see their family a bit more ( cheaper to fly Melbourne to Sydney than Gold Coast to Melbourne).

I don’t think cost of flights is an issue for AFL footballers

 

[Colonial]

I don’t think cost of flights is an issue for AFL footballers

But it does add up.

 

[sydney_gws]

But it does add up.

And for their parents. For new players, their salaries aren't as high as other players.

 

[iameviljez]

But it does add up.

If you’re on $600k/year, the difference in cost between QLD and NSW in flights is not a factor.

 

[Colonial]

If you’re on $600k/year, the difference in cost between QLD and NSW in flights is not a factor.

It is though. It’s still money that can be used elsewhere than on flights.

600k a year isn’t the minimum wage either

 

[Rotayjay]

For some bizarre reason, the Gold Coast is the Bermuda Triangle of professional sporting clubs. They go in but don't come out alive.

GWS may have a few finals series and a granny under their belt, but even after 13 years of pretty good onfield performance they are still an abject commercial failure. Their crowds and membership numbers are SANFL and VFL-worthy.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

If you’re on $600k/year, the difference in cost between QLD and NSW in flights is not a factor.

Minimum AFL contract is closer to $100k, but once they have a choice of places that rises and cost wouldn't be a factor.
Do players get any personal flights subsidised as part of sponsorship deals? It wouldn't be a good look for Virgin as a main sponsor if AFL players are recognised flying Qantas for unofficial flights.

 

[iameviljez]

Minimum AFL contract is closer to $100k, but once they have a choice of places that rises and cost wouldn't be a factor.
Do players get any personal flights subsidised as part of sponsorship deals? It wouldn't be a good look for Virgin as a main sponsor if AFL players are recognised flying Qantas for unofficial flights.

Yes, it is, but the players who are in-demand enough to cop the go-home factor will be getting plenty more than minimum. (Edit: sorry, you pointed this out )

Anyway, seriously, the $300 difference between the two destinations for return flights that you might take three times/year just won't factor in. The mortgage repayments alone make a bigger difference, each week.

 

[iameviljez]

It is though. It’s still money that can be used elsewhere than on flights.

600k a year isn’t the minimum wage either

That's like saying that I'd choose my location of work based on whether the cheapest petrol station is on the way. The difference is a drop in the ocean.

 

[iameviljez]

GWS may have a few finals series and a granny under their belt, but even after 13 years of pretty good onfield performance they are still an abject commercial failure. Their crowds and membership numbers are SANFL and VFL-worthy.

GWS has 36,000 members and averages 12,000 attendees at home.

Every VFL and SANFL club would kill for those numbers.

 

[Colonial]

That's like saying that I'd choose my location of work based on whether the cheapest petrol station is on the way. The difference is a drop in the ocean.

No but you try and choose location and work to be as financially beneficial as possible. Distance for instance.
Not a drop in the ocean. Only a club fan based in the never ending derby’s of Victoria, as well as the amount of locals per team, would think otherwise.

 

[iameviljez]

No but you try and choose location and work to be as financially beneficial as possible. Distance for instance.
Not a drop in the ocean. Only a club fan based in the never ending derby’s of Victoria, as well as the amount of locals per team, would think otherwise.

I do live in Brisbane, the rest of my family is all in Victoria. Whether they're in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide or Sydney is pretty non consequential, believe me.

 

[Freomaniac]

By the way, I never said West Coast were a "state side" - I don't agree with that assessment, FWIW, and it underplays the Eagles' success. However, they were filled with WA players and being a football state means they didn't suffer the go-home (or, in this case, stay-home) factor.

There is, however, good reason as to why Adelaide and West Coast were immediately successful, but Brisbane and Sydney were complete basket cases. Almost nobody wanted to go to Sydney and Brisbane; WA and SA players had a natural pull to their first home-state club.

you have some good points....

Eagles only had 35 players but as you said, All played local footy in the WAFL. It was funny that eagles only had 7 players with VFL experience. But yeah, eagles were forced to choose some very young local WAFL talent aged 19 to 22 years old. But as you said, they got access to pre draft kids before the 1987 to 1991 drafts. Some worked out well, some didnt. Some of those Eagles players in 1987 actually went to other Victorian clubs. The gap between WAFL and VFL or AFL wasnt too big. Hence as you said, eagles had early success. finals in 1988, finals win in 1990, grand final in 1991 and flag in 1992.

Crows, Similar thing. Had a lost of 40 or so players. All of them played local footy in the SANFL. Again, They gained, early success. a finals win and a prelim final in 1993.


Brisbane and Sydney were basket cases in the late 1980s to early 1990s. Why is that? You said almost no one wanted to head to Sydney and Brisbane.

So.... why not create ideas to produce local talent in Queenland and NSW?

 

[iameviljez]

So.... why not create ideas to produce local talent in Queenland and NSW?

They are trying, madly - but you can't make it overnight. AusKick and the Academies have really helped, though.

 

[Freomaniac]

Because they got significantly more draft concessions than Gold Coast when they started. The flow-on effect from that has been significant and allowed them to just keep on getting elite talent from the top of the draft year after year.

Gold Coast will catch up soon though, now that their academy is churning out top talent of their own on a yearly basis, and the 4 northern clubs will all stay in the top 8 on pretty much a permanent basis for the foreseeable future.

The other 14 clubs will be fighting it out for the other 4 spots.

You were half correct.

Gold Coast had draft concessions. They just got unlucky that half of them turned out to be duds or Injury prone players.

One example is Harley Bennell. Pick 2 in the 2010 draft. 92 goals from 82 games for the suns from 2011 to 2015. Looked like he could be anything. Gets traded to the dockers at the end of 2015.

Guess How many dockers games Harley bennell played from 2016 to 2019? Only 2 games. He also played only 20 games at Peel thunder in the WAFL. Half of those games he only lasted half a game. Why was that? He was injury prone.

Another example is David Swallow. Pick 1 in the 2010 draft from East fremantle and Gold coast vfl side. Played 240 games for the Gold coast suns, he is the games record holder too. beacme club captain too.

Could of went back to WA to play for Dockers or Eagles. He didnt do it. His older brother andrew swallow spent his whole playing career at North Melbourne. Could of went back to WA but didnt.

Giants could of had the exact same concessions at Gold Coast and still would of made finals in 2016 to 2019. GWS got a lot of Victorians, Country Victorians too. GWS won eeither way. Use 1st rounders on Vic Country kids. If they stay and become good, thats fine. If they want to be traded, get a decent pick or player back.



Now I am gonna be curious on how tassie will draft their kids. They will get local tassie kids but how many Victorian guys will they get?

 

[Freomaniac]

Brisbane 87 was a disorganised basket case that took other club’s rejects, barely had a preseason and played out of portables 80km from home

That was partially the VFLs fault wasnt it?

Brisbane in 1987 were stuffed from the beginning. Brisbane were given a chance to Choose 10 blokes in the SANFL. 5 Were before the 1986 draft and 5 picks in the 1986 draft.

Half of those refused to join Brisbanes Squad.


I assuming choosing 10 to 20 blokes in the Local Queensland state league was gonna help?

 

[Freomaniac]

They are trying, madly - but you can't make it overnight. AusKick and the Academies have really helped, though.

Auskick didnt start until 1991. But I see your point.

 

[iameviljez]

Eagles only had 35 players but as you said, All played local footy in the WAFL. It was funny that eagles only had 7 players with VFL experience. But yeah, eagles were forced to choose some very young local WAFL talent aged 19 to 22 years old. But as you said, they got access to pre draft kids before the 1987 to 1991 drafts. Some worked out well, some didnt. Some of those Eagles players in 1987 actually went to other Victorian clubs. The gap between WAFL and VFL or AFL wasnt too big. Hence as you said, eagles had early success. finals in 1988, finals win in 1990, grand final in 1991 and flag in 1992.

Yeah I agree with that. I think there was probably more of a culture at the time of "proving yourself" in the WAFL/SANFL (hence guys like Mainwaring still being available at age 21) but at least they got the benefit of being in a footy-loving state.

It's taken a huge amount of work to get Brisbane to where they are now (and a lot of migration of us Southerners), but the number of Brisbane flags out and about around town this year has been fantastic.

 

[iameviljez]

That was partially the VFLs fault wasnt it?

Brisbane in 1987 were stuffed from the beginning. Brisbane were given a chance to Choose 10 blokes in the SANFL. 5 Were before the 1986 draft and 5 picks in the 1986 draft.

Half of those refused to join Brisbanes Squad.


I assuming choosing 10 to 20 blokes in the Local Queensland state league was gonna help?

Haha, the only good one to come out of Queensland before 1990 was Dunstall

IMO the VFL's attempts with Brisbane were half-arsed, Skase's ownership was half-arsed, the whole thing was half-arsed. It's really interesting listening to Peter Knights talking about how difficult and amateurish the whole thing was.

Probably worth remembering that at the time, Brisbane was a backwater ruled as a police state under the Nats.