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AFL Expansion given killer blow
By James Phelps
April 29, 2009 .
THE AFL's plans for a second team in Western Sydney are in disarray after the State Government withdrew financial backing for the code's expansion.
The Government has informed the AFL it will not help fund the $100 million re-development of the Sydney Showground at Homebush, where a second AFL side was set to be based from 2012.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal Premier Nathan Rees met with AFL boss Andrew Demetriou three weeks ago to inform him of the decision.
With NSW in a parlous financial state, it is understood the Government decided pumping big money into AFL's expansion - right in the heartland of rugby league - would risk a voter backlash.
Forced to abandon their ambitious Homebush project, the AFL will now be forced to spend at least $33 million to set up the Showground as a no-frills home ground - something AFL officials and key stakeholders are not prepared to do.
The recent addition of a Gold Coast side in 2011 was only rubber-stamped by the AFL when it was given a $60 million grant by the Queensland Government.
The AFL's NSW/ACT general manager, Dale Holmes, confirmed there was no alternative proposal before the NSW Government about future venues for a Western Sydney side.
"There is a working group but there is no proposal in front of the (State Government for a stadium redevelopment)," Holmes said.
Given the AFL are due to make a decision on whether to push ahead with their expansion into Western Sydney by next month, the lack of government support and a top-flight home ground would appear to be a killer blow.
But Holmes said there are alternative options to the Showground, including playing at ANZ Stadium.
Sports Minister Kevin Greene told The Daily Telegraph he was reluctant to support a code that did have not numbers on the ground.
The AFL has 2929 players in club football in Western Sydney, sparking concerns over the viability of a second Sydney team competing in the same market.
"In terms of sustaining a new team, the AFL need to continue getting greater participation and converting players from their developmental squad into players on the ground," Greene said.
A spokesman for AFL boss Demetriou was last night adamant the AFL was on track for the proposed launch in 2012.
"The AFL Commission reiterated again yesterday its support for a team in Western Sydney starting in the AFL in season 2012," the spokesman said.
"2012 remains the target and that hasn't changed."
The proposed $100 million Sydney Showground redevelopment was to include convention facilities.
But while the Showground development has been canned, the $30 million redevelopment of Blacktown Olympic Park into a 10,000 capacity venue and training base is on schedule to be completed by June.
But the ground will be unsuitable to play AFL matches unless there is a further multi-million dollar investment - something the State Government is reluctant to fund.
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