AFL's Pacific recruiter at the helm of new Western Sydney team

Updated November 10, 2009 10:07:22

After agreeing to head a recruitment drive for Australian Football League (AFL) players in the Pacific, the former Essendon and Richmond coach, Kevin Sheedy, has also announced plans to win coverts in his own country. Sheedy is turning his attention to the Rugby League region of Western Sydney. He has taken the position of inaugural coach of the AFL's newest team - Greater Western Sydney - for the next three years, including the club's first year in the AFL in 2012.

Presenter: David Marks
Speakers: Andrew Demetriou, chief executive, Australian Football League; Kevin Sheedy, coach, Greater Western Sydney; Dave Matthews , general manager of development, AFL and Ron Barassi, former Sydney Swans coach

DAVID MARK: If you want to convert the masses you'll need a messiah.

KEVIN SHEEDY: I've got a lot of ideas. I've been rested, I might get dangerous soon.

DAVID MARK: It's two years since Kevin Sheedy last coached Essendon in the AFL.

But for the league it's the 635 games and four premierships he coached before he was controversially sacked that count.

GAME CALLER: And Kevin Sheedy makes his way down to the arena to a round of applause.

(Siren)

GAME CALLER: Siren.

(Essendon song)

DAVID MARK: For 27 years at Essendon, Kevin Sheedy's name was synonymous with one of the AFL's oldest clubs. Now he's the new coach of the AFL's newest side; one that doesn't even have a name apart from a working title - Greater Western Sydney - and one that won't play in the AFL until 2012.

But it's clear his passion for the Australian Rules football still burns.

KEVIN SHEEDY: All we're really doing is providing a new menu and that is Australian football. It's taken too long to get here. It took too long for a lot of other things to happen in this country but we're here now and we're gonna get this right.

DAVID MARK: The AFL's CEO, Andrew Demetriou, says Kevin Sheedy was the only person considered for the job.

ANDREW DEMETRIOU: Obviously a passion for the game; someone who was an innovator; someone who was prepared to accept a challenge and risk their reputation and obviously someone with experience. When you consider all those criteria Kevin Sheedy ticked all the boxes.

DAVID MARK: By appointing Kevin Sheedy, the AFL has also appointed the game's greatest salesman to crack a tough market, the heartland of Rugby League, as the AFL's general manager of development, Dave Matthews explains.

DAVE MATTHEWS: The planets have aligned here for team GWS in that you're getting a fantastic coach, who just so happens to be maybe the best marketer this game's ever seen.

DAVID MARK: Which is why you'll hear a lot of these sort of statements while Kevin Sheedy's coaching and living in Sydney.

KEVIN SHEEDY: I think we've got the greatest game and why shouldn't we be here.

DAVID MARK: The AFL's push for a second team in Australia's biggest city is predicated on capturing the hearts and minds of just some of two million people living in Sydney's west.

It's Rugby League country, but Kevin Sheedy's ready for a challenge.

KEVIN SHEEDY: Well look I mean obviously it's going to be tough, but you shouldn't walk away from that. We're not here to go around necessarily annoying Rugby and Rugby League. We're here to give kids an opportunity that may not want to play Rugby.

DAVID MARK: In 1993 another Aussie Rules legend, Ron Barassi, was summoned to Sydney to coach the then languishing Sydney Swans.

RON BARASSI: He's very different. He might have to go a bit slow on the words there at some stages but no he's a character; he'll engage people. He'll get them talking about him and about football.

DAVID MARK: And how will Kevin Sheedy judge his success?

KEVIN SHEEDY: By building a club hopefully and a community that love what we do here. Just imagine if you could create a club as good as the Opera House.

And this area has that opportunity and the AFL should get a licence given to these people living here to create one of the greatest clubs this nation's ever seen. That's the opportunity here.

DAVID MARK: But he acknowledges building an Australian Football culture in Western Sydney could take up to 40 years.

KEVIN SHEEDY: So it's a tough gig, but who'll win will be the people of the west. Don't even think they won't.

DAVID MARK: And what of those people in the west; do they know Kevin Sheedy?

FEMALE: No I think I've heard the name but I don't know in detail no.

MALE: I heard it on the radio. He's an ex-AFL coach; won four premierships or something.

Having a coach like Kevin Sheedy is that going to make you take an interest in this new team and the game?

MALE 2: No. None whatsoever.

DAVID MARK: Why not?

MALE 2: It's a girl's game. League or Union mate. AFL's a girl's game. Leave it in Victoria where it belongs.

DAVID MARK: Have you ever heard of Kevin Sheedy?

MALE 3: No.

MALE 4: No idea. No idea.

DAVID MARK: Are you a Rugby League supporter?

MALE 4: I'm a League supporter yeah.

DAVID MARK: Is there any chance you might switch to Aussie Rules?

MALE 4: Probably not.

DAVID MARK: What if they have someone marketing the game extensively, a legend of the game like Kevin Sheedy?

MALE 4: Not really. Don't even know who the guy is so (laughs).

DAVID MARK: He may be the messiah but he's got plenty of work to do.