Talking Footy

Fred wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:07 am

I would have thought there is a decent aussie rules community in Canberra. More so the Western Sydney,

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 12:37 pm

i wonder if ACT Government were not throwing the dollars they are at GWS would they even stay...

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 12:37 pm

Terry wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 5:57 pm

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 11:11 am

i think that would be a brave and good outcome< (AFL have already admitted the failure of OPENING ROUND) why not the Giants.

Move GWS to Canberra fulltime. ASAP>>

and down the track a new AFL team, with the team attached to a big district suburb (like Parrammata or Penrith for example)

They won't move 'em to Canberra fulltime. The population base is too small and fumbling is behind RL and RU in the sports stakes there. They'll persevere with 'em in the make believe 'western Sydney' base they have. They'll continue to be an embarrassment ad infinitum but fumblehouse won't admit defeat.

true,

i wonder if ACT Government were not throwing the dollars they are at GWS would they even stay...

ACT Government signed a $28.5 million,
10-year partnership extension with the GWS Giants, running through 2032, to maintain Canberra as an AFL hub

Quolls2019 wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:59 am

A western sydney AFL team was a great idea, just poorly executed from the start and the poor decisions just keep on coming.
They need to stay in western sydney and start again, playing home games in other areas tells the locals that they are not important to the team.
Canberra should be the 20th team, I don’t see RU stopping it’s downward spiral.

Beaussie wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:11 am

Fred wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 9:07 am

I would have thought there is a decent aussie rules community in Canberra. More so the Western Sydney,

Canberra needs its own team. Can you believe the Giants do not even mention Western Sydney on their jumper or in branding, but do have Canberra written on the back of their guernseys? Unbelievably stupid management and messaging.

Beaussie wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:21 am

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 12:37 pm

i wonder if ACT Government were not throwing the dollars they are at GWS would they even stay...

Similar to when the Swans used to play home games in Canberra to maintain an AFL presence. Would be better if a struggling Victorian club filled the void to allow the Giants to focus solely on Western Sydney. Good start would be to actually change the ridiculous acronym of GWS to simply Western Sydney. You really do scratch your head and wonder why lessons from the long and tough Swans development years and growth in Sydney have not been learnt and followed.

Ultimately, I think Canberra will be team 20 once Tassie is established.

Quolls2019 wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:59 am

A western sydney AFL team was a great idea, just poorly executed from the start and the poor decisions just keep on coming.
They need to stay in western sydney and start again, playing home games in other areas tells the locals that they are not important to the team.
Canberra should be the 20th team, I don’t see RU stopping it’s downward spiral.

Terry wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 1:59 pm

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Sun Apr 26, 2026 12:37 pm

Terry wrote: Sat Apr 25, 2026 5:57 pm

They won't move 'em to Canberra fulltime. The population base is too small and fumbling is behind RL and RU in the sports stakes there. They'll persevere with 'em in the make believe 'western Sydney' base they have. They'll continue to be an embarrassment ad infinitum but fumblehouse won't admit defeat.

true,

i wonder if ACT Government were not throwing the dollars they are at GWS would they even stay...

ACT Government signed a $28.5 million,
10-year partnership extension with the GWS Giants, running through 2032, to maintain Canberra as an AFL hub

Wow, didn't know that. So they'll be a part time western Sydney team until at least 2032. Nothing is gonna be able to save this mob.

Fred wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 2:21 pm

Quolls2019 wrote: Mon Apr 27, 2026 10:59 am

A western sydney AFL team was a great idea, just poorly executed from the start and the poor decisions just keep on coming.
They need to stay in western sydney and start again, playing home games in other areas tells the locals that they are not important to the team.
Canberra should be the 20th team, I don’t see RU stopping it’s downward spiral.

I also think the Suns playing games in Darwin is equally as stupid -diminishes the presence of the team on the GC in what already is a deminished schedule.

Bbear wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:00 pm

Looking at the GWS fixture I counted only 8 games at Engie stadium
Clearly not enough, you need more consistently to build a presence in a difficult market for the AFL
The deal to play games in Canberra has been a success, a win win for both, Giants get well needed fans and Canberra gets thousands of tourists.
This success for GWS at Manuka is at the expense of less games at Engie stadium and building the fan base in Western Sydney.

https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/matches/fi ... Round=1351

8 games only, doesn't sound right, will check count.

Fred wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 2:04 pm

Bbear wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:00 pm

Looking at the GWS fixture I counted only 8 games at Engie stadium
Clearly not enough, you need more consistently to build a presence in a difficult market for the AFL
The deal to play games in Canberra has been a success, a win win for both, Giants get well needed fans and Canberra gets thousands of tourists.
This success for GWS at Manuka is at the expense of less games at Engie stadium and building the fan base in Western Sydney.

https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/matches/fi ... Round=1351

8 games only, doesn't sound right, will check count.

I also think they are limited as to where they play due to the Easter show.

Terry wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 5:20 pm

Fred wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 2:04 pm

Bbear wrote: Tue Apr 28, 2026 9:00 pm

Looking at the GWS fixture I counted only 8 games at Engie stadium
Clearly not enough, you need more consistently to build a presence in a difficult market for the AFL
The deal to play games in Canberra has been a success, a win win for both, Giants get well needed fans and Canberra gets thousands of tourists.
This success for GWS at Manuka is at the expense of less games at Engie stadium and building the fan base in Western Sydney.

https://www.gwsgiants.com.au/matches/fi ... Round=1351

8 games only, doesn't sound right, will check count.

I also think they are limited as to where they play due to the Easter show.

Yep. In a move of absolute brilliance fumblehouse moved the mess from Blacktown, in the actual greater western Sydney, to Homebush where the stadium is outta play for 6 weeks in the middle of the season to show cows and sheep lolololol. Brilliance personified.