The west pushes Canberra off the bandwagon and says don't hijack our team
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday June 19, 2009
THE ACT should stop trying to "hijack" the proposed western Sydney AFL team, says the man who was Mayor of Blacktown when the AFL's decision was announced.Former mayor Leo Kelly said suggestions the league's 18th club could have a separate jumper, and be called the ACT-NSW Rams for matches they play in Canberra, is "sheer nonsense". "I think if it's going to be a western Sydney team, that's what it should be and it should have its own identity not to be hijacked by others who want to jump on a successful bandwagon," he said.ACT Sports Minister Andrew Barr said this week that his Government had asked the AFL for "a proper footy jumper, a traditional jumper with an identifiable brand" and, for its investment in the team, it wanted a separate playing jumper for Canberra home games, was pushing for the Rams as a mascot, and it did not want to be seen as a minor or weaker partner.Current Blacktown City Mayor Charlie Lowles told the Herald yesterday "he hadn't heard anything" about specific details of the matter and, as such, couldn't comment. But he did say: "I think that was all semantics about colours and so forth. I don't need to get into any stoush with Canberra or anywhere else for that matter. It's about the sport and let's get on with it."But Kelly was far from impressed. He posed the question: what would rugby league fans think if their club took games to the Central Coast and they had to change their name and colours."It's just nonsense," Kelly said. "It has to be [called] Western Sydney otherwise the whole campaign has been futile."It should remain with its own identity otherwise it will stifle the success that's already underway. If it has to play in Canberra now and again well, good, but it would be like calling the Swans the Canberra Swans when they play there. This is a western Sydney team. It's a very parochial area that should have its own identity with the team."AFL NSW/ACT general manager Dale Holmes said the AFL had been explicit about the focus of the new club being a second team in the Sydney market, and that had not changed. He said the project was not under any threat of being hijacked by Canberra."What we are looking at and need to explore is whether there is an opportunity there for broadening the base of appeal and support and what does that mean in the context of this being a second Sydney team and how will we play that out," Holmes said."We have seen good examples of where clubs have been able to establish a connection with another market and Hawthorn with the Tasmanian model has been a great example of that, and as part of that, the ACT Government recognised the value of attracting elite level AFL games and that's what they have come to talk to us about."What has come on the radar has been an excitement and attraction from the ACT Government about potentially being a part of the 18th club by way of securing some games in the ACT market and that's something we are happy to explore in the context of whether it makes sense, and how does it work and we are working through all that, but ultimately this is a club for the greater Sydney market and that's our focus."Asked if exploring Canberra was as a back-up plan for the AFL in case interest in the club from the people of western Sydney doesn't reach hoped-for levels, Holmes said: "No, not at all. My position on this is quite clear. It's our responsibility to explore what is the best model to make this club get the broadest level of support and make sure it has the best chance of success. We need to explore all the options and we will explore all the options, but the core of this club will always be about the Sydney market."It's a Shaw thing Page 32
© 2009 Sydney Morning Herald
