I, like most people on the site, am really excited about the draft just gone. So I don't mean to bring the mood down, But I'm still worried about our shared facilities, separated football department and lack of a social club. Its the weakest set up of all the clubs.

So, when I read about St Kilda possibly being govt backed to set up at the junction oval ( which was also OUR training ground for about 20 years) in a massive new facility I feel like we may be getting left behind ........again. Footscray is also now going to build a stadium out at Ballarat and play home and away games there probably from 2017 on....with the same kind of govt backing. Im wondering what are game plan or thinking is...or if we have one?

Was the Junction Oval a state Labor or Lib funded promise?

Was the Junction Oval a state Labor or Lib funded promise?

I think they both got behind it. Labour less so but apparantly their also on board now.

There was talk of a Docklands training facility for us backed by the City Council. Docklands certainly needs something!

There was talk of a Docklands training facility for us backed by the City Council. Docklands certainly needs something!

Not us.

I'd like to put a stop to this panicky thread right now by pointing out that during the time we trained at the Junction the criticism was that we had separate football and head office operations and secondly, that we had divorced ourselves from our home, the MCG.

The Junction is no answer.

I dont intend this to be a "panicky" thread Pitmaster, but it IS an issue that needs facing. I don't care so much about the junction oval not coming to us. I didnt make it that clearly, but the point I was trying to make was more about the fact that both St Kilda and the doggies are moving on something that secures their long term future and probable prosperity. I just don't feel the same about the way we're structured.

Not us.

I would not worry rjay that was a [censored] from day 1

The whole idea was a low level political item designed to take the focus of the docklands as a soulless place.

I, like most people on the site, am really excited about the draft just gone. So I don't mean to bring the mood down, But I'm still worried about our shared facilities, separated football department and lack of a social club. Its the weakest set up of all the clubs.

Melbourne's facilities are as good as any, why is sharing a facility with other codes bad? They don't all need them at the same time.

Also, Melbourne have the flexibility of using a very good facility at Casey all to themselves if need be.

Perhaps we should change our jumper to green. May get more support from the new local member!

Perhaps we should change our jumper to green. May get more support from the new local member!

Probably does not approve of having night games think of all the co2 produced.

I think they both got behind it. Labour less so but apparantly their also on board now.

labor was more about the Cricket , less about the football

labor was more about the Cricket , less about the football

It is now the Monday after the election bb

That is probably now a non core promise

We have enough facilites to match anyone...we need the players to match anyone..thats the ONLY priority right now

let the other clever lads in the backrooms sift through what options are around etc.

Clubs like the Pies always have an eye to greater things ( currently musing over their own stadium apparently ) and so ought we but we arent falling behind.

bloody MFCCS .ffs..

The Rebels train at Princess Park nit sure how much they use AAMI besides games. If that is the case we share with Victory only.

It is now the Monday after the election bb

That is probably now a non core promise

mate...could bash your ears for hours about this...lol

We have enough facilites to match anyone...we need the players to match anyone..thats the ONLY priority right now

let the other clever lads in the backrooms sift through what options are around etc.

Clubs like the Pies always have an eye to greater things ( currently musing over their own stadium apparently ) and so ought we but we arent falling behind.

bloody MFCCS .ffs..

If you mean a training stadium bb then who cares.

If you mean one to play games at well hooray they are out of the MCG.

The AFL plant suggested we move to Melbourne University, and sell caps in Collins Street, Docklands was Smooths idea, about as sensible as the East/West link, wondered what he did behind the big desk.

St Kilda shafted us out too Casey, wherever that is, and out of our highly successful alignment with Sandringham, Callingwood moved out of the Punt road Paddock and we moved in, just two of many mistakes, that have led us down the path to basket case status.

If you mean a training stadium bb then who cares.

If you mean one to play games at well hooray they are out of the MCG.

They want their own HOME GROUND again...seriously

they have their own training stadium , courtesy of public monies btw !! Got to respect those buggers really.lol

They want their own HOME GROUND again...seriously

they have their own training stadium , courtesy of public monies btw !! Got to respect those buggers really.lol

I reckon that North, St Kilda, and the Dogs might move their games to such a stadium it would be hard to see it being a worse deal than The Dome of Death.

The AFL would probably see it as a good way of having a way of pressuring TDOD

The AFL plant suggested we move to Melbourne University, and sell caps in Collins Street, Docklands was Smooths idea, about as sensible as the East/West link

There's nothing *wrong* with those ideas. What are you on about?

There was talk of a Docklands training facility for us backed by the City Council. Docklands certainly needs something!

um why? why are they any different to heaps of other municipalities?

I reckon that North, St Kilda, and the Dogs might move their games to such a stadium it would be hard to see it being a worse deal than The Dome of Death.

The AFL would probably see it as a good way of having a way of pressuring TDOD

dare I say it I think the AFL have finally twigged that they fukked up by dismantling entirely the various home grounds in the great afl-borg-assimilation. It just doesnt really play out that well . That and the kerfuffle with Docklands just exasperated it all.

There is a need for a boutique 25000-30000 ground in Melbourne. Funny thing is they had it at Princes Park..

just needed so money spent on it.

Junction Oval is shared with cricket which is why we spent the summer running around trying to find training grounds. We don't have to do that anymore but StKilda will if they move back there as the development will be shared with cricket Victoria. They will still probably have to do summer training down at Seaford. We can now do our year round training 100m's away from our facilities.

Many of the Clubs have to share their new facilities with the public which is how they got Govt funding. I believe this is the case at least with Nth, the Bulldogs and the new centre being built for the Pies. We share ours with other sports teams. Which would you prefer. I'd take the sports teams. Not sure what long term value Casey is now that we have Gosch's. I guess developing a supporter base as much as using the training facilities. Juries out on that one for the time being.

There are serious discussions going on about moving the football dept back into the MCG and setting up state of the art training facilities for MFC's exclusive use in there. That would be an incredible result and with MCC assistance be very viable as the plan is to pay peppercorn rent which is what they do now for the Admin offices.

Lack of Social Club has always been a major issue. My dream is that they set up a designated room for that in the MCG and people could access it all week. It only has to be a dedicated bar. It could be used by all Clubs for non D's games and all patrons for D's games but become exclusively MFC after games and during the week. Can't see why this hasn't happened already.

Watch this space on what's going to happen with the Bentley Club. Something will happen there in the next few years. From memory the pokey machines will be paid off by end of 2015 and the revenue stream will go up to about $11.5mill clear.

We may not be in the perfect position yet but I've got the confidence PJ will set up the plan to get us there. We have come so far in just the last 4yrs.

relax lads

we'll be back at the G within 5 years