Engage the fans, reap the rewards is the first message, Drubbing, and something that the steves and Lyon did not understand. As far as the media goes, the article is right in it's summation;
They also do not have a local rival like Fremantle does, and when it comes to the AFL landscape in Perth in recent times, West Coast has been the footy club that is far more accessible to the media. It has not come for the Eagles at the cost of success, and the increased exposure has helped the membership of WA's original AFL club grow to unprecedented levels.
Appointing a coach and CEO that understand this is important for the Dockers.
And of course, winning will help Fremantle's cause as well.
But if the club is to become the powerhouse the board thinks it can, that is just one piece of the puzzle.
I don't think that the eagles are far more accessable to the media, but they do have exclusive rights to the CH7 conglomerate when it comes to being looked after. That helps drown out any message Freo are trying to get across through other channels, & I would be willing to bet a JFS that the Eastern States pundits see far more of the 7 West media from Perth than they do of CH's 9, 10 and the ABC. That seems to be the base of their opinions of how things are going in WA anyway.
The biggest takeaway though, is the "engage the kids" idea. Get them and you get some parents, who may have not ever really followed a AFL team, and maybe convert some other parents who want their kids to be happy. Get the ball rolling. And the first step to that is to be playing an attractive game style. Winning is not everything, it is the end result of doing things right.
