23 September 2010

You'll have to step up to get ACT4GWS over the line

| johnboy
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The Sydney Morning Herald notes that the bid to link Canberra with Sydney’s Western Suburbs for the purposes of AFL football is in some trouble.

The story says that only 4,000 of the needed 5,000 $50 pledges have turned up.

The ACT4GWS website at this time actually says the number is 3,422, with 7 days to go.

So if you want to have a piece of an AFL team playing four games a year here in Canberra it’s time to put your hands in your pockets!

Apparently if the numbers don’t come good “all bets are off.”

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Another line needed saying we are the boys from Western Sydney but can also pretend to be from Canberra if anyone believes it.

We’re home in Western Sydney
except every other day
when we are in Canberra
where they actually can play
Aussie Rules and Rugby League and Union as well
why should we think its Sydney
no-one can us tell

Didnt get their own team
So we’re here to save the day
the Boys from Western Sydney
(and Canberra every other day)

Holden Caulfield4:04 pm 01 Oct 10

…and another to say only fools bother with posting on BigFooty! Especially in the lead up to trade week, haha!

Kerryhemsley3:58 pm 01 Oct 10

KandyA said :

here’s my submission for their inaugural season’s song, offered here, as a riotact exclusive, moments before I post on bigfooty.com

Oh we’re the
boys from Western Sydney
But only since last year
In any time before that
We hadn’t set foot near

We were all born in Melbourne
Except Israel Falou
And all the Internationals
Who Sheedy will show how

To forward pass and kick the ball
Through 4 sticks with no net
If we make the best 22
Someone will lose a bet

We are the boys from Western Sydney
Greater than the rest
Working out our mascot
The hardest first up test

Western Sydney will be proud
As they watch us play
Even if the most of them
Think our code is ghey

Another line needed saying we are the boys from Western Sydney but can also pretend to be from Canberra if anyone believes it.

here’s my submission for their inaugural season’s song, offered here, as a riotact exclusive, moments before I post on bigfooty.com

Oh we’re the
boys from Western Sydney
But only since last year
In any time before that
We hadn’t set foot near

We were all born in Melbourne
Except Israel Falou
And all the Internationals
Who Sheedy will show how

To forward pass and kick the ball
Through 4 sticks with no net
If we make the best 22
Someone will lose a bet

We are the boys from Western Sydney
Greater than the rest
Working out our mascot
The hardest first up test

Western Sydney will be proud
As they watch us play
Even if the most of them
Think our code is ghey

Can I just say that I’ve had fun giving it to the AFL spruikers that pop up all over town.

I told them I’d pay them $50 to keep AFL out of Canberra. 🙂

Instead, I gave $50 to the Pakistan flood relief fund..

KandyA said :

http://www.act4gws.com.au/qna.php

have to say I got on board with this, if it does come off and there are elite level AFL games in Canberra, I will be stoked, Manuka a lovely stadium to see a game.
Am even considering rolling over my $50 into an inaugural membership if it does get up, eve nthough they will only be playing 2nds somewhere in 2011

If it doesnt get up then…refund so no prob there.

I go to a handful of games a year, and would likely goto at least 3/4 / yr they are proposing at Manuka, as well as a couple interstate to see the notallthatmightyatthemomentbutjustyouwaitTigers at the G

So Ill likely be turning up here to boo the team I financially support…?!

AFL profile in ACT is a long way behind R, RL – I hope the ACT4GWS gets up as I reckon its popularity isnt that far behind. ACTAFL has been providing compettition for the Swans 2nds, which although they mostly dominate, at least get a better comp than they would in Sydney.

VFL/AFL wasn’t always behind in Canberra though. I came to Canberra from Melbourne in 1981, and interest in football codes was probably 60-40 to the RL back then.

Unfortunately, the VFL/AFL allowed RL to takeover with the creation of the Raiders. Then the Pub Service stopped sending Victorians etc to the ACT around the mid-80s. Canberra appears to be mostly made up of people either born here, or from surrounding areas of NSW, or even QLD now. People brought up on RL and RU.

What I am saying is that Canberra wasn’t always a Rugby town like it appears these days.

Personally, I’m a bit pissed with the AFL and FFA with insistance they have to have teams somewhere. Also if i knew the officianl team name I might be tempted to support GWS, but while ever its known as GWS I’mn continuing my boycott of the AFL i9n general, since they took the kangaroos away in their rush to have a side on the GC just because League and soccer were going there. Its the me too approach I dislike.

They could have put teams in Tasmania and Canberra and despite being smaller population areas, they at least have a strong AFL background, wheras GWS and the GC are just there to have teams there and maybe convince a few kids to play AFL instead.

The FFA were just as bad with the A-league in having a bidding process, but were always intent on a western sydney side, particularly after the AFL announced the GWS. Its kind of like living in a marginal electorate 🙂

Anyway fortunately, I ‘ll watch and support most sports and the Brumbies and Raiders will keep me entertained. Raiders would never make the NRL these days and I doubt the Brumbies would be in the comnp either if it wasn’t for joining when they did.

Man you guys are hard to please, talk about cutting your nose off to spite your face.

Are you supporters of the game or of your team?
What does it matter if you like Demetriou or the AFL? Surely you’d rather the code succeed in the ACT rather than hold some vendetta or grudge.

Have a look at how Tasmanian’s have embraced Hawthorn yet Hawthorn aren’t a Tasmanian team.
Tasmania would have a deeper connection to Aussie Rules with the populace already have allegiances to teams other than Hawthorn yet the Tasmanian’s realise what an opportunity it is to have the premier Aussie Rules competition play games there.
They don’t ‘stick it to the AFL’ and not support it because the already follow other teams or don’t agree that they don’t have their own team.

i’m not convinced of the need for another 2 teams in the AFL competition tbh – why not back the teams already in the comp, there are a few which are seriously struggling. and i’m sure as hell not giving a cent to a 2nd sydney team – i can’t stand the first one, and sydney itself is barely able to support the team it already has! this doesn’t mean i don’t support AFL in canberra or a team playing in canberra, but come on, this isn’t a canberra team.

Not inclined to support something with the name Sydney in it – perhaps the Melbourne members of the AFL board don’t realise that the ACT is not an outer suburb of Sydney? That GWS are down here pushing for membership and pledges is suspicious to me they don’t expect the ‘Greater Western Sydney’ area to be able to support the side with fans or financially anytime soon.

Waiting For Godot said :

I seriously doubt Team GWS will be able to survive more than a few years.

You underestimate the AFL’s bloody-minded willingness to throw money and benefits at its new ventures.

If the team was Canberra based, i’d chip in $50. I would take a full membership. As its called Greater Western Sydney – forget it.

Cuase if it isn’t supported then we’ll take it away.

Why would they bother to do something if it’s not going to be supported?

Waiting For Godot5:30 pm 23 Sep 10

If Brisbane could not support a second NRL team in a rugby league town and state, I hardly think Sydney (or Canberra) could support a second AFL team in a rugby league state (and territory). While I hope Canberra does have some involvement – the more participants in sport and fitness the better – I seriously doubt Team GWS will be able to survive more than a few years.

Growling Ferret said :

Magoo

I’ve seen you at Manuka watching your Swans. Its not about parocialism of following a side, its about promoting the code and showing your support for AFL.

GWS is more than a senior team, its a Junior academy, its an ACTAFL (Greater eastern seaboard League) side.

Cough up!

It’s the AFL or more importantly Mr Demetriou seeking to build empires. Sorry Ferret, Sheed’s pitch is lost on me my friend. And by that logic, ‘investing’ in GWS secures the future of football in this area…. well that my friend is tant amount to blackmail. Cuase if it isn’t supported then we’ll take it away. If the AFL want it that badly they’ll cover it. Are they doing the same in SE Qld, me thinks not.

Don’t we already have the Magpies? Or am I getting my codes/competitions confused again?

Growling Ferret3:42 pm 23 Sep 10

Magoo

I’ve seen you at Manuka watching your Swans. Its not about parocialism of following a side, its about promoting the code and showing your support for AFL.

GWS is more than a senior team, its a Junior academy, its an ACTAFL (Greater eastern seaboard League) side.

Cough up!

No look I’m really sorry but whey again is Canberra and the ACT Region having a team forced upon us? First it was North melbourne who thought they’d drop the NB and just call themselves kangaroos = FAIL!!!! People in this area who are AFL fans already have a team, often pay membership to that team so why do we have to pay for another one? I don’t care if Mr Deteriou’s thinly veiled attack on the sydney Swans fails. It’s about time there was egg on his face for something.

Sorry no taker here.

Holden Caulfield3:13 pm 23 Sep 10

Yeah, I signed up for this, too, but I did so with some expectation it was going to be futile. Sadly, that looks like it will be the case.

Hopefully not.

I really hope this gets up. I love going to the footy on the weekend even if its only 4 times a year. They just need to play a team that is not Sydney or Western Bulldogs.

Up the Mighty Sainters!

http://www.act4gws.com.au/qna.php

have to say I got on board with this, if it does come off and there are elite level AFL games in Canberra, I will be stoked, Manuka a lovely stadium to see a game.
Am even considering rolling over my $50 into an inaugural membership if it does get up, eve nthough they will only be playing 2nds somewhere in 2011

If it doesnt get up then…refund so no prob there.

I go to a handful of games a year, and would likely goto at least 3/4 / yr they are proposing at Manuka, as well as a couple interstate to see the notallthatmightyatthemomentbutjustyouwaitTigers at the G

So Ill likely be turning up here to boo the team I financially support…?!

AFL profile in ACT is a long way behind R, RL – I hope the ACT4GWS gets up as I reckon its popularity isnt that far behind. ACTAFL has been providing compettition for the Swans 2nds, which although they mostly dominate, at least get a better comp than they would in Sydney.

Growling Ferret2:25 pm 23 Sep 10

KB

To quote Peter Taylor

‘You know our sales pitch but here it is again.

If we can secure 5,000, $50 membership pledges and significant local corporate support, GWS will play 40 games in Canberra over the next 10 years, play in a Canberra themed strip for each of the games at Manuka Oval, appoint a Canberran to the GWS board, continue to invest in local talent academies, establish a training base in Canberra and conduct community camps. Essentially, Canberra will have our own team in the AFL.

Without GWS, Canberra may lose their single annual home and away AFL game. I’m not prepared for that.

So sign up, cough up $50 nicker and get on board.

So, why should I pay extra to get an AFL game to the ACT?

To a club thats not even in the comp yet?

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