Ever wondered how footy teams came to life? AFL Team Builders is a journey into the historic foundations on which every non-Victorian club was built.
Featuring inaugural CEOs, presidents, coaches, board members and star players, AFL Team Builders goes behind the scenes with the people tasked with building all the teams that joined the then-VFL as it expanded beyond the confines of Victoria.
GWS Giants: A desperately daunting assignment in the AFL's new battleground
Building the Giants for the 2012 AFL season was a daunting assignment, with Aussie rules footy about as well known in Western Sydney as competitive tiddlywinks. Those tasked with building the club fought tooth and nail to capitalise on the concessions and advantages handed to them by AFL HQ.
In this eighth episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural leaders Dale Holmes (CEO), Phil Davis (player) and Stephen Silvagni (list manager) talk through the difficulties of trying to build a footy club in a hostile environment, the recruitment of Israel Folau, the importance of the Breakfast Point set-up and more.
12 Aug 2024
Gold Coast Suns: A golden opportunity after Kangaroos' turnaround
It’s easy to forget that Gold Coast’s formation pretty much happened by accident, but that is what took place when North Melbourne decided to stay in Victoria instead of moving to Queensland. From there, building a standalone team on the Gold Coast was too good an opportunity to pass up.
In this seventh episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural chairman, John Witheriff, first official employee, Andrew Thomas, and two inaugural squad members - Nathan Bock and Charlie Dixon - detail the challenges Gold Coast faced in its formative years, including woeful facilities, a skeptical local community, a difficult relationship with the AFL, and even the threat of snakes at the club.
Thanks to BackChat for some of the audio used in this episode.
5 Aug 2024
Port Adelaide Power: A bullish, brazen build that put SA rivals further offside
Already despised by their SANFL rivals, the Port Adelaide Magpies tried and failed to sneakily enter the AFL in 1991 before 'being put back in their box'. Ironically, it was Port Adelaide’s desperation to join the AFL that fast-tracked the formation of the Adelaide Crows (https://afl-team-builders.captivate.fm/episode/adelaide-crows), but it also showcased the club's bold and ruthless mentality.
In this sixth episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural leaders Brian Cunningham (CEO), Greg Boulton (president) and Stephen Paxman (player) go through the highs, lows and controversies as Port Adelaide went about launching a standalone AFL team, built upon the foundations of 150 years of SANFL dominance.
29 Jul 2024
Fremantle Dockers: Why 'the Purple Haze' pushed footy's boundaries
Emerging in a splash of purple, red, green, and white - from an area steeped in football history - the Dockers entered the league in 1995 as WA’s second club. With West Coast’s shadow looming large, and list-build challenges that still hurt today, Fremantle was determined to push the boundaries and beat to their own drum.
In this fifth episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural leaders David Hatt (CEO), Gerard Neesham (coach) and Ross Kelly (chairman) take you inside the formation of the Dockers.
22 Jul 2024
Adelaide Crows: How rival's blunder fast-tracked the first SA club
Considering the intensity of the Adelaide-Port Adelaide rivalry, it’s incredibly ironic that the Crows’ entry to the AFL in 1991 came after a bull-headed own-goal from the Power. Yet that's exactly what happened as South Australian football was plunged into chaos when the AFL looked to expand into the state.
In this fourth episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural Adelaide leaders Graham Cornes (coach), Bill Sanders (General Manager and CEO) and Mark Bickley (player) detail all the controversy and drama as the Crows took flight.
15 Jul 2024
West Coast Eagles: How the VFL created a monster
Alongside the Brisbane Bears, West Coast was the face of the VFL's bold expansion into non-Victorian territory. Initially, they were feared and despised by both sides of the country, and while it didn't take long for the Eagles to be an on -and off- field powerhouse, the early days were filled with challenges and controversies.
In this third episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural figureheads John Walker (CEO), Ron Alexander (coach) and Ross Glendinning (captain) detail just how difficult the early days were for the ground-breaking Eagles.
8 Jul 2024
Brisbane Bears: The baffling beginnings of footy's toughest build
It was late 1986 when the VFL decided to launch a privately-owned expansion club in Queensland - things surely would have been easier if they tried to set up a club on Mars instead. Bankrolled by controversial entrepreneur (and later fugitive) Christopher Skase, the Bears had five months to build a club in an environment that was anything but stable.
In the second episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural coach Peter Knights, General Manager of Footy Shane O'Sullivan, board member Peter Williams and player Bernie Harris take you inside the ups and downs of the creation of the first V/AFL team in Queensland.
1 Jul 2024
Sydney Swans: How South's move North changed footy forever
In the early 1980s, the Australian rules landscape changed forever when South Melbourne announced plans to relocate to Sydney. It was the then-VFL's first steps towards a national competition but a move that nearly ripped apart one of the league's foundation clubs.
In the first episode of AFL Team Builders, inaugural coach Ricky Quade, player Dennis Carrol and administrator Dean Moore take you inside the ups and downs of South's trailblazing move to Sydney.
WATCH: https://youtu.be/L9CtZU7Dipw
24 Jun 2024
Introducing: AFL Team Builders
Ever wondered how footy teams came to life? AFL Team Builders is a journey into the historic foundations on which every non-Victorian expansion club was built.
Featuring inaugural CEOs, presidents, coaches, board members and star players, host Niall Seewang takes us behind the scenes with the people tasked with building all the teams that joined the then-VFL as it expanded beyond the confines of Victoria.
In this trailer, we have the voices of:
Ricky Quade - Inaugural Coach (Sydney)
Peter Knights - Inaugural Coach (Bears)
Peter Williams - Inaugural Board Member (Bears)
Phil Davis - Inaugural Player (GWS)
Greg Boulton - Inaugural President (Port Adelaide)
John Walker - Inaugural CEO (West Coast)
AFL Team Builders is launching on the Zero Hanger YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@ZeroHangerAFL) and all major podcast platforms on the 2nd of July, 2024.
Sydney Swans: July 02
Brisbane Bears: July 09
West Coast Eagles: July 16
Adelaide Crows: July 23
Fremantle Dockers: July 30
Port Adelaide Power: August 06
Gold Coast Suns: August 13
GWS Giants: August 20
Get your AFL news and content at www.zerohanger.com (https://www.zerohanger.com).
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