"What would that [working with the AFL] entail? At the end of the day, we are in a competitive environment," Gallop said. "We want people to choose our game to play and watch. "Our popularity is booming and we are going to concentrate on our sport – and the business of our sport." Speaking at a western Sydney business lunch hosted by the Giants last Friday, which was attended by Wanderers' chief executive John Tsatsimas, McLachlan said he liked the idea of the two clubs working together, hailing the Wanderers' success as good for the Giants. "I think it's great for us. I think the success of the Wanderers is actually incredibly exciting for the Giants – a community binding behind one team," he said. "I think if we can collaborate and partner with the Wanderers ongoing, I think that'd be fantastic. This is a very big market. "I think seeing teams being successful out here is great for us and what we think we can achieve with the Giants."

Apart from the Wanderers' week-to-week success, the AFL remains envious of the popularity of the A-League Sydney derby, which has ascended into the pantheon of the nation's must-attend sporting events. Remarkably, of the seven times the Wanderers have played Sydney FC, six times the match has sold out. Matches between the Giants and the Sydney Swans have never sold out; nor have they ever come close. While the Giants finally defeated their older brothers in round one this season, the relative disparity between the two teams has dented the credibility of the rivalry. However, speaking at a school visit in Auburn Public School in Sydney's west on Monday, McLachlan said the east-west rivalry would soon be replicated in the AFL. "Some ask if we're concerned about the success of the Western Sydney Wanderers. Quite the contrary – we are delighted by what they have achieved as it only further enhances Western Sydney's status as one of the great sporting regions in Australia," he said.