In the first edition of our new 'Heavy Hitters' column, we speak with the chairman of the GC17 bid committee, John Witheriff. In this wide-ranging interview with Matt Burgan, Witheriff explains how far he and his bid team have come in their push towards establishing the AFL's 17th club – and he reveals some of the nicknames under consideration for the competition's newest franchise.

THE LATEST

How is the GC17 bid shaping?
JW: It's coming along, probably on balance, better than I had possibly hoped. We've passed 10,000 [members] and to do that in just over six weeks, I'm very, very pleased. I think it's a hell of an achievement, given we've been set six months to get the job done.

We have 111 committed businesses to find and again I'm very pleased with where we're up to. We've got a lot of work to do in securing around another 60 businesses to commit to us, but I think we're better than half way there.

NAME AND COLOURS

What about your nickname and the club colours?
JW: The other area of work is around our guernsey and colours and we're well into that. There is a very exciting [public] campaign going on at the moment … we've had some really interesting names, the Gold Coast Stingers, the Sharks, the Stingrays … the Fighting Mud Crabs, the Albatrosses and the Ibises.

We'll assess all of that … which will culminate in the beginning of September at a gala dinner to be held on the Gold Coast. We're hopefully crossing live to The Footy Show to make the announcement.

What happens if the public vote on a nickname, but it is not the preferred one of the GC17 board? Are you going to accept the public's decision?
JW: We have around 100 [names] at the moment, so reducing it to five will be a board decision, based on advice. We'll then take very, very detailed advice from our technical people and we'll place significant weight on the public's voting. But at the end of the day, it'll be a board decision as to what name we'll take.

Will this be the same process regarding the club colours?
JW: Absolutely the same with the colours. The board does not consider themselves to be experts on colours or names, but someone has to take a decision and with all of these things, the buck stops with the board, so we're going to accept that responsibility.

Based on your research, what are the most favoured name and colours?
JW: What I can tell you very, very honestly at this stage is that there is no most favoured name by the board. We raised it at a recent board meeting and we came up with as many names as people have on the GC17 website. Then what happened was that every board member argued very strongly for their particular name. It's probably very accurate to suggest that there was no consensus for the name.

SETTING UP THE CLUB

Michael Voss has been touted as the man most likely to coach the Gold Coast team when it enters the AFL. Will he coach the TAC Cup side next year?
JW: From our perspective, that's probably a question for Michael. We have met with Michael and you can't help but think he's a very capable and competent young man. He has to be concerned about his future and whether there will be an alignment between our requirements and his requirements, is a bit too early to say.

At some point, we're going to have to get on with it and if he hasn't got enough information to satisfy him as to where he's up to, then it will be difficult to see that alignment being achieved.

If on the other hand, he is satisfied, I'd love nothing more for us to be sitting around the board table talking about options that involve Michael moving forward, but we'll see where that gets to.

Are you looking to also have an open age side in the AFLQ or VFL in 2010?
JW: At this stage, we haven't made any decisions.

The dominant overriding objective is that in our first season, we want to win five matches, four at home. By making that decision, our golden year isn't going to be 2011. We're on a journey and a build, so the right strategy in 2010 is going to be the strategy that supports our 2011-12-13 build.

Now what that actually means for 2010 – it's certainly beyond my skills… but won't be beyond the people who we have retained at that stage to make those judgment calls.

If your bid is successful, what will be the first key position filled – the CEO, coach or recruiting manager for example?
JW: In an ideal world, we'd be successful in getting our bid and then we'd get a CEO and start building the list from there. We don't operate in an ideal world, so we're going to have to make some decisions.

If we're going to be successful, we're going to have to play in the TAC Cup in 2009 and we're going to have to go out into the market place and find young men to be part of the organisation. Then we're going to need some special advice into how we're going to recruit and we're looking at recruitment alternatives amongst alliances… including the AFLQ.

We're going to need some people to take responsibilities for these young people and they're development… and we need cash and resources to do that.

At the moment we're balancing all of those things up and trying to move them forward as one, but not lose sight of the fact that unless we can secure our supporter base and our business base, we're not going to achieve the bid. If we don't achieve the bid, then all of that becomes academic.

Geelong CEO Brian Cook is one name that has been linked to the Gold Coast's CEO position. What is your reaction to that?
JW: There is just no benefit at all in speculating on individuals.

Does GC17 have to show the AFL it has key people on board, whether it's Michael Voss or others before the October 14 deadline?
JW: No. Nowhere in our seven criteria is there any requirement upon us to have employed anyone [by October 14]. If we think we'll be successful, we'll need to have people ready to go when we get our licence. If we have people ready to go, but can't make our criteria, then the AFL is not going to turnaround and say: 'Well done guys, you've got this fantastic staff, but you've got no way of paying them'. That's not what they're interested in.

What they're interested in – and they've made it very public – is creating a team on the Gold Coast that is going to move to sustainability at its fastest opportunity. What they're not interested in is creating a cot-case, which requires constant help financially. What they're going to be looking for is [us] trying to get our criteria.

How hard is it trying to set up a club, when you haven't been granted a licence?
JW: It's enormously difficult … the workload is enormous … what we [the board] have done is tried to split it up into responsibilities.

BUILDING A PLAYING LIST

You've got a side entering the TAC Cup in 2009 and have access to 20 Queensland players of draft eligible age in 2009-10-11. What other decisions have been made in regards to the Gold Coast participating in upcoming trade and draft periods?
JW: There are no decisions at this time. There won't be any decisions about the broader draft at least until July, possibly August, so to speculate on that would be at best premature and at worst, foolish.

What is GC17 hoping to gain from the upcoming drafts – in terms of concessions –and what access are you looking for in terms of recruiting out-of-contract AFL players?
JW: We put in a recent submission and we discussed that at significant detail at board meetings. I don't think it's constructive for me to comment on those issues. The policy and reasons for seeking a large number of first [round] draft picks have been set out in the papers. It's to stimulate and arbitrate a system of trade. We think it's critically important to get balance into our team and if we end up with a very young team, it's going to be very difficult for other clubs to access young talent and it's going to be very difficult to grow that young talent without the support of some older, more mature, physically strong players.

As a matter of principle, draft picks are the most valued commodity in the AFL and the requirement to trade those draft picks will maximise the capacity to get balance into our side and to get young players into other sides … I think it would be counterproductive for me to go into further detail, because there is some sensitive negotiations that need to be undertaken to try and get the right compromise through the right committees.

Nick Riewoldt has been the player most linked to the Gold Coast. Is he CG17's most preferred 'franchise' target?
JW: I don't have any comment about any players, because I just don't think it's constructive. We're a long way from being in a position to ask anyone to join us and I can just see no benefit in us starting any speculation that might be harmful or good or otherwise for anyone else, so I don't intend to make any comment about any individual.

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE BID IS NOT SUCCESSFUL?

What will happen if GC17 is not successful? Are there any other challengers that we don't know about?
JW: No, but if we're not successful then I'll go surfing and enjoy myself.

If the GC17 bid doesn't get up – is it highly unlikely an AFL Gold Coast team will form in the foreseeable future?
JW: That mightn't be right. If our bid didn't get up, then what would be highly unlikely is that there would be another bid involving John Witheriff. If I can't get the bid up, they'll form a view that they've got the wrong man and they would need to get the right man.

The GC17 board has an impressive group of business and football-related people from the Gold Coast. Is it fair to say if they can't get a team into the AFL, then it would be a struggle for most?
JW: Not necessarily. We've got some very talented people [on the Gold Coast]. There are probably a lot more competent people than I … so I wouldn't say it was over by any means. I just think it would be over for Witheriff.

What is GC17 expecting to happen on October 14?
JW: A couple of glasses of champagne (laughs). I think that day will be an anti-climax. I think by that stage we'll know whether we've got it or whether we haven't. I think the date I'm going to be more interested in is around that gala dinner in the beginning of September. At that stage, we should have our supporters. I'll be getting concerned if we've haven't got around 20,000 supporters by then.

How are the 20,000 supporters measured?
JW: It's not financial, but there is a questionnaire and there is a requirement for them to engage … so there has been a lot more than 10,000 simply registering their interest, but they are not counted by the AFL unless they go through this rigourous process of assessment in terms of their commitment. We're not running that. The AFL is running that, so it's not like we've got the chance to round up 20,000 of my best mates to sign up.

STADIUM

On the Gold Coast Stadium (Carrara), will that definitely be the venue where the club will train and play its home matches?
JW: Yes.

So what is the latest situation with the stadium deal and plans for ground extensions?
JW: The best answer that I can give around that is that I don't know. When I sat down with the AFL … I indicated to them that I thought it was unfair that we be forced to deliver a stadium deal and they accepted that and that's their job. And frankly, I've got too many other things to get involved in, but it is true that there are negotiations going on with the state government and I'm confident that will work out well.

In terms of our training facilities, there are a number of options we have. We're in the process of trying to undertake some commercial negotiations to achieve those options and I think it would be less than sensible to expand on those commercial negotiations, because to do so would adversely affect the outcome.

THE REST OF THE COMPETITION

How is GC17's relationship with the other AFL clubs already?
JW: I've got to say that I've received numerous phone calls from other clubs pledging their support. I just can't believe how supportive the clubs have been. It really is a refreshing process to deal with capable people who want you to succeed.

BID TEAM

The GC17 bid team consists of you, Graeme Downie, Alan 'Doc' McKenzie, Dale Dickson and Bob Gordon. Should your bid be successful, will all five members continue on the board?
JW: That's not confirmed, no. I personally would like to see every one of them on the board.

And you would like to remain chairman of the board?
JW: Yes. I would personally like to see that occur [and all board members remain], but the question is; 'Will they be burnt out by the time October comes (laughs)?' I haven't spoken to any of the guys about that, but I would be very disappointed personally – very disappointed – if our team didn't move forward on the board. That's not to say we won't look to bring some other experience onto the board. I personally would like to see another two board members, with a particular type of expertise, the board has identified, but if that can't be found, I'm very comfortable with the guys on the board. Now what those individuals want to do after the process is a matter for them, but we'll tackle that then.

As GC17 chairman, how are you finding the AFL environment – dealing with footy people, the media and the hours it consumes?
JW: (Laughs). I've found the people to be fantastic … very generous in their time and assistance, so there is a great sense of community. The media are doing a job. I haven't found anyone yet to be rude, but they're persistent. I get so many phone calls from around Australia. I talk to journalists and radio people in Perth and I'm not convinced that's going to get me my 20,000 signatures on the Gold Coast.  

The greatest miscalculation on my part was time – it is enormously time consuming – so I'll be glad when we are successful and when we can put on additional resources and my role becomes director/chairman, rather than a director/chairman, organiser, function coordinator, scribe, t-shirt hander-outer, volunteer organiser and bottle washer; basically my job description at the moment.

Click here for a video snapshot of our interview with John Witheriff