I continue some of my left field thinking if only to offer up a scenario that would fit. Yes its fanciful, enjoys some trimmings of a paranoia and is at risk of being a little glimmered.

But I wonder.

It wasn't all that many seasons ago we stared into the abyss. Oblivion stared back. On our knees and wounded we had our destinies laid before us . Rise, regroup, reconfigure and fight; Stand for something,

Or

Fade into the anulls of football history along with Fitzroy, South Melbourne etc.

The AFL would help but we had to help ourselves first.

At the same time the AFL was empire building. It was looking at the fields of SE Qld and considered the Gold Coast as ideal and fertile ground to expand the Australian game. at near or the same time the perennial conundrum of NSW weighed into the thinking . There's bragging rights at stake. The AFL must surely attack the heart of the beast if it's to reign supreme.

Rugby League must be put to the sword. All future aspiring talent in New South Wales and especially the western suburbs of Sydney must be suaded to seek athletic. sation playing Aussie Rules. it's Sydney ( west ) or bust.

GC 's a Monty. Theres sufficient background and expat Victorians to support the 'proper' culture. A team in the Great West is going to need ongoing support, lots of money and accommodating certain indulgences.

The AFL genuinely wants and needs Melbourne to survive. Hell it can even be competitive but it can't derail the pet project; kill the beast.

The AFL is impressed by Melbournes reincarnation. It however becomes concerned as this noble club sheds it's conservative guise and wrests the prizes of draft picks right from under everyones noses . They included the AFL. They never thought those toffs would , let alone could be so mercenary as to 'optimise' their ladder position.

Alarm bells ring at AFL HQ. The Demon is rising far too quickly and powerrfully for their liking. What is worse they've captured the imaginations of many, even non Demons are enjoying the renaissance of Red and Blue. After all football is Melbourne and as the public were reminded( despite crafty sqewing ) that it was the MFC .. The worlds oldest continuing football club that gave us football . Footy is indeed Melbourne and Melbourne is Football .

More alarm bells. The pet project isn't being received in the manner it (afl) hopes. It's stalling. Time to manipulate and this is something the AFL excel at. Concessions aren't enough. We have to shore up the interest in GWS. They have to bolster their stocks and as importantly have to suppress the aspirants. Can't let Melbourne get ahead of themselves nor more the point get ahead of GWS succeeding.

Despite loud vocalizing from all concerned and affected clubs the AFL does not amend the holes that would allow back door drafting. In a double win its quite feasible that that upstart Melbourne might become unsteady, unfocussed and slip.

GWS ne the newly annointed Giants might further bolster their ranks. It's win win for AFL planning.

But much to the dismay hasn't gone unnoticed. Not just Melbourne and it's followers but many a footy affecianado sits up suddenly. There's an odor in the air and it's vile.

The AFL caught with hands in cookie jar need to , as is their want , rewrite events.

In an unprecedented occurrence an editorial appears on the AFLs website bemoaning Melbournes lot. They are trying to redirect public sympathies lest their darling Giants lose ground.

Its all just conspiracy theory!

But conspiracies DO exist !!

I continue some of my left field thinking if only to offer up a scenario that would fit. Yes its fanciful, enjoys some trimmings of a paranoia and is at risk of being a little glimmered.

But I wonder.

It wasn't all that many seasons ago we stared into the abyss. Oblivion stared back. On our knees and wounded we had our destinies laid before us . Rise, regroup, reconfigure and fight; Stand for something,

Or

Fade into the anulls of football history along with Fitzroy, South Melbourne etc.

The AFL would help but we had to help ourselves first.

At the same time the AFL was empire building. It was looking at the fields of SE Qld and considered the Gold Coast as ideal and fertile ground to expand the Australian game. at near or the same time the perennial conundrum of NSW weighed into the thinking . There's bragging rights at stake. The AFL must surely attack the heart of the beast if it's to reign supreme.

Rugby League must be put to the sword. All future aspiring talent in New South Wales and especially the western suburbs of Sydney must be suaded to seek athletic. sation playing Aussie Rules. it's Sydney ( west ) or bust.

GC 's a Monty. Theres sufficient background and expat Victorians to support the 'proper' culture. A team in the Great West is going to need ongoing support, lots of money and accommodating certain indulgences.

The AFL genuinely wants and needs Melbourne to survive. Hell it can even be competitive but it can't derail the pet project; kill the beast.

The AFL is impressed by Melbournes reincarnation. It however becomes concerned as this noble club sheds it's conservative guise and wrests the prizes of draft picks right from under everyones noses . They included the AFL. They never thought those toffs would , let alone could be so mercenary as to 'optimise' their ladder position.

Alarm bells ring at AFL HQ. The Demon is rising far too quickly and powerrfully for their liking. What is worse they've captured the imaginations of many, even non Demons are enjoying the renaissance of Red and Blue. After all football is Melbourne and as the public were reminded( despite crafty sqewing ) that it was the MFC .. The worlds oldest continuing football club that gave us football . Footy is indeed Melbourne and Melbourne is Football .

More alarm bells. The pet project isn't being received in the manner it (afl) hopes. It's stalling. Time to manipulate and this is something the AFL excel at. Concessions aren't enough. We have to shore up the interest in GWS. They have to bolster their stocks and as importantly have to suppress the aspirants. Can't let Melbourne get ahead of themselves nor more the point get ahead of GWS succeeding.

Despite loud vocalizing from all concerned and affected clubs the AFL does not amend the holes that would allow back door drafting. In a double win its quite feasible that that upstart Melbourne might become unsteady, unfocussed and slip.

GWS ne the newly annointed Giants might further bolster their ranks. It's win win for AFL planning.

But much to the dismay hasn't gone unnoticed. Not just Melbourne and it's followers but many a footy affecianado sits up suddenly. There's an odor in the air and it's vile.

The AFL caught with hands in cookie jar need to , as is their want , rewrite events.

In an unprecedented occurrence an editorial appears on the AFLs website bemoaning Melbournes lot. They are trying to redirect public sympathies lest their darling Giants lose ground.

Its all just conspiracy theory!

But conspiracies DO exist !!

I think you have touched on some nerves here. We may even have to create a cookie jar fund just to keep the AFL gurus to stop poaching our list via the new clubs.Or maybe to appeal to Mr Gutnick or the like to set up a situation similar to the late Richard Pratt at Visyboard.

Lets not misjudge our situation. Quietly we are at war with the AFL. There's going to be a lot of maneuvering yet.

I'm content enough to know Stynes and Schwabb are no fools and will know this.

We've had to fight hard to make our gains. We'll need to fight still to keep them.

I await more AFL subterfuge.

There is no such thing ad accidental coincidence. Simultaneous events happen for reasons.

Melbournes intelligencia needs to muster and resolve to outwit it's adversaries.

Just remember that while money and profit is involved, the AFL will remain a business venture beyond anything else. List managers are just as much responsible for winning a premiership as the players themselves for they are the ones responsible for keeping a list of players happy financially whilst keeping in the restraints of the salary cap (not that this is always adhered to: see Judd). If the AFL changed the face of the game by paying every player the same amount (plus incentives), then the whole make up of every team would change dramatically. This is not going to happen, however, so not much point going into it.

Regarding the AFL, they will never let Melbourne fold (well; I would hope not) but GWS are certainly more important at this stage.

Melbournes intelligencia needs to muster and resolve to outwit it's adversaries.

It's imperative that the supporter base also stays united behind the club and won't go to water if things don't go our way , ie-Scully .

All won't be lost , he is but 1 piece of the puzzle to ultimate success .

We must show Vlad and the AFL community that we are a strong club and our resolve won't be weakened by any-one .

Edited February 15, 201114 yr by Fork 'em

Belzebub, your posts are incredibly hard to read - can you give me synopsis minus the fluff?

In 3 lines maybe?

It's not that we won't fold (now) it's just we could be upsetting the AFLs plans by redefining a landscape.

GWS stocks need to be stacked. GC is likely to come out reasonably competitive and entertaining. I doubt the same will apply to the Giants.

We're now involved in a game of chess!!

Great post the AFL is so compromised in this its a disgrace. This situation so undermines the reason for the draft yet the AFL do nothing

Belzebub, your posts are incredibly hard to read - can you give me synopsis minus the fluff?

In 3 lines maybe?

May I suggest stick to picture books if unable to read ?

It needed more than 3 lines. Get over it

Belzebub, your posts are incredibly hard to read - can you give me synopsis minus the fluff?

In 3 lines maybe?

I think he is saying that the AFL are scared Melbourne’s success will have a negative impact on expansion, so they are plotting to derail Melbourne, but it's hard to be sure with that 'creative' piece. Might be the tin foil hat that is causing him problems.

Surely three lines in an existing thread would be ok, but some ego's need a bit more.

I think he is saying that the AFL are scared Melbournes success will have a negative impact on expansion, so they are plotting to derail Melbourne, but it's hard to be sure with that 'creative' piece. Might be the tin foil hat that is causing him problems.

Surely three lines in an existing thread

i think some just look too much into things.

schwab was clear over a year ago that mfc would have to create an environment that was healthy for players to want to stay with mfc. that is why there was the eradication of debt, the new facilities, improved membership, ...bla, bla, bla. schwab knew the future landscape and that we would have to fight to keep players and that is why list manger timmy harrington came in.

f me, we all were told of what might happen. easily forgotten isn't it ?

Edited February 15, 201114 yr by Grimes to Watts

It's in it's own thread because it's a topic unto itself.

It's not about ego.. But such folk that prefer to berate as opposed add might consider their grandstanding to be itself egotistical.

I wouldn't have thought it beyond most's ability to read and read more than a couple paragraphs at a time.

It was all set out, all explained. Some understood it and thought a relevance .

Seems some struggle and they might like to practice. In Woolies invariably right next to the toys are some lovely books; The hungry Caterpillar etc. Start with them perhaps.

Just realized this is probably too long for those who struggle to be attentive to.

Back to the topic huh !!

I can understand the premise but this is 'yelling at clouds' to me.

Yelling at windmills for those who are too old to get the reference.

Scwabb voiced his concerned did others to the AFL once the anomaly was realised. Nothing was done about it when it could have been.

Schwabbs acknowledgment of our pairing comes as a result of the afl refusing to correct it's error. I can't imagine he wanted it that way.

Scwabb voiced his concerned did others to the AFL once the anomaly was realised. Nothing was done about it when it could have been.

Schwabbs acknowledgment of our pairing comes as a result of the afl refusing to correct it's error. I can't imagine he wanted it that way.

no he didn't. But gary march did. And schwab said something like gary march doesn't speak for us (mfc). schwan was on the committee that created the concessions for gws.

if you want proof - visit scull thread and harry manback's post, all facts are there/

Edited February 15, 201114 yr by Grimes to Watts

here it is -

Hence Greg March's opposition to it back in March 2010:

Tiger fury at lack of protection

Interestingly enough, Cam Schwab wasn't so happy about the Dees being drawn into the argument:

March backed on young talent

I'd say due to the fact that the AFL have some pelican write on their website trying to downplay the situation means Beezelbub has some reasonable points.

I'll take that correction. My understanding was CS wasnt particularly happy with our exposure but seems March had more vocal concerns .

Belzebub, your posts are incredibly hard to read - can you give me synopsis minus the fluff?

In 3 lines maybe?

Bub sounds like he just stepped out of a time machine from the 18th century.

I'd say due to the fact that the AFL have some pelican write on their website trying to downplay the situation means Beezelbub has some reasonable points.

It is a radical departure from the norm. Unprecedented to my knowledge for the AFL ( through some lackey) to take such a view let alone voice it. The very notion it's published there must infer they condone it. Bit like a judge posing evidence etc, just wrong .

That they have then begs the question why ? Who gains ?

Much stands to be lost if such defacto drafting procedes.

I still scent that were being stepped on covertly.

It is a radical departure from the norm. Unprecedented to my knowledge for the AFL ( through some lackey) to take such a view let alone voice it. The very notion it's published there must infer they condone it. Bit like a judge posing evidence etc, just wrong .

That they have then begs the question why ? Who gains ?

Much stands to be lost if such defacto drafting procedes.

I still scent that were being stepped on covertly.

Qui bono.

I can understand the premise but this is 'yelling at clouds' to me.

Yelling at windmills for those who are too old to get the reference.

Yes.

The AFL has nothing to gain by laying the boots into the Melbourne Football Club at this time. A strengthening club with a long history headed up by one of the most loved people in the game. A strong MFC only strengthens the AFL.

I see it more as a defence of the of the GWS concept and its implementation rather than an attack on the MFC. Stepping on the MFC is merely reckless collateral damage in its defence of the GWS implementation.

Yes.

The AFL has nothing to gain by laying the boots into the Melbourne Football Club at this time. A strengthening club with a long history headed up by one of the most loved people in the game. A strong MFC only strengthens the AFL.

I see it more as a defence of the of the GWS concept and its implementation rather than an attack on the MFC. Stepping on the MFC is merely reckless collateral damage in its defence of the GWS implementation.

Good contradiction surely ?

You just made the case. Stepping on Melb aids GWS

Good contradiction surely ?

You just made the case. Stepping on Melb aids GWS

No

There are shades of grey my learned friend. Read the post again. The intent of the AFL is not to weaken the MFC but to justify its policy in regard to the GWS. It's all about intent.

The AFL has and will step on anyone/anything to forward it's regime.

I can understand the premise but this is 'yelling at clouds' to me.

Yelling at windmills for those who are too old to get the reference.

*tilting at windmills.....puleeeeze