Time to Flick Casey Scorps

[Pennant St Dee 13,044]

The Casey affiliation is predicated on the MFC gaining a presence in one of the fastest growing residential corridors to develop a new supporter base for one of the competition's least supported sides. This is a long term project and involves a substantial amount of input by the AFL partner but I don't see that the MFC is willing to commit wholeheartedly. The Scorpions don't have the money and as a result the quality of their home grown locals is simply not of a standard necessary to support the MFC players.

In short, Melbourne needs to decide whether it will take its VFL affiliate seriously and commit to bringing some quality VFL standard players to complement the team so that the whole organisation is strong a la Box Hill vis a vis Hawthorn or give up the project and field a team at Punt Road or Toorak Park for the convenience of the few hundred fans who might follow a second team.

I sense that the end result will be that Casey will fold in the same way as Bendigo Gold whose demise was announced today - Decision made on Bendigo's future.

Great post KC, whats your thoughts on the Demons giving everything to the venture as you say with a wholehearted effort and becoming the Casey Demons. IYO would an investment by MFC into the club see us developing a stronghold in the area and the flow on effect of solid long term supporter base, whilst also providing the community with a local side to watch. Even a team dominated by the Demons would be better than no VFL team at all in the area

[Toad33 57]

I am all in favour of the 30 year Casey alignment.

Problems are

• Casey 'leaking' players to the AFL and other VFL clubs (this is a double edged sword. Players at this level will always aspire to advance to the next level or a bigger pay packet and having a good coach will help them get there).
• MFC not in a financial position to fully support the Scorpions. (AFL team comes FIRST, SECOND and THIRD and the Scorp's will be fully supported when finances dictate they can be, but not this year!)

Benefits are

• Exposure to a young and vibrant growing community. (Auskick, Auskick , Auskick. = KIDS KIDS KIDS = Kids exposed to the game ++++ VFL and AFL (Casey/Demons) players in attendance = Interest, exposure, influence and potential memberships)
• THREE decades (GENERATIONS) to attract/convert future members.

This agreement doesn't mean we need to put ALL our eggs in one basket but does ensure we DO have our eggs in the SECOND BIGGEST basket (in term of population size and growth) in the country at the current time.

I am sure that if our arrangement folded tomorrow the 'cashed up' clubs would be sniffing around the 'corpses' quicker than a dog chasing a tennis ball.

A question before I log out.

Q. How often do you think the supposed 'ferals' living in Casey who support Collingwood travel to Victoria Park to watch their VFL team play?

A. About as many times as the 'sheltered' MFC supporters from Eastern Melbourne go to Casey to watch the Scorpions....or LESS!

Go Dees and Scorps

[CityDee 738]

Will never be a success at Casey unless Melbourne are prepared to see it through for a full season/finals series. Imagine working hard down there all year coaches players volunteers and are a chance for a flag only to have the talent pulled out in September. Who would want to play there if they know finals are a write off?

Its arrogant from the mfc and is sure to create resentment, unhealthy situation.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Yep, time to part ways!

I can remember the first seeds of discontent started a few years ago with the recruitment of Brendon Fevola. The Dees admin of the time were furious that the Scorps had recruited him based on the potentiality for conflict of interest issues regarding the on field comprimises that might ensue regarding the grooming of our players.. I think quite a few issues with this alignment has arisen and some are still possibly being played out.

I believe it costs in the vicinity of 250-500 a season to field a stand alone team. For that, what you get far outweigh the negatives.

For a start you get to put all your own people into key positions from Coaches to Boot Studders!

If a ground issue is a reason for staying put then surely the Dees can work straight through Casey Council and renegotiate a ground tenacy agreement!

If no such problems arise then I have 2 solutions regarding where to play.

1/ As a curtain raiser to Main game ( just like the good old days) OR

2/ Punt Rd which has been extensively redeveloped. I'm sure Richmond would be receptive if some financial inducements were made!

Imagine playing an 11.00 am game or whenever it would be 3 hours before a Melbourne home game at the "G" then taking a casual stroll across to the "G" to watch the main game!

I say lets get fair dinkum and make it all Melbourne!!

It really is the recipe for success!

exactly picket fence; the time is Ripe for Picking, NOW, whilst the Roos team is with us, to make things work... not later, after we could slip back again.

IMO, we could make more members, & a money return Via having this scenario play-out & with a Social Club connected to the VFL Demons team, either out of Cranbourne, or Dandenong-Sth...

I would go frequently to such a venture, to watch the boys play, & to meet fellow supporters & cheer.

I think we would gain from memberships, monies from the games, local sponsorships, social club facilities, especially if eventually it was around Dandenong, the Gippsland Region, & from improving the development our young players. So on-field at AFL level.

This would all help our clubs sustainability IMO.

[picket fence 16,999]

As I said in my opening post time to flick this union,! Players going backward at a faster rate than when Neeld was in charge of the ones!

Time for Jackson, and the powerbrokers to pull the pin! a 80 + points thrashing at Casey this afternoon!

[picket fence 16,999]

Need I say more????

[Straight Sets Simon 23,113]

Was anyone saying this last year when Casey was playing well?

[beelzebub 23,312]

I am all in favour of the 30 year Casey alignment.

Problems are

• Casey 'leaking' players to the AFL and other VFL clubs (this is a double edged sword. Players at this level will always aspire to advance to the next level or a bigger pay packet and having a good coach will help them get there).
• MFC not in a financial position to fully support the Scorpions. (AFL team comes FIRST, SECOND and THIRD and the Scorp's will be fully supported when finances dictate they can be, but not this year!)

Benefits are

• Exposure to a young and vibrant growing community. (Auskick, Auskick , Auskick. = KIDS KIDS KIDS = Kids exposed to the game ++++ VFL and AFL (Casey/Demons) players in attendance = Interest, exposure, influence and potential memberships)
• THREE decades (GENERATIONS) to attract/convert future members.

This agreement doesn't mean we need to put ALL our eggs in one basket but does ensure we DO have our eggs in the SECOND BIGGEST basket (in term of population size and growth) in the country at the current time.

I am sure that if our arrangement folded tomorrow the 'cashed up' clubs would be sniffing around the 'corpses' quicker than a dog chasing a tennis ball.

A question before I log out.

Q. How often do you think the supposed 'ferals' living in Casey who support Collingwood travel to Victoria Park to watch their VFL team play?

A. About as many times as the 'sheltered' MFC supporters from Eastern Melbourne go to Casey to watch the Scorpions....or LESS!

Go Dees and Scorps

Im thinking youre seriously over valuing auskick

I cant see much for us going forward unless we establish our own 2nds again. I thought Casey might work...it hasnt

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Kids affiliation has nothing to do with location of the teams presence. This isnt 1930's suburban melbourne. Its so naive of the powers that be that they think that if Melbourne has a presence in Casey then kids growing up in the area will support the Club.

The kids will support the clubs that are successful , on prime time TV with big name stars, when they are 8,9, 10 years old. To think suburban affiliation still exists is so ignorant of the modern footy landscape.

[Fitz Fitzpatrick 886]

Look at the generation that grew up through the mid to late 80s. You will find a large percentage of them are Blues, Bombers and Hawks fans. Nth will have a lot of fans who were in primary school in the late 90s, etc etc

You older folk probaly remember all the Demons and Magpies fans in the class room during the early 60s.

Forget Casey , just get some decent players and start putting the red and blue back on prime time TV.

[picket fence 16,999]

As I have said the seeds of discontent started years ago with amongst other things, the signing of Brendan Fevola.

Time for us to find the cash and make the break!

[chook fowler 19,432]

Forgot about the Fev fiasco. What were they thinking.

[old dee 23,699]

As I have said the seeds of discontent started years ago with amongst other things, the signing of Brendan Fevola.

Time for us to find the cash and make the break!

There lies the rub pf

Any idea where you are going to find the $500 000 +

Then where are you going to play the games?

We are next to the poorest Organisation in the contest.

IMO Casey is not the major problem.

The problem is the list, it is just poor and having our own reserves team will not change that one bit.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I am all in favour of the 30 year Casey alignment.

Problems are

• Casey 'leaking' players to the AFL and other VFL clubs (this is a double edged sword. Players at this level will always aspire to advance to the next level or a bigger pay packet and having a good coach will help them get there).
• MFC not in a financial position to fully support the Scorpions. (AFL team comes FIRST, SECOND and THIRD and the Scorp's will be fully supported when finances dictate they can be, but not this year!)

Benefits are

• Exposure to a young and vibrant growing community. (Auskick, Auskick , Auskick. = KIDS KIDS KIDS = Kids exposed to the game ++++ VFL and AFL (Casey/Demons) players in attendance = Interest, exposure, influence and potential memberships)
• THREE decades (GENERATIONS) to attract/convert future members.

This agreement doesn't mean we need to put ALL our eggs in one basket but does ensure we DO have our eggs in the SECOND BIGGEST basket (in term of population size and growth) in the country at the current time.

I am sure that if our arrangement folded tomorrow the 'cashed up' clubs would be sniffing around the 'corpses' quicker than a dog chasing a tennis ball.

A question before I log out.

Q. How often do you think the supposed 'ferals' living in Casey who support Collingwood travel to Victoria Park to watch their VFL team play?

A. About as many times as the 'sheltered' MFC supporters from Eastern Melbourne go to Casey to watch the Scorpions....or LESS!

Go Dees and Scorps

I'm all in favour of staying in the Casey region.

However I want us to seperate amicably, & build our own Identity within Casey... Let the Casey Scorpions survive without losing their ID. The Casey Fields facility can home 2 clubs without any trouble. Whether they be both VFL Clubs, or in different leagues. There won't be a better time for us to Set our own Clubs Identity in this region than Now.

We've the people at the club now to build Us, & develop our kids, & Win games... and attract the Casey Regions people to Our Red'n'Blue Club. We should do this Now whilst we have Roos & Stone behind us, & the AFL's support backing us & watching over things.

In 4 yrs time we may have missed the boat, & end up still where we are this year.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Need I say more????

wanna borrow this?

[Ethan Tremblay 30,810]

Need I say more????

It appears you had to, to bump your last post which no one replied to.

[Bonkers 994]

Look at the generation that grew up through the mid to late 80s. You will find a large percentage of them are Blues, Bombers and Hawks fans. Nth will have a lot of fans who were in primary school in the late 90s, etc etc

You older folk probaly remember all the Demons and Magpies fans in the class room during the early 60s.

Forget Casey , just get some decent players and start putting the red and blue back on prime time TV.

Living in the outer south eastern suburbs I disagree. Whilst I'm a MFC member a lot of my friends are Hawthorn supporters. There's two reasons for that. One is that Hawthorn were smart enough to target market to the sth east whilst it was a booming area in the 80s & 90s. The other was that they were a good side in that period. There's nothing wrong with targeting a growing area as long as you have a product to market. The club needs to fix the product for people to engage with the club.

Another issue not related to your post but I'll just mention it anyway. The club has signed a 30 yr agreement & now people want the club to walk away from it. What sort of a partnership is it that you commit long term & as soon as it doesn't suit you, you pull out? The club would be better off digging in, helping the Scorps out if possible & giving back to the community they supposedly want to engage with & have a presence in. The club needs to decide whether they are in or out & look to give rather than thinking it's all about taking & what they can get out of the arrangement. If you want to build something you have to invest in it. How much is the club really willing to invest in the area? It's almost like they are having a bet each way. Perhaps the MFC can arrange to have representitives placed on the board of the scorpions in exchange for some minor financial relief. That's just one idea & I'm sure there could be others that may make the arrangement work.

If the arrangement with the Scorps is unworkable due to the financial & admin side then I'd personally like to see if the club could field a reserve side in casey still under their own banner. I guess that is coming from a somewhat biased viewpoint. I just believe there is a better chance of growing supporter numbers by focusing on a growing young population than to focus on somewhere like Melbourne Uni where the market is more international students etc & not grassroots supporters.

[dee-luded 2,959]

It appears you had to, to bump your last post which no one replied to.

what you think its 'outa sight', outa mind? i don't think so... it's just, people have other things on their minds to bother with.

the afl are desperately trying to re-engage the footy public, which is dropping off by the bus load recently. & our vfl affiliations are no different.

have you noticed the TV stations have added more humor & less intensity to their broadcast chat segments recently. people are bored with todays game & how its been run, in recent years.

... the footy intellectuals are ruining the experience & pleasure of the game for most punters.

Edited July 13, 2014 by dee-luded

[Redleg 40,777]

we don't have the money to do it imo,

if we did it would be great for the club but i can't see how we could, our goal is to break even in 2014, we don't have 500-600k spare

The main concern has to be developing and improving our list and if that means going alone then you find the money.

[dee-luded 2,959]

The main concern has to be developing and improving our list and if that means going alone then you find the money.

the main idea of going to Casey is to grow our support base & to diversify it. We have something of a Mono-culture base. but the way we've gone about it, is turning people OFF us.

the first thing we did was to build a seperate & exclusive pavilion, for Demons staff & family, & not for supporters. And not Casey people. Only the exclusive bretheren to go up there.

This is definately NOT the way to win hearts & minds.

[What 18,810]

if the AFL care about the quality of football and the future of footy they will fund their own AFL reserves competition for all 18 teams

Its the most obvious investment I have ever seen

[Whispering_Jack 29,731]

the main idea of going to Casey is to grow our support base & to diversify it. We have something of a Mono-culture base. but the way we've gone about it, is turning people OFF us.

the first thing we did was to build a seperate & exclusive pavilion, for Demons staff & family, & not for supporters. And not Casey people. Only the exclusive bretheren to go up there.

This is definately NOT the way to win hearts & minds.

I don't think you have it quite right there. The facilities were built and the ground was first used when the Casey Scorpions were in an an alignment with St. Kilda. Melbourne came along a few years later.

[Max Power 37]

Casey project has been extremely underwhelming, I can value long-term investment but frankly I don't see what we are investing in (proportionately).

Edited July 13, 2014 by bearded_demon

[Coq au vin 755]

The association with Casey was an idea of the ancien regime. Similar to the China syndrome. Funny how that's gone away.

[old dee 23,699]

Where,s the money?????????????