IF we are guarranteed that the 2nd Trip to Darwin means 1 less "Home" game at Etihad then i can live with it (almost) but if we lose a home MCG game and still have to honour an AFL agreement by playing 2 Home fixtures at the Dome, i will not be happy.

Yes short term we make some $$$ but long term we will again be a nomad. Carlton will take our place even if it takes a decade.

Walking on potentially dangerous grounds..Why?

I do not trust the AFL.

neither do I wyl but i fear without this sort of deal there will not be much of a medium term future and no long term future for the MFC.

It is all about the money.

Not sure if these points have been made already as haven't read the whole thread.

First we get $500k a Darwin game but Hawks get $900k a Launceston game. Hopefully we can up the ante.

Second, I think the AFL is using threats of a new stadium to bluff Etihad owners into a more reasonable sale price 12 years early. AFL will get the stdium for $1 in 12 years anyway.

So it's too hot, it's too far, and we will lose games because of it?

Not good enough.

As HG said - it doesn't have to be played in oppressive heat, interstate teams travel 10 times a season across the country, and decent fixturing will give the players plenty of time to recover.

It's like going to Perth - except for the fact that it's our home game, we don't have to lose money at Etihad, and we get $500k for our trouble.

When have we ever won in Perth.

Why would we get proper decent fixturing like a bye the week after. That's never happened so far.

Schwab is all about the bottom line and he's whoring out club out for money that won't get us anywhere. There is no investment here.

Someone tell me how going to Darwin actually helps us win a premiership because the only advantage is the money and that is not enough. Stay put here, win games and get the supporters to gain momentum and we can build the club. 1 game may be necessary to keep the bank balance floating, but we only get 11 home games! And its not like the big majority of our away games are in Victoria or at the G. So you want to give up 2 of 11 home games we have in an environment that will offer us money but no other benefit. I simply do not believe the extra money can be invested wisely enough to recoup the damage of this exercise.

And please spare me this we love our community work in the NT crap as well.

All the Etihad naysayers have to turn up and watch their team when we play there. Because its better to support your club whilst they are your club before the AFL can say oh yeah we can get rid of Melbourne they already play 2 games in Darwin and don't play finals.

neither do I wyl but i fear without this sort of deal there will not be much of a medium term future and no long term future for the MFC.

It is all about the money.

yes it is about $$$ but it is also about giving the club a chance at playing in September.

A badly fixtured draw with this deal could derail the season before it begins.

As i said the club is taking a major risk here.

When have we ever won in Perth.

Why would we get proper decent fixturing like a bye the week after. That's never happened so far.

Schwab is all about the bottom line and he's whoring out club out for money that won't get us anywhere. There is no investment here.

Someone tell me how going to Darwin actually helps us win a premiership because the only advantage is the money and that is not enough. Stay put here, win games and get the supporters to gain momentum and we can build the club. 1 game may be necessary to keep the bank balance floating, but we only get 11 home games! And its not like the big majority of our away games are in Victoria or at the G. So you want to give up 2 of 11 home games we have in an environment that will offer us money but no other benefit. I simply do not believe the extra money can be invested wisely enough to recoup the damage of this exercise.

And please spare me this we love our community work in the NT crap as well.

All the Etihad naysayers have to turn up and watch their team when we play there. Because its better to support your club whilst they are your club before the AFL can say oh yeah we can get rid of Melbourne they already play 2 games in Darwin and don't play finals.

Because without the money you cannot hope to compete with the power clubs.

It is that simple.

Get a decent list and we will win anywhere.

yes it is about $$$ but it is also about giving the club a chance at playing in September.

A badly fixtured draw with this deal could derail the season before it begins.

As i said the club is taking a major risk here.

We have had this discussion before wyl and i doubt we are going to agree.

I just don't see it as the big risk you see.

We have had this discussion before wyl and i doubt we are going to agree.

I just don't see it as the big risk you see.

Factor in the Carlton FC now OD. they will move, at our expense.

So it's too hot, it's too far, and we will lose games because of it?

Not good enough.

As HG said - it doesn't have to be played in oppressive heat, interstate teams travel 10 times a season across the country, and decent fixturing will give the players plenty of time to recover.

It's like going to Perth - except for the fact that it's our home game, we don't have to lose money at Etihad, and we get $500k for our trouble.

The key is to have at least 9 or 10 days recovery after we come back from Darwin. Fixturing is Key.

Factor in the Carlton FC now OD. they will move, at our expense.

We're not going anywhere.

Carlton will take our place even if it takes a decade.

We're not going anywhere.

Glad you are so confident.

Hey chaps have we looked at this year, we have 7 day between game before (at Geelong) and Darwin so we can get up early, then 7 days again then Oh No! a game at Etihad....that will be 3 games some supporters will miss......gee see the Master took a few posts before he identified himself as one of the Schwab haters......tsk tsk.....another sponsor on board and something new again...for a Club that has been struggling....what is Schwabby thinking.....

H_T ...brilliant

Not sure if these points have been made already as haven't read the whole thread.

First we get $500k a Darwin game but Hawks get $900k a Launceston game. Hopefully we can up the ante.

Second, I think the AFL is using threats of a new stadium to bluff Etihad owners into a more reasonable sale price 12 years early. AFL will get the stdium for $1 in 12 years anyway.

I think they should redevelop a boutique ground in the west, not too close to the CBD, Whitten Oval would be good geography, & wait on Etihad to fall to them.

yes it is about $$$ but it is also about giving the club a chance at playing in September.

A badly fixtured draw with this deal could derail the season before it begins.

As i said the club is taking a major risk here.

It would need a deal put in writing about the fixturing. And 2 separate trips to Darwin wouldn't work... back to back games, with an 8 or 9 day break inbetween, could work, with the holidays.

It would need a deal put in writing about the fixturing. And 2 separate trips to Darwin wouldn't work... back to back games, with an 8 or 9 day break inbetween, could work, with the holidays.

can yoh ever be assured that would happen every year?

It would need a deal put in writing about the fixturing. And 2 separate trips to Darwin wouldn't work... back to back games, with an 8 or 9 day break inbetween, could work, with the holidays.

Agree. To those who say we can't play 2 games in Darwin because we need to start winning now, surely this deal is up to 2 games NEXT year. So we have all year to start winning.............. :>)

When have we ever won in Perth.

Why would we get proper decent fixturing like a bye the week after. That's never happened so far.

Schwab is all about the bottom line and he's whoring out club out for money that won't get us anywhere. There is no investment here.

Someone tell me how going to Darwin actually helps us win a premiership because the only advantage is the money and that is not enough. Stay put here, win games and get the supporters to gain momentum and we can build the club. 1 game may be necessary to keep the bank balance floating, but we only get 11 home games! And its not like the big majority of our away games are in Victoria or at the G. So you want to give up 2 of 11 home games we have in an environment that will offer us money but no other benefit. I simply do not believe the extra money can be invested wisely enough to recoup the damage of this exercise.

And please spare me this we love our community work in the NT crap as well.

All the Etihad naysayers have to turn up and watch their team when we play there. Because its better to support your club whilst they are your club before the AFL can say oh yeah we can get rid of Melbourne they already play 2 games in Darwin and don't play finals.

We don't win the week after because WE ARE A BAD F___ING TEAM!

And I mentioned Perth because we don't give ourselves an easy out when they play over there and come back drained.

Not to mention (but I will) that WCE go anywhere and win when they are good - as OD said.

You don't have to like Schwab but don't expect me to take an accusation that he is "whoring out" the club. You CGAGF if you truly believe that.

We will get approx. $1.3m+ from having 2 games in Darwin incl. their sponsorship. That is in place of an Etihad game (or games) that COST us money.

Dwell on that fact for a moment.

We whinge and moan and we handwring about the Hawks and the proverbial gun that they have to Tassie and the money they squeeze out of them, but when an opportunity comes along to have a similar deal we baulk.

And for nothing more than a desire to keep an unsustainable 11 home games at the G (especially when one is always at Etihad), and faux reasons about heat and humidity that are not oppressive and that WCE, Freo, BL, and GC play with all season.

We are doing this. Change the CEO and the new one will do this deal. Poach Brian Cook and he will do this deal.

Get used to it.

Someone tell me how going to Darwin actually helps us win a premiership because the only advantage is the money and that is not enough. Stay put here, win games and get the supporters to gain momentum and we can build the club. 1 game may be necessary to keep the bank balance floating, but we only get 11 home games! And its not like the big majority of our away games are in Victoria or at the G. So you want to give up 2 of 11 home games we have in an environment that will offer us money but no other benefit. I simply do not believe the extra money can be invested wisely enough to recoup the damage of this exercise.

All the Etihad naysayers have to turn up and watch their team when we play there. Because its better to support your club whilst they are your club before the AFL can say oh yeah we can get rid of Melbourne they already play 2 games in Darwin and don't play finals.

Ok, for 2013:

13 games at the MCG of which 10 are 'home' games and two games at Etihad of which one is a home game

So, that is 15 games in Melbourne plus Geelong which is near enough to be considered a Melbourne game, so that is 16 games in Melbourne of which 11 are home games plus one home game in Darwin... Sydney is one and a half hours away as is Adelaide and Brisbane isn't much more. Hardly going to sap their strength or give them jet lag.

Maybe you believe we paid up members and interstate supporters should be willing to fork out the extra to travel to the MCG/Etihad and accommodation... thankfully the club treat us with a little more respect than that.

There are just two we will travel any great distance for - Pattersons and TIO whereas West Coast travel across the country eight times and half way across the country twice and Fremantle travel across the country ten times - and isn't that really hurting their chances...not!!

So essentially, we will have one more game at TIO in the future under such an arrangement - hardly the end of the world, but quite possibly the beginning of a new world for the club.

We have more of a chance of winning at Darwin than we do at Etihad.

I say bring it on, we wont get the injuries we get at that s**t hole called Etihad.

Also we only get a crowd of 10000+ to etihad then get penalised for it.

Let's play the interstate teams we hate to go and see, up in Darwin and have a better chance of pocketing some cash.

I have enjoyed the debate and probably lean on the take the money and run side as there are more positives to it.

I have said previously that we need to continually reinforce our history we are the "Melbourne" team the only team called Melbourne and our history is the MCG. That is the feature that could save us.

Visiting Darwin (2 games ) does not make us THE Darwin team but if we win we will get supporters and exposure which could provide sponsors who want to penetrate that market.

Its all good if we manage it right.

Glad you are so confident.

You wouldn't have been out of place in the Italian Army WYL, get some balls and a back against the wall attitude into you. We have started our fight both on & off the field and neither will occur overnight but if you continue down this ground go and invest in a 2 year dose of anti-depresents, because you are going to need them

PS: dont bother replying with a we haven't got 2 years or we have been saying that for the last 48 years

Carlton will be stoked. Easier ti muscle in on the 'G and remove us slowly from home.

Sorry 2 games is not good up there. Too hot and just puts us further from the top clubs.

The talks tomorrow are critical.

What a load of crap!!!

Ok let me put it another way. The financial side of this deal i applaud. The AFL makes it harder with every broadcasting deal it signs.

$1.5 Billion is an obscene amount when clubs are still screaming and being screwed.

Where are those wads of cash going?

Just buy Etihad you tight bastards...now.

The broadcasters are going to only want to televise the big games to recoup their huge outlay, understandable.

But how does this deal enhance the MFC's chances of winning the 13th??

The Filth play 18 games a season at the 'G

Carlton will get to that level in time...Richmond possibly...

I don't blame anyone inside the club for doing this deal. This is a direct cause and effect from the TV rights deal, which we are very low priority.

It will help pay the bills, but growing membership i remain sceptical (160 in 4 years at last count)

Playing in Darwin whilst our enemies use the MCG in our absence.

Yes it is only one game, but it could mean the difference between 4th or 5th spot.

The AFL fixture is only going to get more weighted, and we are an afterthought in that, considering the AFL plays finals at the MCG that i have been a member of since 1982...i am not very pleased right now.

The club may well survive longer but winning a flag just got bloody harder, again.

Fcuk it.

You wouldn't have been out of place in the Italian Army WYL, get some balls and a back against the wall attitude into you. We have started our fight both on & off the field and neither will occur overnight but if you continue down this ground go and invest in a 2 year dose of anti-depresents, because you are going to need them

PS: dont bother replying with a we haven't got 2 years or we have been saying that for the last 48 years

what are you talking about?

Started to fight by retreating to Darwin whilst Carlton will sign a new deal on our turf...

I can't see how that is growing larger nads myself...Please do tell...

What a load of crap!!!

why is it crap??

Sticks would have smiled quietly to himself reading page 67 of the HUN today.

Liked the reference to the leagues "foundation club" by Schwab