Greater Western Sydney Giants

[Boba Fett]

What people from outside Sydney forget is that the Swans were getting pretty poor crowds before they got their act together. The crowds weren't much better than GWS have now - and that was with a theoretical built in level of support from South Melbourne fans.

Regardless of the code, Sydney-siders love winners. So it's not really a statement of faith, but simply looking at the evidence of football crowds over the years in Sydney. When the Giants start winning games consistently, the crowds will come. I have no doubts at all.

[bazza]

If all of Parramatta's players were as good as Jarrod Hayne they wouldn't be sitting last on the ladder

[bazza]

What people from outside Sydney forget is that the Swans were getting pretty poor crowds before they got their act together. The crowds weren't much better than GWS have now - and that was with a theoretical built in level of support from South Melbourne fans.

Swans crowds were decent when they started, built up when they were successful in the mid 80s and dropped below 10,000 ave in the early 90s when the couldn't win a game after a reprisal in the mid 90s due to superleague and finding form

They started off much stronger than GWS

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/crowds/swans.html

[RobertHeatleyStand]

I know RL league crowds can be sh*t at times, but why do the AFL lie about theirs?
6600 my arse. Lucky to have been 3000 there.
3 home games in a row that they've seriously exaggerated the attendance
Small dick disease.

It's a sydney thing... regardless of sport/code

Wasn't there a league game last year at ANZ where they claimed 5,000... lucky to have 1,000?

Sydney FC ??? enough said

[dibo]

Sydney FC ??? enough said

Um, no, not "enough said". Make an argument or don't.

[Rob]

What people from outside Sydney forget is that the Swans were getting pretty poor crowds before they got their act together. The crowds weren't much better than GWS have now - and that was with a theoretical built in level of support from South Melbourne fans.

Swans crowds were decent when they started, built up when they were successful in the mid 80s and dropped below 10,000 ave in the early 90s when the couldn't win a game after a reprisal in the mid 90s due to superleague and finding form

They started off much stronger than GWS

http://stats.rleague.com/afl/crowds/swans.html

They also were winning games. Then those 4 pesky wooden spoons had them about as popular as cancer.

Whether GWS can fill their ground when they start winning I don't know. But Sydney people love a winner, and it's pretty safe to say that their crowds will go up. AUR obviously hopes they will fail, whether that will be the case only time will tell. Because unless they start losing players, they are going to be a bloody good team in a few years. If Cameron stays injury free and keeps his head screwed on he could be one of the all time greats.

[yob]

If the Giants aim for lowest common denominator then yeah, strap a few wins together and they'll get the rent a crowd that rocks up to do that stupid "syd-ney" chant. None of them will stick though. They need to do what Sydney FC doesn't. Identify a base, target it, build from the ground up. If that base is in Swans territory then so be it.

The AFL has quietly admitted the build a grass roots club by parachuting bags of cash over bum f**k nowhere, separated from any established aussie rules competition, is a stupid play. Version 2.0 is skirting around the Swans base and trying to find an opening. Problem is there isn't one. The Swans have built as close to universal appeal as aussie rules is going to get in Sydney, and they're winning premierships. Come follow the Giants. Our name isn't as poofy, and we're orange.

[IanRitchie]

have they won a game yet?

[bazza]

Wasn't there a league game last year at ANZ where they claimed 5,000... lucky to have 1,000?

no
.

[PenrithWelsh]

I know of a FREE raffle where the prize is a family pass to the GWS vs Melbourne game and nobody's entering. They can't even give the tickets away so don't expect a decent crowd.

[the crow]

They f***ing what?.....

[Boba Fett]

have they won a game yet?

Yes. 37 point margin over the Dees on Sat.

[the crow]

And Essendon is yet to take the spoon off them as well.

[Rob]

I'll give the club credit, getting OK numbers through the gates when in all likelihood they're going to get fustigated has been impressive. It's not much of a promotion though when you get mauled.

But it does give them hope that when they start consistently winning games in a few years they might get decent paying numbers in.

[Simmo79]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/threads/c ... s.1068698/

If that rumour's true, it's way more likely the AFL will shift one of the two licences it owns than try and coerce/cajole/bribe a Melbourne club across the Bass Strait.