Gather Round move to Sydney a natural progression of th econcept: Swans coach John Longmire

Gather Round has done wonders for South Australia, but Swans coach John Longmire said it was natural to look to bring the weekend to the game’s growth areas.

Swans fans during AFL Gather Round match between the Sydney Swans and Richmond at the Adelaide Oval on 14 April, 2023. Picture: Phil Hillyard.

Swans coach John Longmire believes it’s a “no-brainer” for the AFL to eventually move Gather Round to Sydney to help grow Aussie rules in the northern states.

Following the successful first staging of the concept in Adelaide last year, the South Australian government and the AFL locked in a deal for the state to host the weekend for the next three years through to 2026.

Speaking on the first episode of the club’s new ‘More than Footy’ podcast to be released later this week, Longmire argued that a change of thinking is required.

He felt that if the competition is serious about growing the game in the northern states, it should be looking to move Gather Round to the location where there is both the biggest audience and potential for growth.

Longmire believes moving Gather Round to Sydney would help the growth of Aussie rules in NSW. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“I would have thought that it was a no-brainer to have Gather Round in Sydney,” Longmire said.

“I think it’s wonderful what’s happened in Adelaide in terms of a great concept, and I understand that. But I would have thought that if you’re really keen to promote the game in the northern markets, in particular, where a great chunk of Australia’s population resides which is from Wollongong up to Newcastle, you’d be keen to try and expand the game’s growth.

“Expand the marketplace, expand the amount of top-line athletes we can have playing our game as we try to get a new team up in Tassie. And therefore, put Gather Round in Sydney.

“We need some more infrastructure, but we need to have a Gather Round in Sydney.”

Longmire has long been a passionate advocate for the competition to do everything it can to infiltrate Sydney which is considered one of the most congested sporting markets in the world.

He felt that a lot of positive steps had been taken and the cut-through and recognition of Aussie rules has improved significantly.

However, reflecting on conversations he had with other coaches he argued that bringing Gather Round to Sydney is the perfect example of a decision that takes into account just how challenging it is for the AFL to gain a foothold in NSW.

More than 40,000 fans packed into Adelaide Oval to watch the Swans’ win over Richmond at last year’s Gather Round. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“It’s interesting when you talk to guys like Adam Kingsley or Chris Fagan who have spent so much time in Melbourne,” Longmire said.

“[They] come up and see the challenges or the opportunities that are north of the Murray and how competitive the environment is up there. Their views completely change.

“You always look at your own backyard as a coach of a club, Victorian clubs can do that. We all do it, we all want the best from our football team. But if you try to step back a bit, and you look at those numbers, it’s pretty hard to argue in terms of the competition but also the opportunity.

“If we get it right, it’s good for everybody, it’s good for the game and that’s got to be good.”

Longmire isn’t the first high-profile voice to call for the move, with Giants CEO Dave Matthews also vocal in his belief that the AFL needs to make the brave decision to shift the event to Sydney.

The inaugural Gather Round concept was a raging success for South Australia, adding $83 million to the state’s economy with 268,000 fans attending matches across the four days.

However, a shift to Sydney would require some creative thinking around stadiums. Only the SCG and Giants Stadium currently host AFL matches in the state, with Gather Round utilising three grounds in Adelaide.

Potential options include fixturing blockbuster games at Accor Stadium, where the last AFL game was played in 2022. Alternatively, Sydney could look to replicate the boutique nature of playing at Mount Barker by taking games to either Henson Park or North Sydney Oval where AFLW games are held regularly.

Originally published as Gather Round move to Sydney a natural progression of th econcept: Swans coach John Longmire