MFC Reserve side.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

Interesting read in todays Age about Richmonds plight with Coburg & their week to week survival situation.

I have no problem with the Scorps, but clearly we must aim to have our own reserve team at some time soon otherwise again we will be way behind the bigger clubs.

We must budget for a stand alone reserve side.

I would pay an increased membership to help fund the baby.

[low flying Robbo 979]

Interesting read in todays Age about Richmonds plight with Coburg & their week to week survival situation.

I have no problem with the Scorps, but clearly we must aim to have our own reserve team at some time soon otherwise again we will be way behind the bigger clubs.

We must budget for a stand alone reserve side.

I would pay an increased membership to help fund the baby.

I was thinking the same thing while reading the article this morning. It's the way to go if you want to develop young players for your particular game plan. All comes down to costs and resources.

[Miles from Nowhere 199]

It is under investigation. The whole Fevola farce last year brought matters to a head. You can't have the MFC saying "No Fevola" we want to develop Cook etc and the affiliate saying that they want bums on seats.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

A VFL side that has bye weeks so that junior and returning senior players cannot gain match fitness is just not good enough.

The AFL are swimming in $$$ this should be fixed Vlad. NOW.

[Nasher 33,607]

I'm not against the idea of alignment in general, but it's a pain when the VFL side isn't playing when it's crucial to get miles in legs for whatever reason. But what's the answer? I don't see how having a standalone VFL side makes any difference to that; we're still going to be subject to the same draws, byes, weeks off and so forth. And we can forget the idea of there ever being an AFL reserves competition, with a national competition and lists that are too small to field two teams, you'd need to have amateur "supplimentary" players, and it's too much to ask of them to travel interstate to play footy every few weeks. It wouldn't work.

The idea of a reserves side is romantic but I expect that the reason we haven't got one is because it doesn't actually really help that much. It'd just be extra money down the drain for nothing.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

It is under investigation. The whole Fevola farce last year brought matters to a head. You can't have the MFC saying "No Fevola" we want to develop Cook etc and the affiliate saying that they want bums on seats.

So it should be. Casey made $$ out of Fev and good luck to them both. But it was detrimental to the MFC. We need Lucas Cook playing senior footy now. 2011 was a waste in so many ways.

[drdrake 3,124]

So it should be. Casey made $$ out of Fev and good luck to them both. But it was detrimental to the MFC. We need Lucas Cook playing senior footy now. 2011 was a waste in so many ways.

Rubbish, for one Lucas was no where near ready to play AFL last year.. Having Fev in the side did not hinder his development in fact helped him, imagine if he got smashed by the biggest strongest defender each week, you learn nothing from that.

Look at Casey's team this week, every available Melbourne player that is fit will be playing in the firsts, we have a Melbourne person coaching all Casey do is try to get the best VFL players to top up our team. We will have 12-14 players at Casey could even be more. Even if the AFL brings back the reserves you will have 8-12 players not on your list playing as top up players.

Casey is a good fit for us.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

I never said Cook was ready to play AFL last year. But he should be knocking on the door this year.

Fevola kicking bags of goals last year helped none of our forwards.

Casey is a good club. But it isn't the MFC.

We need our own team, as we had for over 100 years.

[Nasher 33,607]

Rubbish, for one Lucas was no where near ready to play AFL last year.. Having Fev in the side did not hinder his development in fact helped him, imagine if he got smashed by the biggest strongest defender each week, you learn nothing from that.

Look at Casey's team this week, every available Melbourne player that is fit will be playing in the firsts, we have a Melbourne person coaching all Casey do is try to get the best VFL players to top up our team. We will have 12-14 players at Casey could even be more. Even if the AFL brings back the reserves you will have 8-12 players not on your list playing as top up players.

Casey is a good fit for us.

I agree drdrake. In the absense of a proper reserves competition this is the best we're going to get. There's no other viable solutions that actually address the issues that exist.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

I agree drdrake. In the absense of a proper reserves competition this is the best we're going to get. There's no other viable solutions that actually address the issues that exist.

The trouble is these VFL sides are slowly going broke one by one. Port Melb cannot even find a major sponsor after being undefeated last year!

Geelong & The Filth are the template we must not lose track of. Players slide in & out of the 2 sides seamlessly.

[drdrake 3,124]

The trouble is these VFL sides are slowly going broke one by one. Port Melb cannot even find a major sponsor after being undefeated last year!

Geelong & The Filth are the template we must not lose track of. Players slide in & out of the 2 sides seamlessly.

It's a lot easier to slide in and out of good teams you have a base of good players around you, you don't have expectations on you from your supporters, you do your job and the club is happy. The issue with bad teams the supporters are always looking for a player to have a big impact when they come in and not just play their role.

[Nasher 33,607]

The trouble is these VFL sides are slowly going broke one by one. Port Melb cannot even find a major sponsor after being undefeated last year!

Geelong & The Filth are the template we must not lose track of. Players slide in & out of the 2 sides seamlessly.

Are Casey going broke?

[John Dee 445]

There is nothing wrong at all with our alignment with Casey at the moment. Bringing up the past to support an argument about the future is all well and good when it is appropriate but it is not so with Casey prior to this year. If you have been to Casey games, you will see Casey playing the same game plan that MFC are trying to play. The new development coaches that MFC have added to the staff this year are, effectively, assistant coaches at Casey. Both Casey and MFC are on the same page. Brett Lovett was obviously given this brief, and is doing it very well.

Then there is the bigger picture. Casey is the fastest growing municipality in the country. Casey Council and MFC have spent a lot of money upgrading Casey Fields. Casey is a big part of our future.

I realise that things change but I am not about advocating the club shits in its own nest by mindlessly following what it perceives to be the current trend.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

Are Casey going broke?

Not yet no. But they cannot save everybody. The comp is slowly going under.

Read todays Wilson article if you haven't already.

[Deestroy All 14,262]

I'm not against the idea of alignment in general, but it's a pain when the VFL side isn't playing when it's crucial to get miles in legs for whatever reason. But what's the answer? I don't see how having a standalone VFL side makes any difference to that; we're still going to be subject to the same draws, byes, weeks off and so forth. And we can forget the idea of there ever being an AFL reserves competition, with a national competition and lists that are too small to field two teams, you'd need to have amateur "supplimentary" players, and it's too much to ask of them to travel interstate to play footy every few weeks. It wouldn't work.

The idea of a reserves side is romantic but I expect that the reason we haven't got one is because it doesn't actually really help that much. It'd just be extra money down the drain for nothing.

I like when you do my thinking for me Nasher. I wanted an MFC reserve, wasn't sure why, romance as you say.

Excellent post.

[Red N Blue Society 165]

I could go either way here...

I loved the full day at the footy back in the day with the reserves...under 19s....

But Casey have a growing local brand for us in a massive growth corridor, and also have a great ground which is nearly always in great condition and a aquatic centre 2 mins up the road for recovery ect.

What would be more financially luring for MFC that is the question.

Why else would we sign a deal with Casey, for what was it 20 years or so... if we were considering moving away as a stand alone entity as we are.

[Johnny Karate 559]

I could go either way here...

I loved the full day at the footy back in the day with the reserves...under 19s....

But Casey have a growing local brand for us in a massive growth corridor, and also have a great ground which is nearly always in great condition and a aquatic centre 2 mins up the road for recovery ect.

What would be more financially luring for MFC that is the question.

Why else would we sign a deal with Casey, for what was it 20 years or so... if we were considering moving away as a stand alone entity as we are.

Correct weight. The 20 year Casey agreement is important. Can't we just have the best of both worlds & 'Rinehart' them? I don't care if we play as the Scorps or Dees as long as we're getting development into our kids & playing the same structures as the AFL team.

[Sir Why You Little 36,678]

Correct weight. The 20 year Casey agreement is important. Can't we just have the best of both worlds & 'Rinehart' them? I don't care if we play as the Scorps or Dees as long as we're getting development into our kids & playing the same structures as the AFL team.

i am not advocating we walk from Casey at all....But we need a fully alligned reserves side...Why?

Because that is what the top sides in the comp demand, and i want the MFC to be one of them.

[Johnny Karate 559]

i am not advocating we walk from Casey at all....But we need a fully alligned reserves side...Why?

Because that is what the top sides in the comp demand, and i want the MFC to be one of them.

I agree totally as an MFC supporter. Slightly ot but I feel sorry for the fans of the VFL clubs - it seems like they are either getting taken over (Preston) or taken over, abandoned & left to rot (Coburg & Bendigo).

If the Burgers field a stand alone team next year I'll buy a membership but I currently have no interest in my suburban team being a Richmond patsy.

[skills32 229]

Our alignment with Casey is the best of both worlds.

Effectively we own Casey and as such they are our second's team.

It is a beautiful arrangement and as things stand at the moment it is the best way

economically and for our players football maintenance.

We own Casey and I am as happy with the alignment as a pig in the proverbial.

Having a stand alone team did not work with the reserve competition; I don't know why,

so why revisit a conception that did not work?

[dee-luded 2,959]

Interesting read in todays Age about Richmonds plight with Coburg & their week to week survival situation.

I have no problem with the Scorps, but clearly we must aim to have our own reserve team at some time soon otherwise again we will be way behind the bigger clubs.

We must budget for a stand alone reserve side.

I would pay an increased membership to help fund the baby.

If we do, & I agree we should, then I'd hope we don't take over the Scorps. But seperate & form our own stand alone team out of Casey, sharing the ground with the Scorps.

[dee-luded 2,959]

i am not advocating we walk from Casey at all....But we need a fully alligned reserves side...Why?

Because that is what the top sides in the comp demand, and i want the MFC to be one of them.

The Vfl needs to be expanded to more teams, & the stand alone AFL teams should have a limit on how many players they can field over say the age of 27 Yrs. Maybe 4 players, 27 or more max, per AFL reserves side.

This would allow the VFL teams to recruit more mature bodied players not on AFL lists & give them some sort of competativeness.

Maybe one VFL game a week could be played @ the 'G'?

And some smaller AFL games against smaller crowd pulling Sides, could be played @ regional Grounds? Bringing the game to the people, the country folk. And aiding the Game @ grass roots level.

Edited June 21, 2012 by dee-luded

[Guest bluey]

Vey true Skillsy, a good deal financially, and I wouldn't be blaming Fevel for Cook not being able to get a touch, don't think he needs any assistance, the guys nowhere near it..

[Striker475 696]

Being too Vic-focused here WYL. The Eagles don't have a WAFL side - the WAFL has said no repeatedly to both WA AFL sides fielding teams, meaning that both clubs have their players allocated to a WAFL club for the duration of their career. Adelaide is the same. West Coast in particular are probably the most successful side of the last 20 years and yet have had players playing right across the WAFL.....

I'd rather the club focus on FD spending and getting long-term viability in through winning flags rather than hope that fielding a 'Demons' in the VFL will win the club a flag.

[Buzzy 992]

I'll support any plan that means I don't have to drive out to the a** end of Melbourne just to go and watch our fringe players go around.

It's never felt right to me.