OFFICIAL Club discussion with Shaun Mielekamp

EllisFan said:
I was at the Knights & Broncos games, crowds were great. Later season when we’re battling it’s obviously fallen off.

It’s a bit of a library though, the noise seems to disappear.
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Why do we need to pursue Campbelltown when there is a healthy loyal fan base where the club has its roots?
You can fund junior systems anywhere - all clubs do.
We don't need to generate more fans we need to look after the ones we have got.
 
weststigers said:
Do you know how much effort the podcast guys put into getting crowds there? Anecdotal is fine, but there are facts that can be referred to.

When we were dead last, Leichhardt was packed? Why is Campbelltown attendance conditional on a bunch of factors when they turn out regardless at Leichhardt?

Campbelltown is a myth.
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The team needs to shake off the poor form at Cambo next year or it's going to be a long season of despair.
 
EllisFan said:
I agree we have competitive advantage at LO.

But the MacArthur region junior base could also be a competitive advantage if we do it right.

Ultimately I’ve always thought winning was the tonic to fix all our issues.
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Could someone explain how playing more of our NRL games at Campbelltown helps develop juniors?

Is that what our juniors are saying? We don't want to train hard or play for you if you don't play NRL games at Campbelltown? but also you must win there and also it can't be too cold or at the wrong time slot because we won't attend? Do you think the crowd is made up of junior footballers? Is that the crowd that's not turning up?

This is a joke honestly.
 
weststigers said:
Could someone explain how playing more of our NRL games at Campbelltown helps develop juniors?

Is that what our juniors are saying? We don't want to train hard or play for you if you don't play NRL games at Campbelltown? but also you must win there and also it can't be too cold or at the wrong time slot because we won't attend? Do you think the crowd is made up of junior footballers? Is that the crowd that's not turning up?

This is a joke honestly.
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I believe we need to turn the club into a powerhouse where local kids aspire to play for the jersey. We are a long way from that I get that.
 
terriaa said:
I think that is part of the problem is that the team doesn't identify fully with Campbelltown. We train at Concord,our Cup team is Magpies and play mostly from Lidcombe. We play Leichhardt, Commbank and then we host a few games and do some pre game appearances and expect the region's support. I'd like to see WT embrace the Panthers model and build at Campbelltown from the ground up, develop elite junior pathways etc. Wasn't that long ago Panthers struggled for crowds & their juniors also left. Now the juniors all want to play for Panthers & they are getting a brand new tax payer funded stadium. I live in Penrith & watched their team being built, play together & their record speaks for itself. We have similar junior numbers & if WT decide to be the local team & train there, engage hard & importantly create their identity as the local team who kids want to play for, then success will come. I'm from Balmain side of the merger & always felt Campbelltown was forced on Magpies & it's never really been embraced. Maybe it's time for change? Not saying don't play at Leichhardt, we should, but for years I've read Campbelltown is our future but as a fan I don't feel it is prioritised as such. I know the ground needs upgrading & I believe that's happening soon. We haven't been successful, what we have done hasn't worked, maybe time for a complete rethink & use what has worked for other clubs as the model.
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100% agreed.

Now it took Panthers over a decade to really capitalise on their model, but they did.
When you go out there, you realise how huge the surrounding areas of Campbelltown are.
Camden is Gigantic now.

Places like Claymore, Airds, etc Football would be the best shot for many of these kids.

We would have to Commit.
This is the trick with the HBG group. They shout Wests, wests wests, but are committed to Ashfield and at a stretch Lidcombe.
 
EllisFan said:
I believe we need to turn the club into a powerhouse where local kids aspire to play for the jersey. We are a long way from that I get that.
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I love how the NRL team ground is the focus, but NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg plays out of Lidcombe.

Harold Matthews and SG Ball out of Kirkham Oval and Lidcombe.

They train out of Concord.

Why is the NRL team even a discussion when the juniors don't even play at Campbelltown?

Start with the juniors grounds if you want to discuss juniors.
 
weststigers said:
Could someone explain how playing more of our NRL games at Campbelltown helps develop juniors?

Is that what our juniors are saying? We don't want to train hard or play for you if you don't play NRL games at Campbelltown? but also you must win there and also it can't be too cold or at the wrong time slot because we won't attend? Do you think the crowd is made up of junior footballers? Is that the crowd that's not turning up?

This is a joke honestly.
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Look at Penrith. They had juniors but what they lacked was success and identity as the local team. Their biggest crowds for years was always against Parramatta, who had a huge supporter base in the region. It isn't just about juniors, it's multifaceted. What is WT identity if you had to describe us? An inner west club torn between it's traditional roots while playing in the SW? Panthers have forged such a strong club built on the back of junior investment and strategic recruitment. Their next man up and depth is the best and shows no sign of diminishing because young players now want to grow up and be a Panther. That was certainly not always the case. I went to school with kids who played 1st grade and their first choice was Parramatta. The Panthers went from the chocolate soldiers to a force that was unstoppable. It took time to build it and build it they have. Their culture, identity, recruitment and retention is what we should be copying - in the Macarthur region.
 
EllisFan said:
I agree we have competitive advantage at LO.

But the MacArthur region junior base could also be a competitive advantage if we do it right.

Ultimately I’ve always thought winning was the tonic to fix all our issues.
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It’s not a brick and mortar issue. It’s a player issue. There’s no emotional investment. No spark. It’s on them to embrace the place the same way they do Leichhardt. We’re there for the long haul.
 
terriaa said:
Look at Penrith. They had juniors but what they lacked was success and identity as the local team. Their biggest crowds for years was always against Parramatta, who had a huge supporter base in the region. It isn't just about juniors, it's multifaceted. What is WT identity if you had to describe us? An inner west club torn between it's traditional roots while playing in the SW? Panthers have forged such a strong club built on the back of junior investment and strategic recruitment. Their next man up and depth is the best and shows no sign of diminishing because young players now want to grow up and be a Panther. That was certainly not always the case. I went to school with kids who played 1st grade and their first choice was Parramatta. The Panthers went from the chocolate soldiers to a force that was unstoppable. It took time to build it and build it they have. Their culture, identity, recruitment and retention is what we should be copying - in the Macarthur region.
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Ok. Dump Leichhardt. Change the club to the Magpies and go all in on your plan.

Watch how quickly the club is destroyed, just as they destroyed the Magpies. The same people are involved mate...they don't know what a successful club looks like.

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to sit here and drink the South West Koolaid. These guys would have been voted out by the members in any other club, but we have to watch Western Suburbs slowly put the Magpie stamp on everything.

You are watching your club being taken over by Western Suburns Magpies/Wests Ashfield in real time. Wake up.
 
Telltails said:
Why do we need to pursue Campbelltown when there is a healthy loyal fan base where the club has its roots?
You can fund junior systems anywhere - all clubs do.
We don't need to generate more fans we need to look after the ones we have got.
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We sell out every home game at Leichhardt...sell out is the holy grail...you can't do any better than that, yet we decide to move to an area that doesn't sell out to do what exactly? Try to sell out a different ground? Start something new?

It just confirms what I already suspected - the intelligence at the club is non-existent. Instead of leveragibg your strengths, we decide to destroy something good to do something Magpie centric.

This is agenda driven mate - the South West nonsense hasn't worked for 39 years.

I heard Shaun, and no disrespect to him, say we are trying to make new habits and pay for buses from Ashfield etc. For gods sake, we are shipping fans from Ashfield to Cambelltown???? Doesn't that tell you something??

the club expects fans to travel 1h 30m on transport to Cambelltown and back - 3 hours on public transport? No wonder people don't go...Cambelltown is in fiddle fick nowhere. It's about the same time as transport to Gosford Stadium...that is what you're asking fans to do....we are literally playing in another city.

The owners don't care what fans want. Just what the old Magpie brigade wants.
 
terriaa said:
Look at Penrith. They had juniors but what they lacked was success and identity as the local team. Their biggest crowds for years was always against Parramatta, who had a huge supporter base in the region. It isn't just about juniors, it's multifaceted. What is WT identity if you had to describe us? An inner west club torn between it's traditional roots while playing in the SW? Panthers have forged such a strong club built on the back of junior investment and strategic recruitment. Their next man up and depth is the best and shows no sign of diminishing because young players now want to grow up and be a Panther. That was certainly not always the case. I went to school with kids who played 1st grade and their first choice was Parramatta. The Panthers went from the chocolate soldiers to a force that was unstoppable. It took time to build it and build it they have. Their culture, identity, recruitment and retention is what we should be copying - in the Macarthur region.
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The fact we can’t develop the same sort of pathway the likes of the Panthers isn’t a Ctown issue, it’s a club issue. Again, it’s not on the area. The club needs to put the pathways in place. The area is massive and is only getting bigger.
 
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