Sydney Swans and St Kilda Saints to face off in Wellington on Anzac Day
Neil Cordy
The Daily Telegraph
September 13, 201212:00AM
AFL Chief Operating Officer Gillon McLachlan, St Kilda President Greg Westaway, Wellington City Councillor John Morrison and St Kilda Chief Executive Officer Michael Nettlefold. Picture: Getty Images The Daily Telegraph
NOT content with Western Sydney, the AFL could now look to New Zealand in a bid to extend its influence in rugby league and union heartlands.
The Sydney Swans will play St Kilda next year in Wellington on Anzac Day, establishing a foothold that could deliver a Kiwi-based team within a decade, officials believe.
"Where that goes, I don't know," AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said. "Whether it's a team in 10 years, I'd love to think it was."
The Swans-Saints match will be played at 7.30pm, directly after the Collingwood-Essendon clash at the MCG.
"I'm going to put it out there: we'll sell that game out," McLachlan said of the 34,000 capacity Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
"It will be an incredible event broadcast live back into Australia, celebrating shared cultures and values with a great product where sports-mad New Zealanders with Australians who like to travel will be having a great day."
With more than a million viewers tuned into Collingwood v Essendon, Swans CEO Andrew Ireland believes the club will gain great exposure nationally and internationally.
"This will be a historic match for the AFL competition and it is exciting that our club will be a part of it," Ireland said. "Anzac Day is a hugely significant day for Australia and New Zealand, and to be playing Australia's game on New Zealand soil will be a great tribute."
While the match will be St Kilda's home game, the Swans are in the box seat to have a regular involvement in the annual event.
"From the New Zealand government's point of view, and Wellington Council, they have a strong belief Sydney are a good team to play in terms of the capacity for people to come to the game," Ireland said.
Provided all parties are happy, Saints will host games in Wellington in 2014 and 2015 in a deal reportedly set to net the club about $1 million per year.And Wellington is only the start. Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has spoken this week about the prospect of home-and-away games being staged in China, while Richmond have been pushing for an exhibition match in India.
While NZ is an obvious first step, McLachlan said there are no insurmountable barriers to going further afield.
"There are logistical issues, but you have to be creative to solve those," he said. "You think about the rugby guys who travel to South Africa. That's a terrible flight, the time zones are poor and people make it work. If you have a vision, you have to deal with the challenges."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6472990878
AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
- Beaussie
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AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Kiwis are going to love our game. Mark my words, next expansion destination along with Tasmania, will be NZ. Stadium already in place and sellout crowds expected.
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Beaussie wrote:Kiwis are going to love our game. Mark my words, next expansion destination along with Tasmania, will be NZ. Stadium already in place and sellout crowds expected.
Sydney Swans and St Kilda Saints to face off in Wellington on Anzac Day
Neil Cordy
The Daily Telegraph
September 13, 201212:00AM
AFL Chief Operating Officer Gillon McLachlan, St Kilda President Greg Westaway, Wellington City Councillor John Morrison and St Kilda Chief Executive Officer Michael Nettlefold. Picture: Getty Images The Daily Telegraph
NOT content with Western Sydney, the AFL could now look to New Zealand in a bid to extend its influence in rugby league and union heartlands.
The Sydney Swans will play St Kilda next year in Wellington on Anzac Day, establishing a foothold that could deliver a Kiwi-based team within a decade, officials believe.
"Where that goes, I don't know," AFL chief operating officer Gillon McLachlan said. "Whether it's a team in 10 years, I'd love to think it was."
The Swans-Saints match will be played at 7.30pm, directly after the Collingwood-Essendon clash at the MCG.
"I'm going to put it out there: we'll sell that game out," McLachlan said of the 34,000 capacity Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
"It will be an incredible event broadcast live back into Australia, celebrating shared cultures and values with a great product where sports-mad New Zealanders with Australians who like to travel will be having a great day."
With more than a million viewers tuned into Collingwood v Essendon, Swans CEO Andrew Ireland believes the club will gain great exposure nationally and internationally.
"This will be a historic match for the AFL competition and it is exciting that our club will be a part of it," Ireland said. "Anzac Day is a hugely significant day for Australia and New Zealand, and to be playing Australia's game on New Zealand soil will be a great tribute."
While the match will be St Kilda's home game, the Swans are in the box seat to have a regular involvement in the annual event.
"From the New Zealand government's point of view, and Wellington Council, they have a strong belief Sydney are a good team to play in terms of the capacity for people to come to the game," Ireland said.
Provided all parties are happy, Saints will host games in Wellington in 2014 and 2015 in a deal reportedly set to net the club about $1 million per year.And Wellington is only the start. Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has spoken this week about the prospect of home-and-away games being staged in China, while Richmond have been pushing for an exhibition match in India.
While NZ is an obvious first step, McLachlan said there are no insurmountable barriers to going further afield.
"There are logistical issues, but you have to be creative to solve those," he said. "You think about the rugby guys who travel to South Africa. That's a terrible flight, the time zones are poor and people make it work. If you have a vision, you have to deal with the challenges."
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/ ... 6472990878
oh please do this VFL
do it sooner
get a team in there asap because we all know Kiwis are just gagging for your game
it would be some of the funniest sh.it in World Sport
the crowds would make ... even the fudged ones .. at Midgits games luke huuugggeeeeeee
oh I can't wait ... I mean the ego's at VFL HQ are massive ... they'd actually believe theres a market for their game in NZ
come on vlad ..... embarrasing yourself domestically isn't enough .. no lets see you do it on an international scale
RL SOO II 4.194 Million veiwers
RL SOO I 4.068 Million
NRL GF 3.968 Million
VFL Grand Final 3.620 Million
SOO III 3.364 Million
NRL Prelim 2.219 Million
Kangaroos V NZ 1.214 Million
Sookerwhos V Japan 238K
RL SOO I 4.068 Million
NRL GF 3.968 Million
VFL Grand Final 3.620 Million
SOO III 3.364 Million
NRL Prelim 2.219 Million
Kangaroos V NZ 1.214 Million
Sookerwhos V Japan 238K
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
The comment regarding NZ expansion was made by Gillon McLachlan not Vlad. You know, who he is, he is that visionary bloke who has ensured our dominance of all sports in Australia, that you lot were so desperate to poach from us. Too bad you lot failed eh? :P
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Beaussie wrote:The comment regarding NZ expansion was made by Gillon McLachlan not Vlad. You know, who he is, he is that visionary bloke who has ensured our dominance of all sports in Australia, that you lot were so desperate to poach from us. Too bad you lot failed eh? :P
oh I couldn't care which singlet wearing *********** made the comment
I just want it to happen
please VFL
please [-o< [-o<
the years of hilarity would make what we're gunna get with the midgits & thuns pale in comparison
pants peeing stuff
RL SOO II 4.194 Million veiwers
RL SOO I 4.068 Million
NRL GF 3.968 Million
VFL Grand Final 3.620 Million
SOO III 3.364 Million
NRL Prelim 2.219 Million
Kangaroos V NZ 1.214 Million
Sookerwhos V Japan 238K
RL SOO I 4.068 Million
NRL GF 3.968 Million
VFL Grand Final 3.620 Million
SOO III 3.364 Million
NRL Prelim 2.219 Million
Kangaroos V NZ 1.214 Million
Sookerwhos V Japan 238K
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
http://www.smh.com.au/afl/afl-news/st-k ... =text-onlyWellington City Council's John Morrison, a former Test cricketer who helped drive the arrangement, described the AFL as ''the biggest sport in Australasia'', before a reporter reminded him of New Zealand's rugby obsession. Morrison said the crowd figures proved his argument. ''We're not as familiar with it, obviously, as rugby. It's not a matter of beating off rugby or football or whatever. It's a matter of an opportunity here.''
King-Eliagh: ...I believe [RL] is popular in all the other states and territories, bar tasmania.
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Oh don't you AFL boys get ahead of yourselves! Wellington ain't Sydney or Brisbane you know! What will be the reaction when you get only 10,000 to the game eh?
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
It will be a sellout or close to. Just you wait and see.Striker wrote:Oh don't you AFL boys get ahead of yourselves! Wellington ain't Sydney or Brisbane you know! What will be the reaction when you get only 10,000 to the game eh?
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Beaussie wrote:It will be a sellout or close to. Just you wait and see.Striker wrote:Oh don't you AFL boys get ahead of yourselves! Wellington ain't Sydney or Brisbane you know! What will be the reaction when you get only 10,000 to the game eh?
What exhibition game ever brought the AFL international expansion???????
Please don't waste our time with these exhibition expansion threads....
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Striker wrote:Oh don't you AFL boys get ahead of yourselves! Wellington ain't Sydney or Brisbane you know! What will be the reaction when you get only 10,000 to the game eh?
AFL expansion..... Tell them there dreaming......
http://www.nrk.no/video/se_hoydepunkten ... A5EA252EE/
This is a rugby league game in Norway with about 7k fans, this is were GWS is atm, NZ is way down the track and if it is in 10 years then the AFL will be sinking over 100m into this team alone within the First 5 years.
What chance have you guys got to have a team in NZ without loosing millions on top of what you are loosing with all your other expansion teams ...............NONE AT ALL BOYS.........
Last edited by eelofwest on Wed Sep 19, 2012 7:56 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Clearly the AFL have confused the small island at the bottom of the Australian mainland with NZ. Of course this could be AFL "leadership" in getting NZ teams into Australian competitions - why didn't Union,League,Soccer think of this?
Any way shouldn't they be trying to get more relevance north of the Murray first? They dont have a good record crossing large bodies of water as they dont go anywhere and it costs a fortune.
Any way shouldn't they be trying to get more relevance north of the Murray first? They dont have a good record crossing large bodies of water as they dont go anywhere and it costs a fortune.
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Lol .
Mark my words
Word on the street .
Jesus you're full of shit .
Mark my words
Word on the street .
Jesus you're full of shit .
TLPG liar extraordinaire
You should thank me for publishing your IP
and I never published any actual IP. That's it.
I was a mod at the time .
Xman wrote
I also gave them to TLPG believing he was still a mod.I admit I made a mistake.
You should thank me for publishing your IP
and I never published any actual IP. That's it.
I was a mod at the time .
Xman wrote
I also gave them to TLPG believing he was still a mod.I admit I made a mistake.
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Bahahah, now this is a classic bump and another classic Beaussie kiss of death.
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User has been banned for this and similar comments.
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Re: AFL Expansion - NZ here we come
Seriously ,how can one man get it so fucking wrong all the time .
Sellouts
Sellouts
Sellouts .
Lol
Word on the street .
Mark my words
Expansion .
Sellouts Sellouts .
:_<> :_<> :_<>
Sellouts
Sellouts
Sellouts .
Lol
Word on the street .
Mark my words
Expansion .
Sellouts Sellouts .
:_<> :_<> :_<>
TLPG liar extraordinaire
You should thank me for publishing your IP
and I never published any actual IP. That's it.
I was a mod at the time .
Xman wrote
I also gave them to TLPG believing he was still a mod.I admit I made a mistake.
You should thank me for publishing your IP
and I never published any actual IP. That's it.
I was a mod at the time .
Xman wrote
I also gave them to TLPG believing he was still a mod.I admit I made a mistake.
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