Dear Supporters,
Many of you have heard by now that Team GWS signed 21 year old NRL superstar Israel Folau as our most recent recruit during the week.
The announcement resulted in an incredible amount of media across Australia which has continued all week, generating conversations in lots of different forums - across dinner tables, at footy training and around the office.
Some people thought it was a great idea, others criticised the move, and many AFL supporters are wondering why we signed a player from another code.
The point is this – there are many talented athletes in all our footy codes, and across many different sports. But when you come across an athlete as fast, strong and talented as Israel Folau, who expresses an interest in playing AFL, would you knock him back?
This talented young man with family ties in Western Sydney is an exceptional footballer, representing Queensland in the NRL State of Origin and is the youngest NRL player to represent Australia. Israel is at the top of his game and was being approached by various clubs and various codes, but he wants to play AFL in Western Sydney.
Israel possesses many of the skills we look for in our AFL players, he has the speed, the height, the power and most importantly the drive and courage to become a great AFL player, who is determined to work on and develop his game. He is ready physically, mentally and emotionally to take the journey and succeed in this sport.
Our commitment is also to attract and develop talent, like the recent signings of Curtly Hampton from the Northern Territory, along with Sam Schulz and Mark Whiley from Southern NSW, who also signed on this week, to join the club in 2011. Schulz, is an explosive midfielder from Culcairn and Whiley, a rebounding defender from Finley have developed through the AFL (NSW/ACT) Talented Player Pathway together.
Hampton, an AIS-AFL Academy graduate from Alice Springs, has impressed recruiters for a number of years after first playing at under-16 level as a 14-year-old. Hampton plays predominantly forward and through the midfield and this year he demonstrated elite physical testing for speed, agility and endurance.
So why did we sign Israel, Shulz, Hampton and Wiley? Because we need a range of great talent, to make a great team. But recruiting great players is just one strategy. We are working with the local community, and are heavily engaged with our Team GWS academies as well as having important events such as the Under 16’s National Championships right on our doorstep, where we get to see the most capable young football players, from right around Australia.
It is imperative that we build in support, speed, experience, youth, knowledge and strength in our team. We have young players who are fast and clever that need a few years to develop further and gain more experience, and we are currently looking for senior players to support the younger ones.
People told us when we started this venture that it wouldn’t work, just like some say Folau will not make it as an AFL player. As I have said to our detractors in the past – we will succeed and we will do it because we dare to think big.
Team GWS has made incredible gains in a short time. We have an amazing training facility at Blacktown Olympic Park, where a few years ago there was just a paddock. We have a small talented team of young players, a team that is growing and becoming stronger every day, and we have a top line coaching and football department. We have a passionate Chairman, a dedicated CEO and a very committed group of staff all working towards one goal – to be the best we can be. We also need dedicated sponsors, and we recruited a couple of those during the week too - Integrated and Sanyo.
But to be the best we also need dedicated and committed supporters – supporters like you, who will follow and support this team. We want people throughout the GWS region to be proud of their team in the AFL National competition.
The adventure is only just beginning and I look forward to having you all continue on this journey with us.
Yours in footy
Kevin Sheedy
