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Saints Consider Moving Back 'Home', while we just ...


iv'a worn smith

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It is reported that the Saints are considering a move back to the Junction Oval, as a base. This is a place that has not been 'home' for the Saints for almost 50 years, following their move to Moorabbin in 1965.

It is understood that the Saints are in talks with Cricket Victoria, with a joint tenancy arrangement being considered. I am not arguing the merits of the proposed move or otherwise, but rather, I look at it in the context of the Dees nomadic existence since 1966. It is not all that long ago we were offered the old Olympic swimming pool/Glasshouse stadium as a home, but we rejected that opportunity. Of course this is now Collingwood's Westpac Centre. Ideas have be wafting - and it would seem that has been about all - about a possible home, at some indefinite time in the future, somewhere in the Docklands for the Dees. We are still waiting.

Right now, our football department is separated from our Administration, with the former being at AAMI and the Admin at the MCG.

Like I said, I am not attempting to debate the merits or otherwise of the purported move by the Saints to the Junction Oval, where Dees supporters better memories lie in our more recent history. Rather, I contrast it with our lack of a real home and wonder if this is just another symptom of the malaise that has beset us for almost the same period since the Saints were last based at the Junction Oval.

I would be interested in others' thoughts.

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Some people complain the admin was too involved with the footy dept.

Some people complain the admin is separate from the footy dept.

I think what we have now is good enough. Would rather keep things settled.

Settled???? That is my point exactly. Again, I am not arguing any merits for the Saints move to the Junction Oval. This simply is about a physical and spiritual home. Given our current malaise, I would say we are anything but settled.. Footy Department at AAMI, Admin at the 'G, train on Gosch's paddock, with the occasional sojourn down to Casey. Settled !!!!!!

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It is reported that the Saints are considering a move back to the Junction Oval, as a base. This is a place that has not been 'home' for the Saints for almost 50 years, following their move to Moorabbin in 1965.

It is understood that the Saints are in talks with Cricket Victoria, with a joint tenancy arrangement being considered. I am not arguing the merits of the proposed move or otherwise, but rather, I look at it in the context of the Dees nomadic existence since 1966. It is not all that long ago we were offered the old Olympic swimming pool/Glasshouse stadium as a home, but we rejected that opportunity. Of course this is now Collingwood's Westpac Centre. Ideas have be wafting - and it would seem that has been about all - about a possible home, at some indefinite time in the future, somewhere in the Docklands for the Dees. We are still waiting.

Right now, our football department is separated from our Administration, with the former being at AAMI and the Admin at the MCG.

Like I said, I am not attempting to debate the merits or otherwise of the purported move by the Saints to the Junction Oval, where Dees supporters better memories lie in our more recent history. Rather, I contrast it with our lack of a real home and wonder if this is just another symptom of the malaise that has beset us for almost the same period since the Saints were last based at the Junction Oval.

I would be interested in others' thoughts.

we could always build an admin wing to the side of aami

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Settled???? That is my point exactly. Again, I am not arguing any merits for the Saints move to the Junction Oval. This simply is about a physical and spiritual home. Given our current malaise, I would say we are anything but settled.. Footy Department at AAMI, Admin at the 'G, train on Gosch's paddock, with the occasional sojourn down to Casey. Settled !!!!!!

AAMI Park, Gosch's Paddock, and the MCG are all within a few hundred metres of each other. Not sure why you're trying to make it seem like they're ridiculously far apart.

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AAMI Park, Gosch's Paddock, and the MCG are all within a few hundred metres of each other. Not sure why you're trying to make it seem like they're ridiculously far apart.

I don't think I ever said that did I. But happy if you can tell me of any other AFL club that comes close to our set-up.

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I don't think I ever said that did I. But happy if you can tell me of any other AFL club that comes close to our set-up.

aaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! what next, christ I hope we get a win soon, as you know I speak to the players a lot, not one of them has ever mentioned that the 700 metre separation of the departments has ever impacted on them psychologically......7 different coaches, 7 different coaching styles and game plans, and defeat after defeat...maybe

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aaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! what next, christ I hope we get a win soon, as you know I speak to the players a lot, not one of them has ever mentioned that the 700 metre separation of the departments has ever impacted on them psychologically......7 different coaches, 7 different coaching styles and game plans, and defeat after defeat...maybe

Wasn't it Peter Jackson who said having the footy department and the admin department away from each other was not an ideal situation?

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My thoughts are that we do need to continue to be on the look out for a suitable facility that we can call our own. One that we own the asset and has all our staff together and preferably a place for members as well.

In the mean time I think AAMI is great for our players and I don't know what if anything we really lose separating footy with admin.

If I was a billionaire I'd build a Fed Square style development over the railway lines and Brunton Ave from Exhibition St extension until the MCG and put a training oval in next to the cricket nets with MFC facilities in the southern stand expanded outwards to the training oval. Expanded demon shop, special social area for post games, facilities for all staff and facilities for all the players all at the MFC. Alas I am not a billionaire.

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Unfortunately, as often happens, the essence of the point is missed. Let's just move on, delete or lock the topic.

Having our administration at the MCG is one of the last tangible connections we have with the ground that used to be exclusively ours. I think it's good that we do so occupy real estate on the hallowed ground. AAMI Park is an excellent facility, and is geographically very close to the MFC administration offices. I think it's the best outcome we can get, given that the G is never going to be our training base again.

I don't want us to be planted somewhere else that is ergonomically perfect, and away from the precint that we have inhabited for 150 or so years.

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It is reported that the Saints are considering a move back to the Junction Oval, as a base. This is a place that has not been 'home' for the Saints for almost 50 years, following their move to Moorabbin in 1965.

It is understood that the Saints are in talks with Cricket Victoria, with a joint tenancy arrangement being considered. I am not arguing the merits of the proposed move or otherwise, but rather, I look at it in the context of the Dees nomadic existence since 1966. It is not all that long ago we were offered the old Olympic swimming pool/Glasshouse stadium as a home, but we rejected that opportunity.[/b[ Of course this is now Collingwood's Westpac Centre. Ideas have be wafting - and it would seem that has been about all - about a possible home, at some indefinite time in the future, somewhere in the Docklands for the Dees. We are still waiting.

Right now, our football department is separated from our Administration, with the former being at AAMI and the Admin at the MCG.

Like I said, I am not attempting to debate the merits or otherwise of the purported move by the Saints to the Junction Oval, where Dees supporters better memories lie in our more recent history. Rather, I contrast it with our lack of a real home and wonder if this is just another symptom of the malaise that has beset us for almost the same period since the Saints were last based at the Junction Oval.

I would be interested in others' thoughts.

When were we ever offered that?

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fair enough. no problem here. move on. Sorry to trouble you.

this is our trouble, our support base doesn't want to be a club... everyone seems to be just happy enough getting to the 'G', & at the end of day, go home again. til next week.

the issues of falling supporter numbers, struggling member numbers, & failing finances over decades, are our Cart before the horse, a very dangerous condition for us right now.

But I say its the lack of a True home base & being a Footy Club, that has Put the cart in Front of the Horse, all those decades back... & it still hampers us now.

We are a 2 tiered organisation.

Our culture has grown to be wanting now because of not having real social facilities all those decades, as we grew. we lack co-hesion & a unity, that clubs enjoy, & that Jimma wanted to fix.

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