AFL CHIEF executive Andrew Demetriou says the League will know by March 2010 whether western Sydney is successful in its bid to become the competition's 18th club.

Speaking at the launch of the Blacktown Olympic Park AFL facility on Friday, Demetriou added that the AFL was eager to see the club flourish immediately.

"[We] want it to be more competitive than the Gold Coast," he said.

Demetriou said a working party, which consists of AFL and club representatives, was constantly considering what draft and recruiting package the western Sydney team would receive.

The party – which includes the AFL's general manager of football operations Adrian Anderson, national talent manager Kevin Sheehan, general manager of development David Matthews and a selection of club executives and officials – decided the Gold Coast's entry rules.

"The working party is already meeting again over the coming months to finalise what list concessions this group will have and the clubs have been terrific," he said.

Provided the bid is successful, the appointment of a coach would obviously follow.

That appointment would be made by AFL NSW/ACT chief executive Dale Holmes and the 11-member community advisory group announced on Friday – the equivalent to the GC17 bid team.

The 11 members, consisting of local identities, are Jim Marsden, John Webster, Jan Thomas, Ross Howarth, Christine Cawsey, Gabrielle Trainor, David Smith, Gus Seebeck, Greg De Moore, Nareen Young and Lila Mularczyk.

Demetriou said there was "no looking back" on the League's commitment to western Sydney and that it was a privilege to be in a community that took great pride in itself.

"We've always said it's going to be a long journey. You can't win the hearts and minds of any community, unless you're prepared to put in to the community," he said.

"I think one thing that we've learnt through AFL football is that I genuinely believe we put back into the community and I think the community responds.

"People who don't understand the community should get out here and have a look around at what's going on here.

"It's not a second anything. It's the first AFL team in the community."

There are 184 nationalities in western Sydney and the AFL is looking to capture the interest of that multicultural market.

Asked if four-time Essendon premiership coach Kevin Sheedy would make a good fit for the new team, Demetriou said: "I'll leave Sheeds to do his own advertising."
"But he's been a wonderful coach … and second to none."