World Footy News

Team GWS, the planned new AFL club for Western Sydney, has put the call out to the public to help decide its name.

To coincide with last night’s historic match between Sydney and Carlton at the club's future home, Blacktown Olympic Park, Team GWS has unveiled its campaign ‘NameTheTeam’ and associated website NameTheTeam. The new club is also looking for advice on its colours.

The website offers suggestions of Giants, Rangers, Pride and Stallions, but also allows visitors to send in their own suggestions. No doubt they'll receive plenty of sarcastic ideas like West Sydney Bogans, but hopefully some create locally inspired possibilities will emerge. Or who knows, maybe one of our international readers will come up with the name of the AFL's 18th club.

In front of a sell out crowd of nearly 10,000 fans at the first ever elite AFL match at Blacktown Olympic Park, Team GWS head Coach Kevin Sheedy officially launched the community campaign, urging supporters to get involved to truly shape the AFL’s 18th club.

“Right from the start of we have made it clear that we want to build a club which is truly representative of this great community. What better way is there for the people of Greater Western Sydney and all of our supporters to help build this club than by helping shaping its name and identity,” said Sheedy.

“Our name really needs to capture the essence of Western Sydney – this is one incredible region with so much to be proud of and we need to celebrate that.

“We’re looking for something big, bold and ambitious – a great name for a great team.”