Rocco retweeted
I don't disagree. Perhaps South and Canberra with hindsight.
Team XI would've been a success over Western too (and that decision gave City an opportunity that we haven't fully taken advantage of).
South winning is a great story but doesn't move the financial or cultural dial.
How much of this is due to the fact that the pro game has very little money, just like the NPL?
Six @aleaguemen full time pro teams and ten semi pro NPL teams in the Round of 16. The perceived gap continues to close!
The gap has narrowed from both directions. NPL clubs have lifted standards through sustained investment, while the A-League has not managed to pull further away due to declining investment in the professional game. Australian football’s next evolution isn’t debating the gap, it’s opening the pyramid.
Rocco retweeted
It’s also ironic that a member of our national cricket team complains about media coverage during the 1 time when football actually receives decent media coverage. Like AFL+NRL, cricket gets far more media coverage (& govt funding) than football given their relative participation