This really is outrageous considering the cost cutting required for the AFL’s clubs to survive this Covid19 ravaged season.

Many good people in the football industry have lost jobs and been forced to make personal and financial sacrifices for the good of the game and these have been spread out across the board. From early on, Melbourne has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic for reasons that have been well documented but this one is extremely cutting*.

On Thursday 3 September, the club had to fly up from its Maroochydore hub to Cairns for its Round 15 game v Sydney which was played in the evening. My understanding is that we had to undertake the grueling same day flight in a charter with Fremantle for “cost saving” reasons. The Dockers played Richmond a day earlier so we were required to go up on the same day as the match. We also had our game v Freo four days later. A win in either match would have seen us in the finals. 

This isn’t making excuses for two poor performances when a finals appearance was at stake and clearly, we know there’s no such thing as a level playing field in the AFL but I find it offensive that after being forced to travel in those circumstances to save the competition some coin and after the job losses and cost cutting in 2020, that the AFL is wasting $s in getting MCG grass to the grand final.

Gil and his mates must really be smoking it if they think this is the right thing to do. At the very least, they should be taking it out of their salary.

‘Ridiculous waste’: MCG turf relocation leaves footy fans divided

* no pun intended 

That's so strange and pointless I'm struggling to believe it.

The only justification I can think of is some kind of religious need to play at least in part 'on the MCG'.

Or maybe it is fine print in a contract somewhere that says all grand finals will be played on the MCG turf...

The AFL have lost the plot. It's been suspected for some time, but this makes it official.

Maybe just confirmation that lockdown or not the grass really is greener down here in Victoria ?

If Rebel paid for it then good luck to them. If the afl or mcc are picking up the cost then thats stupid 

Look what too much acid did to Ozzy Osbourne. 
 

Gil should be wary of over-indulging. 

Is ther enough time for the turf to do its 2 week isolation before being released onto the great soil of the gabba.

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:15, DeeSpencer said:

If Rebel paid for it then good luck to them. If the afl or mcc are picking up the cost then thats stupid 

Disagree.  Bloody stupid stunt to do regardless of who is paying.  If Rebel wants some exposure, there are ways they could pay for it which would see actual cash go into footy instead.

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:59, sue said:

Disagree.  Bloody stupid stunt to do regardless of who is paying.  If Rebel wants some exposure, there are ways they could pay for it which would see actual cash go into footy instead.

Idiotic regardless of who is footing the bill. The afl is run by morons 

I'm calling it now October fools day

What a bloody waste of money?

  On 15/10/2020 at 01:21, Whispering_Jack said:

This really is outrageous considering the cost cutting required for the AFL’s clubs to survive this Covid19 ravaged season.

Many good people in the football industry have lost jobs and been forced to make personal and financial sacrifices for the good of the game and these have been spread out across the board. From early on, Melbourne has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic for reasons that have been well documented but this one is extremely cutting*.

On Thursday 3 September, the club had to fly up from its Maroochydore hub to Cairns for its Round 15 game v Sydney which was played in the evening. My understanding is that we had to undertake the grueling same day flight in a charter with Fremantle for “cost saving” reasons. The Dockers played Richmond a day earlier so we were required to go up on the same day as the match. We also had our game v Freo four days later. A win in either match would have seen us in the finals. 

This isn’t making excuses for two poor performances when a finals appearance was at stake and clearly, we know there’s no such thing as a level playing field in the AFL but I find it offensive that after being forced to travel in those circumstances to save the competition some coin and after the job losses and cost cutting in 2020, that the AFL is wasting $s in getting MCG grass to the grand final.

Gil and his mates must really be smoking it if they think this is the right thing to do. At the very least, they should be taking it out of their salary.

‘Ridiculous waste’: MCG turf relocation leaves footy fans divided

* no pun intended 

Given how we played in the first half that day it still really irks me. Especially when the doggies had the same deal for their final game in Cairns , complained and got it changed. Apparantly they were " outraged". Sunk our season . So yes I fully agree...splurging on this piece of ridiculousnessis os so much salt in the wounds. 

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:52, dl4e said:

Is ther enough time for the turf to do its 2 week isolation before being released onto the great soil of the gabba.

just keep repeating

"Anastasia saved the AFL season"

Hope the poor turf gets to come home one day. 

  On 15/10/2020 at 01:35, Mazer Rackham said:

The AFL have lost the plot. It's been suspected for some time, but this makes it official.

not lost mazer, i believe the plot is on a truck as we speak somewhere between the mcg and the gabba

a small 3m x 1m of turf in a huge refrigerated truck big enough to carry 100 times that amount of turf!

very monty pythonesque

will be funny when it detaches and rolls up during the game

Edited October 15, 20204 yr by daisycutter
spelink

Is it a silly idea? Probably.  But is it a waste of the AFL's money? Possibly not. We'll probably never know whether the stunt cost the AFL money or actually made money through sponsorhip (and I mean hard cash not "value" from "exposure in the media"). 

But if it didn't cost the AFL anything, I can't see the harm. If the AFL actually made money, then it's a useful exercise.   

 

The whole idea behind this waste of money initiative is for Melbournians to still feel a part of the grand final experience despite not seeing an ounce of home and away footy this year.

It hasn't worked on me.

  On 15/10/2020 at 05:07, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Is it a silly idea? Probably.  But is it a waste of the AFL's money? Possibly not. We'll probably never know whether the stunt cost the AFL money or actually made money through sponsorhip (and I mean hard cash not "value" from "exposure in the media"). 

But if it didn't cost the AFL anything, I can't see the harm. If the AFL actually made money, then it's a useful exercise.   

 

Sorry to repeat myself, but Rebel could get exposure (that's all they want of course) in other ways that would have put the cash into footy.  Instead the bulk of the cash is going to some turf jockeys and a transport firm (unless the AFL has extracted a lot more from Rebel which I doubt). 

  On 15/10/2020 at 06:07, sue said:

Sorry to repeat myself, but Rebel could get exposure (that's all they want of course) in other ways that would have put the cash into footy.  Instead the bulk of the cash is going to some turf jockeys and a transport firm (unless the AFL has extracted a lot more from Rebel which I doubt). 

Maybe. But the fact that we're talking about it means Rebel is getting the exposure they want. Would they have got the same value proposition by doing something else?

  On 15/10/2020 at 06:45, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Maybe. But the fact that we're talking about it means Rebel is getting the exposure they want. Would they have got the same value proposition by doing something else?

No. Rebel just look like idiots now. I'll never shop there again after seeing this

  On 15/10/2020 at 02:59, sue said:

Disagree.  Bloody stupid stunt to do regardless of who is paying.  If Rebel wants some exposure, there are ways they could pay for it which would see actual cash go into footy instead.

  On 15/10/2020 at 06:45, La Dee-vina Comedia said:

Maybe. But the fact that we're talking about it means Rebel is getting the exposure they want. Would they have got the same value proposition by doing something else?

Imagine if they sponsored an entire local league somewhere. They'd get enormous feel-good PR. As opposed to what they're getting now, which is exposure, but tainted

You guys know it's just a 3m x 1m bit of turf that has been relocated right?

 

Always knew they liked a bit of 'special' grass in Queensland

  On 15/10/2020 at 01:21, Whispering_Jack said:

This really is outrageous considering the cost cutting required for the AFL’s clubs to survive this Covid19 ravaged season.

Many good people in the football industry have lost jobs and been forced to make personal and financial sacrifices for the good of the game and these have been spread out across the board. From early on, Melbourne has been disproportionately affected by the pandemic for reasons that have been well documented but this one is extremely cutting*.

On Thursday 3 September, the club had to fly up from its Maroochydore hub to Cairns for its Round 15 game v Sydney which was played in the evening. My understanding is that we had to undertake the grueling same day flight in a charter with Fremantle for “cost saving” reasons. The Dockers played Richmond a day earlier so we were required to go up on the same day as the match. We also had our game v Freo four days later. A win in either match would have seen us in the finals. 

This isn’t making excuses for two poor performances when a finals appearance was at stake and clearly, we know there’s no such thing as a level playing field in the AFL but I find it offensive that after being forced to travel in those circumstances to save the competition some coin and after the job losses and cost cutting in 2020, that the AFL is wasting $s in getting MCG grass to the grand final.

Gil and his mates must really be smoking it if they think this is the right thing to do. At the very least, they should be taking it out of their salary.

‘Ridiculous waste’: MCG turf relocation leaves footy fans divided

* no pun intended 

From someone who was there ...with coach (bus) issues ...we arrived about an hour before Sydney game !!

The Cairns issues aside (that really did scuttle our season) if Rebel are paying for this stunt I would just like to instead think about how they could've put that money into a local footy league competition, or donated that money to go towards people doing it tough. $100K spent on getting some MCG grass up to the Gabba in this climate feels like a wasted PR stunt, I'm just waiting for the moment a player injuries their knee on it because it shifts underneath them, bet that'll look real good for the AFL and Rebel Sport.

  On 15/10/2020 at 08:29, Lord Nev said:

You guys know it's just a 3m x 1m bit of turf that has been relocated right?

 

That’s costing $100K. How many people at the AFL have lost jobs this year? It’s an insult to them and their families.