Tasmania v West Sydney

[Baron Greenback]

The wheels are in well and truly in motion in the push for a Tasmanian team to enter the AFL.
Surely Tasmania deserves a team in the AFL before West Sydney?
What do we think?

[hearts on fire]

yep.

West Sydney shouldn't even get a team.

Tasmania for mine.....

[Dirko]

Tassie all the way, hell they even have a medal named after them !

[Interceptor]

No doubt Tassie have good reasons for having their own team.

Problem is that the AFL hierarchy are more interested in new frontiers than footy strongholds.
Hasn't deterred the Tasmanians in putting forward a bid and here's the latest:

http://news.realfooty.com.au/sport/finance-model-to-boost-tassie-afl-bid-20080708-3av2.html

[Sojourner]

What the AFL dont seem to want to take into the equation is the number of people in the Western Suburbs of Sydney that are openly quite hostile to the AFL. People seem to have this idea that the Western Suburbs of Sydney are some type of untapped market for AFL. Do some research and you will find that a dispraportinatley high number of people openly hate AFL Football - Arieal Ping Pong as it is known as a result.

Tassie on the other hand have shown that the team will be financially sound and supported, yet I feel that the actual reason that the AFL do not want a side in Tasmania is because they are well aware that a club from Melbourne will have to move over there to stay financially viable and if a team is brought in from Tassie then that avenue to keep a club going will be cut off.

Never mind the fact that a Tassie team will bring in further TV revenue to the AFL and most likely keep the funds comming to struggling clubs anyway!

[mighty_tiger_79]

AFL - AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAUE

Sydney has a team - time to bring in TASSIE to make it a more national competition

[Ian]

Tassie for me, but the AFL in it's wisdom (???) believes that they should cater to a so called "emerging" state rather than one with a small population base that already has an entrenched Aussie Rules following. Poor form again by the AFL to not support the people that already support footy.

[Dutchy]

Quite simple reasons why the want West Syndey and not tassie -

- AFL Exect's are paid on revenue performance, much more $$$ in Sydney than Tassie
- They want to crush the NRL
- They want ot be clearly the No. 1 sport on the mainland
- hawks could end up there one day anyway

[Hondo]

I understand all the commercial & business issues in West Sydney's favour. I also agree with pushing hard to keep the NRL at bay.

However, I think it's time for the AFL to give something back to the game and the people and make a decision without looking solely at the bottom line. It could be AD's greatest legacy to the game in Australia.

So it's time for Tasmania to have an AFL side IMO - provided the financials are at least break even.

Let's face it, if they are prepared to take a financial hit and prop up some sides in Victoria when there is already 10 there then they can't argue solely on financial grounds against Tassie.

Dutchy, I cannot see Hawthorn ever moving to Tassie full-time in our life-times .... or our grandkids' lifetimes. They are settled in Melbourne and are only playing games in Tassie because of funding from the Tasmanian Govt.

[Tassie Blues]

I have been living in Hobart for 6 months now and they love there Footy down here and have really got behind the Hawks who play games in Launceston and allot do the 5 hour round trip from Hobart just for the footy. I think they would get great support but would need to play some of there games in Hobart and even one up north Burnie/Devonport to really make it a team the whole state supports. Think the only thing against the Tassie team would be potential growth of the supporter base Tassie hasn't got the biggest population growth and I guess that's why there looking at West Sydney.

Tassie website is
http://www.tassiefootyteam.com.au/

[Tassie Blues]

for thos who cant be bothered looking at there website here is there 10 reason for Tassie to get an AFL Team

We've been playing footy in this state since 1864 - surely our long and proud footy heritage means we should at least get a look in.

We've proven that Tasmania can produce AFL stars of the highest calibre. Some of the great names in Australian football have come from Tasmania: Stewart, Baldock, Hart, Hudson, Eade, Lynch and Richardson to name a few.

We're a footy state - our participation rates are amongst the highest in the country.

We've got great facilities and Aurora Stadium is already up to AFL standards.

We have the economy and the population to sustain an AFL team.
We believe a Tasmanian AFL team would attract strong corporate support and new investment into the State.

We can compete with the best in the country - just look at our Cricket team!

We want one. There is overwhelming community support both locally and nationally for a Tasmanian team.

We'd support the team and go to the games - live AFL games attract crowds of between 15 and 20,000 people per match and a Tassie team of our own would attract even more.

It's not a truly national competition without a Tasmanian team.

[best on hill]

tassie for mine. people down in the apple isle are already footy mad, so the AFL dont have to spend millions of dollars to lure supporters from one code to another, so any money spent can be put in to inferstructure rather than selling the game

[Thiele]

tasmania for me look

[the joker]

with their Results in the under 18s they are way off.

[RoosterMarty]

with their Results in the under 18s they are way off.

their VFL team is also a bit of a battler

[smac]

for thos who cant be bothered looking at there website here is there 10 reason for Tassie to get an AFL Team

We've been playing footy in this state since 1864 - surely our long and proud footy heritage means we should at least get a look in.

We've proven that Tasmania can produce AFL stars of the highest calibre. Some of the great names in Australian football have come from Tasmania: Stewart, Baldock, Hart, Hudson, Eade, Lynch and Richardson to name a few.

We're a footy state - our participation rates are amongst the highest in the country.

We've got great facilities and Aurora Stadium is already up to AFL standards.

We have the economy and the population to sustain an AFL team.
We believe a Tasmanian AFL team would attract strong corporate support and new investment into the State.

We can compete with the best in the country - just look at our Cricket team!

We want one. There is overwhelming community support both locally and nationally for a Tasmanian team.

We'd support the team and go to the games - live AFL games attract crowds of between 15 and 20,000 people per match and a Tassie team of our own would attract even more.

It's not a truly national competition without a Tasmanian team.

It all just sounds a bit parochial to me - lacks some substance.

I'm sure the AFL have done their homework and leaving it longer to enter Western Sydney isn't going to make things better. A Tasmanian team will only become more viable over time, perhaps 2018 or thereabouts would be a time more suitable for their entry.

[Psyber]

In reality nothing said here will change anything.

Telstra/Foxtel want the big TV market so they want another Sydney team and a Gold Coast team. If the AFL want the money to prop up the excess number of Melbourne teams they have to do what the BIG paying customer says, not take on developing an area they won't attract as much revenue as it costs for a long time.

This is big business. It is not for the good of the game or to reward those who follow the teams. You are only there so the grandstands don't look empty. In time they'll have a fix for that [SyntheCrowd TM], and if you want to see the game at all you'll stump up for a corporate box or sign up wiith BigPond and Foxtel.

[Dutchy]

Dutchy, I cannot see Hawthorn ever moving to Tassie full-time in our life-times .... or our grandkids' lifetimes. They are settled in Melbourne and are only playing games in Tassie because of funding from the Tasmanian Govt.

Exactly why the Roos have played games in Canberra, Sydney and GC, yet doesnt stop the rumours or push our of Vic...

[Tassie Blues]

with their Results in the under 18s they are way off.

Queensland didnt even get through the 1st stage of the under 18 comp!

Tas 12-5 (77) d Qld 7-11 (53)

[Mr66]

Tasmania is the better short term (5-15 years) option but West Sydney is the better long term(15-25 yrs) scenario.
Its true that Western Sydney is openly hostile towars australian rules, but we should be looking at the nect generation, not the current one.
Would Kieran Jack be playing aussie rules if South Melbourne had not gone north?