Now Sheedy and the AFL might think it clever to belittle one of League's most admired players and a Western Sydney favourite but its no way to win the hearts and minds of a demographic further removed from AFL than any other in the country. I bet most of you on this forum probably can't stand AFL but I'd wager you'd know and recognise their champions in the likes of Gary Ablett Jnr, Buddy Franklin and Chris Judd. Furthermore, I'm sure most of you would respect the deeds of former champions like James Hird, Nathan Buckley and the recently retired Michael O'Loughlin.
As some might know, I love AFL. It's a fast, unpredictable and yes skillful sport. Unlike many, I don't want to see the GWS side fail dismally but the AFL have to start getting a bit smart. Obviously the NRL are a little nervous - after all, the NRL have never had to bother with Western Sydney - knowing it would always remain League's most fertile and reliable nursery. But in my opinion, the AFL would be better served by abandoning it's policy of media stunts and idiotic remarks from an irrelevant and ageing man. To capture the hearts and minds of young boys and girls in Western Sydney, surely a young progressive, identifiable coach leading the way would be preferable to someone you're more likely to see in a nursing home.
I think we'd all be better off if Sheedy stuck to selling hot water systems.
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But on your point Bourban Man, why wouldn't they have used an ex swans player or something - nobody here will identify with Sheedy - he comes across as a Victorian spruiking a Victorian game.
I know he's signed as a talent scout, but I wouldn't have minded seeing Paul Kelly get the top job, or maybe even a Paul Roos. Paul Kelly is a Swans legend, former Brownlow Medalist and a New South Welshman (born in Wagga) and Roos has spent enough time in Sydney to be familiar with the nuances of the Sydney market. But the AFL have gone with Sheedy because they know his spontaneous, eratic style when dealing with the media will generate headlines and they're obviously of the view that any publicity is good publicity - a strategy with which I couldn't disagree more.
I think that whole argument is faulty. Especially considering soccer is already an option for kids to take up, which mind you is played much more heavily than league or aussie rules in Sydney, and no one has ever really seemed to care about that as a threat in the past.
Buddy Franklin represents the new style AFL footballer - i.e. the sort of physical gifts more traditionally aligned with League than AFL (he's physically very similar to Greg Inglis and apparently the two have mucked around together at training and can pretty much do what the other can) so there's no reason talent the likes of Inu, Jennings, Folau et al couldn't make a successful transition to AFL - particularly if snared at an early age.
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