But the former Sydney CEO says he's "not blind" to the challenges the AFL faces in the region, especially when it comes to junior participation.
The growth market has shot into the spotlight after AFL great Gerard Healy wrote in an SEN article that only 97 boys from the 14 clubs in the region had signed up for 13-and-under football so far for this season.
That number has since been widely discredited and Harley indicated it was a historic figure.
"I am privy and had the privilege of living in Sydney for 16 years, and the growth of the game over that long period of time has been really positive," Harley said.
"There were reports this morning about the numbers, participation in greater Western Sydney and that is at the point in time it was historic.
"So on one hand, certainly not blind to the challenges, but there actually is growth year-on-year. New teams are popping up.
"... the numbers are trending in the right direction, while acknowledging it's probably the most competitive sporting landscape in the world."
When asked how close Healy's reported figures were to the actual number of participants, Harley said: "That was a point in time, a couple of weeks ago.
"And with that, certainly we wouldn't shy away from the challenge of growing the game.
"The season's starting a little later, those numbers were specific registered participants for the upcoming season.
"And at last count as recently as this morning, there's double-digit growth both in terms of total participation from a percentage point of view and also teams."
When asked on SEN radio if the AFL was making any inroads in Western Sydney, Swans chairman Andrew Pridham said: "No. None. None" and it was hard to get the region's attention.
Harley noted that while Pridham knew the market "really well", his focus was on the Swans and the eastern suburbs.
"Certainly not dismissing the size of the challenge, but it's absolutely a long-term investment commitment, and the Giants are flying a pretty strong flag out there," he said.
"They deliver on their football promise. They're present in the community, and it's the right strategy, and we'll keep evolving it."
The AFL has invested a lot of money into the region but Harley insisted the focus was about generational growth.
"We're 15 years into the Giants, and I think it's too short-sighted to say on a metric, that it's not working," Harley said.
"But as I say, we reiterate all the time: we look at the levels of investment and the size of the prizes."
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