'What shape that future takes is the interesting part. Neither Tinkler nor Gerard are football men, and it seems they want their A-League teams to become part of something bigger. Tinkler wants to buy the Newcastle Knights, while Gerard already bankrolls SANFL club North Adelaide. Both men believe that pooling resources across two codes to create a ''super club'' is the right way to go, and the FFA remains open to the idea.
Before anyone jumps in too quickly, it might be worth remembering that this has happened before, with Carlton, Collingwood Warriors and Parramatta Power. The old NSL wasn't as strong structurally as the A-League, but it's still worth making sure the same mistakes aren't repeated. And that means guaranteeing an equal relationship in any partnership between the codes, not one that automatically relegates football to secondary status.'
Geoff Lord's company was looking for something like this for the Victory. They looked at the Victorian union franchise but the FFA wouldn't let them use the 'Victory' brand.
Maybe allowing more of this would:
1. facilitate better interaction with local fans (summer and winter)
2. encourage an effective antidote to the AFL
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