AFL Round Table on Fox

[T&W 38]

We have lost 12,000 members over the last few years. Dropped off. GONE.

The only way we are going to get money from them again is when the football is entertaining with victories

This is the damage the previous regime has left us with

I know the costs rise each year. I know each club is always trying to better everyone else.

This is why PJ cut the staff numbers so more money could be directed at the Football Dept.

But we will not reach Membership Targets winning 2-3-4 games a year.

It is now up to the players. PJ & Roos have both said this

The Brand will grow. But we have to play winning football consistently so that the "lost" Members WANT to come back.

Good luck with that thought process. Im no Warren Buffet - but first you must invest hence taking a risk for a collect.

If you want to "play winning football consistently" you have to out spend or at least comparatively spend equal amounts to your opposition. But you cant spend what you dont have!

PJ has set the MFC community a clear set of off field challenges - then will come the on-field success. "Show me the money"!

[Gator 17,332]

Dear Statler & Waldorf

What part of "Show me the money" dont you understand?

Simple concept you ( MFC community ) invest the money then the footy department can get you the results you want.

If you haven't noticed costs are rising in Footy today - if you cant find ways to get your revenues up you wont last long in AFL footy today let alone consider being competitive on-field.

Wonder what PJ is talking all about this year? Membership targets and crowd targets! Ways we can build our brand, our culture, what we stand for!

Roos talking all about playing a more exciting crowd drawing brand of football - not setting expectations on wins and loses!

So - "Show me the money" then the results will come.

You have strange business ideas. You're all "show me the money", but cringe at the thought of anyone having "expectations". You want membership, crowds and funding, but won't hear of "expectation". Good luck.

I recommend you never run a business.

[Sir Why You Little 37,033]

Good luck with that thought process. Im no Warren Buffet - but first you must invest hence taking a risk for a collect.

If you want to "play winning football consistently" you have to out spend or at least comparatively spend equal amounts to your opposition. But you cant spend what you dont have!

PJ has set the MFC community a clear set of off field challenges - then will come the on-field success. "Show me the money"!

where do we target this money with a team that does not attract much interest.

It's like fixing a car but the motor is fcuked.

Fix the motor first then at least it can be driven to buy the other parts you need

[T&W 38]

You have strange business ideas. You're all "show me the money", but cringe at the thought of anyone having "expectations". You want membership, crowds and funding, but won't hear of "expectation". Good luck.

I recommend you never run a business.

Yip - I never worry about "expectations" out of my control. ie How many games the players will or wont win when they are a long way off AFL bench marks.

I would concern myself way more on how I can help them get up to AFL standards - if it is to be its up to me, Yeah its a terrible business to be in making money from your own efforts - much easier to rely on others.

[Gator 17,332]

Yip - I never worry about "expectations" out of my control. ie How many games the players will or wont win when they are a long way off AFL bench marks.

I would concern myself way more on how I can help them get up to AFL standards - if it is to be its up to me, Yeah its a terrible business to be in making money from your own efforts - much easier to rely on others.

You have to take the fans and players with you. Players have "expectations" too.

Your approach panders to the type of nonsense that dictates scores aren't kept in under 11's. The kids all know the score, because they want to win. Protecting them from the concept of winning and expectation doesn't work.

You'll never prevent humans from having competitive instincts, so as much as you want to avoid "expectations" it's a flawed concept.

[T&W 38]

You have to take the fans and players with you. Players have "expectations" too.

Your approach panders to the type of nonsense that dictates scores aren't kept in under 11's. The kids all know the score, because they want to win. Protecting them from the concept of winning and expectation doesn't work.

You'll never prevent humans from having competitive instincts, so as much as you want to avoid "expectations" it's a flawed concept.

ProDee think you have misread something. I said I had no expectations this year - if we recruit 2 more 100 game players & FA, get games into the kids - then Im ready to set some expectations.

If you dont give people the tools to do a job its unfair to set expectations. MFC players havnt had the tools

[praha 11,240]

To be frank I fear that Roos' vision for the team and Jackson's intentions appear at odds.

Roos needs money to help create the team and install the discipline and vision he wants via an expanded football department.

Jackson wants money that can now only come from winning games and improving the club's selling product.

Which comes first: the chicken or the egg?

Winning games in 2015 is absolutely integral. Starting the season off strong is very important. Roos saying that losing round 1 isn't the end of the world appears at odds with what Jackson is trying to do.

Round 1 is a must-win. If we can't beat a beaten-up Gold Coast side, which has only won twice on the MCG in its history, in the first game of the season after the "hardest pre-season ever" (according to the players), then where will the wins come from?

The playing group needs to stand up now.

[Sir Why You Little 37,033]

ProDee think you have misread something. I said I had no expectations this year - if we recruit 2 more 100 game players & FA, get games into the kids - then Im ready to set some expectations.

If you dont give people the tools to do a job its unfair to set expectations. MFC players havnt had the tools

The Tools are a lot better with Roos and his coaches...Use them to the fullest whilst they are here

You are prepared to write 2015 off, just like the media hounds

Personally i think that is Foolish

[T&W 38]

The Tools are a lot better with Roos and his coaches...Use them to the fullest whilst they are here

You are prepared to write 2015 off, just like the media hounds

Personally i think that is Foolish

Agree the "tools" under the most expensive coach in the league is way better than before, good coaches cost good money. Im not "writing 2015 off" - I accept we are behind AFL benchmarks and need another 12 months of development and a good trade/free agency period.

Edited April 2, 2015 by T&W

[Sir Why You Little 37,033]

Agree the "tools" under the most expensive coach in the league is way better than before, good coaches cost good money. Im not "2015 off" - I accept we are behind AFL benchmarks and need another 12 months of development and a good trade/free agency period.

I didn't say we weren't behind other clubs..It's time our list of battlers put their heads up and looked forward...some blood and sweat on the jumper can go a long way to galvanize a bunch of young men

The article in the Age today on Heretier was a great read...He is actually proud to be a Demon

Roosy can spot a great recruit.

That is a big reason he is well paid...Don't forget how long PJ was in his ear...

We can achieve this year...Break the cycle

Northey did it...Took him till Round 16 in 1987...The players had belief

That is what it will take to get those lost members back...Players believing

We haven't seen that for a long time

[Dr. Gonzo 24,207]

Hope it is eight, but think it will be six.

By the way, did the Fox panel have any analysis worth mentioning?

I watched the round tables yesterday and for the most part I thought they were pretty good. I thought their analysis of us was terrible though centring around our wasted draft picks and lamenting where we "should" be with no real analysis of the list. Only mentioned a few of our players really.

Was a shame because most of the other teams were analysed pretty well.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,207]

As things stand, if you looked at all our games now and determined a favourite in each one we would go in favourites in two of those games. Yet people say that 8/9 wins would be a par??? I don't understand that thinking.

Which games? I'd have us favourite or at least 50/50 against Brisbane, Carlton, Collingwood (x2), Footscray(x2), Richmond, St. Kilda (x2) and West Coast. That's 10 games without even factoring in potential upsets like Essendon and both Port games last year.

Some people are either seriously damaged from theast decade and are really underselling us or are overselling some of these other clubs. Some of them ain't that good and a couple are downright terrible.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,207]

It appears from this thread some people have learnt nothing from the past. They continue to over burden our team with their own personal expectations.

Roos is here to put the building blocks in place. The loss of Frawley and Clark is a short term hit. Long-term I'm very positive about the "kids". However, they need to be given time to develop at their own pace.

We have a quality leadership team - and the nucleus of a group of kids with talent that will develop given time. Those kids being Tyson, Brayshaw, Pettraca, Neal-Bullen, Hogan, JKH, Salem, Newton etc . Once this group has played 60-80 games + each - then we are ready to place some expectations on them.

You only have to look at successful teams of the last decade - average games per player is up around the 100 games mark - we are miles away from that. You can marginally reduce the seasons you have to wait thanks to free agency but you must become a desired financial location. Quality trading also helps but that has been our greatest weakness in the last 8-10 years. However, Roos is a master trader and the early signs are good.

Burden our kids with your own expectations at your own peril.

Winning 8 games and rising the ranks from "deplorable" to "mediocre" shouldn't really be too burdensome.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,207]

Melbourne play 3 games at Ethiad (Saints,Bulldogs and GWS).

How many of these can we win?

All of them.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,207]

Good luck with that thought process. Im no Warren Buffet - but first you must invest hence taking a risk for a collect.

If you want to "play winning football consistently" you have to out spend or at least comparatively spend equal amounts to your opposition. But you cant spend what you dont have!

PJ has set the MFC community a clear set of off field challenges - then will come the on-field success. "Show me the money"!

You're preaching to the choir here mate. I would be shocked if the majority of people on here arent signed up members every year by November.

Youre asking us to be realistic about the on field results well you need to be realistic about the off field results. Getting annoyed at people who are signed up because they're telling you why others wont doesn't seem very reasonable. What you say may be right but the fact is people won't jump back on until they start seeing results or at the least that the club is now longer a complete embarrassment.

(sorry for the multiple posts)

[T&W 38]

You're preaching to the choir here mate. I would be shocked if the majority of people on here arent signed up members every year by November.

Youre asking us to be realistic about the on field results well you need to be realistic about the off field results. Getting annoyed at people who are signed up because they're telling you why others wont doesn't seem very reasonable. What you say may be right but the fact is people won't jump back on until they start seeing results or at the least that the club is now longer a complete embarrassment.

(sorry for the multiple posts)

Not a problem. I actually dont agree with the group think that its "results" that will get the "lost" to return. I think it will get a small proportion of them back but no where near enough to make MFC AFL competitive. Independant AFL research paints a very bleak future for the MFC latent supporter numbers demographics most importantly age and sex.

If this club is to move forward it needs to reinvent itself and I think there is less than 5% chance of that happening - but not for the want of trying from PJ and the AFL.

[Macca 16,961]

Dr Who is back haha

[Trisul 664]

Dr Who is back haha

Yip.

[Freddy Fuschia 741]

You have to take the fans and players with you. Players have "expectations" too.

Your approach panders to the type of nonsense that dictates scores aren't kept in under 11's. The kids all know the score, because they want to win. Protecting them from the concept of winning and expectation doesn't work.

You'll never prevent humans from having competitive instincts, so as much as you want to avoid "expectations" it's a flawed concept.

One correction, albeit minor. In my son's league they're not keeping scores up to under 10 level. Above that they do keep scores and they have a finals series.