Indeed which is why npl on planes for a nst would be totally fine as long as you have a system to make yoyoing common. If we cant afford a conference tier could make it for the time being that relegated teams automatically get first dibs on promotion if they finish top in the npl next year rather than use a finals systems

Yeah fair enough. Fingers crossed things change

Heres a thought for your next Roar article and Reddit poll... announce a National Second Divison made up of 14 as yet to be formed, new regional football clubs, based all around Australia with absolutely NO connection to exisiting effnik clubs but perhaps to some of the larger regional/metro clubs like Wollongong, Shepparton, Tasmania, Canberra etc.... let me know if ANYONE mentions cost as a prohibitive factor or mentions "we need a stable Aleague first" heheheheheheheh, 

I think you're imposing some sort of siege mentality on yourself mate. From my experience the vast majority of Australian football fans would welcome a mix of NPL/former NSL clubs and new expansions to an NSD. SU58 presents an issue for some people though after the Australia Cup issue.

Concerns about affordability are almost certainly separate to concerns about ethnic violence or whatever for most people; not everything is a thinly veiled attack on old Australian football 

I hear your point, few are explicitly complaining about ethnic clubs these days. But I do wonder at how many are resistant to nst having more flexibility over entry requirements at their own expense

if the clubs are paying for it and they want to set whatever criteria they want, why do people say "don't do that its npl on planes" (There was a poll in aleagues reddit where the majority either opposed an nst or would only allow it if it had a high bar for entry, even though it is at the clubs expense. Rugari is in this camp)

we win 1-0 and top the group

They certainly ARE few but I think your buddy Braisntrust has a psychological issue with NPL clubs and Greeks in particular.... That rambling about a South fan being paid $50 to travel to Shepparton and report on stats for a Chinese betting site was  a personal favourite of mine....  

Sure mate, maybe I do have a "siege mentality" Im willing to admit to that :)  I agree that most passionate football fans have moved on from the prejudices of the past but there is still a small but VERY vocal minority that sees the NST as a comp for the "Greeks, Italians and Croats"... Its 2024 and things are slightly better than 20 years ago but it seems we are STILL not all  "proper" Australians. 

seriously just to call out mentioning SU58 presents an issue or concern to the wet blankets maybe on reddit or otherwise.
Wouldn't you put WSW for one being a concern re crowd behaviour over how many years - then throw in MC/MV fanboi's re how many issues between the 3 of them over the years let alone throw in Coveites doing their bit as well.
I have no seige mentality but see that both sides have and had concerns.

https://www.soccerscene.com.au/football-queensland-ceo-robert-cavallucci-weve-got-every-right-to-take-our-place-as-the-most-dominant-code-in-australia/

An inrerview with fq head

Should come with a health warning by those who get stressed out by things that make no sense :D

Nah, the wogs born in the 70s to 2000s are definitely all skips now in the eyes of the new immigrant groups that have come in. 

There is even a Nepali *pretty sure it's Nepali* community meme where they're pointing fun at the ones who still think they are Italian or whatever despite 3rd-4th gen already been here. 

The only people who don't see the wogs as proper Australians are the ones trolling you on TikTok and the ones currently getting their final food through a tube. 

I think it's a point also that both wogs and skips love ethnic dramas at games and the media know this. 

The social media numbers on that Oakleigh v Thunder drama showed how hooked everyone is on it. 

It hits way better and different to both the wider football audience and media than some pre-organised hooligan meetup between Sydney FC and Wanderers. 

It's just the Anglo-Wog mentality and will always be like that. AAFC just need to accept that and ride with it. 

I would also argue that the wider audience sees the NST as a boomer league, try get a young kid down to Olympic, you'll need to pay them these days. It somehow has gotten worse than the mid 2010s. They seem to not give a shit about the NST either but I do believe the first few years will be successful and very good numbers all across the board since it's new and Australia loves the new but a sharp decline will happen once that trend of going dies.

Going to the football and supporting a club is a trend in Australia, the admins need to understand this before jeopardising anything. 

Balkans & East Asians don't mind a soccer match either, as well as the NorDics.

His answer to the question about the NST was complete gobbledegook. As expected.

I only speak of Sydney, but most of the people born to immigrant parents do not refer to themselves as Australian. The worst offenders are to me “ one and the same “, namely North Macedonians  and Greeks. Even if their parents were born here, they still refer to themselves as non Australians.

Which is wild because you are getting 3rd and fourth gen now. 

both your posts have some merit Volkz I agree.
I'm a first gen aussie born here so prior to the 70's but my kids more so my first 2 boys fall into the decades mentioned.
Your right imo and talking from our little world perspective of passionate football fanatics amongst many footballing mates of my boys.
My boys football mates tried AL but can't grasp it, most if not all are from migrant families incl some form the ME.
Yet for eg my eldest sons few greek playing mates, they go to key SO games like Aus Cup, derbies but over all after their games its go out with their partners because the NPL lacks the cred it deserves so to speak.
They are excited about the NST if it ever commences, they have quoted if this gets going they will be there with bells on incl my 2 boys to NST.
Yes will it last ? we thats up to the comp to deliver.
Same applies to my young 19yr old daughters boyfriend from 1st gen Greek parents, he'll go to SO games and APIA due to us.

Sutho, I wouldn't say "most", obviously your only talking from the ones you know or heard of which wouldn't be in the hundreds but I do get your train of thought.

Seriously no matter 2nd or 3rd gen, people like to grasp their roots no matter how many gens on, its natural for some, thats not a crime but their bloodline.
I'm born here, luv my country, fight for it but I'm also Italian/Cro blood and I luv it as well.
I have portugese inlaws/bro and sister inlaws, most born there, a couple swear they are portugese first despite them being here for near on 30yrs.
I don't hold anything against them.
Seriously why care, this place was brought up by migrants, thats the unique thing about Oz, anglos discovered it but the wogs made it haha, thats our DNA and hence the divides/the passionate conflicts and why football is so diverse and why AL struggles after the honeymoon for as Volkz quoted people here like a new squeeky wheel.

LFC, it is in the hundreds, especially the North Macedonians.

 I work with a guy who's father and grandfather were both born in the Belgian Congo, as it was known at the time. He was born here and claims to be Greek !, as his Granfathers father was Greek.
I actually work with a lot would be's.

Did they hold any meetings this week?

and what do YOU call them Sutho?

That must be really vexing for you ... Does your colleague also advise you what pronouns to use when speaking to him/her/they/them?

Nothing I heard but ill "get the goss" tonight .... I hope :) 

Yeah I hear you. NPL crowds were better 6-7 years ago but the decline across the board is worrying... This NST may be the "last hurrah" for some of the clubs... If it doesnt bring some people back to the game, nothing will.

Could be worse :)

Maybe not quite 'last hurrah', but definitely a 'this is as good as it gets' scenario.
One massive challenge is the cultural shift with the younger generations coming through. Where previous generations followed a club, the newer generations tend to follow the individual. It's basically the result of being saturated with social media, which is all very much focused on the individual. Obviously this is a challenge at all levels, but becomes more of an issue at the professional level in the AL and future NST as unfortunately these metrics hold a higher level of importance. 
With the NST in particular, I think it will come down to the ability of the FA and the individual clubs to identify and understand their core target audience. By core target audience, I mean the football fans that are not currently going to games. People like yourself Mono, are not the target audience. You're already there. Basically, as long as your club is playing football, you will watch, attend and hand over your cash. Your the easy ones. It's the ones that like football and may even already support a club like South but don't actively watch or go to games. As you are well aware, no shortage of dormant South fans here in Melbourne. They should be the primary focus. Those are the people that are going to make or break the NST. 

Yeah mate, 100% correct... For some clubs it will be tapping into that "dormant" support while for others this wont be enough and they will have to drive themselves towards other markets... Preston does it really well in my opinion, they usually play on Friday nights, have a youngish fan base all pretty local to the ground and rely on their appeal to older fans (and their families) North Macedonian history but DONT neglect their other local nationalities.... 

Lately I have been chatting to a few surprising new faces at South games... A couple of Spanish lads over here on student visas and a an English couple that live in South Melbourne and just wanted to local club to socialise at and found the "greekness" charming... The "fish" are their for South, especially as South Melbourne and surrounds isv ery apartment heavy these days with many new arrivals from football mad countries.. its THAT market we should focus on in my opinion.

As for the new generation of football fandom - the kids that have 4 different Ronaldo shirts from different clubs, well that demographic will NEVER find an equivalency here in my opinion. We are decades, if not generations off producing players at NST or even Aleague level that will garner this sort of insta-support. 

As much as this concept is anathema to me and my generation I ave always wondered, for example the kids that buy a pink Inter Miami Messi shirt for example, do they follow the team in any meaningful way AFTER Messi stops playing for them??? What do they do with the pink shirt if Messi starts playing for a rival MLS club next year for example?

Absolutely, and it's up to the FA and Clubs to recognise this demographic is probably not worth focusing on.
IMO growing crowd numbers in the NST (and AL) will be about focused targeting rather than the wide net approach.

Why is this in your opinion?

I noticed the crowds at local VFL games down significantly as well.

I dont actually have an answer for you... Things were stagnating for a couple of years before COVID for South but that was down to our dire performances, managerial merry-go-round, a HUGE slump after our Aleague bid got rejected and lack of competitiveness.. Post COVID the first few rounds saw decent crowds as people were just happy to be outside again :) But these past couple of seasons, going to Somers Street and OV, which used to draw decent crowds for both us and the home team, the crowds have been flat... 

We play Port tonight in a pretty much season defining match (win and we are 6 clear at the top with two rounds to go, one of which is against the ONLY club that can catch us) and yet, I would guess at best maybe 500-700 crowd will brave the cold...... 

MSC I saw earlier this arvo my very devoted Lions supporter and insider.
He/they is pissed with the FA,depending what becomes they will consider going legal towards them.