Thanks for the thoughtful responses BB

Interesting times ahead for sure

Thank you for finding that out for us casey scorp

Seeing as things have now been given the "green light" by the Casey Council I hope that the Melbourne Football Club will now get in contact with the Casey Scorpions VFL Club and arrange things for next year.

I think the MFC will be having a very busy period coming up after the AFL season has finished.

First we have to arrange things with Casey Fields and the Casey Scorpions.

Set up the Summer training facilities there at Casey Fields.

Create the alignment between the Casey Scorpions and the Melbourne Football Club (basically we swap with St.Kilda who will join with Sandringham).

We also have the trading period (meat-market) to deal with.

Then in November there is the AFL National Draft 2008.

And after that there is the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft in December.

It's going to be a BUSY Post-Season for the MFC!

The rescission motion was defeated last week, so the original decision stands.

That's great to hear. Cheers.

Thank you for finding that out for us casey scorp

Seeing as things have now been given the "green light" by the Casey Council I hope that the Melbourne Football Club will now get in contact with the Casey Scorpions VFL Club and arrange things for next year.

I think the MFC will be having a very busy period coming up after the AFL season has finished.

First we have to arrange things with Casey Fields and the Casey Scorpions.

Set up the Summer training facilities there at Casey Fields.

Create the alignment between the Casey Scorpions and the Melbourne Football Club (basically we swap with St.Kilda who will join with Sandringham).

We also have the trading period (meat-market) to deal with.

Then in November there is the AFL National Draft 2008.

And after that there is the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft in December.

It's going to be a BUSY Post-Season for the MFC!

It's certainly the most significant and positive off field period I have witnessed at this club. Huge and dramatic shifts and I really feel that it was partly sparked by the club's 150th dinner and the goodwill and unity that flowed from this.

Things seem very quiet on this subject.

In any Melbourne articles in the papers there doesn't seem to be much mention of Casey Fields.

Hope it's all still on-track, and there's an announcement soon.

Things seem very quiet on this subject.

In any Melbourne articles in the papers there doesn't seem to be much mention of Casey Fields.

Hope it's all still on-track, and there's an announcement soon.

Hopefully it's just a case of pushing the Demons news away as un-important - as they want to sell papers.,, After all who wants to read about the bottom side after the season they've had.....

How soon is the announcement due?

Im suspecting the Scorps are more focussed on Finals right at the moment

they're still playing footy !!

Hi Casey Scorp,

I would love to get some info from you. I live in Sydney now and I'm not familiar with what impact the new freeways have had to the travel from the city to Casey.

I have a few question marks about the Casey move. How long does it take to get from the City to Casey. I'm just wondering how much travelling the players are going to have to do each day there and back. Are there a lot of tolls involved.

I'm also wondering in reverse how long it will take potential new supporters from Casey to get to the MCG for MFC games. Assuming that new membership is one of the key strategic reasons for moving to Casey over the summer I am wondering, in your opinion, as you live out there, how many people with young families would be likely to start commuting to Melbourne to watch MFC games. I just remember how unpopular and difficult the trip out to VFL Park from the city was and this is a much longer trip.

My other issue is probably a mute point in the short term but in the long term it seems more teams are looking at going back to having their own reserves teams because it gives them greater control in their players development. For example Newton has had a bad deal at Sandy because Sauntner has been the full forward so his development as a Full Forward has been hampered. Same would have applied to Jack Watts if we get him and had been still affiliated with Sandy. I wonder where it leaves us if in say five years we are up and firing and get our own Reserves team.

Things seem very quiet on this subject.

In any Melbourne articles in the papers there doesn't seem to be much mention of Casey Fields.

Hope it's all still on-track, and there's an announcement soon.

Allow me

I would love to get some info from you. I live in Sydney now and I'm not familiar with what impact the new freeways have had to the travel from the city to Casey.

travel times havent really changed a lot.. just more cars. Eastlink moves reasonably well at present ( its tolled)

I have a few question marks about the Casey move. How long does it take to get from the City to Casey. I'm just wondering how much travelling the players are going to have to do each day there and back. Are there a lot of tolls involved.

Well..without being toooo flippant. This is always the silliest ( to me )of questions . Everyone has to travel somewhere..from somewhere else. Why do people seem to think players live right next to the G ?? They can get into cars and drive like everyone else in the working world etc. Im sure a few scheckles in tolls are compensated for It may take some players..oooh 45 mins to get to training.. such an impost isnt it. Keep in mind not al ltraining is ever at the "training location" often , esp in summer , particular locations are sited for particular drills ( or punishments etc ) . if they cant make it to training. maybe we dont want them !! <_< Its a job..they can travel.

Ultimately travel time just depends on where your comig form doesnt it ??

I'm also wondering in reverse how long it will take potential new supporters from Casey to get to the MCG for MFC games. Assuming that new membership is one of the key strategic reasons for moving to Casey over the summer I am wondering, in your opinion, as you live out there, how many people with young families would be likely to start commuting to Melbourne to watch MFC games. I just remember how unpopular and difficult the trip out to VFL Park from the city was and this is a much longer trip.

They have trains and all sorts of things.... life is marvellous now..truly about an hour..a bit more.. No different than coming from Frankston really etc. You HAD to bus it or drive to Artic park.. dont lose too much sleep for anyone coming from Casey..Im sure they'll manage just fine

My other issue is probably a mute point in the short term but in the long term it seems more teams are looking at going back to having their own reserves teams because it gives them greater control in their players development. For example Newton has had a bad deal at Sandy because Sauntner has been the full forward so his development as a Full Forward has been hampered. Same would have applied to Jack Watts if we get him and had been still affiliated with Sandy. I wonder where it leaves us if in say five years we are up and firing and get our own Reserves team.

Only teams with a good bank account can even entertain the notion of their own VFL team... thats not us. Its alovely luxury for those teams that can..we'll just have to carry on regadless. Good players get through

I agree with Bezelbub's comments.

In addition, Casey is not that far from the city. Once the upgrade works on the Monash are completed, it will take around 35 minutes to get from the MCG to Casey Fields.

If you're in Sydney and don't know what the upgrade works are, an extra lane is being added in each direction from the city of Endeavour Hills. The entire length currently has an 80kph speed limit, which over 40km adds 6 minutes to the trip.

I agree with Bezelbub's comments.

In addition, Casey is not that far from the city. Once the upgrade works on the Monash are completed, it will take around 35 minutes to get from the MCG to Casey Fields.

If you're in Sydney and don't know what the upgrade works are, an extra lane is being added in each direction from the city of Endeavour Hills. The entire length currently has an 80kph speed limit, which over 40km adds 6 minutes to the trip.

i swear it adds more than that. congestion as a result of road works is a lot worse. once the new lane is finished it will be a lot better. but really, it should have been done when they built the thing.

i swear it adds more than that. congestion as a result of road works is a lot worse. once the new lane is finished it will be a lot better. but really, it should have been done when they built the thing.

You are correct if it is congested. However, my comment was in relation to uncongested, free-flowing times (which really is most of the time).

You are correct if it is congested. However, my comment was in relation to uncongested, free-flowing times (which really is most of the time).

Thanks for the responses guys. Much appreciated. If travel times are limited to that then it makes a lot more sense.

Lets get those Casey members happening.

I was at the Players Circle event at the "G" last weekend and Schwab spoke briefly. He is very much about getting the right business plan in place. It will be interesting to see what his business plan is and what his view is about Casey. From memory he has said a few positive things about it but if he doesn't like the idea I wonder what will happen.

I spoke to someone last week who did their MBA with him and who said he would be a great CEO. That was during the period between him saying he wasn't going to take the job and before he said he would. He said Schwab lives and breaths footy. Was obsessed with it. He said every business scenario he came up with was a footy example. I think he's going to be great. Will be very interesting to see how they set about engaging with the Casey area and how effective they are at generating memberships.

Will be very interesting to see how they set about engaging with the Casey area and how effective they are at generating memberships.

Go to the 5 August Council meeting at

http://www.casey.vic.gov.au/meetings/artic...?Item=11233#aug

You can read the Council report in the “agenda” download, with the details of the community program in the “attachments” part. It is in Casey’s Communities Item 1.

The Casey ground isn't all that far from the city - especially on the weekend when traffic is lighter. If you are coming from the G, tolls are minimal. If you are coming from Eastlink, tolls will depend on where you are coming from.

There is a bus that connects the train station to the TAFE, which is only a few minutes walk from the ground, I don't know whether the bus line will run extra buses on match days, I would hope that they would.

You have to remember, not everyone lives in the city - there's a lot of supporters in the SE suburbs who will clearly find Casey Fields easier than the G, or South Melbourne, or wherever. Parking will be a lot easier for a start. There's also the possibility that country people may re-engage with the footy - there's a lot of Gippsland people who stopped going when Waverley closed, they may come back if there are games staged here.

As far as I know, it's a 'happening thing', at least from the Council's perspective, and Melbourne has always wanted it - so I don't know why it wouldn't go through at this stage.

Go to the 5 August Council meeting at

http://www.casey.vic.gov.au/meetings/artic...?Item=11233#aug

You can read the Council report in the “agenda” download, with the details of the community program in the “attachments” part. It is in Casey’s Communities Item 1.

Wow, Casey Scorp you are right on top of this. Thanks so much for that. I will circulate that to a few people I know who are interested. Very interesting that the Council have valued the MFC Community Partnership contribution as $653,000 per year for ten years. I wonder how they have arrived at that sum. Whether that is a $ cost the MFC have to outlay or whether they have put a cost on the value of the MFC players doing community work. The later is ok but the former would be a major issue for the club in it's current financial state which is likely not to materially change over the next few years.

The value is what it would cost to pay someone to come to the community and do what the club proposes to do. If you had to pay someone to come and do workshops with the kids etc... A lot of the stuff the club is doing anyway - like footy clinics. But instead of spreading them all around Melbourne, they will do some out of the area, but a lot of them in Casey.

I think the great benefit to the community is that Jim Stynes does a lot of work with kids and risk, and is going to introduce a program to Casey to target such kids. You really can't put a price on the effect of turning a kid around and making him/her a useful member of the community. It won't cost the club anything but their time to deliver these programs, and in return they get a connection with the community that will hopefully translate into a bigger membership base.

Obviously we will have to wait to see if it lives up to all predictions, but I see this as a win/win for both Melbourne and Casey.

Just a little bit biased, only 15 minutes in the car to the ground!

Very interesting that the Council have valued the MFC Community Partnership contribution as $653,000 per year for ten years. I wonder how they have arrived at that sum. Whether that is a $ cost the MFC have to outlay or whether they have put a cost on the value of the MFC players doing community work. The later is ok but the former would be a major issue for the club in it's current financial state which is likely not to materially change over the next few years.

In the report is the following comment:

The value of the Community Partnership has been independently established by a consultant experienced in sports and community programs.

The Council has got a consultant to put a value on the various things MFC will do in the community (value for players attending etc, which can be readily valued by people experienced in those things it seems).

While there is no doubt some direct cost involved in some of the program components, most of it would be "in-kind" involving no actual expenditure by MFC.

A win-win!!

In the report is the following comment:

The value of the Community Partnership has been independently established by a consultant experienced in sports and community programs.

The Council has got a consultant to put a value on the various things MFC will do in the community (value for players attending etc, which can be readily valued by people experienced in those things it seems).

While there is no doubt some direct cost involved in some of the program components, most of it would be "in-kind" involving no actual expenditure by MFC.

A win-win!!

I must say you are making me feel a bit more confident about the thinking behind the move. I can see how a comprehensive Community Program like the one proposed is likely to lead to a development of memberships. It is a big investment if it doesn't generate that though. It's interesting as the MFC has never really been based around a community because it is based at the MCG. So it makes you realise how hard it has been to generate a following without this sort of community involvement. It would be interesting to know how much impact this sort of program has had on the membership development for other clubs. I wonder if that has been a factor in their move to Waverly and the big increase in their membership. Same for Freo where Schwab took their membership from 12-14,000 when he started to something like 46,000 now.

I believe the deal with Casey hasn't been done yet and the preferred aliment is with Frankston, but Frankston are holding out for a better deal than the one offered.

Well just have to wait and see if the offer becomes good enough for Frankston to change it's policy of standing along and giving local kids a go!

I believe the deal with Casey hasn't been done yet and the preferred aliment is with Frankston, but Frankston are holding out for a better deal than the one offered.

Well just have to wait and see if the offer becomes good enough for Frankston to change it's policy of standing along and giving local kids a go!

no way

i dont think melbourne intend to have anything to do with frankston

I believe the deal with Casey hasn't been done yet and the preferred aliment is with Frankston, but Frankston are holding out for a better deal than the one offered.

Well just have to wait and see if the offer becomes good enough for Frankston to change it's policy of standing along and giving local kids a go!

Why do you believe?

I believe the deal with Casey hasn't been done yet and the preferred aliment is with Frankston, but Frankston are holding out for a better deal than the one offered.

Well just have to wait and see if the offer becomes good enough for Frankston to change it's policy of standing along and giving local kids a go!

Why would you believe that MFC would want to align with Frankston when they want to move to Casey Fields?

The only way that MFC would align with Frankston would be if MFC established its base at Frankston Park.

Given that the Scorpions are swinging $350,000 from works on the outer side of the ground to help build the Casey Fields pavilion extension to accomodate MFC, I don't think a move to Frankston or an alignment with the Frankston VFL club is on the cards at all.

I think, if this suggestion has really been raised at all, it has been done mischievously (not necessarily by melbfc).

I don't know who made up the story of joining with Frankston! That's just total rubbish! <_<

The Melbourne Football Club is now going to Casey Fields and hopefully our alignment with the Casey Scorpions Football Club will happen in the next few weeks. I'm guessing in October when Cameron Schwab officially takes over as new CEO of the MFC, but hopefully it will be sooner.

Of course, Casey Scorpions presently have more important matters to attend to as they are in the VFL finals.

Of course, Casey Scorpions presently have more important matters to attend to as they are in the VFL finals.

I see that Archie Fraser (St Kilda FC CEO) has said that the club is focussed on finals, and therefore won't be responding to the Frankston Council's rejection of the St KFC proposal to overcome the funding shortfall (ie that Frankston Council stumps up a whole lot more money).

It's just absolute bollocks - any club can do more than one thing at a time.

Scorpions management (as distinct from the footy dept, which will be very firmly focussed on the finals campaign) can certainly manage the administrative side of the finals campaign as well as talk alignments to MFC.