I have seen floated lately This idea by Eddie and supported by Hawthorn that we should get an additional salary cap allowance because we are so bad.

I say tell em to get stuffed. I don't want it. If we start doing well, we would be doing so not on the basis of equalisation, but on the basis of inequality. If it was Collingwood struggling, I would want them to rot.

The other thing is, where does it all end? When we win 6 games? 8? Finals? When we pinch one of their players?

Stadium deals, fixturing and the draft is where equalisation forces should come in to play, not the salary cap.

priority picks

I have seen floated lately This idea by Eddie and supported by Hawthorn that we should get an additional salary cap allowance because we are so bad.

I say tell em to get stuffed. I don't want it. If we start doing well, we would be doing so not on the basis of equalisation, but on the basis of inequality. If it was Collingwood struggling, I would want them to rot.

The other thing is, where does it all end? When we win 6 games? 8? Finals? When we pinch one of their players?

Stadium deals, fixturing and the draft is where equalisation forces should come in to play, not the salary cap.

I have seen floated lately This idea by Eddie and supported by Hawthorn that we should get an additional salary cap allowance because we are so bad.

I say tell em to get stuffed. I don't want it. If we start doing well, we would be doing so not on the basis of equalisation, but on the basis of inequality. If it was Collingwood struggling, I would want them to rot.

The other thing is, where does it all end? When we win 6 games? 8? Finals? When we pinch one of their players?

Stadium deals, fixturing and the draft is where equalisation forces should come in to play, not the salary cap.

priority picks

All over it, spot on... Throw us a priority:)

Stuff it all, priority, salary cap, I want none of it,

I want the MFC to get their [censored] together and go back up he ladder because we are competent in all areas no because we keep getting hand outs.

Obviously number 1 priority is to get the Football department in order, and find a real coach.

Brisbane and Sydney both had expanded salary caps and won 5 flags between them.

Bring it on.

If it means we get to keep Frawley, Sylvia and snare Daisy Thomas, where do I sign?

It's an unworkable, half arsed idea from Eddie's Opinion Box (his brain).

Wouldn't bother a thread about it.

I have seen floated lately This idea by Eddie and supported by Hawthorn that we should get an additional salary cap allowance because we are so bad.

I say tell em to get stuffed. I don't want it. If we start doing well, we would be doing so not on the basis of equalisation, but on the basis of inequality. If it was Collingwood struggling, I would want them to rot.

The other thing is, where does it all end? When we win 6 games? 8? Finals? When we pinch one of their players?

Stadium deals, fixturing and the draft is where equalisation forces should come in to play, not the salary cap.

Sydney have had it forever. And they patronise us.

We need both picks and extra salary cap space. Our situation is dire. Our percentage is 51% and we have played only three games against top eight sides from 2012 and both the expansion sides already. And 80% of our games so far have been on the MCG. Add to that our crowds are starting to drop off and our already small supporter base is dwindling. It would be stubborn, moronic self flagellation to turn such a proposal down.

What is the point of extra salary cap when we couldn't afford to spend the extra $$$$$. I want any extra $$$ to go into recruiting, player psychology to help them break the mental demons they all seem to have and into player development.

If it means we get to keep Frawley, Sylvia and snare Daisy Thomas, where do I sign?

Frawley is signed till the end of next year...

We cant afford another 10% if we cant even afford to fire the coach. That said even if we could afford it we would waste it on more overpriced 3 year deals like Pederson and Jamar.

We cant afford another 10% if we cant even afford to fire the coach. That said even if we could afford it we would waste it on more overpriced 3 year deals like Pederson and Jamar.

And McKenzie

I have seen floated lately This idea by Eddie and supported by Hawthorn that we should get an additional salary cap allowance because we are so bad.

I say tell em to get stuffed. I don't want it. If we start doing well, we would be doing so not on the basis of equalisation, but on the basis of inequality. If it was Collingwood struggling, I would want them to rot.

The other thing is, where does it all end? When we win 6 games? 8? Finals? When we pinch one of their players?

Stadium deals, fixturing and the draft is where equalisation forces should come in to play, not the salary cap.

I'm in general agreement with the thrust of your post. I've got an idea that will return Melbourne to success. How about al the clubs that have moved into our ground F-off back to their suburban nests so we can train and base our FD at the MCG and have the club united for the first time in 40 years?

These ideas being floated are unsustainable BS designed to serve the needs of other teams not ours. Same could be said of expansion. Self interest has seen the talent spread thin. Hawthorn must be quaking that they might draw a home game against Melbourne next year? Maybe they can ask to play us in Launceston?

I'm in general agreement with the thrust of your post. I've got an idea that will return Melbourne to success. How about al the clubs that have moved into our ground F-off back to their suburban nests so we can train and base our FD at the MCG and have the club united for the first time in 40 years?

These ideas being floated are unsustainable BS designed to serve the needs of other teams not ours. Same could be said of expansion. Self interest has seen the talent spread thin. Hawthorn must be quaking that they might draw a home game against Melbourne next year? Maybe they can ask to play us in Launceston?

Why would they let us do that when we can't even fill the G to a quarter capacity against non victorian sides? Doesn't make sense. I feel that a stand alone, small stadium would be a saving grace for us.

What is the point of extra salary cap when we couldn't afford to spend the extra $$$$$. I want any extra $$$ to go into recruiting, player psychology to help them break the mental demons they all seem to have and into player development.

The AFL needs to either stump up the cash or merge us off. The current drip feed approach is death by a thousand cuts and is terrible for the game.

I agree with these guys that granting a PP is useless as it just gives the club another player that can be targetted by stronger clubs.

10% of salary cap works ok to start with.... but surely it causes damage as you try and reduce it again!

unless you get 110% reducing by say 2% each year thereafter... so it gives you an initial boost, but with a reduced impact gradually over time.

Hmmm I actually prefer this idea, but it would have to be funded by the AFL and participating clubs would be required to spend the full amount of the cap... I know a lot of people don't like the thought of handouts, but its not a level playing field now with the Qld and NSW teams... you are kidding yourself if you think it is.

extra salary cap when we don't have the money - priceless

Why would they let us do that when we can't even fill the G to a quarter capacity against non victorian sides? Doesn't make sense. I feel that a stand alone, small stadium would be a saving grace for us.

Trying to make the point (sarcastically) that many of Melbourne's problems are historical and a result of being punted around by the MCC and AFL. The costs associated with games at the 'G' are inhibiting and there is a need for a cheaper venue for ALL teams to plan the AFLs experimental sides at especially since it looks like Melbourne will have home games against GC and GWS for perpetuity.

It would be tragic for things to continue as they are or Melbourne might end up in Tasmania and that would also be bad for Hawthorn and NM's business models.

No from me, I want no handouts of this sort, I would rather see the money go towards the Footy dept and whilst it may take time we just need to recruit more mongrels and have a go players. We have a young list and are in desperate need of quality mids. We need to make the right decisions off the field to sell the club to prespective players. If we pick up a priority pick trade it for a player who can slot straight in, target a kid ready to go in the mid and if we can snare another mid via free agency.

On top of this resign Sylvia & get an extension from Chip!

Trying to make the point (sarcastically) that many of Melbourne's problems are historical and a result of being punted around by the MCC and AFL. The costs associated with games at the 'G' are inhibiting and there is a need for a cheaper venue for ALL teams to plan the AFLs experimental sides at especially since it looks like Melbourne will have home games against GC and GWS for perpetuity.

It would be tragic for things to continue as they are or Melbourne might end up in Tasmania and that would also be bad for Hawthorn and NM's business models.

Ah yes fair enough. I don't think Tassie could support a side at all and same can be said for NT. The solution could be out at Casey, where a stadium could be built, a stand alone VFL side could be incorporated and possibly a name change to the 'East' Melbourne Demons would be facilitated.

I wish we could stay as we are with success but I don't know how much longer we can go as we are. The above would be the most appealing option for mine, as little change as possible but enough to ensure financial viability and stability and hopefully a better 'club' culture and definitive area of support. I think there was already a thread on that too.

Instead of the salary cap maybe the AFL can just build us a stadium.

I'm all for playing more games at Casey/boutique stadiums to help improve our profit making from games played. I've said this before we have got to get away from the idea that our 'home' is the MCG and we should play all games there. It isn't viable for us unfortunately even if we were winning we stil wouldn't get enough supporters o these games. If we are trying to build a base in Casey we should go all out and eally entrench ourselves there. I would much rather have to go watch us play at Casey then travel to Tasmania or the NT every second week. Something's gotta give and I think we are going to have to make some sorft of compromise.

One would think the additional salary cap would be accompanied by a financial hand out of some kind to enable use of it. Other wise it is useless as others have stated.

I actually think a once of injection of $2 million will work to some extent. No doubt attracting good free agents to the Dees will be next to impossible at the end of the year. Few players will consider us even for 50% more salary than they would get elsewhere considering how bad we are.

However, if we have an extra $2 million to spend this year only nothing would stop us from approaching Daisy with an offer of:

year 1 - $1.5 million

year 2 - $750K

year 3 - $750K

year 4 - $750K

Essentially he ends up with an annual salary similar or slightly greater than what he would command on the open market but he get's a $750K sign on bonus in year 1. This wouldn't have a long term negative effect on salary cap management and would make us a real player in the FA market.

$2 million would mean we could actually makes offers like this to 3 or 4 players and retain Sylvia, Watts and co.

A Sylvia deal might look like this:

year 1 - $750K

year 2 - $400K

year 3 - $400K

One would think Sylvia would demand $400K a year max on the open market, maybe slightly more if he goes to a club with an inflated slaray cap. 1 would think giving him an extra $350 in year 1 would make it difficult for him to walk away.

I am not necessarily advocating the signing of these specific players for these amounts just using them as an example of how we could make that $2 million work for us as a once off assistance package.

One could also question whether making these once off arrangements to sign and retain players might have a negative impact on the team's culture and perhaps that is true. Nathan Jones for instance may be dissappointed that because Col is OOC this season he gets a $350K bonus whereas he misses out because he comes OOC in a year we don't have the special assistance package.

Then again a team man like Chunk would likley just be happy he has good players to play with and to hell how much they are getting paid!