AFL Invasion

[scalder]

Quote:
THE AFL is considering a radical proposal to launch an Irish-dominated team in Sydney's western suburbs, which would perform before an international audience under the Celtic brand name.

Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick confirmed last night that the Irish option was being explored as a possible basis for the competition's 18th team, to debut as early as 2012.

The "Sydney Celtics" plan was first put to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou 18 months ago by Gaelic Players Association executive Donal O'Neill. It has gained momentum in recent weeks following player agent Ricky Nixon's talent-spotting tour of Ireland

Nixon has contacted Demetriou and Fitzpatrick in recent days and put forward a revised template for the AFL's 18th licence.

Mr Fitzpatrick said last night: "It's been put to us and while it's not without its issues it's something we'll explore. Ricky has made a reasonably compelling case and we are not discounting anything at this stage."

The Celtic proposal would bring an expanded television audience in Ireland and across Britain. The Celtic brand could also open a marketing bonanza given the international cache afforded the Boston Celtics (a basketball team) and the Glasgow Celtics (a soccer team).

Australia's Irish heritage and the AFL's historic relationship with Gaelic football add to the proposal's selling points. Currently nine Irish players feature on AFL club lists. The AFL's most famous Irishman Jim Stynes was recently appointed chairman of Melbourne.

The proposal originated at the International Rules series in Ireland in late 2006 where O'Neill put forward a plan to purchase an AFL licence in Sydney.

O'Neill came to Australia and in January 2007 met Demetriou and his football general manager Adrian Anderson, along with AFL Players' Association chief executive Brendon Gale.

The talks were kept secret largely because of domestic political concerns in Ireland, where players remain amateur despite the fact that the Irish governing body, the Gaelic Athletic Association, boasts $4 billion in assets.

Demetriou yesterday confirmed the meeting with O'Neill, who reportedly put forward a detailed business plan involved millions of dollars in funding emanating from the US and Britain as well as Ireland.

The AFL chief executive said yesterday: "To call this embryonic is an understatement. We are looking at several proposals and we have been forwarded all sorts of ideas."

Gale said of the proposal: "When it was first raised I saw it as a soft but effective way of internationalising our game and growing it domestically. Clearly there are some incredible structural challenges but I saw it as worthy of referring on ... As a blank canvas I think it has merit."

While the AFL has started construction on its new home base for its team out of western Sydney — a boutique stadium in Rooty Hill near Blacktown — it is not expected to grant its 18th licence for about 12 months.

The western Sydney working party devising player rules and draft concessions for the second Sydney team is due to meet next on July 22.

At this stage the Irish proposal has not been officially discussed by the AFL's NSW-ACT operation. One misgiving among senior league executives is the fall-out associated with creating a team heavily based upon a national or cultural identity, something which has caused deep divisions in soccer in the past.

Nixon, a former teammate of Fitzpatrick at Carlton, launched his talent-spotting project earlier this year across all 32 Irish counties. He has signed five AFL clubs (each at a cost of $30,000), with the promise of identifying at least one Irish youngster for each club's senior list.

Recently engaged in a war of words with Sydney premiership player and Listowel native Tadhg Kennelly, who accused Nixon of plundering Irish talent, Nixon has workshopped the Celtic proposal with at least two AFL club chief executives. 

[scalder]

Ok lads, I was thinking about this and can think of one way curbing this and improving Gaelic, ban the handpass.

Simple, puts the "foot" back in football and removes the skill the Ozzys are most intrested in too.

[Mentalman]

Man, that is pretty damning stuff on behalf of O'Neill, the mask has well and truely dropped. THis development is virtually forcing official semi-professional status on the GAA in order to prevent a drain of some of our best, or attract them back, from Australia, as well as gain some compensation for those that go.

[TBT]

Man, that is pretty damning stuff on behalf of O'Neill, the mask has well and truely dropped. THis development is virtually forcing official semi-professional status on the GAA in order to prevent a drain of some of our best, or attract them back, from Australia, as well as gain some compensation for those that go.

I think O Neill is a side show in all this. It quite clear that the Aussies have notions of reaping and pilaging the GAA for all its worth. Did Nixon reveal this to Nickey Brennen I wonder?

[Mentalman]

Man, that is pretty damning stuff on behalf of O'Neill, the mask has well and truely dropped. THis development is virtually forcing official semi-professional status on the GAA in order to prevent a drain of some of our best, or attract them back, from Australia, as well as gain some compensation for those that go.

I think O Neill is a side show in all this. It quite clear that the Aussies have notions of reaping and pilaging the GAA for all its worth. Did Nixon reveal this to Nickey Brennen I wonder?

Musn't have, didn't mention it in any of his interviews, which seemed quite frank at the time, but he wasn't revealing the full story as we know now.

Wouldn't underplay O'Neill, it says there that he presented detailed business plan -

Demetriou yesterday confirmed the meeting with O'Neill, who reportedly put forward a detailed business plan involved millions of dollars in funding emanating from the US and Britain as well as Ireland.

[stiffler]

Someone should start up an aussie rules team based in melbourne made up entirely of Gaa players, then the players play for 2 or 3 seasons before returning to their native county for the rest of their careers.

This way all top GAA players can live the life of a professional (granted for a limited time) and we would retain the best of our talent in this country.

I would imagine a top class aussie rules side made up entirely of irish players would be very marketable in Oz.

I wasnt too far off the mark!!

[Mentalman]

Someone should start up an aussie rules team based in melbourne made up entirely of Gaa players, then the players play for 2 or 3 seasons before returning to their native county for the rest of their careers.

This way all top GAA players can live the life of a professional (granted for a limited time) and we would retain the best of our talent in this country.

I would imagine a top class aussie rules side made up entirely of irish players would be very marketable in Oz.

I wasnt too far off the mark!!

That is uncanny!

[zoyler]

This report was by Caroline Wilson who knows here stuff.

Did O'Neill tell the GAA what was going on.  Did he tell his members? 

Some explainations are required and fast!  This totally  undermines the GPAs supposed desire for good realationships with Croke Park. 

What are they playing at,

[Uladh]

Perhaps this was the reason for O'Neill parting with the GPA?

[Gnevin]

AFL considers Irish-dominated Celtics


The AFL is considering a radical proposal to launch an Irish-dominated team in Sydney's western suburbs which would perform before an international audience under the Celtic brand name.

Commission chairman Mike Fitzpatrick confirmed on Friday night the Irish option was being explored as a possible basis for the competition's 18th team, to debut as early as 2012.

The Sydney Celtics plan was first put to AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou 18 months ago by Gaelic Players Association executive Donal O'Neill, Fairfax newspapers report on Saturday.

It has gained momentum in recent weeks following player agent Ricky Nixon's talent-spotting tour of Ireland.

Nixon has contacted Demetriou and Fitzpatrick in recent days and put forward a revised template for the AFL's 18th licence.

Mr Fitzpatrick said on Friday night: "It's been put to us and, while it's not without its issues, it's something we'll explore. Ricky has made a reasonably compelling case and we are not discounting anything at this stage."

The Celtic proposal would bring an expanded television audience in Ireland and across Britain.

The Celtic brand could also open a marketing bonanza given the international cachet afforded the Boston Celtics (a basketball team) and the Glasgow Celtics (a soccer team).

Australia's Irish heritage and the AFL's historic relationship with Gaelic football add to the proposal's selling points.

Currently nine Irish players feature on AFL club lists. The AFL's most famous Irishman, Jim Stynes, was recently appointed chairman of Melbourne.


I know their is thread on this but deserves one on its own
http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=596310

[Mentalman]

Already under discussion under the AFL Invasion thread, but probably deserves a thread in it's own right anyway, could be the most serious threat to the big ball game of recent times:

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=6748.195

[johnpower]

Already under discussion under the AFL Invasion thread, but probably deserves a thread in it's own right anyway, could be the most serious threat to the big ball game of recent times:

http://gaaboard.com/board/index.php?topic=6748.195

Enough is enough this is a serious threat to the GAA . Nicky needs to taclkle this head on

[Zulu]

I don't think this will ever get off the ground because of the problems with a team made up of and marketed as a culturally seperate team.

[Jinxy]

I don't think this will ever get off the ground because of the problems with a team made up of and marketed as a culturally seperate team.

Particularly in Australia. Could you imagine the abuse an Irish team would get?

[Bogball XV]

i'd watch them, it's not the worst idea, but i imagine there's zero chance of this coming off.  The time difference means that games will never be able to command decent time slots over here, so where could the revenue come from?  There's 20 million people over there with several unrepresented states/territories who would obviously be able to generate more revenue than an 'irish' side would.
However if we want to stop the drain of talent, maybe it's time we realised that paying players would be more productive than paying contractors to build more underutilised stadia/