If we have to play these guys in prelims etc... never will there be more importance placed on who ended up higher on the ladder and got home ground advantage. We'll be punishing on the G, but we won't be able to stop their run up there.

On 22/6/2016 at 10:17 PM, hells bells said:

This is my worst nightmare.  Missing out on a flag for over 50 years and to miss out to a team fabricated out of thin air and gifted so much advantage in talent by the governing body in the name of progress.  

Supporters of a club that's been in existence for half a dozen years tasting the ultimate success before hardened passionate supporters who have been through so many hard times and continues to put money into the club for over 50 years.

It may happen to the dogs too.  

It'll break my heart.

I have no sympathy for the Dogs. I'm still burning about the '54 GF where those jumped up johnny come latelys from the VFA beat us, an establishment VFL club. In our own grand final! Ortn't to of been allowed.

 

 

 

On the other hand, I'm enjoying the scenario wherein we are playing finals, and grand finals no less.

On 25/6/2016 at 11:40 AM, Dante said:

Don't you think that we could have done equally as well if the AFL decided to restructure our club and tip in $100m over 5 years and offering up 10 of the top 20 in a few year's drafts in a row? How do you think PJ would feel if he went in every day knowing that money was no object and Roos had so much talent he had to tip some out because he only had to field one side week? Wouldn't it be good to make a $6m mistake and not have to worry about it because there was more where that came from? Just as a matter of interest, where did the AFL get the money for this little adventure; from the traditional clubs, that's where.

I'm no fan of the AFL and their make-it-up-as-you-go style of management, but where do you think we got PJ and Roos from? With our no 1 picks in the end of year management and coaches drafts ?

The AFL manipulate and stage manage the competition to b*ggery, but without that, we'd be playing on Saturdays in the VAFA against our old rivals Fitzroy.

We can't have it both ways.

 

On 25/6/2016 at 11:40 AM, Dante said:

GWS have had a leg up, well that's a bit of an understatement, don't you think?  Let's see how they are travelling in 10 years time when the money has run out, ask Brisbane about that, and they still have a membership under 20,000.  GWS are there for the TV rights and that's all, the AFL are clever in doing this but will it all fall apart when the club's like GC, Brisbane and eventually GWS prove to be ratings disasters.

Meanwhile the AFL are putting up goal posts in schools and council grounds around NSW. They've even got some in one of the establishment rugby union private schools in Sydney.

They've stolen a march on RL and RU and have the funds and the desire to expand our game into NSW.

Imagine a future where NSW is a strong Aussie Rules state. It could happen!

13 hours ago, hells bells said:

At some point in time the AFL has to decide if it's running a competition that is set up to be as even and equitable as possible or if it is running a series of events in the entertainment industry to maximize profits.

The AFL has decided, years ago. Are you saying you can't tell which if these it is?

13 hours ago, hells bells said:

While they are conflicted, running the competition and only some clubs it will leave a bad taste in my mouth.  

They're not conflicted. Everything's running to plan.

... except for a few hiccups like the EFC on drugs, and Coll & Carl crowds down, but have no fear. These will be stage managed as befits a giant of the entertainment industry, to maximise profits.

 

21 minutes ago, Ted Fidge said:

The AFL has decided, years ago. Are you saying you can't tell which if these it is?

They're not conflicted. Everything's running to plan.

... except for a few hiccups like the EFC on drugs, and Coll & Carl crowds down, but have no fear. These will be stage managed as befits a giant of the entertainment industry, to maximise profits.

 

A team of talented mercenaries .

Like clean cut pirates in bright orange.

I can't see them winning it until they have played and lost a few finals.

Hopefully hundreds.

 

32 minutes ago, Biffen said:

A team of talented mercenaries .

Like clean cut pirates in bright orange.

I can't see them winning it until they have played and lost a few finals.

Hopefully hundreds.

 

Yes, there will be no joy if and when they win their first granny. no different than everyone knowing that the winning side has been doping all season. i hope never to see smiles on the faces of Scully or Greene. 

10 hours ago, Ted Fidge said:

I'm no fan of the AFL and their make-it-up-as-you-go style of management, but where do you think we got PJ and Roos from? With our no 1 picks in the end of year management and coaches drafts ?

The AFL manipulate and stage manage the competition to b*ggery, but without that, we'd be playing on Saturdays in the VAFA against our old rivals Fitzroy.

We can't have it both ways.

 

Meanwhile the AFL are putting up goal posts in schools and council grounds around NSW. They've even got some in one of the establishment rugby union private schools in Sydney.

They've stolen a march on RL and RU and have the funds and the desire to expand our game into NSW.

Imagine a future where NSW is a strong Aussie Rules state. It could happen!

Getting Roos and PJ doesn't equate to $20 odd million a year and 10 of the top 20 picks two years in a row (that may be a bit inaccurate but you get the connection).

Why would that be of any interest to me or any MFC supporter, the more money they put in to these interstate clubs, trying to gift them a flag, the further away we are from winning one the honest way, by recruiting the right players and developing them through our system. The players at GWS have the strut of someone that has worked hard to achieve success when in reality it's been handed to them on a platter.   

Interstate clubs in non AFL states have to continue to win or they will fail, just look at Brisbane, they gave them the best of the Fitzroy remnants and won them 3 flags in a row, well that dried up didn't it and now they struggle to get 10k to a game.

 

Just thought I might bump this up.

Frankly I did not give them much chance this year but after the way they put the Swans away (31 scoring shots to 20 so it should have been worse than the 36 point thrashing) who knows

3 minutes ago, Diamond_Jim said:

Just thought I might bump this up.

Frankly I did not give them much chance this year but after the way they put the Swans away (31 scoring shots to 20 so it should have been worse than the 36 point thrashing) who knows

The AFL have definitely created a beast in GWS. The scary thing is, i conservatively measure them at 70% max output, given the general age of their list and improvement left within them.

3 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

The AFL have definitely created a beast in GWS. The scary thing is, i conservatively measure them at 70% max output, given the general age of their list and improvement left within them.

The MFC have to be so shrewd now with recruiting like last year. 

We will have to do every year. High risk High reward

On ‎30‎/‎06‎/‎2016 at 9:42 PM, Dante said:

Getting Roos and PJ doesn't equate to $20 odd million a year and 10 of the top 20 picks two years in a row (that may be a bit inaccurate but you get the connection).

Why would that be of any interest to me or any MFC supporter, the more money they put in to these interstate clubs, trying to gift them a flag, the further away we are from winning one the honest way, by recruiting the right players and developing them through our system. The players at GWS have the strut of someone that has worked hard to achieve success when in reality it's been handed to them on a platter.   

Interstate clubs in non AFL states have to continue to win or they will fail, just look at Brisbane, they gave them the best of the Fitzroy remnants and won them 3 flags in a row, well that dried up didn't it and now they struggle to get 10k to a game.

 

We now have a competition which is incredibly uneven and it demonstrates that the AFL can manufacture a result. Even if changes were made to COLA tomorrow, for many clubs the next decade may well be a write off because GWS and the Gold Coast simply exchange an excess of talent for high draft picks.

On 30/06/2016 at 11:18 AM, Ted Fidge said:

 

Imagine a future where NSW is a strong Aussie Rules state. It could happen!

Won't happen unless there is some humungous scandal in the Rugby codes. And even then. 

But I guess you can't underestimate in this age of instant gratification how winning might attract a crowd.

As an aside do you remember the game at the MCG against GWS where they had the rent  a cheer squad of the five or six people dressed as orange bananas.

It was hilarious until we got thrashed by them that day giving the GWS their first win at the MCG and the bananas lots to cheer about.

Prelim Final at spotless stadium with a capacity of 24,000. Funny thing is they'll stuggle to fill it.

 

 

5 minutes ago, Toorak said:

Prelim Final at spotless stadium with a capacity of 24,000. Funny thing is they'll stuggle to fill it.

 

 

That's what free tickets are for

32 minutes ago, Toorak said:

Prelim Final at spotless stadium with a capacity of 24,000. Funny thing is they'll stuggle to fill it.

 

 

No they won't. It will be the hottest ticket in town

34 minutes ago, Toorak said:

Prelim Final at spotless stadium

Won't be played there surely?

 

It is worth remembering that in 2015 draft (four years after their debut)  GWS still had three picks in the top 18 (the first round). Only one of them (Jacob Hopper) played today.

To make it worse here is an article from a few years back which reports they entered their second year with 25 first round draft picks on their team.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/rivals-tip-juggernaut-as-greater-western-sydney-amasses-top-draft-picks/story-fnejogoj-1226492961889

And of course as a result of the Treloar trade they now have a pick in this years draft at pick 7 along with their own.

I am sure someone will do the math but I can count 30 first round picks without even trying !!!!

As much of a farce as it is from the AFL, and how much more it will become, GWS really did drive home the advantage of the concessions that they were given. The difference in how they went about it compared to GC shows why the 2 are now so far apart.

If GWS make the grand final it will be the first time in 10 years that i just refuse to watch.

Get [censored] AFL.

2 minutes ago, Demon Disciple said:

As much of a farce as it is from the AFL, and how much more it will become, GWS really did drive home the advantage of the concessions that they were given. The difference in how they went about it compared to GC shows why the 2 are now so far apart.

You are so right.

The AFL thought that the draft picks would be traded for players and that is what Gold Coast did and thus the GC early picks were spread around. GWS instead used a combination of exercising the picks and trading their picks for future picks. Their NQR players such as Tyson they then traded on for even more picks. Finally as their youngsters got into their third and fourth seasons they topped up with a few veterans of quality (NB none in the super star category).

I think the average AFL supporter will put up with one GWS premiership but if they dominate watch the big boys cry. Of course all of the post VFL clubs have won one or more flags (except for Freo who has got close and Gold Coast) but in most cases we could accept it because to some degree those clubs had put in the hard yards. Not so with GWS.

The article also talks about the fact that they have almost an extra $2million a year in salary cap concessions until 2019 !!

As long as we, us and other clubs, keep trading picks for their surplus players they will be a top side. I can see them getting first round picks for at least the next 3 to 4 years. make no mistake they will only give off players that they don't want, unless a Collingwood comes along prepared to give them the World.

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, Dante said:

As long as we, us and other clubs, keep trading picks for their surplus players they will be a top side. I can see them getting first round picks for at least the next 3 to 4 years. make no mistake they will only give off players that they don't want, unless a Collingwood comes along prepared to give them the World.

 

 

 

But what choice do the other clubs have? They're in a win win.

On ‎30‎/‎06‎/‎2016 at 0:01 PM, Biffen said:

A team of talented mercenaries .

Like clean cut pirates in bright orange.

I can't see them winning it until they have played and lost a few finals.

Hopefully hundreds.

 

I hope you're right Biffen. Not sure though.

9 minutes ago, Return to Glory said:

But what choice do the other clubs have? They're in a win win.

We just have to beat them on the day....

Their Trading position is a gift.