I've been thinking about this for a while - its complicated, but I reckon it can be done, and that both the Club and the supporters could benefit from it. From about 2011 I started to think that the Club answers what it wants to, not what the members want to know.

Firstly, MFC should recognise that the supporters are a vital part of the Club - not as obvious as the players, but you can't have one without the other - and accept that the Club needs to look after supporters as much as it does the players.

Then, think for yourselves how well the MFC communicates with supporters. They tell supporters the news as they see it, but looking through the threads, the big questions are rarely addressed in Club handouts. The Club has an interactive chat session for about 40 minutes a week, but this format doesn't allow complex questions and answers.

I know the MFC can't publicly release details of salaries, players personal details etc, but there is stuff they could release. If a player is injured, post the details. If a player is sent back to Casey or picked for the seniors, tell us why. What has PJ been doing - not specifics, but some big picture stuff wouldn't hurt. Where does the Board expect the Club to be next year? What are the players doing at training? Some of these questions, and I'm sure many more, could be answered without giving away secrets.

When suggestions are made like a joint MFC-Melb Storm membership, or using the royal blue jumper as a clash strip, what does the Board think? How does the MFC vote on the issues affecting the AFL?

I am not suggesting that they should answer all these, or that they should publicly address matters like the tenure of officials. But Demonland has the hard-core supporters, and to respond officially occasionally, whether as a poster or through an Administrator or whatever, would provide some interest and insight for those hard-core members. The electronic media are the way of the future, and Demonland is a real asset for the Club - direct access to thousands of people vitally interested in their product. Its nearly midnight and there's still 236 people reading Demonland. If they are that passionate, their interest deserves to be recognised.

Hahahaha can you imagine Rhino, Biffen, BBO, Range Rover etc being the impression that the board and FD gets as "normal" MFC supporters... While I post gifs of my reaction to it all like this:

I think it would be great. See the board stand up.

I mean it was them who signed off on tanking. And that failed dismally.

We should have selected Luke Ball. He was there.

The board baulked.

We are where we are.

Oh yes and I forgot WYL and how all his questions and comments would start with either the word "board" or "186".

If the club has an interactive chat session for about 40mins a week anyway then its kinda an expansion of that. I think social media has come a long way very quickly, players and fans interacting via tweets etc. Im not always in love with the idea, and theres been some bad examples, but when the more intelligent fans get the message across then thats a positive.

, but when the more intelligent fans get the message across then thats a positive.

Are you going around measuring the IQ's then?. What if the most intelligent fans are fairweather supporters and sit in the cheap seats,

Will the board and our esteemed president deign to talk to them?

The chat session for 40 mins per week would be best. Content (i.e. foul language, personal abuse etc.), not questions, should be modified. It seems a lot of the communication has been one way in recent years. We got a lot of Whiteboard Wednesday but it would have been nice to see CS have some of his brainstorms questioned on that vlog.

Are you going around measuring the IQ's then?. What if the most intelligent fans are fairweather supporters and sit in the cheap seats,

Will the board and our esteemed president deign to talk to them?

If you went around doing that to some posters you may get double or triple figures but the first couple of digits would be zeroes, by the way the Club reads this board as a matter of course, as they do all media, to gauge what is going on in the footy world, I could give you some of the opinions I have heard but perhaps not

Chat session, I would like that, one proviso, you come out from behind the nicknames and provide name and member number.

The board and FD don't need any more problems.

I just hope the players don't read it after they get thumped.

We are the intellectual equivalent of a pack of wild dogs ripping up a rabbit.

On a good day.

What and have Demonland screwed as well.

No thanks

Hahahaha can you imagine Rhino, Biffen, BBO, Range Rover etc being the impression that the board and FD gets as "normal" MFC supporters... While I post gifs of my reaction to it all like this:

Anchored to the bottom of the table for years on end while all our best players desert us for greener pastures? This really is the darkest timeline.

Chat session, I would like that, one proviso, you come out from behind the nicknames and provide name and member number.

I'd be more than happy to do that.

I'd expect that people employed by the club check this site every now and then, so perhaps the Board and the FD are already members?!

I wouldnt expect that they post, but i'm sure they lurk around the place from time to time to guage the sentiment held from a very passionate group of supporters.

I'd expect that people employed by the club check this site every now and then, so perhaps the Board and the FD are already members?!

I wouldnt expect that they post, but i'm sure they lurk around the place from time to time to guage the sentiment held from a very passionate group of supporters.

They don't lurk, you really do exhibit the early signs of paranoia, they read it to get a handle on the issues that the 'passionate' supporters are concerned about, why do you think the 5 yrs was answered in the Coach's Office, but then again some on here think the Club just doesn't care

They don't lurk, you really do exhibit the early signs of paranoia, they read it to get a handle on the issues that the 'passionate' supporters are concerned about, why do you think the 5 yrs was answered in the Coach's Office, but then again some on here think the Club just doesn't care

Chill out nut job!

In Internet culture, a lurker is typically a member of an online community who observes, but does not actively participate

No.

I think there should be more emphasis put on supporter contribution. For exmple everyone hates the clash jersey so why don't they ask some suporters to pitch some ideas then we can all vote on the one we like th most. Instead they just do what they want and everyone hates it. We are all stakeholders if we buy a membership so why can't we have a say.

The Board have more pressing issues than join an Internet forum site.

I would have thought that attendance at functions like the recent Trident function would be a more sensible and productive avenue for supporter interaction than some of the toxic soup that served up anonymously on this site.

A huge NO for me.

Of course they wouldn't join the forum but to think that people involved in running the club don't come on here at all is ridiculous.

When trying to drag a club out of the shite and attempting to keep the supporters as happy as possible, how could they ignore this source where they can easily gauge how the more dedicated supporters are feeling?

It'd be stupidity if they didn't come on here at all

Chill out nut job!

In Internet culture, a lurker is typically a member of an online community who observes, but does not actively participate

Trying to justify your previous post, bit late isn't it.....that is not the context you used it in..........nut job...very gratifying, really getting under your skin aren't I.....thought you were going to ignore me, bit hard to do, anyway written about you on a couple of posts, go check them out, back to topic.......dedicated and passionate supporters, surely there is some misguidance when using those words to sum up Demonland posters......whingers, whiners, insulters etc would be more appropriate.....I am sure the Club can sort the wheat from the chaff

I would much rather be shocked by a media beat up based on rumour than have a direct line with club in relation to hearing news or having questions answered.

I mean, how boring would that be?

Trying to justify your previous post, bit late isn't it.....that is not the context you used it in..........nut job...very gratifying, really getting under your skin aren't I.....thought you were going to ignore me, bit hard to do, anyway written about you on a couple of posts, go check them out, back to topic.......dedicated and passionate supporters, surely there is some misguidance when using those words to sum up Demonland posters......whingers, whiners, insulters etc would be more appropriate.....I am sure the Club can sort the wheat from the chaff

there are no words.....

....that is not the context you used it in.........

It is absolutely the context he used it in, and "you really do exhibit the early signs of paranoia" really beggars belief as a response.

Edit: Re topic: I don't think it would work in the form suggested. Perhaps quarterly reports from a generalised account?

As I recall, Peter Dohrman who was (?is) on the Board used to contribute here from time to time, which was welcomed.

Obviously a Board member cannot divulge the internal workings of the club, but some (presumably signed off by the Board) information, and answers to questions could only help.

And I suspect that at least some current Board members at least look at these discussion boards from time to time, and who knows, some may contribute?

They don't lurk, you really do exhibit the early signs of paranoia, they read it to get a handle on the issues that the 'passionate' supporters are concerned about, why do you think the 5 yrs was answered in the Coach's Office, but then again some on here think the Club just doesn't care

Why haven't you got the guts to call yourself Dr Who, Whoey?