AGM and Members Information Night - Wednesday 6th February, 2013 @ 6.30pm

[GM11 776]

* There was a wide range of questions that covered everything from the players' facial hair, a female chauvinist ( ) comment about how good looking the players were to questions about our improvement, the future of indigenous players in the game (brilliantly answered by Neil Craig), our continuing role in China and the fate of the Hankook and Kaspersky sponsorships. All handled well and, as I mentioned above, no avoidance of any issues.

And in the end there were no revelations about the tanking inquisition (although I can say that tempers are fraying among some of the supporters at the way we've been treated by the AFL). Nobody sang the club song at the end either which was a first but I don't mind that. We can sing the song when we win a flag, not when we win four games, three against Mickey Mouse teams and one against a club being investigated for using something that might be prohibited.

Firstly, thanks for the report. I fully intended to get there this year but circumstances..

Secondly, I really believe Craig could turn out to be our most valuable get. Just seems to bring something in so many areas.

Thirdly, re the frayed tempers, it is a pity we can't harness this in some way. It seems to me that the AFL have no concern for the people who ultimately pay them.

[DirtyDees DDC 176]

* We learned that the MFC has the highest rate of conversion of supporters to members in the AFL. Knowing this will help me win a trivia competition one of these days.

This was probably the only faux pas of the night. the actual text in the presentation read 'highest rate of conversion of members to supporters'. ha. I should hope so!

* Board member John Trotter (also an accountant with Deloittes?) went through the accounts. We made a modest profit, had a positive cash flow and our balance sheet looks healthy. Our level of expenditure is trending upward from the bottom two or three to the middle of the pack but still well behind the big spenders. The audience was so bedazzled by the presentation that there were no questions. This is usual at football club AGMs - we all sit around like stunned mullets waiting for the footy stuff.

So many charts by CS, but i believe they showed we had higher revenue than the Swans, but spent a bit less on the football department. This is possibly due to the cost-of-living concessions received by Sydney, but it's an area we need to address.

* Mark Neeld was interviewed and wasn't keen to give much away but he did say we were doing things faster and longer at training this year and the intensity was 15% greater. There was more purpose in the way we trained. He said that we were still well behind the leading clubs in terms of vital games played. Swans averaged 130 in the grand final, Hawks 113 - we're not even close to that. Neeld said he's not selling fairy tales but is looking at getting better. He explained that the club put in significant research before deciding on Darwin for the training camp. The camp tested the players both physically and mentally.

An interesting stat from Mark 'we sent out our most experienced team against the Swans, and suffered our biggest defeat.' Now we know why we have 14 new players. He also said we still have the 3rd youngest list in the AFL.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

I can't believe some people are angry/dissapointed and perhaps even saddened by the fact that they didn't play "the club song" at the end of the AGM.

Save it for when we win and a game and have EARNT the right to sing it.

Not at the end of a meeting so those that attended can go home and be full of "sunshine and lollipops" and feel like the MFC are gonna stroll into the finals.

We have a long hard road, and have plenty of work to do but we are on the right track.

And when it's played, and we have earnt the right for it to be played by winning, by golly I will sing it loud and proud!

[Whispering_Jack 29,774]

Firstly, thanks for the report. I fully intended to get there this year but circumstances..

Secondly, I really believe Craig could turn out to be our most valuable get. Just seems to bring something in so many areas.

Thirdly, re the frayed tempers, it is a pity we can't harness this in some way. It seems to me that the AFL have no concern for the people who ultimately pay them.

Let me clarify the "frayed tempers" part. I was referring to peoples' feelings expressed in private discussions and not in public discussion at the meeting which was confined to Don McLardy's measured statement in which he was conveying the message that the club didn't want the players distracted by the controversy. It's a policy with which I agree and for which I believe the board should be complimented.

[Ron Burgundy 8,584]

* We learned that the MFC has the highest rate of conversion of supporters to members in the AFL. Knowing this will help me win a trivia competition one of these days.

Consistent with this, I signed up my kid yesterday. He's not even born yet. Due 6 May.

[farmerwiz 60]

going through a testing time us dees, everyone needs to not jump on little things like playing the team song at the end

bigger fish to fry atm

[mjt 640]

Consistent with this, I signed up my kid yesterday. He's not even born yet. Due 6 May.

Thats dedication.

[GM11 776]

Let me clarify the "frayed tempers" part. I was referring to peoples' feelings expressed in private discussions and not in public discussion at the meeting which was confined to Don McLardy's measured statement in which he was conveying the message that the club didn't want the players distracted by the controversy. It's a policy with which I agree and for which I believe the board should be complimented.

Yes I understood that from your post, but I was commenting on the lack of any consideration for the supporter base (by the AFL) in dragging this out ad nauseam.

[old dee 23,778]

I think WJ has covered it very well.

Most of the queries I had were answered on the night.

And no I did not ask about the jumpers and red colour.

The new colours are ok with me and do not look pink or orange on video screens.

A good night I thought.

I have one problem

I find it hard to warm to Neeld.

Now I know bugger all about his coaching ability and we appear to be moving in the right direction

But he leaves me cold.

Now if we win 8 games this year I will stick my opinion in the RSB and at the end of the day he is not there to win the OD popularity contest.

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,690]

I wonder how they calculate the conversion rate of supporters to members. That is, how do they know how many supporters there actually are? And I recall hearing David Smorgon once make the same claim for the Bulldogs. (Both could be correct, of course. Smorgon made that claim in around 2007.)

[dee-luded 2,959]

might just be me, but when Mark Neeld first came to the club, in the videos uploaded on the MFC website he would often remark "the Melbourne Football Club", whereas now he says "we".

To me thats good.

i thik it shows he's not pretentious.

But rather honesty to himself, & just possibly didn't feel included early but seen as a threat.

Now, the 'We' seems apt, & hopefully a reflection of natural cohesiveness, as against a forced one.

[old55 23,389]

"We have and will continue to defend the integrity of the football club in the strongest possible fashion and for anyone to suggest that our players did not give their all every time they went on the field is not acceptable to us."

As noted - a definition of tanking.

"We will continue to defend the rights of all our past and present club employees where we believe it is necessary to do so."

Interesting caveat there.

[jnrmac 20,053]

I think WJ has covered it very well.

Most of the queries I had were answered on the night.

And no I did not ask about the jumpers and red colour.

The new colours are ok with me and do not look pink or orange on video screens.

A good night I thought.

I have one problem

I find it hard to warm to Neeld.

Now I know bugger all about his coaching ability and we appear to be moving in the right direction

But he leaves me cold.

Now if we win 8 games this year I will stick my opinion in the RSB and at the end of the day he is not there to win the OD popularity contest.

I find t hard to warm to Malthouse, Clarkson, Thompson, Ross Lyon and Worsfold. All pretty successful coaches.

Longmire seems OK. If Neeld can coach like any of the above I'll be pretty happy. As I guess you would be too,...

[Satyriconhome 10,700]

Neeld is like Malthouse, dependent on the circumstances

AGM - does not want to create a headline, wants to look professional and completely in control, with a bit of humour

DEETV (with Robbo) - trying to show his 'human' side

TV internews - does not suffer fools

Chatting to him at Training/Family Day/Function - a really nice guy, if you ask a question you get an answer

The most important is the Coach's Box and this year he will show how good he is

[Pennant St Dee 13,113]

Consistent with this, I signed up my kid yesterday. He's not even born yet. Due 6 May.

Best of luck with the new arrival Ron. Hope he sees plenty of success in the future years.

Edited February 7, 2013 by Pennant St Dee

[Longsufferingnomore 1,631]

might just be me, but when Mark Neeld first came to the club, in the videos uploaded on the MFC website he would often remark "the Melbourne Football Club", whereas now he says "we".

I agree. Last year I thought it was quiet notabale that Neeld was not saying we - like he had not quite bought into the Club at that point. Obviously he is one of us now

[Longsufferingnomore 1,631]

Consistent with this, I signed up my kid yesterday. He's not even born yet. Due 6 May.

RB you have beyond the call of duty and what name did you put on the membership RB Jnr

[Its Time for Another 4,192]

I - and others, I imagine - have mentioned this on Demonland multiple times over the years.

Keep a close eye on our posts and the jugs, chickens, or whatever it is that you win at trivia competitions, will be all yours.

Unfortunately we also have the oldest and most ageing membership in the league.

[Satyriconhome 10,700]

Unfortunately we also have the oldest and most ageing membership in the league.

No we don't this was pointed out at the AGM, iit's a perception, if you look around the room at the AGM of course because most of MCC/MFC dual members, Cam Schwab said it was generational

[The Chazz 4,077]

It'll be the same old stuff Old Dee...

1. We are debt free, and through things like Foundation Heroes dinners/fundraising, we should be in a situation where we won't feel too much pain.

2. New recruitment team, no stone unturned to find the best talent in Australia.

3. Will continue the Casey alignment, something about the 2nd biggest growth corridor in Australia.

4. China still happening, but will take time.

5. Darwin experiment very successful, have had camps up there and the NT government like what we are doing in the community.

6. Discussions for new sponsors are well down the path, and we hope to secure some more and make announcements in the near future.

I assume that everybody who thinks the Club are going to answer questions with the same old waffle won't be going, either to listen or ask questions, and won't bother reading the reports on here, am I correct?

How'd I go Satyriconhome? Were my expectations met or exceeded?

[pitmaster 3,513]

Very disappointed that the Club song was not sung (both verses) and that it was not initiated from the stage!

I was relieved we didn't - always found that a bit contrived, especially after the years we have had.

[pitmaster 3,513]

I wonder how they calculate the conversion rate of supporters to members. That is, how do they know how many supporters there actually are? And I recall hearing David Smorgon once make the same claim for the Bulldogs. (Both could be correct, of course. Smorgon made that claim in around 2007.)

It's based on Morgan polls which are supposed to identify thje national number of supporters for each team - the same flawed poll that each year says Sydney has the most supporters because everyone in Sydney, pushed for an answer goes with the swans even if they don't give a rats'.

[Satyriconhome 10,700]

How'd I go Satyriconhome? Were my expectations met or exceeded?

So Russell Howcroft you actually contribute to this board......but seriously......

...any supporter who regularly either reads or contributes to this board could do the same....

..I went along to listen about the footy, don't have a problem with the admin side......and asked a question of Neil Craig because I value his insight on anything footy related.....and as WJ has previously stated was given a brilliant answer

[old dee 23,778]

I find t hard to warm to Malthouse, Clarkson, Thompson, Ross Lyon and Worsfold. All pretty successful coaches.

Longmire seems OK. If Neeld can coach like any of the above I'll be pretty happy. As I guess you would be too,...

Perceptions are a funny thing Jnr

Of your list only one annoys me and that is Lyon.

And I think I was hinting that it does not matter what I think.

If he drags the dees up the ladder he will be my best buddy.

However right now I cannot warm to him.

Interested that I warmed to DB and he did not know what day it was as it turns out.

[The Chazz 4,077]

So Russell Howcroft you actually contribute to this board......but seriously......

...any supporter who regularly either reads or contributes to this board could do the same....

..I went along to listen about the footy, don't have a problem with the admin side......and asked a question of Neil Craig because I value his insight on anything footy related.....and as WJ has previously stated was given a brilliant answer

I'm interested to know why you wanted to know the answer to a question like that, and why you thought that was an appropriate forum to ask it?

Given that our coach was labelled a racist last year, that we delisted Jamie Bennell who is still recovering from a knee reconstruction, but still drafted/traded in Dom Barry, and we still have Flash and Jetta on our list, I just would've thought it would be a question best asked in a more private situation, especially given that the particular subject has been a very sensitive one in recent times, of which have cost people their jobs for speaking openly about their views.

I'm not knocking you for asking it, and from all reports, NC answered it very well (I'd be interested to know his view), just don't see how it would've fitted in with the purpose of an AGM.