Western Sydney is often said to be the heartland of Australian football, and the Rudd government – and its previous incarnation, the Gillard government – certainly appear to believe that to be the case.

Under previous Labor leader Julia Gillard, the Federal Government pledged $8 million to help establish West Sydney Wanderers and develop the sport in the region that is a battleground for all of Australia’s major football codes.

And now the Rudd Government is re-emphasising its commitment to the world game, and the West Sydney region, by pledging to underwrite a $10 million investment in the establishment of a ‘‘state-of-the-art’’ Johnny Warren Football Institute (JWSI) in the area to give talented youngsters a free leg up on to the ladder of football opportunity.

The cash is, of course, dependent on it defying the opinion polls and pulling off a shock victory in next weekend’s Federal Election.

The aim is for the West Sydney institute to build on the work of the Johnny Warren Football Foundation (JWFF), a non-profit organisation named for the pioneering player and media personality who did so much to make football a part of the Australian sporting mainstream before his death from cancer in 2004.