Training Ground?

[Lucifers Hero 39,811]

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

I'm holding fire on all these kinds of conspiracies until I see what support we get once we have an actual location locked in. IMO we've had pretty decent support from the government given it's been money for stop gaps.

That is the problem - it has all been 'stop gap'.  Nothing of any substance.

Now that government distractions have passed (covid, election) there are no excuses for not announcing the plan including location to gt funding.  Other clubs seem to have their act together sufficiently to get necessary approvals (eg community, LGA, etc) and funding. 

If they haven't found a location by now we may as sell forget it happening.

Edited December 4, 2022 by Lucifers Hero

[Lord Nev 13,512]

10 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

That is the problem - it has all been 'stop gap'.  Nothing of any substance.

Now that government distractions have passed (covid, election) there are no excuses for not announcing the plan including location to gt funding.  Other clubs seem to have their act together sufficiently to get necessary approvals (eg community, LGA, etc) and funding. 

If they haven't found a location by now we may as sell forget it happening.

I'm not quite at the 'forget it' stage yet, and I understand the complications around making announcements, but I'm definitely with you in the frustration around finding/settling on a location Luci (if that is the problem, which it feels like it is).

[rjay 24,928]

1 hour ago, Lord Nev said:

Because we haven't got a location.

Look 'Nev' you are probably right...and as you said before lets wait and see what happens when we get a location.

...but the delay may mean a lot of funds have dried up.

We have had how long now to sort out a location? probably since we could no longer train at the 'G' and that's a long time.

Edited December 4, 2022 by rjay

[Lord Nev 13,512]

1 minute ago, rjay said:

Look 'Nev' you are probably right...and as you said before lets wait and see what happens when we get a location.

...but the delay may mean a lot of funds have dried up.

We have how long now to sort out a location, probably since we could no longer train at the 'G' and that's a long time.

Yep totally with you on that. I'm a fan of what the current board and admin have been able to achieve overall, but this will hang over them until they get it done. Once we (hopefully) have a location and a plan, if the government don't stump up decent funds then I'll join you in the protest.

[old dee 23,791]

.What annoys me the most is the lack of comment from the club. We are all grown ups. Tell us what is happening or lack of it. Because of lack of info I get the feeling that they don't want to tell us the bad news which is that it is decade off if ever. Why the secrecy?  I just don't get it.

 

[Lord Nev 13,512]

14 minutes ago, old dee said:

.What annoys me the most is the lack of comment from the club. We are all grown ups. Tell us what is happening or lack of it. Because of lack of info I get the feeling that they don't want to tell us the bad news which is that it is decade off if ever. Why the secrecy?  I just don't get it.

 

Possibly a bit gun shy after the Yarra Park debacle...

[old dee 23,791]

59 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

Possibly a bit gun shy after the Yarra Park debacle...

But no info breads conspiracy theories. Secrecy never works IMO. I am writing to the club this afternoon.  

[praha 11,240]

16 hours ago, bandicoot said:

Very little chance of getting a favour from a labor government in relation to facilities around Yarra park. 
Andrews  has a habit of endorsing funding around labor or swing districts. There is no political benefit for him to back a MFC development 

By this logic Yarra and City of Melbourne would never get gov funding.

It's in the state government's best interests to develop the area in and around the MCG. The problem isn't so much the government. It's local councils and resident groups around that area that campaign for and against the weirdest things. Why do you think the Jolimont rail yards remain uncovered? Development over the rail tracks would be development of and shrinking of parkland. Which to them is absolutely worse than genocide.

[old dee 23,791]

5 minutes ago, praha said:

By this logic Yarra and City of Melbourne would never get gov funding.

It's in the state government's best interests to develop the area in and around the MCG. The problem isn't so much the government. It's local councils and resident groups around that area that campaign for and against the weirdest things. Why do you think the Jolimont rail yards remain uncovered? Development over the rail tracks would be development of and shrinking of parkland. Which to them is absolutely worse than genocide.

On that basis let’s go to the Port melbourne/ Docklands in the future development or we will lock ourselves out of that one as well. 

[old dee 23,791]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

But no info breads conspiracy theories. Secrecy never works IMO. I am writing to the club this afternoon.  

Try breeds!.

Just sent off my email to the President.

[Lord Nev 13,512]

2 hours ago, old dee said:

But no info breads conspiracy theories. Secrecy never works IMO. I am writing to the club this afternoon.  

Fair enough too mate.

[chookrat 4,250]

If we wanted to really stir things up the club could announce it is having preliminary discussions with the Tas Government re relocation due to a lack of commitment from the State Government and AFL for our women's and men's programs.

[Demonsone 2,037]

5 hours ago, old dee said:

On that basis let’s go to the Port melbourne/ Docklands in the future development or we will lock ourselves out of that one as well. 

Port Melb FC ripe for development, same theme song, 17 flags but we have aligned to Casey almost an 1hr yr away which had yield flags for both clubs. The other issue is would needy to get Port Cricket club to move 

[Diamond_Jim 12,588]

2 hours ago, chookrat said:

If we wanted to really stir things up the club could announce it is having preliminary discussions with the Tas Government re relocation due to a lack of commitment from the State Government and AFL for our women's and men's programs.

King Island would be nice for a training ground

Think of all that salt grass lamb

[BDA 22,755]

Excerpt from the club financial statements. Still a long way from an announcement by the sounds of it

[old dee 23,791]

1 hour ago, BDA said:

Excerpt from the club financial statements. Still a long way from an announcement by the sounds of it

So there we have it a "Long Term Project". I have every confidence we will see nothing this decade. Abject failure for the MFC. 

[Lucifers Hero 39,811]

1 hour ago, BDA said:

Excerpt from the club financial statements. Still a long way from an announcement by the sounds of it

That is a bit depressing.  If after all these years they can't find a 'site within the Melbourne and Olympic precinct then it aint going to happen.  There just isn't any 'empty'/unused land there that hasn't been claimed by other sports/community interests.

Time for the Board to see the writing on the wall, put egos aside and move on to another location.

Surely we can be creative enough to find another inner city precinct where we can partner with a community/educational/multicultural/sporting organisations that would welcome what a shared facility with mfc can bring.  We won't get a piece of dirt any other way.

[Mazer Rackham 14,971]

1 hour ago, BDA said:

Excerpt from the club financial statements. Still a long way from an announcement by the sounds of it

      The Club continued discussions regarding ...

 

"Good morning, Minister."

"Morning. You new here? A nice cuppa, thanks love. One lump. And a biscuit too."

"Er, minister, we are the delegation from Melbourne."

"From ..... ?"

"Melbourne."

" ......... Melbourne?"

"Melbourne Football Club."

"Right. Right. Melbourne Football Club. Erm ... siddown. What can I do for you?"

"Thank you for meeting us, Minister. We'd like to discuss and advance our mutual plans for the Gosch's Paddock redevelopment."

"The Gosch's ...... oh, right! NOW I know who you are! Nup."

".... 'nup'?"

"Yeah. Nup. CAROL! See in my next appointment."

"I ... we ... thank you Minis-- THANK YOU MIN--"

*Later*

"What a disaster. How are we going to spin that?"

"Let say something like,  'The Club continued discussions regarding', etc etc."

[jnrmac 20,065]

On 8/27/2022 at 4:48 PM, Supreme_Demon said:

It makes my blood boil with anger this current predicament! 😡

Look what the Western Bulldogs have here: https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1201190/bulldogs-set-for-vu-whitten-oval-surface-and-landscaping-works

Look what the Richmond Tigers have here: https://architectureau.com/articles/council-approves-65m-revamp-of-home-of-afl/

 

What about the Melbourne Demons? We are still football nomads having to travel between Casey Fields (which is wonderful but very far away from me) and Gosch's Paddock. With our offices at AAMI Park which we have to share with others.

We deserve a home base just for the Melbourne Football Club and nobody else.

The MCC have screwed us for years! They should of built us a home ground in the 1950s or 1960s. At least then we wouldn't have had to worry about the current circumstances we are in.

Having the administration and the football department separated has caused numerous problems over the decades.

None of us should EVER give up on this goal of a home base being built for the Melbourne Football Club. This is just as important (if not more) as winning more Premierships.

From now on, we as Melbourne members and supporters, must demand from the Melbourne Football Club board for this issue of a home base to be rectified!

If not in the MCG precinct (ideally), then Caulfield Racecourse or Toorak Park or wherever is an area that is suitable.

None of us should rest until our home base is finally built with a wonderful bronze statue of Robbie Flower or David Neitz out the front of it!

Boil away

Richmond is in a marginal Greens./Labor electorate  as is Footscray and Casey is in a Liberal zone.

Good luck getting money for them from the State Govt in Vic

[chookrat 4,250]

On 12/4/2022 at 8:53 PM, bandicoot said:

Very little chance of getting a favour from a labor government in relation to facilities around Yarra park. 
Andrews  has a habit of endorsing funding around labor or swing districts. There is no political benefit for him to back a MFC development 

Bandicoot, the political benefit isn't for voters in the electoral district of Melbourne, but rather the areas where Melbourne supporters are based such as in the Inner South and Inner Eastern suburbs.  While these are traditionally safe Liberal seats, a couple of thousand votes in some of these electorates, e.g. Sandringham, would be enough for the seat to change hands.  I don't see much political downside in the State Government pledging facilities in the MCG precinct as the only votes they would lose are a handful of inner city residents in seats that they will not win.

[old dee 23,791]

46 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

That is a bit depressing.  If after all these years they can't find a 'site within the Melbourne and Olympic precinct then it aint going to happen.  There just isn't any 'empty'/unused land there that hasn't been claimed by other sports/community interests.

Time for the Board to see the writing on the wall, put egos aside and move on to another location.

Surely we can be creative enough to find another inner city precinct where we can partner with a community/educational/multicultural/sporting organisations that would welcome what a shared facility with mfc can bring.  We won't get a piece of dirt any other way.

Spot on LH, at this rate we will miss out on docklands as well. 

[chookrat 4,250]

2 hours ago, BDA said:

Excerpt from the club financial statements. Still a long way from an announcement by the sounds of it

Thanks BDA. Re the 'second stage's feasibility study does anyone know when the 'first stage' was undertaken? E.g. is it the stage that we self funded before securing joint funding and the process set out by the State Government or was the first stage completed recently and have we progressed to a new stage?

[Sir Why You Little 37,038]

On 12/3/2022 at 12:33 PM, Demon Disciple said:

On the contrary @Whispering_Jack. This presents as a fantastic opportunity to vastly improve the facilities at Elsternwick that would benefit many in the community, not just the MFC

As a long time Resident of the Elwood. It is a big No. The area is actually below sea level. 
It is not viable 

[DeeSpencer 25,711]

We've secured multiple rounds of upgrades for Casey Fields.

We secured the Gosch's Paddock oval upgrade.

Personally I think we were close to getting the Olympic Park upgrade done, but the switch flipped really quickly from all out spending on Covid recovery to being far more careful with spending given the steep inflation. That impacted governments and it would've impacted our desire to borrow 10's of Millions of debt to pay for facilities too.

Whilst it's disappointing it really has little impact on wins and losses. 

The one thing I think we should go for is ditching the idea of the women playing at Casey and making sure we have a ground that can host them either our heartland or a growth area that works for hosting our men. After seeing Brisbane's facility that has to be the aim.

[layzie 33,805]

21 hours ago, Diamond_Jim said:

King Island would be nice for a training ground

Think of all that salt grass lamb

Haha love it. Fresh air galore!