Talking Footy

Respected AFL identity Gerard Healy has blown the lid off the abject failure of the AFL's foray into western Sydney. This year there are only 97 under 13 boys registered to play the mess in the whole of western Sydney. Yep.....97 out of a population of nearly 3 million. And that is after the AFL has spent 3/4 of a billion dollars on the area. Sheeeesh let that sink in.

Healy says it is an abject failure and mismanagement. He says Fumblehouse was sold lies about participation numbers but chose to believe the myths and lies. (Ring a bell anyone? lololololol).

Have a read of the article folks. Its a beauty!!!!!!!


https://www.sen.com.au/news/2026/04/08/ ... lian-rules

Gerard in Melbourne respected? lol

As pointed out by those with actual knowledge of Sydney over at Big Footy:

Last year there were 57 teams across 8 divisions (5 boys, 3 girls) in the U13 AFL Sydney comp. 10 of them west of Olympic Park.

Meanwhile there were 13 smaller teams across 2 divisions in the U13 NRL Vic Metro comp.

So in the part of Sydney where Aussie rules is least popular, u13 club participation is about the same as what rugby league gets in the entirety of Melbourne + Geelong. This despite the Storm being around 15 years longer than the Giants.



And….

The numbers and geography in that article lack any credibility.

22 thousand eligible kids? There’s more than 150 thousand kids in grades 3-6 in western Sydney.

Why are we talking about suburbs like Camperdown that exist in the Swans NGA as if it reflects on a failure of the Giants expansion program?

97 kids? Go to PlayHQ right now and you’ll see hundreds of kids registered for various western Sydney clubs.

Beaussie wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 10:28 am

Gerard in Melbourne respected? lol

As pointed out by those with actual knowledge of Sydney over at Big Footy:

Last year there were 57 teams across 8 divisions (5 boys, 3 girls) in the U13 AFL Sydney comp. 10 of them west of Olympic Park.

Meanwhile there were 13 smaller teams across 2 divisions in the U13 NRL Vic Metro comp.

So in the part of Sydney where Aussie rules is least popular, u13 club participation is about the same as what rugby league gets in the entirety of Melbourne + Geelong. This despite the Storm being around 15 years longer than the Giants.



And….

The numbers and geography in that article lack any credibility.

22 thousand eligible kids? There’s more than 150 thousand kids in grades 3-6 in western Sydney.

Why are we talking about suburbs like Camperdown that exist in the Swans NGA as if it reflects on a failure of the Giants expansion program?

97 kids? Go to PlayHQ right now and you’ll see hundreds of kids registered for various western Sydney clubs.

Hahahahahahah!!!!! Sure beatup. Its all a lie I tell ya lolololol!!!!!!!!! Here's more proof from Corbin Middlemas. He says the number is actually in the 80's. Is he lying too pal??

Please do better Terry. No one ever suggested Western Sydney would not require a lot of work. It’s disingenuous however to post clearly fake news, that doesn’t even make logical sense.

BTW, any comment on the piss poor junior numbers for the NRL in Melbourne/Victoria?

Beaussie wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 10:40 am

Please do better Terry. No one ever suggested Western Sydney would not require a lot of work. It’s disingenuous however to post clearly fake news, that doesn’t even make logical sense.

BTW, any comment on the piss poor junior numbers for the NRL in Melbourne/Victoria?

Beatup, the posts are from actual AFL commentators. They both say they have seen the figures. They are not fake. Neither are they disingenuous. Your bias won't let you see the truth pal.

Here is another article from Vince Rugari from 2 years ago. He is saying the same thing. Western Sydney fumbling is failing. Is he telling lies to beatup lolololoololol!!!!!!!!!!!!!

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/AFL/not-wh ... 5k9pi.html

Beaussie wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 10:40 am

Please do better Terry. No one ever suggested Western Sydney would not require a lot of work. It’s disingenuous however to post clearly fake news, that doesn’t even make logical sense.

BTW, any comment on the piss poor junior numbers for the NRL in Melbourne/Victoria?

Wasn’t the figure less than half a dozen from Victoria players from Victoria to have ever played for the Storm in there entire existence of 25 plus years

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 11:19 am

Beaussie wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 10:40 am

Please do better Terry. No one ever suggested Western Sydney would not require a lot of work. It’s disingenuous however to post clearly fake news, that doesn’t even make logical sense.

BTW, any comment on the piss poor junior numbers for the NRL in Melbourne/Victoria?

Wasn’t the figure less than half a dozen from Victoria players from Victoria to have ever played for the Storm in there entire existence of 25 plus years

I dunno makingshitup. But this thread is about fumbling failing in western Sydney after an almost $1B spend lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

Waddaya reckon about that pal????????? Incredible eh?????

Here we go. Swans chief now chips in on the western Sydney AFL failure. Andrew Pridham doesn't think GWS is making any headway. Commentator Tim Watson asked Pridham whether the AFL was making ANY inroads whatsoever in Western Sydney. "No. None. None." Pridham replied lololololol.

So there we have it. Four AFL types all dropping truth bombs on the epic failure of western Sydney fumbling. If beatup is right there seems to be a hell of a lot of AFL heavyweights telling lies lolololol. I mean God knows there is a lot of lying by AFL types but there is no reason to lie about this surely. Usually they tell lies about BS 'participation' numbers but it seems they've all been hit with the truth serum on this one.

Waddaya reckon beatup? Your mate Pridham now telling lies? lololololol!



https://www.sen.com.au/news/2026/04/09/ ... rard-healy

Terry wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 11:25 am

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 11:19 am

Beaussie wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 10:40 am

Please do better Terry. No one ever suggested Western Sydney would not require a lot of work. It’s disingenuous however to post clearly fake news, that doesn’t even make logical sense.

BTW, any comment on the piss poor junior numbers for the NRL in Melbourne/Victoria?

Wasn’t the figure less than half a dozen from Victoria players from Victoria to have ever played for the Storm in there entire existence of 25 plus years

I dunno makingshitup. But this thread is about fumbling failing in western Sydney after an almost $1B spend lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

Waddaya reckon about that pal????????? Incredible eh?????

Only 5 players out of 195 in over 2 decades

In two and a half decades since entering the NRL, 195 different players have pulled on a Melbourne Storm jersey.
Just five of those have been Victorian born and bred.
"That's not really something we're proud of," football manager Frank Ponissi tells Wide World of Sports.

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news- ... 5ja4a.html

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 2:30 pm

Terry wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 11:25 am

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 11:19 am

Wasn’t the figure less than half a dozen from Victoria players from Victoria to have ever played for the Storm in there entire existence of 25 plus years

I dunno makingshitup. But this thread is about fumbling failing in western Sydney after an almost $1B spend lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

Waddaya reckon about that pal????????? Incredible eh?????

Only 5 players out of 195 in over 2 decades

In two and a half decades since entering the NRL, 195 different players have pulled on a Melbourne Storm jersey.
Just five of those have been Victorian born and bred.
"That's not really something we're proud of," football manager Frank Ponissi tells Wide World of Sports.

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news- ... 5ja4a.html

Terrible makingdumnormal. On another note the Storm have sold out Saturdays game against the Warriors in Melbourne. Seems no one cares what makingshitup says lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

Terry wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 2:48 pm

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 2:30 pm

Terry wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 11:25 am

I dunno makingshitup. But this thread is about fumbling failing in western Sydney after an almost $1B spend lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

Waddaya reckon about that pal????????? Incredible eh?????

Only 5 players out of 195 in over 2 decades

In two and a half decades since entering the NRL, 195 different players have pulled on a Melbourne Storm jersey.
Just five of those have been Victorian born and bred.
"That's not really something we're proud of," football manager Frank Ponissi tells Wide World of Sports.

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news- ... 5ja4a.html

Terrible makingdumnormal. On another note the Storm have sold out Saturdays game against the Warriors in Melbourne. Seems no one cares what makingshitup says lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s what the data and facts say Terrence!


The Storm are still a long way behind the Lions and swans, some what closer to Suns and Giants levels in popularity and crowd levels even with all that success. So good on them for getting close every once in a while for coming close in selling out a game,
That one Victorian playing must feel proud of that occasional support

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 3:03 pm

Terry wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 2:48 pm

makingnrlfansgowacko wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 2:30 pm

Only 5 players out of 195 in over 2 decades

In two and a half decades since entering the NRL, 195 different players have pulled on a Melbourne Storm jersey.
Just five of those have been Victorian born and bred.
"That's not really something we're proud of," football manager Frank Ponissi tells Wide World of Sports.

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/nrl/news- ... 5ja4a.html

Terrible makingdumnormal. On another note the Storm have sold out Saturdays game against the Warriors in Melbourne. Seems no one cares what makingshitup says lolololololol!!!!!!!!!!!

That’s what the data and facts say Terrence!


The Storm are still a long way behind the Lions and swans, some what closer to Suns and Giants levels in popularity and crowd levels even with all that success. So good on them for getting close every once in a while for coming close in selling out a game,
That one Victorian playing must feel proud of that occasional support

Yeah, I know its terrible makingstupideasy. On the up side they've got more than 97 13 year old kids playing Rugby League in good 'ol Melbon. Seems like GWS are the worst sports club in the land by a very big margin pal. Even AFL types are turning on 'em.

i dont know
who's data is more correct

Lachlan Gepp or Gerard Healy

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:07 pm

i dont know
who's data is more correct

Lachlan Gepp or Gerard Healy

Yep. Lies, damned lies and statistics!!!!! The thing that all the AFL commentators, including the Swans Chairman agree on, is that GWS have made no impact on western Sydney whatsoever. And whatever the actual junior playing numbers are they are paltry. They are in furious agreement.

Terry wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 5:44 pm

leeroy*NRL* wrote: Thu Apr 09, 2026 4:07 pm

i dont know
who's data is more correct

Lachlan Gepp or Gerard Healy

Yep. Lies, damned lies and statistics!!!!! The thing that all the AFL commentators, including the Swans Chairman agree on, is that GWS have made no impact on western Sydney whatsoever. And whatever the actual junior playing numbers are they are paltry. They are in furious agreement.

apparently the numbers are correct for Sydney's west numbers.. but they were the figures for 2 to 3 weeks ago.

GWS (Vietnam) how much more can they possibly burn..

all the gains are being poured into northern clubs
while neglecting Southern clubs (nice going)