I reckon there's a PhD thesis awaiting someone with the time to analyse Demonland over the last decade or more looking at subject trends. I suspect the "home base" discussion peaks in February every year because there's basically nothing else to talk about. Let's get the season proper underway as quickly as possible!

2 hours ago, Gouga said:

we won in a year where all clubs were displaced for parts of the year and the finals series. It was not a normal year and none of us know what would have happened if it had been. 

Very interesting observation re training at Casey.

The good element of that fact is that no-one can sling off that we only win flags on our home ground which was the old criticism. But when it comes to impact of training venues your point is thought provoking at least.

Of course, the football department says Casey is great and training out there is no disadvantage, but to paraphrase Mandy Rice-Davies: "They would say that, wouldn't they?"

14 hours ago, McQueen said:

 

Just a shame it’s an hour away from the CBD. 

How many players live in the CBD?

 

14 hours ago, pitmaster said:

I can imagine the envy on our players' faces when they turn up to RSEA Park on Friday for a practice match and they cop a close up view at the facilities the Saints are creating at their home.

 

And I am sure the Saints players envy our players' recent premiership medal and the fact that our coach isn't Ross Lyon...

 

3 hours ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

The residents of CASEY could not give a rats t0ssbag about AFL. 

Absolute [censored]. I live in Casey. We have 3 neighbours on our street alone who are all Melbourne supporters.

The trains on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines to and from the footy are always full.

Casey is also one of the fastest growing regions in Melbourne. There is so much opportunity to get new members and supporters on board. Especially around the Clyde area which has a large population of immigrants. 

 

This endless obsession with being next door to the MCG is holding us back from getting the home base we really want and need. 

1 hour ago, rpfc said:

I don’t care about having ONE training base, I don’t care about co-location of admin staff with the FD, and I reject the notion of this facility being a ‘home’ for the club - it will always be the G.

It is not defence of the board, only a push back of an agitating group’s self-important judgement of this boards record.

Frankly, the board should come out and say we are at Casey as our ‘training base’. Turn it into a Peninsula Paradise similar to what Geelong have and just be done with it.

We're more in agreement than not 'RP'...if it's Casey so be it.

...as for one training base, well I think it's probably more sensible to put money into one faculty and keep it as state of the art rather than spread over a few.

2 hours ago, Dante said:

How do you know this, have you canvassed the members, or is your information based on the number of posts complaining about it on Demonland?

Then tell me what other major platform have the members complained about the home base NONE because it is not an issue with the rank and file it's that simple to understand.

1 hour ago, Dante said:

Right at the end Ms Roffey told of at least a half a dozen councils she had contacted in the last few months regarding available land ( hectares as she put it) without luck.

That do for a start.

Jesus so you still don't understand the problem then?

53 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

How many players live in the CBD?

 

And I am sure the Saints players envy our players' recent premiership medal and the fact that our coach isn't Ross Lyon...

 

Absolute [censored]. I live in Casey. We have 3 neighbours on our street alone who are all Melbourne supporters.

The trains on the Pakenham and Cranbourne lines to and from the footy are always full.

Casey is also one of the fastest growing regions in Melbourne. There is so much opportunity to get new members and supporters on board. Especially around the Clyde area which has a large population of immigrants. 

 

This endless obsession with being next door to the MCG is holding us back from getting the home base we really want and need. 

So why are there so few that attend Casey Fields when we play preseason games there? Same for AFLW. While other sides are packing out inner city suburban grounds and making a day of it? I am not going to put you down personally Jaded, but the area in which Casey is situated is horrible. There is no soul. There are no shops. No train. It is an inconvenient wasteland.  

Edited February 21, 20232 yr by Kick_It_To_Pickett

1 hour ago, Dante said:

They don't have a pool at Casey, they are in the process of raising funds to build one.

They are asking 100 supporters to donate money to cover the costs.

They built a hot and cold recovery pool at Casey, but I believe Casey has an aquatic centre across the road walking distance so that's not a problem.

3 hours ago, rjay said:

 

No dismissiveness and no avoiding your question.

All I'm saying is we need to keep up...and need a home.

That's pretty simple.

So far we have in place a short term solution that is working but everyone knows, including both of you, that it is short term.

As soon as anyone questions anything to do with facilities some seem to think it's an attack on the board.

It's not, but it is a legitimate question.

....and 'demon3165', we can add game plan to the mix of reasons although I think injury might have effected the plan. It's neve just one thing.

I believe it was simply the game plan I even said that after round 9 I think it was, even Goodwin stated that they needed to change things but it was all too late they were so well structured that they could not change it in time.

As for your point about questioning the board I don't have a problem with people doing that, it's I have a problem with people being explained what is happening and they then infer that they are not telling the truth or they don't know what they are doing and won't listen to the facts.

 

3 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

I believe it was simply the game plan I even said that after round 9 I think it was, even Goodwin stated that they needed to change things but it was all too late they were so well structured that they could not change it in time.

As for your point about questioning the board I don't have a problem with people doing that, it's I have a problem with people being explained what is happening and they then infer that they are not telling the truth or they don't know what they are doing and won't listen to the facts.

 

Whatever the problem/s I sure hope we have it sorted as there is a premiership cup that should have our name on it at the end of this season if we have.

3 minutes ago, rjay said:

Whatever the problem/s I sure hope we have it sorted as there is a premiership cup that should have our name on it at the end of this season if we have.

And to that I totally agree with you it would be good to win one on the G.

33 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Then tell me what other major platform have the members complained about the home base NONE because it is not an issue with the rank and file it's that simple to understand.

How do you know that you make many suppositions when in fact you don't have a clue, do you. I don't know but I don't pretend to.

You make statements that have no basis in fact, you just think that most of the members think like you when clearly they don't.

32 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

They built a hot and cold recovery pool at Casey, but I believe Casey has an aquatic centre across the road walking distance so that's not a problem.

They haven't built the recovery pool, as yet.

You believe there is an aquatic centre across the road, well is there or isn't there. Don't make a statement when you aren't sure.

41 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Jesus so you still don't understand the problem then?

Understand what?

Refer to my post and the context in which it was put.

2 hours ago, Dante said:

How do you know this, have you canvassed the members, or is your information based on the number of posts complaining about it on Demonland?

From past experience I have never been canvassed about anything to do with areas outside of the game day experience. Clubs don't want your opinion that might commit them to ideas that they don't like. I don't give a damn where the training facility is, just get us up to the level of the other clubs. I would like to believe we will have solved this problem before I leave the planet however I doubt that will happen.

Edited February 21, 20232 yr by old dee

38 minutes ago, Kick_It_To_Pickett said:

So why are there so few that attend Casey Fields when we play preseason games there? Same for AFLW. While other sides are packing out inner city suburban grounds and making a day of it? I am not going to put you down personally Jaded, but the area in which Casey is situated is horrible. There is no soul. There are no shops. No train. It is an inconvenient wasteland.  

I think the lack of spectators has a lot more to do with Melbourne supporters as a whole rather than the location. Melbourne supporters don't even turn up to games at the MCG when we are top 2, let alone pre season games.

The area where Casey is located is not that horrible, granted there is no train, but there are several shops very close by, and there is a giant opportunity to develop the area.

Have you seen where the Hawks are building the Kennedy Centre? That is one hell of a dump. There is nothing there either.

We can either keep waiting around for years in some deluded hope that we can get an inner city location, or we can work with what we have and use the opportunity to develop and grow the area.

Why not use some of the funds from the sale of the Bentleigh Club to create a facility out in Casey that also accommodates shops and cafes and enjoy long term income streams from renting the spaces out?
There is nothing  stopping us from thinking outside the box here, except our own stubbornness. 

46 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Then tell me what other major platform have the members complained about the home base NONE because it is not an issue with the rank and file it's that simple to understand.

You are aware that the majority of Melbourne supporters don't read Demonland, post on Demonland or even know what Demonland is. Most supporters go to the football and don't want to get involved in the machinations of the club or the board.

7 minutes ago, Jaded No More said:

I think the lack of spectators has a lot more to do with Melbourne supporters as a whole rather than the location. Melbourne supporters don't even turn up to games at the MCG when we are top 2, let alone pre season games.

The area where Casey is located is not that horrible, granted there is no train, but there are several shops very close by, and there is a giant opportunity to develop the area.

Have you seen where the Hawks are building the Kennedy Centre? That is one hell of a dump. There is nothing there either.

We can either keep waiting around for years in some deluded hope that we can get an inner city location, or we can work with what we have and use the opportunity to develop and grow the area.

Why not use some of the funds from the sale of the Bentleigh Club to create a facility out in Casey that also accommodates shops and cafes and enjoy long term income streams from renting the spaces out?
There is nothing  stopping us from thinking outside the box here, except our own stubbornness. 

I would think there is a big stubbornness among the office staff, FD and Board members  about going to Casey on a full time basis. It is just too far away and below them to be head quartered in Casey.

11 minutes ago, Dante said:

You are aware that the majority of Melbourne supporters don't read Demonland, post on Demonland or even know what Demonland is. Most supporters go to the football and don't want to get involved in the machinations of the club or the board.

And there you have it, the penny dropped.

10 minutes ago, old dee said:

I would think there is a big stubbornness among the office staff, FD and Board members  about going to Casey on a full time basis. It is just too far away and below them to be head quartered in Casey.

Understand your point but what I do laugh at is the rest of the population travel large distances to work everyday 8-9 hours a day in peak hour but for footballers that's to much to ask I wouldn't mind traveling for $300 - 800 thousand a year for 10 months of the year.

35 minutes ago, Dante said:

They haven't built the recovery pool, as yet.

You believe there is an aquatic centre across the road, well is there or isn't there. Don't make a statement when you aren't sure.

Ahhh suggest to listen to Pert talking about Casey's facility's regarding the recovery pool there is one there and yes there is an aquatic centre down the road there so I suggest you don't make statements that you don't know

10 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Understand your point but what I do laugh at is the rest of the population travel large distances to work everyday 8-9 hours a day in peak hour but for footballers that's to much to ask I wouldn't mind traveling for $300 - 800 thousand a year for 10 months of the year.

They can sign both of us up to that deal.

4 minutes ago, old dee said:

They can sign both of us up to that deal.

When I played you were lucky to get a warm shower after the game...

9 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

When I played you were lucky to get a warm shower after the game...

At some grounds you were lucky to get a shower...

23 minutes ago, demon3165 said:

Understand your point but what I do laugh at is the rest of the population travel large distances to work everyday 8-9 hours a day in peak hour but for footballers that's to much to ask I wouldn't mind traveling for $300 - 800 thousand a year for 10 months of the year.

Lever and Gawn have already moved out that way as a lifestyle choice.

Im with @Jaded No More - commit to a growth area where money will come from other sources other than the club. We could be landlords once again (commercial, residential, retail) and set us up into the future.