You're almost certainly right. What's interesting though is how the AFL has been able to successfully rescue failing Melbourne clubs by moving them out of state (eg, the Lions and the Swans). I went to a Brisbane Lions game at the Telstra Dome about 15 years ago and the majority of the supporters were Lions fans. When I asked the bloke next to me whether all these fans (there were thousands of them) had flown down from Old, he explained to me that they were all Fitzroy diehards who had been able to stick with the Lions by virtue of the fact that they were back in Melbourne once a fortnight anyway.
I'm not advocating relocating any current Sydney clubs but might there be potential to pair up potential new locations with traditional clubs that currently don't have a franchise (eg, Newtown Jets, Norths Bears) as well as those who might be minor partners in current joint ventures?
Again, I'm not advocating anything (it always annoys me when people who don't know the area suggest relocations, rebrands and mergers for my club) but it's an interesting question imo.