Hawthorn has been willing to leave their ‘traditional’ heartland.  Twice.
I have no love for the Hawks, but they repeatedly make the right decisions for the long term.

We stubbornly want to magically create land in an area that won’t sacrifice an inch of public parklands or remove a single tree.

 

 

  On 11/04/2023 at 05:49, Demon Dynasty said:

Good luck getting it from normal lending channels.

Ppl i talk to on the gravy train say their usual business lending book has been cut by 50% (so far!) under instruction from the top brass.

Credit squeeze is on

Kennett explained their funding model a few years back. It was split between Federal Govt, State Government, Wealthy supporters and club funds. No real borrowings but I expect that the poker machine licences could be used as collateral if necessary.

They might have a problem with the explosion in building costs though

  On 11/04/2023 at 06:05, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Hawthorn has been willing to leave their ‘traditional’ heartland.  Twice.
I have no love for the Hawks, but they repeatedly make the right decisions for the long term.

We stubbornly want to magically create land in an area that won’t sacrifice an inch of public parklands or remove a single tree.

 

 

I actually did a study of their membership base while a maths student at Swinburne uni (commissioned by the hawks) and they had a concentration of supporters in areas near Waverley park. lt wouldn't surprise me if that was the case for Dingley also. But l take your point about not being overly obsessed about the location

Edited April 11, 20232 yr by Demons1858

  On 11/04/2023 at 01:02, Supreme_Demon said:

It greatly annoys me how Hawthorn gets things so easily. They have gone from Glenferrie Oval to Waverley Park and now to this place in Dingley.

Winning a lot of flags over time wins you friends in high places, which makes the decision making process that much smoother. Pies had Brumby (Pie supporter) in office and magically got their hands on the place reserved for Olympic sports. Essington had the Workfair investigation into their drug practices vanish with a stroke of Dan Andrews' (Ess supporter) pen.

  On 11/04/2023 at 06:05, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

I have no love for the Hawks, but they repeatedly make the right decisions for the long term.

See above. The "right" decisions can be made retrospectively right by aforementioned friends in high places.

Isn't this a very curious and interesting subject for some ,or a bugbear for others.

Oh where oh where shall thy Demon heart reside for all eternity ? ( henceforth )

Where indeed. 

Despite what some proffer (or prefer) we do actually live in a very binary world. You're either dead, or you're not. You're pregnant  or your not. You're either a Melbourne supporter or you're not. See a trend ?? Life is essentially about choices, most often 2, to do what is in front of you  .....or ....I know you  know this.....or not !!

So he we are with our eternal favourite kicking toy the question of where we shall be. Over the years there have been many a good idea and/or recommendation and  yet strangely enough despite being the founders of this fair game we've been kicked from pillar to post and dealt rotten hands. None of that really matters because that was then and this is the NOW and it's in the now we must be bold and make clever and informed decisions.

Some can not grasp that we are never going to get that 'deserved home" , that grandiose location of 'somewhere near the G'  Why ? Why they can't grasp ?  Well  it's hard to let go of a dream. I get it.  If the world was fair ( in our minds  we would live at the MCG, or something akin to Richmond's setup, but better.  We've tried that path...not happening.  We could have had the Olympic Park site...well... 'nuff said !!  That too a fizzer.   Now we arrive a little further down Swan Street to Gosch's. Not called a Paddock without reason in my thinking. Padocks are very usefull...Go find some cows, some horses perhaps , sheep, whatever as that's what paddocks are for. It's a ham fisted convoluted compromise at the very best ( no matter what $$$ are thrown at it ) . It's second rate.Better than a Container at someone else's  Cricket Ground perhaps... Goschs is  entirely befitting a Soccer Club or some other silly game. Not ours and not this club, my club, your club...The ONE and ONLY MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB.. Yes I'm yelling...I need that to sink in. We are a very unique Club, in any form of code or Sport.

Much is made of proximity.. We NEED to be close to the G.  Well given our very essence is inscribed upon the walls of that great Stadium I'm not sure how we aren't.  No matter where we are...we ARE Melbourne. We aren't anyone else.

I go back to the idea that we are unique. We are so SO UNIQUE that we hold a position in this game no other club can. The game evolved out of Melbourne. The very soul of the game lives in the annals of the recorded history of Footy/VFL/AFL. It does because WE put it there. Who doesn't get goosebumps sometimes when you walk down through the G, through the Members, see all the Pictures, the Cups, the History.

We are Melbourne.  That's something else that needs to sink in for some I feel.   We and ONLY we are Melbourne. And again I retrace our point of difference, our uniqueness our major asset of assets. Our name, Melbourne.  We are not  incidentals like those suburban clubs. We aren't defined by a mere locality , not defined by proximity to a pub, a river, a beach or any such trivial and limiting precinct. We're Melbourne..We embody everything this great city is and has been. 

For a long while this circumstance has served to hinder our embrace of everywhere and everything that IS Melbourne. We though, seemingly that we were an odd fit  as where did we belong.  The answer has been staring us in the face all along..Quite Simply...We are Melbounre. We are ALL of it...not just a bit...ALL of it. And only we can...  It's time to step up and claim that historic inheritance and stamp ourselves as THAT Club that can be for everyone that is Melbourne at heart.

Heart.  The very essence of a person, a club, a city, a passion. How often do you hear  she's the heart  of .......  this place runs to the blood of ....some bloke.   Heart. It's where it all emanates. Everything that courses through our veins as Demon Supporters comes from the heart.

Every once in a while "OPPORTUNITY" stares you in the face. And like all those other decisions in life you either do....or don't.  We are at that Crossroads where you have to either turn left or right. The road directly ahead ( for this prose I suggest it's the road to the G ) is not available.  There's a track to a paddock or theres a road to a greener field..

I've included a map below. Would anyone like to guess what's located as near if not at that crossroads ( as it were ) ...i.e  the point where the two RED lines  cross ??  That Boys and Girls, is the land of Opportunity.  It's all but smack bang middle of this wonderful City of ours, located pretty much in ITS Heartland.   For those following at home the Geo Centre of Melbounre for the last 20/30 odd years has been the Southern part of Geln Iris.  I know Glen Iris well as I grew up there but i digress...lol....  The point is  Melbourne is much more that the CBD. It's much more than the MCG ( by a smidge ....)  ....it's a bloody big place and there's ONLY ONE.....repeat ONLY ONE football club that can claim its entirity by right of fact that we are the Heart of the Game.   We need to stop limiting ourselves  and embrace everythingand everywhere that falls within our ardour. Let's be that Melbourne that we've always dreamt we SHOULD be....the one and only Melbourne.  The MFC.

As such we CAN be located at Caulfield , quite possibly /probably in truly State of the Art  facilities. Take it as a positive by stamping ourselves in the very Middle of Melbourne that we lay claim to everywhere, everywhere that is Melbourne...today, tomorrow and the next.

In footy there are times to lower one's eyes, in life there are occasions to lift them and think big... hmmmmmm...Think Big...there's an Omen.

Welcome back B. 

  On 05/04/2023 at 02:02, No. 31 said:

When the new metro tunnel is completed in the the next 18 months or so, you will be able to do Arden Street Station or Parkville Station to Caulfield in about 20 minutes or less (direct).

For those that say Caulfield is not central, the current demographic centre of Melbourne is located just a few kms north of Caulfield in neighbouring Malvern.

https://blog.id.com.au/2018/population-forecasting/is-the-demographic-centre-of-melbourne-shifting/

 

Yeah...the old VFL said that about Waverley so I'll treat this news of Caulfield as of about as much importance.

From a selfish point of view I like Gosch's Paddock. Good stop off point on my bike rides.

On a slighty different point, I received an email from the club (addressed to 10+ year members) inviting me to a training session at GP on 18/4. Free coffee no less, and a briefing. I'm in ... who else is going?

  On 11/04/2023 at 09:21, beelzebub said:

 

Wow, I think that's more words than I've used in total on DL!

  On 11/04/2023 at 09:21, beelzebub said:

Isn't this a very curious and interesting subject for some ,or a bugbear for others.

Oh where oh where shall thy Demon heart reside for all eternity ? ( henceforth )

Where indeed. 

Despite what some proffer (or prefer) we do actually live in a very binary world. You're either dead, or you're not. You're pregnant  or your not. You're either a Melbourne supporter or you're not. See a trend ?? Life is essentially about choices, most often 2, to do what is in front of you  .....or ....I know you  know this.....or not !!

So he we are with our eternal favourite kicking toy the question of where we shall be. Over the years there have been many a good idea and/or recommendation and  yet strangely enough despite being the founders of this fair game we've been kicked from pillar to post and dealt rotten hands. None of that really matters because that was then and this is the NOW and it's in the now we must be bold and make clever and informed decisions.

Some can not grasp that we are never going to get that 'deserved home" , that grandiose location of 'somewhere near the G'  Why ? Why they can't grasp ?  Well  it's hard to let go of a dream. I get it.  If the world was fair ( in our minds  we would live at the MCG, or something akin to Richmond's setup, but better.  We've tried that path...not happening.  We could have had the Olympic Park site...well... 'nuff said !!  That too a fizzer.   Now we arrive a little further down Swan Street to Gosch's. Not called a Paddock without reason in my thinking. Padocks are very usefull...Go find some cows, some horses perhaps , sheep, whatever as that's what paddocks are for. It's a ham fisted convoluted compromise at the very best ( no matter what $$$ are thrown at it ) . It's second rate.Better than a Container at someone else's  Cricket Ground perhaps... Goschs is  entirely befitting a Soccer Club or some other silly game. Not ours and not this club, my club, your club...The ONE and ONLY MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB.. Yes I'm yelling...I need that to sink in. We are a very unique Club, in any form of code or Sport.

Much is made of proximity.. We NEED to be close to the G.  Well given our very essence is inscribed upon the walls of that great Stadium I'm not sure how we aren't.  No matter where we are...we ARE Melbourne. We aren't anyone else.

I go back to the idea that we are unique. We are so SO UNIQUE that we hold a position in this game no other club can. The game evolved out of Melbourne. The very soul of the game lives in the annals of the recorded history of Footy/VFL/AFL. It does because WE put it there. Who doesn't get goosebumps sometimes when you walk down through the G, through the Members, see all the Pictures, the Cups, the History.

We are Melbourne.  That's something else that needs to sink in for some I feel.   We and ONLY we are Melbourne. And again I retrace our point of difference, our uniqueness our major asset of assets. Our name, Melbourne.  We are not  incidentals like those suburban clubs. We aren't defined by a mere locality , not defined by proximity to a pub, a river, a beach or any such trivial and limiting precinct. We're Melbourne..We embody everything this great city is and has been. 

For a long while this circumstance has served to hinder our embrace of everywhere and everything that IS Melbourne. We though, seemingly that we were an odd fit  as where did we belong.  The answer has been staring us in the face all along..Quite Simply...We are Melbounre. We are ALL of it...not just a bit...ALL of it. And only we can...  It's time to step up and claim that historic inheritance and stamp ourselves as THAT Club that can be for everyone that is Melbourne at heart.

Heart.  The very essence of a person, a club, a city, a passion. How often do you hear  she's the heart  of .......  this place runs to the blood of ....some bloke.   Heart. It's where it all emanates. Everything that courses through our veins as Demon Supporters comes from the heart.

Every once in a while "OPPORTUNITY" stares you in the face. And like all those other decisions in life you either do....or don't.  We are at that Crossroads where you have to either turn left or right. The road directly ahead ( for this prose I suggest it's the road to the G ) is not available.  There's a track to a paddock or theres a road to a greener field..

I've included a map below. Would anyone like to guess what's located as near if not at that crossroads ( as it were ) ...i.e  the point where the two RED lines  cross ??  That Boys and Girls, is the land of Opportunity.  It's all but smack bang middle of this wonderful City of ours, located pretty much in ITS Heartland.   For those following at home the Geo Centre of Melbounre for the last 20/30 odd years has been the Southern part of Geln Iris.  I know Glen Iris well as I grew up there but i digress...lol....  The point is  Melbourne is much more that the CBD. It's much more than the MCG ( by a smidge ....)  ....it's a bloody big place and there's ONLY ONE.....repeat ONLY ONE football club that can claim its entirity by right of fact that we are the Heart of the Game.   We need to stop limiting ourselves  and embrace everythingand everywhere that falls within our ardour. Let's be that Melbourne that we've always dreamt we SHOULD be....the one and only Melbourne.  The MFC.

As such we CAN be located at Caulfield , quite possibly /probably in truly State of the Art  facilities. Take it as a positive by stamping ourselves in the very Middle of Melbourne that we lay claim to everywhere, everywhere that is Melbourne...today, tomorrow and the next.

In footy there are times to lower one's eyes, in life there are occasions to lift them and think big... hmmmmmm...Think Big...there's an Omen.

Bub … welcome back. Where have you been?

  On 11/04/2023 at 16:24, Whispering_Jack said:

Bub … welcome back. Where have you been?

Writing novellas evidently

Great article BB, its time we stopped thinking about the me. How close we are to Gosches paddock and how only peasants live miles away.

The question that needs to be asked and the only question  is, what is best for the MFC. The club  and only the club, not us landers.

As long as we share facilities with other codes we will be turfed off of our training ground, which is happening for the womens soccer. Are we happy to be a gypsy football club at the bec and call of every piddly code.

Its time we became the MFC not the CBD football team.

By the way  I dont live near Caufield but at Pakenham, 40 ks away.

  On 11/04/2023 at 13:11, Winners at last said:

From a selfish point of view I like Gosch's Paddock. Good stop off point on my bike rides.

On a slighty different point, I received an email from the club (addressed to 10+ year members) inviting me to a training session at GP on 18/4. Free coffee no less, and a briefing. I'm in ... who else is going?

I'll try to nick down. It's around 11:30 yeah?

Excellent comment Beelzebub 

  On 11/04/2023 at 16:24, Whispering_Jack said:

Bub … welcome back. Where have you been?

It took him 3 years to write that post!

  On 11/04/2023 at 09:21, beelzebub said:

Every once in a while "OPPORTUNITY" stares you in the face.

And surpassing Hawthorn's legendary pet memberships, think about the OPPORTUNITY for an Aquatic Creatures membership category for all those millions of submarine Melbournians in the south-west quadrant of your map!

  On 11/04/2023 at 13:11, Winners at last said:

From a selfish point of view I like Gosch's Paddock. Good stop off point on my bike rides.

On a slighty different point, I received an email from the club (addressed to 10+ year members) inviting me to a training session at GP on 18/4. Free coffee no less, and a briefing. I'm in ... who else is going?

would love to go but unfortunately working that morning...enjoy and look forward to your report back.

Edited April 11, 20232 yr by rjay

  On 11/04/2023 at 23:41, Neil Crompton said:

It took him 3 years to write that post!

It was worth the wait IMO. sadly way less than the time the MFC is taking to find a home.

  On 11/04/2023 at 13:11, Winners at last said:

From a selfish point of view I like Gosch's Paddock. Good stop off point on my bike rides.

On a slighty different point, I received an email from the club (addressed to 10+ year members) inviting me to a training session at GP on 18/4. Free coffee no less, and a briefing. I'm in ... who else is going?

I don't believe I got that one Wal. I might make the trip. Now the search begins for the email. Any idea on the date?

  On 12/04/2023 at 01:35, old dee said:

I don't believe I got that one Wal. I might make the trip. Now the search begins for the email. Any idea on the date?

6 April

  On 12/04/2023 at 01:49, george_on_the_outer said:

6 April

Thanks George I did receive the email.

I haven't been to Gosch's for a training session for a few years now but last time I was there I remember there being a radiologist/imaging business there.  Surely they'd be very popular for the sporting codes training and being based there.

Are there other medical / useful businesses in the proximity that provide useful synergies around remaining there? 

I don't particularly care where our training base is located but I would have thought sharing some facilities with soccer/rugby wouldn't be that bad and would ensure the local facility used/shared would always be absolute top class instead of going out on your own in a new greenfield site.

  On 12/04/2023 at 03:19, Deeko2 said:

I haven't been to Gosch's for a training session for a few years now but last time I was there I remember there being a radiologist/imaging business there.  Surely they'd be very popular for the sporting codes training and being based there.

Are there other medical / useful businesses in the proximity that provide useful synergies around remaining there? 

I don't particularly care where our training base is located but I would have thought sharing some facilities with soccer/rugby wouldn't be that bad and would ensure the local facility used/shared would always be absolute top class instead of going out on your own in a new greenfield site.

well at least there should be plenty of world class vets close by at caulfield

  On 12/04/2023 at 03:19, Deeko2 said:

I don't particularly care where our training base is located but I would have thought sharing some facilities with soccer/rugby wouldn't be that bad and would ensure the local facility used/shared would always be absolute top class instead of going out on your own in a new greenfield site.

We do share with soccer & RL and are lucky that we do because the govt coughed up for a modern gym and other luxuries. But it's a two edged sword and we are not the lords of our domain. More like tenants in a share house.

It's not possible to get upgraded training facilities without it being an exercise in inclusivity. The other clubs have been very clever in saying "oh no ... WE don't want upgraded facilities. This is for the kids, the women, the local plebs who hate football, everyone ... oh, okay, I suppose we will get some benefit ourselves ... but we're the last people we're thinking of ..."

It's very hard to say "we're a men's AFL team and we want better training facilities on your $ ... in leafy inner Melbourne where there's bugger-all space ... yeah, cut down a few trees while we're at it ..." Doesn't fly.

Caulfield is our best bet, because of all the box-ticking sports grounds, facilities, etc etc, that we just coincidentally benefit from, and hopefully with us as boss dog.

  On 11/04/2023 at 09:21, beelzebub said:

Isn't this a very curious and interesting subject for some ,or a bugbear for others.

Oh where oh where shall thy Demon heart reside for all eternity ? ( henceforth )

Where indeed. 

Despite what some proffer (or prefer) we do actually live in a very binary world. You're either dead, or you're not. You're pregnant  or your not. You're either a Melbourne supporter or you're not. See a trend ?? Life is essentially about choices, most often 2, to do what is in front of you  .....or ....I know you  know this.....or not !!

So he we are with our eternal favourite kicking toy the question of where we shall be. Over the years there have been many a good idea and/or recommendation and  yet strangely enough despite being the founders of this fair game we've been kicked from pillar to post and dealt rotten hands. None of that really matters because that was then and this is the NOW and it's in the now we must be bold and make clever and informed decisions.

Some can not grasp that we are never going to get that 'deserved home" , that grandiose location of 'somewhere near the G'  Why ? Why they can't grasp ?  Well  it's hard to let go of a dream. I get it.  If the world was fair ( in our minds  we would live at the MCG, or something akin to Richmond's setup, but better.  We've tried that path...not happening.  We could have had the Olympic Park site...well... 'nuff said !!  That too a fizzer.   Now we arrive a little further down Swan Street to Gosch's. Not called a Paddock without reason in my thinking. Padocks are very usefull...Go find some cows, some horses perhaps , sheep, whatever as that's what paddocks are for. It's a ham fisted convoluted compromise at the very best ( no matter what $$$ are thrown at it ) . It's second rate.Better than a Container at someone else's  Cricket Ground perhaps... Goschs is  entirely befitting a Soccer Club or some other silly game. Not ours and not this club, my club, your club...The ONE and ONLY MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB.. Yes I'm yelling...I need that to sink in. We are a very unique Club, in any form of code or Sport.

Much is made of proximity.. We NEED to be close to the G.  Well given our very essence is inscribed upon the walls of that great Stadium I'm not sure how we aren't.  No matter where we are...we ARE Melbourne. We aren't anyone else.

I go back to the idea that we are unique. We are so SO UNIQUE that we hold a position in this game no other club can. The game evolved out of Melbourne. The very soul of the game lives in the annals of the recorded history of Footy/VFL/AFL. It does because WE put it there. Who doesn't get goosebumps sometimes when you walk down through the G, through the Members, see all the Pictures, the Cups, the History.

We are Melbourne.  That's something else that needs to sink in for some I feel.   We and ONLY we are Melbourne. And again I retrace our point of difference, our uniqueness our major asset of assets. Our name, Melbourne.  We are not  incidentals like those suburban clubs. We aren't defined by a mere locality , not defined by proximity to a pub, a river, a beach or any such trivial and limiting precinct. We're Melbourne..We embody everything this great city is and has been. 

For a long while this circumstance has served to hinder our embrace of everywhere and everything that IS Melbourne. We though, seemingly that we were an odd fit  as where did we belong.  The answer has been staring us in the face all along..Quite Simply...We are Melbounre. We are ALL of it...not just a bit...ALL of it. And only we can...  It's time to step up and claim that historic inheritance and stamp ourselves as THAT Club that can be for everyone that is Melbourne at heart.

Heart.  The very essence of a person, a club, a city, a passion. How often do you hear  she's the heart  of .......  this place runs to the blood of ....some bloke.   Heart. It's where it all emanates. Everything that courses through our veins as Demon Supporters comes from the heart.

Every once in a while "OPPORTUNITY" stares you in the face. And like all those other decisions in life you either do....or don't.  We are at that Crossroads where you have to either turn left or right. The road directly ahead ( for this prose I suggest it's the road to the G ) is not available.  There's a track to a paddock or theres a road to a greener field..

I've included a map below. Would anyone like to guess what's located as near if not at that crossroads ( as it were ) ...i.e  the point where the two RED lines  cross ??  That Boys and Girls, is the land of Opportunity.  It's all but smack bang middle of this wonderful City of ours, located pretty much in ITS Heartland.   For those following at home the Geo Centre of Melbounre for the last 20/30 odd years has been the Southern part of Geln Iris.  I know Glen Iris well as I grew up there but i digress...lol....  The point is  Melbourne is much more that the CBD. It's much more than the MCG ( by a smidge ....)  ....it's a bloody big place and there's ONLY ONE.....repeat ONLY ONE football club that can claim its entirity by right of fact that we are the Heart of the Game.   We need to stop limiting ourselves  and embrace everythingand everywhere that falls within our ardour. Let's be that Melbourne that we've always dreamt we SHOULD be....the one and only Melbourne.  The MFC.

As such we CAN be located at Caulfield , quite possibly /probably in truly State of the Art  facilities. Take it as a positive by stamping ourselves in the very Middle of Melbourne that we lay claim to everywhere, everywhere that is Melbourne...today, tomorrow and the next.

In footy there are times to lower one's eyes, in life there are occasions to lift them and think big... hmmmmmm...Think Big...there's an Omen.

Nice Bub....as good as Al Pacinos speech in Scent of a Woman