IF we are fair dinkum...

[David Williamson 37]

Now I know we got absolutely spanked today - however, if we are fair dinkum we will stop playing games in the Northern Territory.

Having played there a few times myself I can tell you that at a lower league the conditions take it right out of you, I cannot imagine what it does to players going at AFL pace.

Geelong lost this weekend and we got poleaxed. Roos won't use it as an excuse but it doesn't bloody help!!

I think it would be well worth forgoing the sponsorship dollars from NT Tourism and focus on football, which Peter Jackson has said over and again in the last 12 months.

Just my 2 cents worth.

[Little Richard 6,262]

I don't know particulars, but it seems like we probably can't afford to go without the financial benefit.

As well as that, it does well for our membership base. It was great seeing a stadium/ground dominated by Melbourne jumpers. Haven't seen that before!

[DemonOX 8,791]

Now I know we got absolutely spanked today - however, if we are fair dinkum we will stop playing games in the Northern Territory.

Having played there a few times myself I can tell you that at a lower league the conditions take it right out of you, I cannot imagine what it does to players going at AFL pace.

Geelong lost this weekend and we got poleaxed. Roos won't use it as an excuse but it doesn't bloody help!!

I think it would be well worth forgoing the sponsorship dollars from NT Tourism and focus on football, which Peter Jackson has said over and again in the last 12 months.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Unfortunately DW we r not in a financial position to pass up $$$$$$ to play up north.

Give it time it will turn around but until then we have to suck it up but more so the players have to suck it up.

We will also not win the week after but its not that we have been doing any of that lately anyway.

Edited March 8, 2014 by DemonOX

[Grapeviney 9,718]

Hi David Williamson,

Have you thought about a sequel to 'The Club', based on the MFC?

I'm thinking something based on Dante's Inferno, where the nine circles of suffering are made up of our past seven seasons (in hell of course), and then one circle each for injuries and crap umpiring.

Whaddya reckon?

[Demon Disciple 12,122]

I'll only star worrying about such a factor once we get within a couple of games outside the 8 by seasons end, on a consistent basis. Before then however, it has little impact on our ladder position, yet a big impact on our bottom line.

[jumbo returns 6,741]

How will avoiding the NT solve glaring gaps on our list….please explain.

[bluey 1,102]

What about the hidings every other week, to cold, to hot, to overcast, boys don't like Etihad, boys don't like being interstate away from Teddy, fellas dunna come ready to play.

Edited March 8, 2014 by bluey

[DeeSpencer 25,687]

I know the club always says it's not a big deal but our recent history is starting to show it might be. That said Alice wasn't that hot and we played with 8 on the bench.

2 games in NT this year so we might start seeing if there is a pattern or not.

Personally I just think it's a bit crazy to play in a place with no real fan base growth and no other benefit besides the cash. I'm annoyed we didn't take the Hobart opportunity that North did.

If anyone ever takes on Alice Springs it should probably be the crows or port. Darwin probably makes sense for Brisbane rather than a Victorian team.

Casey, Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo. We can get 15,000 tho one of these spots and spin a significant profit whilst getting a home game advantage and not adding additional travel and physical stress,

[DeeSpencer 25,687]

Certainly if we are fair dinkum we dont play in Darwin without a bye after the game.

Alice shouldn't be as bad as a night game in the middle of dry season. Should be warm without causing major physical changes compared to a usual week.

[demoniac 1,333]

In recent years we've generally been mauled the week after playing everywhere!

Alice Springs mean high/low for May is 23/8.2 and June 19.8/5. Reasonably comfortable conditions for playing footy.

Darwin mean high/low for July is 30.6/19.3. It is common sense that any game in Darwin has to be played in July when conditions are at their mildest. Our first game in Darwin was around May 22 from memory and the humidity was brutal enough as a spectator let alone for the players.

[Little Richard 6,262]

Certainly if we are fair dinkum we dont play in Darwin without a bye after the game.

Alice shouldn't be as bad as a night game in the middle of dry season. Should be warm without causing major physical changes compared to a usual week.

Having a guaranteed bye after each Darwin game would be fantastic. Couldn't see it happening though, other clubs would cut sick and claim it as an unfair advantage (which it probably is).

[whatwhat say what 22,747]

we will only stop playing there when we can afford to do so.

a guaranteed bye after each game up there would be great, but hard to arrange.

[Sir Why You Little 37,034]

I hate playing in Darwin for reasons i have stated. But until we win games elsewhere we will be thrown the least favourable deals.

That is the reality.

[Biffen 12,943]

As Ross Lyon says."anywhere,anytime".

I once had a girlfriend who was the same.

[Barney Rubble 1,576]

I was in Alice Springs the week after Melbourne Played Brisbane last year (last week of July)

It was freezing at night temp got down to 1 deg C.

I don't have any problems with playing games in Alice.

I think it's just a player mentality, they got too far ahead of where they are really at.

This has been a very real wake up call. Roosy will hammer this home over the next 2 weeks.

I think he needed some ammunition to fire at them, he now has that.

I can imagine the intensity at training will pick up and we will be a different team in 2 weeks.

Remember it's only pre season no need to panic YET.

[Redleg 40,903]

As Ross Lyon says."anywhere,anytime".

I once had a girlfriend who was the same.

Lucky you.

[jazza 1,323]

As Ross Lyon says."anywhere,anytime".

I once had a girlfriend who was the same.

keep it in mind,the said "girlfriend" told every bloke she met the same thing,on a nightly basis.

maybe playing the game in alice springs would have given the FD the realisation of how difficult the following week is.

this may help during the season to overcome the problem and recover better with this knowledge.

[daisycutter 29,613]

maybe we were just foxing to put the aints off balance

nah......................

[Chook 15,013]

Prostitution is one of the world's oldest professions. Embrace it.

[Bring-Back-Powell 14,817]

I'd be disappointed if professional athletes can't back up the next weekend after playing in 21 degrees at Alice Springs at the end of May.

On a side note, the ground at Alice looked no where near like an AFL venue.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,391]

What about the hidings every other week, to cold, to hot, to overcast, boys don't like Etihad, boys don't like being interstate away from Teddy, fellas dunna come ready to play.

Interstate games over recent years are automatic losses. The team is mentally beaten before they run out.

[Bombay Airconditioning 6,391]

we will only stop playing there when we can afford to do so.

a guaranteed bye after each game up there would be great, but hard to arrange.

It shouldn't have to be.

[Alcho Dee 269]

Just someone looking for another excuse.

[Curry & Beer 5,444]

agreed DW

we have gotten to the point that there is enough evidence to suggest that there definitely is a follow-on effect from playing up there

given the desperate, pathetic basket case of a club we are we certainly don't need extra disadvantages working against us

for those at the clubs who do the books, they need to put a dollar figure on the amount of money lost when we trot out there and embarrass ourselves with yet another 100 point loss. It's 'priceless' in a bad way.

[Wiseblood 24,637]

agreed DW

we have gotten to the point that there is enough evidence to suggest that there definitely is a follow-on effect from playing up there

given the desperate, pathetic basket case of a club we are we certainly don't need extra disadvantages working against us

for those at the clubs who do the books, they need to put a dollar figure on the amount of money lost when we trot out there and embarrass ourselves with yet another 100 point loss. It's 'priceless' in a bad way.

There is also evidence to suggest that we haven't been able to follow up after any game, played anywhere in Australia, for a few years now. Darwin has nothing to do with it.

We need to face the fact that we are playing games there over the foreseeable future. Not only do we get money from playing the games there, but we get a foothold into the NT which can help sponsorships and future memberships. Using this 'follow on' effect from playing games there is a cheap and sort sighted attitude. As they say, we need to win games no matter where we play them and learn to back it up the next week.