Western Bulldogs plan to play home match in New Zealand within two years

[SlimPickens]

JEFF Kennett's call for the AFL to look to New Zealand may be realised inside two years as the Western Bulldogs plan to take a home game there as soon as next season.

Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick told The Australian plans were in place for the first match ever played for premiership points outside Australia to be held in the New Zealand capital of Wellington.

"The most likely prospect at this point is 2013," Garlick said.

Link Here:http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/new-zealand-next-in-afls-grand-vision/story-e6frf9if-1226035051479

[Cyberdoggie]

Awesome!

Good opportunity to plan a trip around it.

Much nicer to visit NZ than Canberra or Darwin.

[Desipura]

Didn't Smorgo say we will not be selling any games passed 2012? They have gone full circle on this one.

[The Coon Dog]

Didn't Smorgo say we will not be selling any games passed 2012? They have gone full circle on this one.
He's been saying that for a while now. A complete backflip that I don't think is going to be overly popular with members.

[LostDoggy]

He's been saying that for a while now. A complete backflip that I don't think is going to be overly popular with members.

Yeah, if we're going to sell home games, how about Hobart? (Purely selfish on my part, much cheaper to get to and I love it there!!) ;)

[Ozza]

I don't really like the idea of going and playing in unfamilar conditions.

If we were to play - say - Port Adelaide , over there - a team where we would clearly have an advantage over in Melbourne (and in Darwin in recent years where we've become fairly accustomed) - I'd hate to give up that advantage and level the playing field by playing somewhere very neutral.

[LostDoggy]

If we are going to get only 20K to our first home game I can understand why they may need to go this way.

[bornadog]

If there are big dollars involved, I am all for it, especially if we are there before any other team.

[LostDoggy]

Very interesting. All for it if the sums are right.

[LostDoggy]

I like it (as my Wife's family is from NZ).

[LostDoggy]

I think the club has to do whatever it takes to become financially secure. I'm happy to travel across the ditch and combine the footy with a holiday (if I can afford it!):D

[soupman]

Could be a good excuse to go for a brief snowboarding holiday if the timing fits.

[Happy Days]

Would much prefer NZ to Darwin.

[Remi Moses]

The club's in a no-win situation.
Unfortunately to be sustainable we have to do this plus 8,000 fickle fans give the club little option.

[LostDoggy]

If we are going to get only 20K to our first home game I can understand why they may need to go this way.


If there are big dollars involved, I am all for it, especially if we are there before any other team.


The club's in a no-win situation.
Unfortunately to be sustainable we have to do this plus 8,000 fickle fans give the club little option.

Absolutely. North Melbourne have the same problem — their supporters are incredibly vocal about what they won't put up with — selling games, moving to QLD/Tas, etc. — but don't turn up to the games and don't buy memberships.

When we eventually slide back down the ladder in the next few years, and the casual members evaporate, we're going to need to shore up our position financially.

I'm all for it!

[LostDoggy]

Also a good thing about taking a game to NZ is, when they all end up moving here and they are looking for a team to support. THey might jump on us as they seen us already once

[GVGjr]

I think it's a very poor idea and not something that will be sustained. Our history of talking up these ventures and then getting out of them in the short term because we couldn't make them work doesn't inspire me with confidence.

Some might say good on the club for their continued innovative efforts at expanding the markets but I'd much prefer that we did one thing right and made it work.

I like NZ but won't be going there to watch us play any time soon.

[comrade]

Some might say good on the club for their continued innovative efforts at expanding the markets but I'd much prefer that we did one thing right and made it work.


Darwin is the one that sticks in the craw. Had we committed long term to a Tasmania/Hawthorn type arrangement when we first struck the deal, we would have been able to block other clubs from encroaching.

[GVGjr]

Darwin is the one that sticks in the craw. Had we committed long term to a Tasmania/Hawthorn type arrangement when we first struck the deal, we would have been able to block other clubs from encroaching.

Despite the words from the President, I never felt our heart was in it.
To me we were just chasing the dollars, which most of us can appreciate, but why do they need to package it all up as something that it isn't? If playing games in NZ is a grab for cash to make up for poor memberships or something else then I hope they just say so. I don't however, want to hear the same thing we said about Canberra, the Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Darwin about this arrangement.

To me this is either a novelty, flying the flag for the AFL competition or a money grab but if we genuinely believe it's something more then they need to make this work not just walk away from it in a season or two.

[comrade]

Despite the words from the President, I never felt our heart was in it.
To me we were just chasing the dollars, which most of us can appreciate, but why do they need to package it all up as something that it isn't? If playing games in NZ is a grab for cash to make up for poor memberships or something else then I hope they just say so. I don't however, want to hear the same thing we said about Canberra, the Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Darwin about this arrangement.

To me this is either a novelty, flying the flag for the AFL competition or a money grab but if we genuinely believe it's something more then they need to make this work not just walk away from it in a season or two.

Totally agree.

[LostDoggy]

Despite the words from the President, I never felt our heart was in it.
To me we were just chasing the dollars, which most of us can appreciate, but why do they need to package it all up as something that it isn't? If playing games in NZ is a grab for cash to make up for poor memberships or something else then I hope they just say so. I don't however, want to hear the same thing we said about Canberra, the Sunshine Coast, Sydney and Darwin about this arrangement.

To me this is either a novelty, flying the flag for the AFL competition or a money grab but if we genuinely believe it's something more then they need to make this work not just walk away from it in a season or two.

This.

I'm generally supportive of the move because it is innovative, but we should just bite the bullet and go all Hawthorn/Tassie, or not bother.

[bornadog]

JEFF Kennett's call for the AFL to look to New Zealand may be realised inside two years as the Western Bulldogs plan to take a home game there as soon as next season.

Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick told The Australian plans were in place for the first match ever played for premiership points outside Australia to be held in the New Zealand capital of Wellington.

"The most likely prospect at this point is 2013," Garlick said.

Link Here:http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/new-zealand-next-in-afls-grand-vision/story-e6frf9if-1226035051479

I wonder what happened to this and now the Saints have embraced it and will play for premiership points?

[Remi Moses]

Interesting, heard Ian Smith and a few others on radio Sport NZ being not so positive about the whole exercise. One described it as "Pushing sh1t up hill"!
Yes, there will be free tickets aplenty but whether they can garnish any interest is fanciful at best.Rugby's got an amazing pull, and even cricket is struggling to cope.