Lost opportunity in Macarthur

[cochise]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

I don't suggest relocation in the short term, but plant your roots early. Doesn't take much to hold an open training session once a week in the area, have players turn up every so often at junior games/training sessions. Be seen as attached to the area and be the club that juniors can relate to and want to join.

All the juniors play in a jersey with a Wests Tiger on it? The roots were planted in the area 30 years ago, It would be nice to see it start flowering at some point.

 

[Harvey]

Sounds like a Mickey Mouse initiative to me.

I agree. Souths "partnering" with an A-League team that hasn't played a match yet.

If you read the text of the article, the primary outcomes of the partnership are reciprocal access to matches and 5% off merchandise. Tigers already had a merchandise store in Macarthur Square and I believe it has closed - one can only assume lack of cost effectiveness.

The secondary outcome is Rabbits offering a mobile phone product, which has absolutely nothing to do with growing rugby league in a region. Can't wait for Rabbits to start offering credit cards and pawn brokerages.

After which the partnership falls to generic "Souths Cares" community initiatives that may already exist in SW Sydney or elsewhere.

Tigers already do community work in the area.

All of this pales in comparison to actually playing in the area.

Magpies and WT have been labouring in Macarthur for over 30 years and still it is far from an outstanding league region, either in junior development, fan base or corporate dollars. That's not an opinion, that's just fact. Also a fact is that club would be fully aware of the pros and cons of investment in the game in Macarthur, the only question is how much effort and $$$ they invest in trying.

The fact that Souths are throwing a few bucks into the region is really quite meaningless to me. I mean, they are offering merch discounts to residents of SW Sydney from their merch store at Heffron Park. I don't see fleets of vehicles driving across town 60 minutes to Matraville for 5% off a Souths jersey.

The real fact of the matter is that Western Sydney is both a source of power and frustration for all Sydney clubs. There is no doubt of the potential in the population both financially and in footballers, but by the same token, the area is heavily populated by immigrants with no direct links with rugby league, and it's a huge and long-term task for the entire code to covert this population into card-carrying members.

For example Parramatta now has a huge subcontinental population in its heartland, but I don't know if I can name a single footballer of Indian or Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi heritage in the NRL or any grade below. I have no idea if Parramatta can sell good numbers of memberships to these families.

And then finally you get the argument whether or not there is tangible benefit, some 40-50 years down the track, of attempting to sure-up specific geographical areas within Sydney. It may be that Wests Tigers supporters are actually widely dispersed across Sydney. Souths already claim to have 10,000 members in SW Sydney, which would be 1/3rd of their entire membership. Now is this a product of Souths investment in Macarthur, or simply a by-product of population dispersal out of traditional inner South Sydney? Do people in Redfern steadfastly support Rabbits and live in the area any more than Tigers fans still claim hold over Balmain, Rozelle and Birchgrove?

Are the other facts listed in the article as accurate as the fact that the team has not played a game yet?


 

[Harvey]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

I don't suggest relocation in the short term, but plant your roots early. Doesn't take much to hold an open training session once a week in the area, have players turn up every so often at junior games/training sessions. Be seen as attached to the area and be the club that juniors can relate to and want to join.

All the juniors play in a jersey with a Wests Tiger on it? The roots were planted in the area 30 years ago, It would be nice to see it start flowering at some point.

You don't get much fruit if you don't look after the orchard.

 

[cochise]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

I don't suggest relocation in the short term, but plant your roots early. Doesn't take much to hold an open training session once a week in the area, have players turn up every so often at junior games/training sessions. Be seen as attached to the area and be the club that juniors can relate to and want to join.

All the juniors play in a jersey with a Wests Tiger on it? The roots were planted in the area 30 years ago, It would be nice to see it start flowering at some point.


You don't get much fruit if you don't look after the orchard.

Or if plant it in poor soil to begin with.

 

[TillLindemann]

Sounds like a Mickey Mouse initiative to me.

I agree. Souths "partnering" with an A-League team that hasn't played a match yet.

If you read the text of the article, the primary outcomes of the partnership are reciprocal access to matches and 5% off merchandise. Tigers already had a merchandise store in Macarthur Square and I believe it has closed - one can only assume lack of cost effectiveness.

The secondary outcome is Rabbits offering a mobile phone product, which has absolutely nothing to do with growing rugby league in a region. Can't wait for Rabbits to start offering credit cards and pawn brokerages.

After which the partnership falls to generic "Souths Cares" community initiatives that may already exist in SW Sydney or elsewhere.

Tigers already do community work in the area.

All of this pales in comparison to actually playing in the area.

Magpies and WT have been labouring in Macarthur for over 30 years and still it is far from an outstanding league region, either in junior development, fan base or corporate dollars. That's not an opinion, that's just fact. Also a fact is that club would be fully aware of the pros and cons of investment in the game in Macarthur, the only question is how much effort and $$$ they invest in trying.

The fact that Souths are throwing a few bucks into the region is really quite meaningless to me. I mean, they are offering merch discounts to residents of SW Sydney from their merch store at Heffron Park. I don't see fleets of vehicles driving across town 60 minutes to Matraville for 5% off a Souths jersey.

The real fact of the matter is that Western Sydney is both a source of power and frustration for all Sydney clubs. There is no doubt of the potential in the population both financially and in footballers, but by the same token, the area is heavily populated by immigrants with no direct links with rugby league, and it's a huge and long-term task for the entire code to covert this population into card-carrying members.

For example Parramatta now has a huge subcontinental population in its heartland, but I don't know if I can name a single footballer of Indian or Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi heritage in the NRL or any grade below. I have no idea if Parramatta can sell good numbers of memberships to these families.

And then finally you get the argument whether or not there is tangible benefit, some 40-50 years down the track, of attempting to sure-up specific geographical areas within Sydney. It may be that Wests Tigers supporters are actually widely dispersed across Sydney. Souths already claim to have 10,000 members in SW Sydney, which would be 1/3rd of their entire membership. Now is this a product of Souths investment in Macarthur, or simply a by-product of population dispersal out of traditional inner South Sydney? Do people in Redfern steadfastly support Rabbits and live in the area any more than Tigers fans still claim hold over Balmain, Rozelle and Birchgrove?


Are the other facts listed in the article as accurate as the fact that the team has not played a game yet?


The fact that it's not widely known they've played a game yet - I didn't know either - kind of reinforces that Souffs signing a fluff merchandise agreement with them is no big deal.

 

[TillLindemann]

The Wanderers - unlike Macarthur, an established A league club and one of the better supported clubs - managed to get a tv audience of 10,000 for their Friday night match against Newcastle. That is tv, not crowd - absolutely abysmal figures, essentially non-existent. A women's AFL match the same night got quadruple the number of viewers.

 

[cochise]

The Wanderers - unlike Macarthur, an established A league club and one of the better supported clubs - managed to get a tv audience of 10,000 for their Friday night match against Newcastle. That is tv, not crowd - absolutely abysmal figures, essentially non-existent. A women's AFL match the same night got quadruple the number of viewers.

The timing of the A leagues expansion could really hurt them.

 

[tony soprano]

The Wanderers - unlike Macarthur, an established A league club and one of the better supported clubs - managed to get a tv audience of 10,000 for their Friday night match against Newcastle. That is tv, not crowd - absolutely abysmal figures, essentially non-existent. A women's AFL match the same night got quadruple the number of viewers.

The timing of the A leagues expansion could really hurt them.

Will be interesting to see what happens with this new south west soccer team first I’m heading about it

 

[cochise]

The Wanderers - unlike Macarthur, an established A league club and one of the better supported clubs - managed to get a tv audience of 10,000 for their Friday night match against Newcastle. That is tv, not crowd - absolutely abysmal figures, essentially non-existent. A women's AFL match the same night got quadruple the number of viewers.

The timing of the A leagues expansion could really hurt them.

Will be interesting to see what happens with this new south west soccer team first I’m heading about it

I had a slight interest in them, paid attention to the scores on the news etc, because they were from one of our local areas. Now they have partnered with Souths they can crash and burn for all I care lol.

 

[Russell]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

Don't think the area has the inclination to support an NRL team.

Most people that move to new development areas, already have grown up supporting teams from the areas they move from.
E.g. If people on here moved to say Gymea or Caringbah - would you become Sharks supporters or continue to follow the Tigers?

 

[Russell]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

The jets moved out there in the early 80s because it was a growth area. They folded and the the magpies followed in the late 80s because it was a growth area. 30 years later it is still a growth area but has not been able to support a team of its own yet. Maybe Souths moving out there may kill them off too.

Hopefully.

 

[cochise]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

Don't think the area has the inclination to support an NRL team.

Most people that move to new development areas, already have grown up supporting teams from the areas they move from.
E.g. If people on here moved to say Gymea or Caringbah - would you become Sharks supporters or continue to follow the Tigers?

Agree fully mate, I am a prime example of that. I grew up in the Hunter but by the time the Knights came in I was 10 and already had my team. I have lived in both Parramatta and now Penrith for the past 20 years. There is no way I would change to follow any of these teams as I am a Wests Tiger through and through even though I have never lived in one of our catchment areas.

 

[TillLindemann]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

Don't think the area has the inclination to support an NRL team.

Most people that move to new development areas, already have grown up supporting teams from the areas they move from.
E.g. If people on here moved to say Gymea or Caringbah - would you become Sharks supporters or continue to follow the Tigers?

Good point. And I think that's one reason clubs from various codes tend to struggle on the Gold Coast - so many people who live there are from elsewhere originally, already supporting other teams.

 

[JC99]

Sounds like a Mickey Mouse initiative to me.

I agree. Souths "partnering" with an A-League team that hasn't played a match yet.

If you read the text of the article, the primary outcomes of the partnership are reciprocal access to matches and 5% off merchandise. Tigers already had a merchandise store in Macarthur Square and I believe it has closed - one can only assume lack of cost effectiveness.

The secondary outcome is Rabbits offering a mobile phone product, which has absolutely nothing to do with growing rugby league in a region. Can't wait for Rabbits to start offering credit cards and pawn brokerages.

After which the partnership falls to generic "Souths Cares" community initiatives that may already exist in SW Sydney or elsewhere.

Tigers already do community work in the area.

All of this pales in comparison to actually playing in the area.

Magpies and WT have been labouring in Macarthur for over 30 years and still it is far from an outstanding league region, either in junior development, fan base or corporate dollars. That's not an opinion, that's just fact. Also a fact is that club would be fully aware of the pros and cons of investment in the game in Macarthur, the only question is how much effort and $$$ they invest in trying.

The fact that Souths are throwing a few bucks into the region is really quite meaningless to me. I mean, they are offering merch discounts to residents of SW Sydney from their merch store at Heffron Park. I don't see fleets of vehicles driving across town 60 minutes to Matraville for 5% off a Souths jersey.

The real fact of the matter is that Western Sydney is both a source of power and frustration for all Sydney clubs. There is no doubt of the potential in the population both financially and in footballers, but by the same token, the area is heavily populated by immigrants with no direct links with rugby league, and it's a huge and long-term task for the entire code to covert this population into card-carrying members.

For example Parramatta now has a huge subcontinental population in its heartland, but I don't know if I can name a single footballer of Indian or Sri Lankan or Bangladeshi heritage in the NRL or any grade below. I have no idea if Parramatta can sell good numbers of memberships to these families.

And then finally you get the argument whether or not there is tangible benefit, some 40-50 years down the track, of attempting to sure-up specific geographical areas within Sydney. It may be that Wests Tigers supporters are actually widely dispersed across Sydney. Souths already claim to have 10,000 members in SW Sydney, which would be 1/3rd of their entire membership. Now is this a product of Souths investment in Macarthur, or simply a by-product of population dispersal out of traditional inner South Sydney? Do people in Redfern steadfastly support Rabbits and live in the area any more than Tigers fans still claim hold over Balmain, Rozelle and Birchgrove?


Are the other facts listed in the article as accurate as the fact that the team has not played a game yet?


The fact that it's not widely known they've played a game yet - I didn't know either - kind of reinforces that Souffs signing a fluff merchandise agreement with them is no big deal.

If you're not an A league fan why would you know? That's not the point of the agreement though. They're trying to get fans of bulls at their games and interested in their team, plus they can promote each other. Win win for both clubs.

 

[Russell]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

I don't suggest relocation in the short term, but plant your roots early. Doesn't take much to hold an open training session once a week in the area, have players turn up every so often at junior games/training sessions. Be seen as attached to the area and be the club that juniors can relate to and want to join.

All the juniors play in a jersey with a Wests Tiger on it? The roots were planted in the area 30 years ago, It would be nice to see it start flowering at some point.


You don't get much fruit if you don't look after the orchard.

Trouble is - this orchard has very, very poor soil and no water.

That is why all plantings have wilted and died.

I feel like Chauncey Gardner.

 

[tony soprano]

The Wanderers - unlike Macarthur, an established A league club and one of the better supported clubs - managed to get a tv audience of 10,000 for their Friday night match against Newcastle. That is tv, not crowd - absolutely abysmal figures, essentially non-existent. A women's AFL match the same night got quadruple the number of viewers.

The timing of the A leagues expansion could really hurt them.

Will be interesting to see what happens with this new south west soccer team first I’m heading about it

I had a slight interest in them, paid attention to the scores on the news etc, because they were from one of our local areas. Now they have partnered with Souths they can crash and burn for all I care lol.

Love your loyalty.

 

[mike]

South West Sydney is a bit like Gosford, they want their own team to support and not share it with other Sydney areas. Until that happens nothing much will change and South West Sydney will remain a satellite to the all codes. The first code that has a dedicated and supported team in that area will win the hearts and minds of the kids.

 

[cochise]

South West Sydney is a bit like Gosford, they want their own team to support and not share it with other Sydney areas. Until that happens nothing much will change and South West Sydney will remain a satellite to the all codes. The first code that has a dedicated and supported team in that area will win the hearts and minds of the kids.

A league just did that.

 

[mike]

South West Sydney is a bit like Gosford, they want their own team to support and not share it with other Sydney areas. Until that happens nothing much will change and South West Sydney will remain a satellite to the all codes. The first code that has a dedicated and supported team in that area will win the hearts and minds of the kids.

A league just did that.

Game over

 

[Harvey]

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

Souths have signed a ground breaking partnership with Macarthur FC.

Wests Tigers are losing the region to Souths and even Penrith..... What is our strategy for our footprint??

https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/01/29/ground-breaking-partnership-with-macarthur-fc/

Honestly, I don't know, but think we may be giving up out there. Wests Magpies Canterbury Cup team has moved from Campbelltown.

I definitely think club bosses see our future as being in the Inner-West. Our membership, crowd attendance and general support is much bigger in this locality. And with the centre of excellence coming at Concord I think this is the area our focus should be on.

It is definitely the inner-west, no doubt about it. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to step back and look where Wests Tigers have developed and it’s not Campbelltown.

exactly it is not like they built COE at campbletown
hope we can keep the Junior nursery going though and not let souths in dogs may be next


So you want your cake and you want to eat it too. The point is Souths are proactively engaging the community out there while we sit by and do nothing. It won't change much over the next year or two but they will just keep chipping away until they have a foothold in the area. They already play trials there and hold regular junior and school clinics in the area. Its not about moving lock stock and barrel to the area - its about maintaining strong ties with community and looking at ways to strenghten our hold on that nursery you talk about. People keep whingeing on here about doing what the "big" clubs do and then when one of those big clubs proactively moves in on our turf the same people say who cares it means nothing. It obviously means something to Souths.

We do all those things in the area plus play NRL games there, not just trials? We support the junior leagues out there and are developing and strengthening pathways, including putting highly experienced coaching staff in roles to mentor coaches, players and trainers. There are plans for an academy to be built in the area.

The area is not really engaging with the club, what is it that people want the club to do?

The people want the club to relocate to Campbelltown, that’s not going to happen.

Its not so much about relocating its about looking after what you have look how much things have changed in the last 20 years whats it going to be in the next 20 years ????? some of us will be long gone others will be still be around you don't want the scenario of SHOULDA WOULDA COULDA

I don't know if the area has the ability to support an NRL team.

The jets moved out there in the early 80s because it was a growth area. They folded and the the magpies followed in the late 80s because it was a growth area. 30 years later it is still a growth area but has not been able to support a team of its own yet. Maybe Souths moving out there may kill them off too.

So statistically over the last 30 years the south west has a similar ability to support a team of its own as the inner west, Illawarra & the Southern Suburbs of Sydney?