Training Ground?

[Docs Demons 1,682]

This home base stuff is doing my head in. We were slack back in the days when we got turfed out of the MCG and have been nomads ever since. I've just turned 70 and pay for my twin 16 year old grand sons membership albeit as a interstate one but I only hope they get to see us have a home base before they turn 70 !!.

[daisycutter 28,723]

14 hours ago, old dee said:

My home ground had a Greyhound track around it.

now i think of it, maybe it was a dog track and not a bike track. can't remember now.

[Red and Bluebeard 2,049]

4 hours ago, Demonsone said:

I know it’s been covered but has the club looked at this …. Whilst Eddie time was up he was instrumental in getting Olympic park which Gutnick knocked back saying we couldn’t afford it!
 

Eddie McGuire revealed this morning where he would look to relocate the Melbourne Football Club if he was in charge of the Demons. 

The Melbourne board revealed at their recent AGM that they are looking for a new permanent training & administration base.

Eddie has suggested that Port Melbourne would be an ideal base for the Demons going forward. 

"I'd go to Port Melbourne, I'd go and do a deal with Port Melbourne and build a magnificent facility down there," Eddie said. 

"I'd even try and do a deal with Port Melbourne (football club) to make them the VFL team, they wear the same colours.

 

As far as I am concerned, if Eddie thinks it is a good idea, then it certainly is not in the MFC's interest. I wouldn't wrap fish with the paper this was printed on ...

[Supreme_Demon 3,065]

Eddie likes to have an opinion about everything. Full of ideas about other AFL Clubs which he has nothing to do with!

While Port Melbourne has it's merits I cannot see that possibility happening unless all other options are exhausted.

If anything Collingwood should leave Olympic Park and move somewhere else and we can bulldoze the Holden Centre and build something a lot nicer. I bet Eddie wouldn't like that idea!

The priority, at this stage, should be something at Gosch's Paddock. Ideally using "Carpark F" and nearby surrounds.

The big issue is the cost of probably $100 million or more.

Anyway, I will not rest until this matter of our Home Base has been rectified. We need to hold the Melbourne Football Club Board accountable for getting this issue finalised!

[Demonsone 1,736]

7 hours ago, Supreme_Demon said:

Eddie likes to have an opinion about everything. Full of ideas about other AFL Clubs which he has nothing to do with!

While Port Melbourne has it's merits I cannot see that possibility happening unless all other options are exhausted.

If anything Collingwood should leave Olympic Park and move somewhere else and we can bulldoze the Holden Centre and build something a lot nicer. I bet Eddie wouldn't like that idea!

The priority, at this stage, should be something at Gosch's Paddock. Ideally using "Carpark F" and nearby surrounds.

The big issue is the cost of probably $100 million or more.

Anyway, I will not rest until this matter of our Home Base has been rectified. We need to hold the Melbourne Football Club Board accountable for getting this issue finalised!

Olympic park /glass house was offered to the MFC 20years ago & knocked back unbelievably, the question is why hasnt car park F deal been done?? Kate our president had openly said finding the space in this precinct is a challenge so club needs to look outside of the MCG area , Port Melb ground would be great  but no doubt challenges commercially, funding , our existing Casey VFL alliance not to mention the cricket club who use this ground so 20 people can watch games, as need the ground all year round. 

[daisycutter 28,723]

1 hour ago, Demonsone said:

Olympic park /glass house was offered to the MFC 20years ago & knocked back unbelievably, 

olympic park wasn't offered initially.

it was goschs paddock/glass house offered. we declined, pies accepted

olympic park came about later after some very dubious mcquire treachery

[old dee 23,256]

10 hours ago, Docs Demons said:

Gabba?

Hell no! Country Victoria.

[old dee 23,256]

10 hours ago, daisycutter said:

now i think of it, maybe it was a dog track and not a bike track. can't remember now.

The mighty Hawks home of Rod Ashman and others who played for Carlton.

[old dee 23,256]

10 hours ago, Docs Demons said:

This home base stuff is doing my head in. We were slack back in the days when we got turfed out of the MCG and have been nomads ever since. I've just turned 70 and pay for my twin 16 year old grand sons membership albeit as a interstate one but I only hope they get to see us have a home base before they turn 70 !!.

I know the feeling well DD. Hang in there you need another ten years I reckon. 

[58er 5,700]

12 hours ago, Grr-owl said:

Probly been shouted down already, but isn't Caufield Racecourse being redeveloped? Good public transport, not far from the Monash, etc.....

What's Monash hit yo go with our home base? 

[layzie 30,248]

Wish we could build more land

[old55 21,843]

16 hours ago, Rhino Richards said:

The MFC Board Election is being characterised by some as an opportunity to merely endorse the current Board because our teams have been performing well on the field over the last two years. It seems to me that the area where we chronically underperform off the field is in relation to securing a home base for our players and members. The current Board clearly don't have the skills to resolve this issue so maybe it is time for a new face on the Board. A close look at Phil Reed's business webpage would suggest that he might be able to deliver something our club has lacked since we left the MCG nearly 40 years ago - a home for us all. 

It lives!

[Diamond_Jim 12,097]

Port Melbourne would be magnificent but it needed doing 30 years ago when you could have picked up adjoining land for a good price. As it is now it's probably just a little too small for a top class complex. 2 ovals, pool, gym, wet weather training area and admin centre. On the other hand it's probably similar in size to Tigers at Punt Rd.

And of course you have Port FC and Port Phillip Council

[stinga 482]

Caulfield grammarians football ground is adjacent to the race course at the back which could be developed for AFLW games and occasional Casey games with access for spectators.  When I played there it was Glenhuntly football club with lots of memories running around the racecourse pre season.

[BDA 20,895]

19 hours ago, Rhino Richards said:

The MFC Board Election is being characterised by some as an opportunity to merely endorse the current Board because our teams have been performing well on the field over the last two years. It seems to me that the area where we chronically underperform off the field is in relation to securing a home base for our players and members. The current Board clearly don't have the skills to resolve this issue so maybe it is time for a new face on the Board. A close look at Phil Reed's business webpage would suggest that he might be able to deliver something our club has lacked since we left the MCG nearly 40 years ago - a home for us all. 

So you're the mythical Rhino Richards.

I was tempted to facepalm your post to get you back for all the facepalms you've given me 😁

[jnrmac 19,482]

19 hours ago, Rhino Richards said:

The MFC Board Election is being characterised by some as an opportunity to merely endorse the current Board because our teams have been performing well on the field over the last two years. It seems to me that the area where we chronically underperform off the field is in relation to securing a home base for our players and members. The current Board clearly don't have the skills to resolve this issue so maybe it is time for a new face on the Board. A close look at Phil Reed's business webpage would suggest that he might be able to deliver something our club has lacked since we left the MCG nearly 40 years ago - a home for us all. 

It sounds like you have never dealt with Government before. There are three levels of government that would be involved plus planning and environmental departments of each.

Its herding cats cubed and an unenviable task. And just when you think you may have it nailed, governments change or decision makers change etc.

[Grr-owl 1,083]

7 hours ago, 58er said:

What's Monash hit yo go with our home base? 

Err.... Monash hit yo go freeway, so people could come in cars easily from many directions.

[Demonstone 19,980]

7 hours ago, 58er said:

What's Monash hit yo go with our home base? 

Further evidence that you should always proofread your posts before hitting "SNED".

[58er 5,700]

20 minutes ago, Grr-owl said:

Err.... Monash hit yo go freeway, so people could come in cars easily from many directions.

Fair enough good point Grr-owl

[58er 5,700]

11 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

Further evidence that you should always proofread your posts before hitting "SNED".

Grr-owl understood DS and replied. Point taken though. 

[Redleg 38,438]

3 hours ago, stinga said:

Caulfield grammarians football ground is adjacent to the race course at the back which could be developed for AFLW games and occasional Casey games with access for spectators.  When I played there it was Glenhuntly football club with lots of memories running around the racecourse pre season.

Won’t need it if we get the racecourse.

[AzzKikA 2,371]

3 hours ago, jnrmac said:

It sounds like you have never dealt with Government before. There are three levels of government that would be involved plus planning and environmental departments of each.

Its herding cats cubed and an unenviable task. And just when you think you may have it nailed, governments change or decision makers change etc.

Jnr I work with governments in the medical construction industry and I tell you what governments are great to deal with when they know what they want and when they want it now.

[DeeSpencer 23,639]

On 2/7/2023 at 7:16 PM, Demonsone said:

I know it’s been covered but has the club looked at this …. Whilst Eddie time was up he was instrumental in getting Olympic park which Gutnick knocked back saying we couldn’t afford it!
 

Eddie McGuire revealed this morning where he would look to relocate the Melbourne Football Club if he was in charge of the Demons. 

The Melbourne board revealed at their recent AGM that they are looking for a new permanent training & administration base.

Eddie has suggested that Port Melbourne would be an ideal base for the Demons going forward. 

"I'd go to Port Melbourne, I'd go and do a deal with Port Melbourne and build a magnificent facility down there," Eddie said. 

"I'd even try and do a deal with Port Melbourne (football club) to make them the VFL team, they wear the same colours.

 

The only insight here is why Eddie is so against Port Power wearing black and white. He thinks all teams that wear the same colours are the same!

Port Melbourne would have absolutely no interest in merging with us, even if they were down to their last dollar. That rules out North Port.

I doubt the City of Port Phillip have the funds nor the desire to spend mega bucks on Murphy Reserve. There's no strategic reason why that complex is any different to any number of potential suburban grounds, none of whom are all that interested handing themselves over to an AFL team.

The Fishermens Bend project is City of Melbourne. It does represent an opportunity in a lot of development money coming to an area. But I can't see them willing to carve out a footy oval. It's too valuable, and super expensive and time consuming to turn old industrial land to a footy oval too. Watch for them to build gardens and some astro turf. And even if they did go with a natural oval they would probably want it all for the new residents. The idea that going there would capture a bunch of new supporters don't seem logical to me either. The area will be a bunch of people moving from other suburbs who already have teams and plenty of people from overseas or interstate who already have sporting interests too. The idea that you can recreate the 1950's and just capture a new audience doesn't mesh with modern realities. 

 

[Diamond_Jim 12,097]

2 hours ago, AzzKikA said:

Jnr I work with governments in the medical construction industry and I tell you what governments are great to deal with when they know what they want and when they want it now.

Spot on

But closed fields for elite male sports don't cut it.

[Demonstone 19,980]

4 hours ago, 58er said:

Grr-owl understood DS and replied. Point taken though. 

Oh, don't mind me @58er.  I've just been waiting for a chance to slip in that "SNED" gag.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Demonstone