EnergyWatch Sponsorship Cancelled

[DEELIGHTED 16]

This will get some good responses.

I personally could not give a rats bum where we get dollars from. Yes, some of his rants are a little off but he has a go at everyone.

Over a few beers with some mates last night, i now officially believe this great club is in a whole lot of trouble.

Look at the clubs who have been down and out over the last 15 years and look what they have done, flags to Norf, collingwood, geelong, hawks,port. These clubs have all been basket cases but have come out the other end(port not so much). The MFC is an absolute disgrace. We have had more coaches than hot dinners and are perinnial disapointments.

Energy Watch gives us dollars and within 12 months it will all be forgotten about.

MFC...................Man up and play on.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

You've been in business Robbie.

Ever had dealings with someone who turned out to be dodgy, bad character, unreliable, didn't pay their bills etc before?

Did you do your due diligence correctly?

Rear view vision is a wonderful thing

Couldn't "chaperoning" Jurrah on a home compassionate visit

because "his partner Shijara's sister died suddenly in her sleep last week at the age of 25", be seen as offensive or racist?

Should all players going home on compassionate leave be "chaperoned"?

Its not the straight forward issue you suggest

Edit formatting

I'm still in business DC after 34 years and that's because I watch what i do and who I deal with. I have certain rules in place and if the cash ain't there on time the client can walk. In my industry we have what's known as word of mouth and the bad ones are usually found out soon enough and they have to deal with the bottom feeders if they need cover.

Allowing any player leave to go in to a situation as volatile as the one that Liam headed to was not real bright and to tell you the truth I'm sick of everything being based along racist lines, since when has common sense equaled racist? I don't care which player it was, care should have been taken.

If we had a white anglo Western Australian player going back to a situation where he had previously been involved in a gang war over there I'd expect the same thing. The Club were aware of the situation there and they should have put something in place to protect one of their more valuable players.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

This will get some good responses.

I personally could not give a rats bum where we get dollars from. Yes, some of his rants are a little off but he has a go at everyone.

Over a few beers with some mates last night, i now officially believe this great club is in a whole lot of trouble.

Look at the clubs who have been down and out over the last 15 years and look what they have done, flags to Norf, collingwood, geelong, hawks,port. These clubs have all been basket cases but have come out the other end(port not so much). The MFC is an absolute disgrace. We have had more coaches than hot dinners and are perinnial disapointments.

Energy Watch gives us dollars and within 12 months it will all be forgotten about.

MFC...................Man up and play on.

Yeah but Jimmy, Don McLardy and Schwab do care where the money comes from.

Port and Kangaroos... great examples of raging success... - This was sarcasm.

We are trying to build a high performance club. Not chuck a pie night for a bogan bigot with more money than brain cells.

[Tricky 341]

This will get some good responses.

I personally could not give a rats bum where we get dollars from. Yes, some of his rants are a little off but he has a go at everyone.

Over a few beers with some mates last night, i now officially believe this great club is in a whole lot of trouble.

Look at the clubs who have been down and out over the last 15 years and look what they have done, flags to Norf, collingwood, geelong, hawks,port. These clubs have all been basket cases but have come out the other end(port not so much). The MFC is an absolute disgrace. We have had more coaches than hot dinners and are perinnial disapointments.

Energy Watch gives us dollars and within 12 months it will all be forgotten about.

MFC...................Man up and play on.

Watch Cam's press conference if you still don't understand.

It's about a lot more than the money.

They did man up.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Yes we have had quite a few problems and stuff ups. But by ignoring the diligence of the other clubs and big companies, you seem to be looking for more mfc failings even when there is contrary evidence. It can't make you or anyone happier to find faults which aren't there. There are enough without adding more unnecessarily.

You just don't get it, do you?

i'm sick of making excuses for the club and accepting that it's not our fault even though we are continually on the wrong side of everything, don't you understand it's not just one thing it's a whole host of things. If a club makes a mistake so be it, I'm waiting for us to do something right and I won't cop that everyone else did it. If you speed and get caught you can't offer up the excuse "I was only keeping up with the traffic" it doesn't matter what everyone else did, it's you that got booked and you that will have to pay the penalty. If it makes you happier knowing that 20 or so others got booked as well then good on you.

[daisycutter 29,604]

I'm still in business DC after 34 years and that's because I watch what i do and who I deal with. I have certain rules in place and if the cash ain't there on time the client can walk. In my industry we have what's known as word of mouth and the bad ones are usually found out soon enough and they have to deal with the bottom feeders if they need cover.

Allowing any player leave to go in to a situation as volatile as the one that Liam headed to was not real bright and to tell you the truth I'm sick of everything being based along racist lines, since when has common sense equaled racist? I don't care which player it was, care should have been taken.

If we had a white anglo Western Australian player going back to a situation where he had previously been involved in a gang war over there I'd expect the same thing. The Club were aware of the situation there and they should have put something in place to protect one of their more valuable players.

"and if the cash ain't there on time the client can walk" see, thats what I mean you found something after the fact, and severed relations, just like MFC did.

Business isn't perfect and if 3 multi-billion$ energy companies with all their resources and risk management didn't pick up on Polis why crucify a $30M company CEO who also ddn't?

I understand what you are saying about Jurrah. I just said it was not as straight forward as you originally put it. He had been home before many times recently when the "risk" factors were also high. You can't wrap someone up in cotton wool all the time, especially in his own world.

Anyway, still worthwhile topics to discuss and we are all a little angry at the hand fate has dealt us lately

[sue 9,096]

The introduction of the speeding analogy is not relevant as all know they are breaking the law. Here's is a more relevant analogy:

10 people walk over a rope bridge in front of you, all of them first checking the strength of the bridge, and you also do the similar checks and then walk across and the bridge fails. But it can't be said that you were as negligent as you would be if you were the only bunny to check out the bridge. Surely if others have reached the same (but sadly erroneous) conclusion as you, you are not the complete fool you seem to want to paint the mfc as being. Yes, I agree you should have checked even more carefully than those other guys (and they should have done so too since they have all now fallen into the abyss). But that is hindsight. One learns from other people's experiences, sometimes it leads you into trouble, but that is life.

I'll say it again. Yes there have been stuff ups. But some posters seem to be looking for more failings regardless of the evidence just so they can flagellate themselves and the club. Maybe supporting mfc since the 1960's attracts or develops such people….. It's understandable.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

"and if the cash ain't there on time the client can walk" see, thats what I mean you found something after the fact, and severed relations, just like MFC did.

Business isn't perfect and if 3 multi-billion$ energy companies with all their resources and risk management didn't pick up on Polis why crucify a $30M company CEO who also ddn't?

I understand what you are saying about Jurrah. I just said it was not as straight forward as you originally put it. He had been home before many times recently when the "risk" factors were also high. You can't wrap someone up in cotton wool all the time, especially in his own world.

Anyway, still worthwhile topics to discuss and we are all a little angry at the hand fate has dealt us lately

The clients that haven't paid me over the years are all small domestic types and it would be impossible to do a background check on them due to time constraints and the cost of the check. Plus in my line of work I don't lose any money as such I just don't get paid.

If I was looking at one of the larger accounts I'd certainly check around to see if the client had any prior form.

As you say there is a lot of anger about at the moment and I've just about reached the end of my tether I don't know how much more of this I can take.

[Tricky 341]

The introduction of the speeding analogy is not relevant as all know they are breaking the law. Here's is a more relevant analogy:

10 people walk over a rope bridge in front of you, all of them first checking the strength of the bridge, and you also do the similar checks and then walk across and the bridge fails. But it can't be said that you were as negligent as you would be if you were the only bunny to check out the bridge. Surely if others have reached the same (but sadly erroneous) conclusion as you, you are not the complete fool you seem to want to paint the mfc as being. Yes, I agree you should have checked even more carefully than those other guys (and they should have done so too since they have all now fallen into the abyss). But that is hindsight. One learns from other people's experiences, sometimes it leads you into trouble, but that is life.

I'll say it again. Yes there have been stuff ups. But some posters seem to be looking for more failings regardless of the evidence just so they can flagellate themselves and the club. Maybe supporting mfc since the 1960's attracts or develops such people….. It's understandable.

Did any of the 10 people check the bridge's Facebook account?

[Range Rover 1,935]

Yes I am. I don't care how politically incorrect it is, I'm a proud knobist. I have no time for knobs, I can't handle knobs. I'm am the co-founder of the [censored] Knockers & Kickers.

I may just erect a solar panel cross on Polis' front lawn.

Careful DA ... or you'll be accused of Polis brutality. *boom*

[Deestroy All 14,262]

Careful DA ... or you'll be accused of Polis brutality. *boom*

*groan*

(I really laughed)

[Range Rover 1,935]

I love armchair quarterbacks. You guys are great.

We should ask the same questions of 3AW, truenergy, momenum energy, Melbourne Victory, Melbouren REbels...but no, you won't do that, will you? Harold Mitchell, a bloke who does nothing but sniff the winds of publicity went with this mob too...but it's Cam's fault.

some of you people like kicking people when they are down. It is sick.

If MFC didn't do the level of due diligence some corporate captains posting here would have liked, neither did 2 other sporting clubs.

The thing that Schwab clearly did wrong was even mentioning that Energywatch were (temporarily) behind in their payments. Better to have said nothing about that.

Well said!

Nothing like supporters turning the knife when we are doing it tough!

I'll say it again. Yes there have been stuff ups. But some posters seem to be looking for more failings regardless of the evidence just so they can flagellate themselves and the club. Maybe supporting mfc since the 1960's attracts or develops such people….. It's understandable.

I'm with RobbieF here. There's no need to 'look' for more failings. They're self-evident. Check-out the rap sheet.

Apparently the club is now all about high performance this and extremely professional that.

So ... perhaps it's time to get in someone at the top who truly has what it takes in these areas.

Or ... we can keep doing what we are absolute world beaters at ... making excuses at press conferences.

[DEELIGHTED 16]

Watch Cam's press conference if you still don't understand.

It's about a lot more than the money.

They did man up.

fair point, he spoke well.

My point is that average clubs - port and norf have won flags in my lifetime. We simply have not.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

I'm with RobbieF here. There's no need to 'look' for more failings. They're self-evident. Check-out the rap sheet.

Apparently the club is now all about high performance this and extremely professional that.

So ... perhaps it's time to get in someone at the top who truly has what it takes in these areas.

Or ... we can keep doing what we are absolute world beaters at ... making excuses at press conferences.

Then there's this

http://www.theage.com.au/business/ceos-trail-of-disaster-20120405-1wfq3.html

Energy Watch was in the process of restructuring after Mr Polis stepped down as a director in early February, citing stress.

"I have been under a lot pressure, with building and running a company the size of Energy Watch. I started it when I was 26

and have no formal training in running a business I have created," he told The Saturday Age.

Previous business ventures run by Mr Polis have left behind a string of creditors owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

His company Polis Australia collapsed in 2009, owing creditors including the Australian Taxation Office, corporate raider

Nicholas Bolton and Fairfax Media, which owns The Age, more than $283,000.

Another company, Saint Group Australasia, also known as St Kilda Marketing, run by Mr Polis and Mr Zombor, failed in 2008

owing more than $110,000. A report signed by Mr Polis and Mr Zombor shows its debts included more than $28,000 owed to

staff in unpaid superannuation.

The pair registered Energy Watch in February 2009, but Mr Polis quit as a director on February 13, 2012.

This came after Mr Zombor in December registered a company with the name Energy Watch Business.

You would probably find most of this on Google if you bothered to check.

Also I was at the meet the coaches lunch last year and happened to sit next to the guy from Kaspersky who told me

when asked that they probably wouldn't be sponsoring the club this year, he said they hadn't heard back from the

club and that they were impossible to deal with.

[hardtack 10,514]

A very very funny email to Polis:

http://haughtfeelings.wordpress.com/2012/04/06/my-email-to-ben-polis/

[rpfc 28,262]

Then there's this

http://www.theage.co...0405-1wfq3.html

Energy Watch was in the process of restructuring after Mr Polis stepped down as a director in early February, citing stress.

"I have been under a lot pressure, with building and running a company the size of Energy Watch. I started it when I was 26

and have no formal training in running a business I have created," he told The Saturday Age.

Previous business ventures run by Mr Polis have left behind a string of creditors owed hundreds of thousands of dollars.

His company Polis Australia collapsed in 2009, owing creditors including the Australian Taxation Office, corporate raider

Nicholas Bolton and Fairfax Media, which owns The Age, more than $283,000.

Another company, Saint Group Australasia, also known as St Kilda Marketing, run by Mr Polis and Mr Zombor, failed in 2008

owing more than $110,000. A report signed by Mr Polis and Mr Zombor shows its debts included more than $28,000 owed to

staff in unpaid superannuation.

The pair registered Energy Watch in February 2009, but Mr Polis quit as a director on February 13, 2012.

This came after Mr Zombor in December registered a company with the name Energy Watch Business.

I have to admit, the thought of working our way through this mess with Zombor as the head of EW crossed my mind yesterday...

But I am not sure what effect that would have on our ability to get another Major Sponsor. I have heard that the Victory were contacted by their other sponsors who basically said 'we are not happy to be associated with EW'...

You would probably find most of this on Google if you bothered to check.

Also I was at the meet the coaches lunch last year and happened to sit next to the guy from Kaspersky who told me

when asked that they probably wouldn't be sponsoring the club this year, he said they hadn't heard back from the

club and that they were impossible to deal with.

Very disappointed to hear this the first time you mentioned but is incredibly important right now...

Let's hope Cameron can fix the issues that made the rep from Kaspersky feel that way.

[Nasher 33,607]

A very very funny email to Polis:

http://haughtfeeling...l-to-ben-polis/

That's Rivvo from Demonology isn't it?

[Deestroy All 14,262]

That's Rivvo from Demonology isn't it?

Yep that's Rivvo, one if my favourite posters, didn't know that blog existed. Hilarious read!

[Mgdee 322]

I doubt he has enough influence to get a bloke to ruin his "empire" for anything, let alone a small vendeta. Polis is likely to loose tens of Millions over this. if not close to everything.

I wasn't suggesting Eddie made him write the Stuff.

I was suggesting Eddie could have alerted the press to the fact that the Facebook page existed.

[Biffen 12,940]

You cannot blame Schwab for Polis' shortcomings, we probably thought we did enough background checking for it to be good, clearly it wasn't enough. But that's not what i have a problem with.

Schwab for the past few months now has used EW as a scapegoat and has continually spat out the same line that because of the EW deal, we could afford to take our time with the second major sponsor, ie we didn't go as hard as what we otherwise would have. Now the EW deal has backfired, and it is because of this lacklustre approach, that we are left high and dry with no other sponsors on board yet.

We may get new sponsors, whether that be as soon as tomorrow or next week, or god forbid in a few months down the line. We continually hear that this club aspires to be elite, a quality that Schwab is trying to push hard into the club, yet this whole saga has highlighted that Schwab's efforts to gain new sponsors has been less than 100%. He has virtually said this himself (because of EW we can afford to take our time).

We all know of the mayhem at the end of last year, with Schwab only getting a one year extension, etc. Maybe it is time for change at the top.

Maybe he knew EW was on the way out himself.Would explain why the deals have been delayed .

Anyway-lets turn on Cam as well if it makes you feel better.

[jayceebee31 759]

I'm still in business DC after 34 years and that's because I watch what i do and who I deal with. I have certain rules in place and if the cash ain't there on time the client can walk. In my industry we have what's known as word of mouth and the bad ones are usually found out soon enough and they have to deal with the bottom feeders if they need cover.

Allowing any player leave to go in to a situation as volatile as the one that Liam headed to was not real bright and to tell you the truth I'm sick of everything being based along racist lines, since when has common sense equaled racist? I don't care which player it was, care should have been taken.

If we had a white anglo Western Australian player going back to a situation where he had previously been involved in a gang war over there I'd expect the same thing. The Club were aware of the situation there and they should have put something in place to protect one of their more valuable players.

I am also in business. Been a sponsor previously as well.Been around the club for nearly 40 years and I totally agree with your views and sentiments.The pressure is really on C.S in particular with Energy Watch being behind in payments as well as what has taken place.I really believe we wil really come out in front by taking our stand.Integrity and values are definately foremost and I am sure the support will be there.This could be the fundamental turnaround that we all need.Strong leadership re Neeld is extremely important infield whilst off field it is really up to CS and his team.All the theory he put into our heads re his Wednesday's last year now he has to put some of those factors into practice.In some ways it is up to him to perform or get out.

[Swampfox 190]

Club made the correct decision promptly

The AFL now knows what the MFC stands for

The greater football community also knows and many have even brought memberships as gestures of support

What is really important is Companies who are looking at Sponsoring a major sporting club will also know

I am optimistic about our ability to attract sponsorship

[Rogue 585]

Very disappointed to hear this

Likewise.

[Range Rover 1,935]

Also I was at the meet the coaches lunch last year and happened to sit next to the guy from Kaspersky who told me

when asked that they probably wouldn't be sponsoring the club this year, he said they hadn't heard back from the

club and that they were impossible to deal with.

Yet we happily got into bed with this guy ...

[Biffen 12,940]

I am also in business. Been a sponsor previously as well.Been around the club for nearly 40 years and I totally agree with your views and sentiments.The pressure is really on C.S in particular with Energy Watch being behind in payments as well as what has taken place.I really believe we wil really come out in front by taking our stand.Integrity and values are definately foremost and I am sure the support will be there.This could be the fundamental turnaround that we all need.Strong leadership re Neeld is extremely important infield whilst off field it is really up to CS and his team.All the theory he put into our heads re his Wednesday's last year now he has to put some of those factors into practice.In some ways it is up to him to perform or get out.

Got any better suggestions as to how you let someone attend a funeral?