Training Ground?

[beelzebub 23,383]

I fervently  hope this gets up ( Caulfield) 

Think it will prove pivotal on a number of different Plains.

A chance to build ( rebuild ) a true Home might help heal a lot of our current woes.

A shared focus, not only cathartic but galvanising .

They'll be planting Fuchsias in the Winners Circle soon ( perhaps )

I await an announcement.  

[spirit of norm smith 16,588]

I’m checking my news feeds every 10 minutes.  Dees need to get Caulfield mega development deal through with racing club and government onboard.  It will be a central home for the Dees and our support base. 😀😀😀😀

[beelzebub 23,383]

1 minute ago, spirit of norm smith said:

I’m checking my news feeds every 10 minutes.  Dees need to get Caulfield mega development deal through with racing club and government onboard.  It will be a central home for the Dees and our support base. 😀😀😀😀

Could prove very Phoenix-like 

[Supreme_Demon 3,899]

I also hope that the Home Base at the Caulfield Racecourse gets the green light.

The MCG precinct was stolen from us by Collingwood when they took Olympic Park from under our noses. We can thank Eddie McGuire's sneakiness and Joseph Gutnick's failures for that happening.

The MCG will always be our ancestral Home, but we sadly missed out on the opportunity to have a proper Home Base there. Missing out on Olympic Park, Punt Road Oval (apparently the Richmond Football Club threatened to leave there in the 1930s), the East Melbourne Cricket Ground being demolished in the 1920s for rail yards and the failed Jolimont Train Station Project a few years ago due to selfish local East Melbourne NIMBYs.

We probably should of built a Home Base in the late 1950s or 1960s after the 1956 Olympics, but I think there was a severe case of hubris that infiltrated the Club due to all our Premiership success at the time. I am sure Norm Smith wanted a proper Home Base and training ground due to the impracticality of the MCG during cricket season.

Apparently former Demons legend and President Stuart Spencer proposed Caulfield Racecourse as a Home Base way back in 1990. So this project is 34 years in the making.

It would rejuvenate the area around the Racecourse and there are many Melbourne supporters in Caulfield, Malvern and nearby Ormond as well as Bentleigh. We would literally be building a Home Base in our old "heart land". It makes sense to do this.

Edited September 16 by Supreme_Demon

[Roost it far 8,581]

Wednesday it is then according to some on here.

[beelzebub 23,383]

I think we lost our home, our way long before we got dudded on Olympic Park etc.

Once upon a time , far far away in Football's history the was once a Club who held sway at the "ancestral" home of the Game. As they ought to have having essentially been borne from the creation of the game itself. 

It was once the MCG  the Melbourne Cricket Ground but poignantly also the MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB HOME GROUND.   and ONLY  ours !!!

Then along came Richmond and with the choreographed demise of Suburban VFL grounds others came to call the MCG their 'home' ground. That was where the rot set in properly.  We were hustled and shuffled out of our own home. We've never really had one since and this is why the possibility of recreating a HOME, a MFC only home carries so much weight.

We've always been different as we grew out of another ( the MCC ) as opposed to a locale. Our roots belonged to the game and not a Suburban Grandstand, local high streets and parochial schools and churches . These elements shaped a lot of clubs but not ours. Our cause was essentially more cerebral and it was housed in the MCG ..until it wasn't. 

To renew itself is a rare opportunity for any organisation.  To do it effectively in the middle of its namesake ( Melbourne ) even rarer.

Fingers crossed.

[Diamond_Jim 12,627]

2 minutes ago, beelzebub said:

It was once the MCG  the Melbourne Cricket Ground but poignantly also the MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB HOME GROUND.   and ONLY  ours !!!

Looking back we could/should have played this better. Back in the 70's there were lots of choices with the benefit of hindsight. Imagine if we had pumped money into an expanded Junction Oval complex. (Imagine if we had any money at the time.Remember even Collingwood teetered on bankruptcy.) The League was a mess with the VFA fast surpassing them with its live Sunday football.

If it's any consolation I don't believe Richmond or the Pies will be seen to be having comparatively great facilities in ten odd years. Richmond.. one oval.. no pool.. limited parking etc etc. Pies are in  a heritage building (the swimming pool) which is not a great shape for gyms etc. The old Olympic Park oval is fine but no second oval and massive indoor facility

[Harvey Wallbanger 1,029]

The other positive re the Caulfield development is that I understand the AFL are looking at co-locating the umpires there. Presently, they get shunted from venue to venue at the moment and if there is plenty of space at Caulfield (and there is!) that might rationalise the AFL throwing some money that way.

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,734]

On 18/02/2020 at 14:08, MyFavouriteMartian said:

We,  can place two Mcg sized playing surfaces on this site. is a

I have tried it out,  Via Google aerial shots, and paper cutouts.  They fit fairly well. 

And with room for buildings, if creativity is used. 

Also the other option of building above/across Olympic Boulevarde, is a possibility.

There is a host of reasons why Goschs won't work I am told, but I am currently ignorant of the detail. I would LOVE that to become a permanent home, but been old its not possible, largest reason being lack of indoor facilities required for FT home etc but there are a few others as well, mostly around space from memory, alongside shared tenancy obviously.

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,734]

3 hours ago, beelzebub said:

I fervently  hope this gets up ( Caulfield) 

Think it will prove pivotal on a number of different Plains.

A chance to build ( rebuild ) a true Home might help heal a lot of our current woes.

A shared focus, not only cathartic but galvanising .

They'll be planting Fuchsias in the Winners Circle soon ( perhaps )

I await an announcement.  

I agree it'd be fantastic, IF it goes through! Albeit too late for current group, more to my earlier point. But well said!

[Tolstoys Nudge 1,734]

3 hours ago, BangBnagBang said:

Thanks Kate.

Yah I just don't understand how Danger can drive an hour to Geelong and back every day. Who wants to do that.

Sorry tagged wrong post.. but for those who say 'big deal, travel tie etc boo hoo - or No.31 "When looking for a new job (say it is an office job), do you look at the location, condition, style, facilities of the office, the building its located in and the area it is in?" -- You are missing the point, it is NOT an office-job, it is their life for a SHORT term and they want every advantage to make most of it while they can, so appropriate comparison would be 'do you take a job based on the amount of hours you work, the amount of advantages you get like better training, a laptop supplied, a phone, a gym, a daycare for kids etc..etc

its also largely about convenience! Modern footballers want not only to aforementioned point on facilities: top-grade nutrition and equipment, recovery technology, and most of all -- work/life balance, it is extremely important to them, so asking players to join US when they can join a club with better facilities AND get 6-8hrs a week back in their time-poor lives is just putting the blinkers on...

It is not only about current players, it is about our ability to recruit and to not have our big name players get envious of what they COULD have elsewhere! Casey isn't a full-blown facility anyways, so its mute! I agree in terms of 'who cares, just do it, you took the job etc' but the AFL workforce isn't like other workforces, it is elite and every single advantage is scrutinized by every single person via every tiny crack of every tile... and drafted players don't choose the MFC, they are drafted, so to keep them this stuff becomes super relevant and most of all to WOO new players, it is absolutely imperative. How many of you have actually seen Pies facilities? the meal space, the ridiculous fitness equipment and convenience, the tech? Plenty of youtube vids to watch to see a sneak-peek is enough to go, WOW!!! not to mention central location so players can do more collaborative extra work at club, have their medical appointments there etc etc it goes on and on!

I'd love to hear it is signed off on, great!!! But it will not change our current or immediate future, only the next batch in 3-5 years most likely.

[george_on_the_outer 7,696]

…..and don’t forget the admin side of things. We currently occupy broom cupboard space in the MCG spread over several areas. It is amateur in the extreme.

[beelzebub 23,383]

18 minutes ago, george_on_the_outer said:

…..and don’t forget the admin side of things. We currently occupy broom cupboard space in the MCG spread over several areas. It is amateur in the extreme.

A thing that goes under the radar for many.

To get the whole club back together is a massive thing. It  might just 'connect' a  number of depts  ;) 

[goodwindees 2,537]

Just letting you all know that I was told today that the Caulfield facility will be announced very soon, perhaps over the next couple of days. 
I was told the MCC is a significant contributor and that the Board considers Pert’s work as exceptional. 
I wouldn’t post this if it wasn’t from a very credible source, so let’s hope we’re all celebrating soon. 

[DemonOX 8,800]

3 minutes ago, goodwindees said:

Just letting you all know that I was told today that the Caulfield facility will be announced very soon, perhaps over the next couple of days. 
I was told the MCC is a significant contributor and that the Board considers Pert’s work as exceptional. 
I wouldn’t post this if it wasn’t from a very credible source, so let’s hope we’re all celebrating soon. 

Appreciate u sharing the info g. 

[Redleg 41,427]

4 hours ago, Hawk the Demon said:

The other positive re the Caulfield development is that I understand the AFL are looking at co-locating the umpires there. Presently, they get shunted from venue to venue at the moment and if there is plenty of space at Caulfield (and there is!) that might rationalise the AFL throwing some money that way.

Would be fantastic to train near the umpires.

The personal relationships we could build with them wouldn't go astray.

[beelzebub 23,383]

Just now, Redleg said:

Would be fantastic to train near the umpires.

The personal relationships we could build with them wouldn't go astray.

I didn't want to go there... but it presents an interesting serendipity 🤔 

[beelzebub 23,383]

Well the "info" machine is working overtime  

Getting curiouser and curiouser

Crossed fingers and toes.

Go ...  us !!! 

[bush demon 2,062]

On 11/09/2024 at 10:33, Katrina Dee Fan said:

I'm counting 16 there.....

Interesting that they are now enduring their longest era without a flag by far. 

[Demon Disciple 12,273]

17 minutes ago, Redleg said:

Would be fantastic to train near the umpires.

The personal relationships we could build with them wouldn't go astray.

Recruit Razor and bring back Gus to the roles of Umpire Engagement Officers?

[Wells 11 5,422]

28 minutes ago, goodwindees said:

Just letting you all know that I was told today that the Caulfield facility will be announced very soon, perhaps over the next couple of days. 
I was told the MCC is a significant contributor and that the Board considers Pert’s work as exceptional. 
I wouldn’t post this if it wasn’t from a very credible source, so let’s hope we’re all celebrating soon. 

thank you… and fingers crossed! I’ve wanted a home base almost as much as a premiership most of my 50 plus years of being a supporter. 

[Demon Disciple 12,273]

@goodwindees any info on the role, if any, Kate Roffey might have played in all this. Or is it more Pert we have to thank for this?

[Sir Why You Little 37,125]

52 minutes ago, goodwindees said:

Just letting you all know that I was told today that the Caulfield facility will be announced very soon, perhaps over the next couple of days. 
I was told the MCC is a significant contributor and that the Board considers Pert’s work as exceptional. 
I wouldn’t post this if it wasn’t from a very credible source, so let’s hope we’re all celebrating soon. 

Great news if The MCC is contributing to this project 

[DemonOX 8,800]

1 hour ago, goodwindees said:

Just letting you all know that I was told today that the Caulfield facility will be announced very soon, perhaps over the next couple of days. 
I was told the MCC is a significant contributor and that the Board considers Pert’s work as exceptional. 
I wouldn’t post this if it wasn’t from a very credible source, so let’s hope we’re all celebrating soon. 

I won’t be surprised if a journo pics this up and runs it as their own exclusive. 

[beelzebub 23,383]

1 minute ago, DemonOX said:

I won’t be surprised if a journo pics this up and runs it as their own exclusive. 

As intended ???  Hmmm ;)