One thread it's "30 games and 3 players away from awesome" next thread it's "we can't compete without a big increase in FD spending".

Make up your mind.

Gosh, they're rich!

The Dogs and Kangas battle a whole lot better than us. This arrogant putting down of honest, struggling teams that beat us all the time is part of the same self-delusory twaddle that has seen so many forum posters in a swoon over the impending and inevitable 'premiership window' just a few years away. If you think we are not a 'battler' team you are living in lala land.

In fact, if you think we ARE a 'battler' team you are living in lala land, because 'battling' is so far from what this team does that it's not funny.

Just mouthing the millions that will go through Collingwood is saying nothing of any relevance to the Melbourne team NOW. Awestruck by megabucks; just like Eddie.

You can hand $85m and some big-shots AND Malthouse to MFC right now, but we won't become Collingwood.

I can't believe a whole thread on $$$$$$$$ when it's not the lack of them which has brought us to this point.

It's a whole group of incompetent coaching staff, a couple of people who have too much sway in the consequent vacuum, and one or two ex-player big mouths in the media who give both a running commentary and imagine themselves part of the process they're commenting on.

Worry about the $$$$$ later, when the coaches and players have actually earned them. Do our players get paid? Do we have good training facilities?

In the meantime, I hope to see the MFC do some real battling out on the field, where NOTHING is stopping them.

Of course we wouldn't become Collingwood overnight, where did i ever say that???

But you have to start somewhere....And i believe it is the Football Dept that should be the the first to be serviced.

Rebuild a car & the first place to start is the engine block....

North & Footscray will continue to battle on....I don't think they will ever win another Cup.

The MFC although yes a long way back...still has possibilities to do so....But we have to get things right...As Geelong did with Brian Cook around 2000.

That is the model we should look at....The team that monstered us last Saturday were very similiar to us in the late '90's.

This weekend ... now the "gap" is showing up on the scoreboard. ahhhhh well suppose it had to happen.

Edited August 7, 201113 yr by hangon007

MFC decision not to chase experienced bodies in last years drafting and trading process cost Bailey his job.

Any other coach at any other club would have done it ... Bailey put our long-term future in front of his own & for that you have to be eternally grateful. Bailey made the decision to develop ... that took balls. Listen to his press conference ... it tells all, honesty and integrity.

However, lets face facts what have we missed this year ...

a/ strong bodied full -forward ready to go .... Cameron Mooney - Leigh Brown type

b/ mature body around the clearance work ... Luke Ball - Brad Sewell type

These players "might" not have won a premiership, but they would have saved Dean Bailey.

This club needs to get rid of our negative attitude ... hence the article. We were not that far away if we recruit what we need NOW. Its too late for Bailey ... lets give the next bloke a chance from day 1.

Patently wrong again. MFC did chase experienced players last year. It was active in the market for David Hale and the year before went puruing Luke Ball. Bailey's job went for other reasons.

We went chasing for David Hale for the so called forward -ruckman last year and missed out. And as it turned out he would not have made much difference given injury and indifferent form.

Which players were definitely available last year that we could have plausibly targetted?

At this stage of their careers neither Brown or Mooney are game breakers. They play specific roles within two AFL juggernauts. They would not have saved Bailey's skin. Its clear his cards were marked well before the start of this year.

Bingo ... their rise up the ladder has come with a constant increase and injection of funds inside their football department.

Last year no doubt about it they under-performed for a reason. Now they are getting value for money.

That's wrong too. Its a pity you dont know the reason and have to guess. WCE have always spent big on the FD. Their rise up the ladder this has been the return to fitness form of their top experienced six in Cox, Kerr, Embley, Lynch, Priddis, Nicovski and their development of Shuey, Nik Nat etc.

FD spend is a big aid but you must you use funds wisely. Up to 2010, Collingwood had won 1 flag in the past 51 years and their past decade had been rather ordinary given the amount of money available for coaching, PD, medicial and facilities.

I thought this was a Miranda Kerr thread .Sorry .

Patently wrong again. MFC did chase experienced players last year. It was active in the market for David Hale and the year before went puruing Luke Ball. Bailey's job went for other reasons.

We went chasing for David Hale for the so called forward -ruckman last year and missed out. And as it turned out he would not have made much difference given injury and indifferent form.

Rubbish we chased 1 ... one that we missed out on. Thats hardly PLAYERS

Your assessment is also rubbish, he Hale will be a vital part in the Hawks moving forward. Why they upped the anti for him.

At this stage of their careers neither Brown or Mooney are game breakers.

Absolute, absolute crap. You have no idea ... talk to Geelong & Collingwood and they will tell you how vital both are in taking out the ultimate & making the 4 with a bang.

All I was suggesting was to make the 8 ... shivers you have to make that before anything else.

They would not have saved Bailey's skin. Its clear his cards were marked well before the start of this year.

Re Bailey ... more crap had he made the 8 he was safe. Stop making up rubbish.

That's wrong too. Its a pity you dont know the reason and have to guess. WCE have always spent big on the FD.

Exactly my point remind me how many premierships they have won since in the comp?

How many have we won since then???

Penny will drop for you one day.

Their rise up the ladder this has been the return to fitness form of their top experienced six in Cox, Kerr, Embley, Lynch, Priddis, Nicovski and their development of Shuey, Nik Nat etc.

Goes hand in hand with $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ spent to aid recovery. Darling Gaff(super sub) help there structure ... just remind me how they got them again

FD spend is a big aid but you must you use funds wisely. Up to 2010, Collingwood had won 1 flag in the past 51 years and their past decade had been rather ordinary given the amount of money available for coaching, PD, medicial and facilities.

No kidding. How they going in 2011. I agree with your point however, massive, massive, massive investment is not a one or two year campaign. Its a sustained campagin for many, many years.

oh yes ... thats "unreasonable and untenable" ... hehehe. Your the negative defeatist ranter around here.

Edited August 7, 201113 yr by hangon007

Rubbish we chased 1 ... one that we missed out on. Thats hardly PLAYERS

Sorry We chased Hale and Ball. Its make a bald lie of your claim "MFC decision not to chase experienced bodies in last years drafting and trading process cost Bailey his job."

Your assessment is also rubbish, he Hale will be a vital part in the Hawks moving forward. Why they upped the anti for him.

Irrelevant because the Hales future performances will have no impact on Bailey's position now.

Absolute, absolute crap. You have no idea ... talk to Geelong & Collingwood and they will tell you how vital both are in taking out the ultimate & making the 4 with a bang.

If Mooney is so important to Geelong, why has played most of the season in the VFL before being given some junk time jolly games. Mooney has already said that he is only playing to have another crack at the flag before he retires. How a player who has the yips in front of goal and is in the twilight of his career would want to come to MFC who were no certainty to make the 8. Brown is 3rd/4th up forward in a crack side. He would get exposed being the key forward at MFC like he did at Freo and NMFC . And again why would he? At around 30 why would he leave a flag challenging club to join MFC. Come on do so real thinking and come with players we could have realistically got.

All I was suggesting was to make the 8 ... shivers you have to make that before anything else.

No you are trying to duck shove a silly comment about Bailey tenure being cut because MFC did not chase experienced players.

Re Bailey ... more crap had he made the 8 he was safe. Stop making up rubbish.

Good. Thats a more supportable proposition than the silliness you have run around in circles with. And in regard to last sentence, you have aching need of mirror mirror.

Exactly my point remind me how many premierships they have won since in the comp?

How many have we won since then???

Penny will drop for you one day.

WCE won flags in 1992 and 1994 on the back of the most generous draft concessions ever granted (see Adelaide as well). The money spiral in AFL took off in mid to late 90s. Since then WCE have been heavy spenders on the FD. And in the past 15 years have won only 1 flag. $$$$ are important but are not the sole determinant. You need the money in the FD but you also need alot of others things as well. $$$$$ wont guarantee you the success. Read Collingwood pre 2010 and Adelaide (1997-98 were flags built on great draft concessions).

Its ironic you make the comment about the penny dropping especially from someone who does not seem to be able to find the coin slot on issues.

No kidding. How they going in 2011. I agree with your point however, massive, massive, massive investment is not a one or two year campaign. Its a sustained campagin for many, many years.

oh yes ... thats "unreasonable and untenable" ... hehehe. Your the negative defeatist ranter around here.

I made the comment about "unreasonable and untenable" if you think the FD funding is going to funded by supporters without a plausible viable business plan generated by the Club. If you did do your "bit" and had a bit of nous you would understand just where and to what proportion the funding of a successful club actually is. Its pity you try an mock things you dont understand. I have a 9 year old nephew that does that also but I am sure he will mature out of that.

Between 1900 and '64 we did pretty well...2 threepeats and a 5 in 7 years....but you always get stuck in to the MCC leather chairs DL.....why??

No, between 1939-1964 we did pretty well. 25 years where we won 10 of our 12 flags. 25 years in 153 where we have been successful. Without Checker, Caldwell & Smith we would be as laughably poor as St. Kilda & Footscray.

The OP is correct.

Free agency coming in only makes the situation more urgent.

True, but I would go one step further.

Free agency WILL mean the death of the MFC and clubs of similar stature within the AFL.

We (and some other clubs) just cannot compete in a free agency environment. Just look at all of the handouts we have had thus far, and look where it has got us? Nowhere.

Once you roll free agency into the mixture we are gone for good.

Cozmo

No, between 1939-1964 we did pretty well. 25 years where we won 10 of our 12 flags. 25 years in 153 where we have been successful. Without Checker, Caldwell & Smith we would be as laughably poor as St. Kilda & Footscray.

So you do not count the first 2 flags of 1900 and 1926? I do.

Sorry We chased Hale and Ball. Its make a bald lie of your claim "MFC decision not to chase experienced bodies in last years drafting and trading process cost Bailey his job."

Hahahaha Ball was in the draft before you goon ... get your FACTS right ... End of story. hahahahahahah B)

You have no idea ... the rest I not even going to bother ... stop reading the newspapers. Watch the games of all sides

PS The eagles last year resting injured player or delayed comebacks in some cases ... all part of list management, last year or as other call it tanking.

PSS I said TYPES not those exact player ... you have lost it.

hahahahahahaah you make me chuckle NO IDEA ...

Call me what ever you want ... I recommend you start listening to your 9 year old ... he could get the same stuff you quote out of the newspapers as well.

Edited August 7, 201113 yr by hangon007

One other thing take the time to watch todays game Eagles vs Richmond ... you might just learn something re Gaff & Darling ... and Eagles outfit.

PS Just for your information our company tipped $100,000's dollars into the Eagles in the 90's we even employed SOME of the players. Did I go to their Grand Final function in both years YES. I even went out drinking in one of the years with their injured player group ... sorry I cant recall what year it was. You have No idea what you are talking about.

Edited August 7, 201113 yr by hangon007

So you do not count the first 2 flags of 1900 and 1926? I do.

Not really. I mean, obviously they count as a part of our history, but in terms of being a successful club they did not occur in the midst of sustained success and were from a pre-modern amateur era. I mean in 1900 there were only 8 suburban teams and Victoria was still a colony. Fitzroy was the best team in the comp from 1900-1926, enough said.

Edited August 7, 201113 yr by Demonic Ascent

True, but I would go one step further.

Free agency WILL mean the death of the MFC and clubs of similar stature within the AFL.

We (and some other clubs) just cannot compete in a free agency environment. Just look at all of the handouts we have had thus far, and look where it has got us? Nowhere.

Once you roll free agency into the mixture we are gone for good.

Cozmo

Free agency will only gives us problems if

a/ we have little money stored away

b/ we are not genuinely in the window to win a flag

If we are in the window & we have a cash fund stored away it might work to our benefit.

Free agency will only gives us problems if

a/ we have little money stored away

b/ we are not genuinely in the window to win a flag

If we are in the window & we have a cash fund stored away it might work to our benefit.

I hope you are right, i was thinking about Free Agency during our second quarter yesterday.

Unless we start our climb up the ladder soon...the established players will not consider coming to play for the MFC.

And slowly our good young players will leave to taste success...Free Agency starts next year, we are running out of time..

The increase in Spending within the Football Department should have also begun in earnest in 2008, along with the youth policy.

This i believe was a big mistake...it could have been part of Debt Demolition, and still be in progress.

Our window for survival is getting harder the way i see it.

Feel Free to talk me out of it.

...Free Agency starts next year, we are running out of time..

Feel Free to talk me out of it.

Exactly on two fronts. Time & $$$$$$ ... But you just cant get it thru to some around here ... B)

They are staring oblivion in the face and they just cant see it ... a death of a thousand cuts it will be like torture ... well with some of the attitudes around here they couldn't die a better way.

Edited August 7, 201113 yr by hangon007

Exactly on two fronts. Time & $$$ ... But you just cant get it thru to some around here ... B)

They are staring oblivion in the face and they just cant see it ... a death of a thousand cuts it will be like torture ... well with some of the attitudes around here they couldn't die a better way.

i couldn't give a toss about the attitude on Demonland, with a few wins they will be back.

I want those at the coal face of the MFC to get it right, whilst they still can. This round just finished was quite scary and i don't think it was just an abberation

AFL finally recognise the problem and look like they are about to step in to reduce the gap ... well at least the agree with some around here. Looks like the ape is not as stupid as some around here want to make out .... :)

The Ape was on the "money" 10 days ago.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/afl-moves-to-bring-poor-clubs-up-to-scratch/story-e6frf9jf-1226111272389

1 word of warning ... does not mean it fully solves our problem ... with ever "hand-out" strings are always attached.

Edited August 8, 201113 yr by hangon007

I thought this was a Miranda Kerr thread .Sorry .

This can't go unrewarded. Well done Cap'n.

Someone finally got it .Thank You .