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To be or not to be is not a question of compromise. Either you be or you don't be.


Do you wanna be in my gang? East Derwent Highway, Geilston Bay. September 2011.

If I was tasked with the job of starting a professional sports organisation, I'd make sure that I'd get the branding right. The most recent teams in the Australian Football League (the premier league in the country) are very good examples of poor choices.

Back in 1994 and the formation of Fremantle, I originally felt that the Dockers was an [ahem] interesting choice indeed. Drawing to mind a fat, foul-mouthed warfie calling yet another stop work meeting didn't seem very inspiring; but in retrospect it has proven an original nickname and does capture some of the local colour.

It has been all downhill from there however...

For example: Port Adelaide Power? Accompanying on from the multitude of failed Australian soccer teams (Glory, Pride, Spirit, Kingz), the decidedly un-hip Port Power was launched. In teal.

Really.

Latterly, we have seen the Gold Coast Suns strutting there stuff. While they seem to get plenty of sun up north, I'm not sure about it. What does a sun imply? What sort of stuffed toy merchandise can one do with a sun? The jury is out.

Next year will see the introduction of the Greater Western Sydney Giants. Giants? That was the best they could do? It doesn't even scan. Personally, I would have went with the Greater Western Sydney Discombobulation.

At least that draws the eye.
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Comments

smudgeon said…
While not being an avid follower of football, I also find the nicknames of some of the recent era teams a little generic for my liking (I still like to think of Hawthorn as "The Mayblooms"). However, as my maternal roots are in & around Parramatta/Blacktown, I'll be ignoring the "Giants" tag and picking up with the it's-supposed-to-be-derogatory-but-we'll-reclaim-it-with-pride term "Westies". If they win more games next year than the Suns did this year, I'll eat my hat...
10 October 2011 at 09:17
Gemma Mira Wiseman aka Pamela Adams said…
Being far from a football fan and only superficially keeping my "awareness" alive for the sake of my students, I must agree about the rather absurd names! The most colourful one I remember is "Collywobbles" - a derogatory term for Collingwood! When I first arrived in Melbourne from Tassie, I asked the students what this word means! The reaction was an uproarious laugh! Now that's a name with spunk and attitude!
11 October 2011 at 13:31
Roddy said…
What are they running away from? Their home is in the opposite direction.
11 October 2011 at 19:11
Kris McCracken said…
Smudgeon, there is still a space for someone to be called the 'Wombats'.

Gemma, good to see you. We hate Collingwood in these parts.

Roddy, they are doing a blockie.
15 October 2011 at 18:04
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