Who Loves The Suns?

As the AFL has been loudly proclaiming all week, “history” is about to be made.

With the latest grand football experiment set to debut, it seems timely to ask the football public what they think.

Aside from the barrage of publicity, do you really care? How do supporters of clubs who lost players feel?

What is your level of curiosity?

We’re interested to know your thoughts Knackers.

Comments

  1. In the words of Jack Nicholson from Ride in the Whirlwind: “put a tune to it, Vern.”

  2. John Butler says

    Thoughts of Geelong supporters come Saturday night?

    For that matter, Brisbane suppporters, who gave up Brennan and Rischitelli?

  3. I’m slightly curious but don’t really care. My curiosity is mainly around how Ablett plays.

  4. Andrew Fithall says

    I just received in the work mail a brochure for one of those dodgy residential conferences – this one on workplace law. Normally these go straight in the bin but a quick check of the dates (July) and the venue (Gold Coast) reveal that the Thursday/Friday conference could flow nicely into Collingwood’s game against GC at Gold Coast Stadium on the Saturday. Actually those conference speakers look very knowledgable. And the subjects being addressed really do have significant relevance for my role and serious implications for our workplace. Now for the business case…

  5. AF – #4 – makes the trip tax deductible too!

  6. Tony Robb says

    Im quitely looking forward to bonus % points and I think that after the intial bit of excitememt the Blues will belt them. G Ablet wont have all the cats midfielders looking after him at the Metermaids. Blues by 67 point. Cambell Brown to break down and Brennan will turn up the the wrong rooms and Rischitelli will decide that going to Carlton might have been a sound move in hindsight.

  7. Peter Flynn says

    I don’t.

  8. Rick Kane says

    I welcome the Suns into the Australian Rules football fraternity. Since its inception the Victorian game has added new teams, grown geographically and crossed borders. Notwithstanding an instinctive distrust of the current administrators, the game was built to grow and flourish. If it takes the Suns years (or decades) to become fully established then so be it. Many teams before them have taken that long to hold the Premiership cup aloft. I think it’s exciting.

    Cheers

  9. Andrew Starkie says

    hope the SUns smash carlton

  10. Dave Nadel says

    I don’t mind the Suns. Unlike Western Sydney, Australian Rules has always had some support in the Gold Coast. I am very happy that they gave Josh Fraser another chance after the Magpies couldn’t find a place for him in our best 22 and the deal with the Suns also gave us Andrew Krakouer about whom I have already raved in another thread. Guy McKenna gave the Magpies good service as an assistant coach and the Suns will have a better foundation coach than the Bears, the Eagles or the Crows had.

    Personally, I hope they do well in their first few years except when they are playing Collingwood. Given the inexperience of much of their list I don’t think they will do particularly well, but I hope they do.

  11. John Butler says

    #6 TR, I wish I shared your confidence. After the Blues’ flaky performance last week, with Thornton still playing, I have my reservations.

    #4 AF, sounds like an essential event that could revolutionise HR in the automotive industry.

    #8 RK, very ecumenical and reasonable of you. You sure you’re a Hawks supporter?

    #9 AS, still on the grumpy pills I see. :) Almost end of term.

  12. Jarrod Harbrow is my first nomination for the Gold Coast Sons of the West Team of the Century.

  13. Peter Schumacher says

    If the game is really going to progress in Queensland both teams need to be competitive. Just watch the crowds and interest drop off if this doesn’t happen. About 23,000 for the Lions first game this year is indicative. Thus I wish the new team all the best. I really do hope as well that Carmichael Hunt turns out to be trumps.

  14. Rick Kane says

    #11 JB, we’re a family team at Hawthorn Jb, a family team.

  15. Pamela Sherpa says

    I’m excited about the expansion of the national competition The AFL are joining the dots. Here’s hoping our great game goes gangbusters.

  16. #15. I wonder when the AFL are going to see those big dots in Tasmania…

  17. Gigs,
    When another National comp sets up there and/or when ratings dip.

  18. Hated the idea when it was first floated. But, growing to accept it now and will watch with interest. Luckily, the Eagles are so bad at the moment they didn’t poach any of them.

    The Giants will simply not work. A very stupid idea by “business” people, not football people.

    A team in Tassie or NT would provide so much more interest and make so much more sense.

  19. I’m excited about the Suns’ first game :D

    I’ve got my nice new scarf and everything just waiting. Am rather annoyed that the AFL would schedule the first Suns game at the same time as the Geelong/Freo game. Surely they realise that a fair chunk of Victoria’s interest in the Suns is coming from Cats fans?

    So even though I can’t wait to see Gazza realise the role of leader that he was born to fulfil, I shall have to wait til Sunday to watch the recording of it.

    CARN THE SUNS!!!!

  20. So Susie, what did you think of Robert Walls’ article in Friday’s “Age”?

  21. Smokie I might not be Susie but can I answer that? Walls is a wanker. He’s making a judgement call even before Gazza plays a game!! Extraordinary.

  22. Dips,
    Yes you are definitely not Susie, but I agree wholeheartedly.
    It smacked of a man desperately trying to stir up some controversy
    to create a talking point (and to an extent it has worked, as I am
    talking about it now!)
    Anyway, he was virtually saying that GA should not have a socila life.
    On a related topic, Mark Fine on SEN had a huge crack at Gazza last night
    after the Saints/Tigers game.
    It looks like he is copping it from everywhere at present.

  23. Smokie, unfortunately (or fortunately?) I did not read the Age on Friday.
    I’d tend to skip anything that had Walls’ name attached to it in any case (truer words rarely spoken, Dips).

    Poor Gaz, can you blame him for leaving?
    It must be so rough being categorically ignored by your head coach from April to September. In Gazza’a shoes, I’d wanna leave too.

  24. Steve Healy says

    Ahh, Thompson and Ablett not talking for the season- one of footy’s most funny and tragic stories ever.

    Can’t wait for the Suns tonight! I think the Blues will win though

  25. Pamela Sherpa says

    Gigs- It’s hard to imagine the NT and Tassie not having teams in the national comp eventually- (when ????????) perhaps not til some Melb clubs fold.

    I was hoping the Suns game would be on TV up here in NSW because it is an historic football occasion, but alas, it is not being televised on free to air til 10 30 pm- and frustratingly is not on any of the HD channels.
    The Freo-Cats game isn’t on either.

  26. For me to ‘root’ for Carlton with such passion there must be something wrong. And I know what it is. The Scums are what is wrong. I detest them.

    I hope a plague of locusts chews all their lawns while they are at the footy.

    I hope an unseasonal frost nips all their pineapples, mangoes, avacardos and capsicums while they are sunning themselves like lizards at beach patrol.

    I hope their supporters’ white shoes get covered in dog poo as they leave the ground.

    I hope the Abblett boys go bald.

    I hope…………..

  27. John Butler says

    Phantom, can the AFL use you for their media management going forward?

  28. With you Phantom.
    I told Tom to turn the rubbish off…when he saw an early score he “felt sorry”.
    “Don’t”, I said. The side is made up of players unwanted (Fraser etc), mercenaries (Ablett etc) and without any say (draftees).
    The boast is of finals in 3 and a flag in 6. No pity!

  29. Pam #15…our “great game” is Aussie Rules, not AFL, which is appropriating it for corporate reasons. Gold Coast will drain a fortune and the only upside is a more pleasant “away” destination for fans than Footy Park or Homebush.

  30. The Tassie economy will not support a team.

    The AFL Tassie admin is poor. They have a CEO, for life, who has over seen the failure of a State wide league, the Tassie Devils, the Tassie Mariners but remains. What other business would tollerate that.

    It would be based in Hobart and no one will go. It would put an enormous burden on all the other clubs and would die a slow death.

    The concept is very poorly thought out and based on well meaning naivity.

    No Go Joe.

  31. Phantom, the second half of your post could almost be referring to GWS. :P

  32. And we don’t need any new teams Susie because we have the Cats.

  33. As usual, before the season started the Noise as far as I can tell was divided between ‘they’ll make the finals in their first year’ (minority) and ‘they’ll finish stone motherless’ (majority). Since the first expansion clubs came in in 1987, no first year team has done either. However, every ‘new’ club has won at least once in its first three games. I haven’t checked the draw, but this mob might struggle to keep its end up on that score. However, for mine Brisbane and Port are still just as likely wooden spooners as the new boys at this stage.

    All I feel is blinded by their ‘tequila sunrise’ jumpers. (It was a mark of genius by whoever at Carlton had the idea of secret training sessions in indoor rooms flooded with infra-red light to get the boys’ eyes acclimatised.) That, and bored at the hype….

  34. Ian Syson says

    Pamela, surely your game is going gangbusters already and has for a while now. Why does it need to expand ‘to new markets’ to succeed, especially if that means damaging something fundamental to the game — ie connection to place? AFL Footy has changed in the 17 years I’ve been in Melbourne from a largely Saturday game based around inner suburban teams to a theatre event where bums on seats seem to matter more than ever.

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