Hi Folks,

I have been a long suffering Dees supporter for so long and still yet to see a day premiership which would of course frustrates us all. This is my first post as I have always been a keen guest of this site so I thought it was about time I got off my *** and start to really voice my passion.

This post is about the family day. What a disappointment. For all the razzel dazzle of our 150th year, it was so flat.

1. If they counted 4,000 people they must have counted the people getting off the busses walking through the park because the trains weren’t working at Jolimont, or they thought we were all from Tassie. (No offence), I recon possibly 2000.

2. Where were all of our high profiled supporters like John So etc? On a day like this it would have been fantastic to have celebrities who support the “Oldest Club in the World” (older than electricity and radio) showing support. As they say the MFC is “Melbourne”, the day could have been a tourist attraction. Other supporters would come to see “Our Day”.

3. Robbie Flower and R.D.Barassi were there, but that must have been a secret. The first I heard of it was on the day. If it was publicized you would hardly know it. Surely promoting these two icons would bring more suppers to the day.

4. Also other past greats should have been there. This is our biggest celebrations for years, and one of our biggest chances to make the Dee’s bigger than the B/W army.

5. Paul Gardner’s address was so lack luster. Love him or hate him ol’ Joseph’s address on family day was always with real passion that gave supporters really something to look forward to in the season.

6. Chris Connlley was great and you can tell he has the enthusiasm for the club.

7. Beverly O’Conner’s introduction of the players was great, but if there were other board members there, I didn’t see them and they weren’t on stage, and also should have been introduced.

8. There are a lot of new faces at the club this year, and even some of last year’s players look different. It was hard to recognize them. The younger kids, apart at times standing around looking out of place, and were on occasion introducing themselves to supporters. May be putting their names in the back of their shirt may of helped to break the ice.

9. I know the club needs money, but the price of some of the clothing, you would think it was made by Versace. $80 for a polo shirt?

10. Unless you were a true Dee’s supporter there was very little publicity for the day. You needed to check the web, hear the occasional spot on SEN, and that was about it. If there was more I apologize but it was not prominent.

11. On past family days the kids got a free show bag. Well that’s gone. And surely our contacts in the business and marketing world can do better than a raffle prize that gives you the use of a Volo for a weekend.

There were a few other things however I don’t want this post to go on forever. There was not anything really different to add from any other family day and it was hard to add positives; I hate just being critical without saying what the solution is. This was a huge opportunity and unfortunately we missed it. We have a long way to go to catch up with the others. My spirit and soul is for the MFC, and my “Heart Beats True” and I want the MFC to be the power house of the 50’s as we should be. Remember no MFC, no AFL!

11. On past family days the kids got a free show bag. Well that’s gone

Free showbags were given to the first 500 kids there.

Free showbags were given to the first 500 kids there.

Well if they were fair dinkum every child would of received a showbag.

2. Where were all of our high profiled supporters like John So etc? On a day like this it would have been fantastic to have celebrities who support the “Oldest Club in the World” (older than electricity and radio) showing support. As they say the MFC is “Melbourne”, the day could have been a tourist attraction. Other supporters would come to see “Our Day”.

3. Robbie Flower and R.D.Barassi were there, but that must have been a secret. The first I heard of it was on the day. If it was publicized you would hardly know it. Surely promoting these two icons would bring more suppers to the day.

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10. Unless you were a true Dee’s supporter there was very little publicity for the day. You needed to check the web, hear the occasional spot on SEN, and that was about it. If there was more I apologize but it was not prominent.

2. Agree, in our 150th year we should be pulling out all stops with events like this, that means getting all of our major players at the club to show thier support.

3. Agree, i might've considered going if i'd known this.

10. I listen to SEN so obviously i'd get plenty from the, i check the website often, and i'm a member here so i got plenty of warning. I'd imagine to the regular supporter who is thinking of becoming a member they wouldn't get the same amount of notice.

Giving people notice of what's happening around the club is not what the MFC is good at, for god's sake it takes them a month to update the injury list if they're on the ball!

Free showbags were given to the first 500 kids there.

I was there before 11.30 and was told the show bags were finished. There was not 500 kids there at that time. I wish I had have known this number then.

Also thought Bev was awful. Not prepared. Seems to know the players but too many embarassing pauses.

ER.

I agree, Bev was pretty bad, not well prepared, kept saying how much potential everyone had. When she got to Miller there were so many pauses it was embarassing. I mean, what do you say about a guy that's just had 3 crap seasons in a row. And Jamar for that matter...

I agree - overall, pretty lacklustre for our 'big' season. We need Super Mac for a CEO and we need him bad

Hi Folks,

4. Also other past greats should have been there. This is our biggest celebrations for years, and one of our biggest chances to make the Dee’s bigger than the B/W army.

8. There are a lot of new faces at the club this year, and even some of last year’s players look different. It was hard to recognize them. The younger kids, apart at times standing around looking out of place, and were on occasion introducing themselves to supporters. May be putting their names in the back of their shirt may of helped to break the ice.

11. On past family days the kids got a free show bag. Well that’s gone. And surely our contacts in the business and marketing world can do better than a raffle prize that gives you the use of a Volo for a weekend.

4. Agreed, but I think the club would be 'saving' our other club icons for the big ticket gala events where they can try and sting people $500 for a chance to meet them.

8. We got the chance to chat to Cale Morton who was sitting around in the Reebok tent, which was fantastic, but the other rookies I couldnt really recognise either.

11. to me the whole day was an excuse to foist all the sponsors products on us. Volvos parked everywhere, a Cabs company promo display, a reebok shoes stall, etc etc. It was just

a big commercial for our sponsors. Once the jumper presentation was over, we left.

After our pre season, its going to be tuff to attract any new members!

What I found disappointing was that there was no real entertainment or no way to spend a $ or two, they had one raffle that I was aware of and that was it.

Unforunately when it comes to family days they are a bit ho hum as far as the media is concerned unless you have an Acker or Eddie to gob off about something. I am sure we will make the most of our 150 birthday at times but if we oversell it then people will quickly ignore it.

Except for Bev being a bit tongue tied during the intros no other complaints here. Kids had a good time and the players were all acommodating.

I don't know where you buy your Versace polo shirts from, but they cost considerably more then $80...

I don't know where you buy your Versace polo shirts from, but they cost considerably more then $80...

I wouldnt get too worried about only 2000 odd turning up to a family day. I drove past the WB/Footscray one at 2 pm on Sat at Western oval and there was lucky to be 2- 3000 max there as well.

2. Where were all of our high profiled supporters like John So etc? On a day like this it would have been fantastic to have celebrities who support the “Oldest Club in the World” (older than electricity and radio) showing support. As they say the MFC is “Melbourne”, the day could have been a tourist attraction. Other supporters would come to see “Our Day”.

3. Robbie Flower and R.D.Barassi were there, but that must have been a secret. The first I heard of it was on the day. If it was publicized you would hardly know it. Surely promoting these two icons would bring more suppers to the day.

I have posted in another thread my concerns about failure to capitalise on the 150 th of the MFC!

Fact that RBD and Robbie Flower would be there was promoted prominantly to current MFC people. Evidenced by long queue to get Barrassi's signature .

In regard to your point 2 I have received via Auskick the attached invitation to the launch of the "AFL's 150th Anniversary"!!!

Included John So and ND! Ironically was at same place as the MFC family day!! one week later.

Unbelievable!!!!

Invite_to_Aust_Foot_150_Years_Launch_on_9.3.08.pdf

Staggering TM. I am starting to wonder if this club actually exists anymore.

In regard to your point 2 I have received via Auskick the attached invitation to the launch of the "AFL's 150th Anniversary"!!!

Included John So and ND! Ironically was at same place as the MFC family day!! one week later.

Unbelievable!!!!

Now thats just taking the proverbial p!ss out of us surely!!!

I do seriously question how and why the MFC let the AFL take the lead on this !!

Now thats just taking the proverbial p!ss out of us surely!!!

I do seriously question how and why the MFC let the AFL take the lead on this !!

I strongly suspect MFC can't argue because of the special assistance!

At this rate what should have been a unique marketing opportunity to boost MFC memberships in a critical time in the club's history may well turn out to be negative - if it shows the MFC as not having any spark in ITS milestone year! Cant se how this benefits either MFC or AFL!

special assistance...phooey !!

The AFL CANT celebrate 150 years without putting us front and centre...after all its US thats 150 not them !!

MFC is missing the boat.......again

Could you imagine Eddyland letting this happen ?

I hope the big wigs at the MFC keep at an eye on our site for the mood of the Demaon faithful. You are 100% correct belzebub59. Hate him or hate him E. Mc pulled C/W out of financial debt after their last CEO. Let other clubs good ideas become our good ideas and improve on them. The MFC need to be a power house again, both on the field and off!!

I took the family (wife & 2 daughters) to the family day and we had a ball. Yes, I agree with some of the comments about the fact it could have been bigger and a bit more professional due to the 150th year but we all had a great time. But it was a down to earth family fun day.

Credit where it's due - ALL the players were brilliant and so obliging. Nothing was too much for them and they signed everything and posed for photo's when asked. Neitz & Robbo in particular were the most sort after and boy did they look after the supporters. Neeta in particular sat there for hours and signed everything. We came away from the day (our first one of these) VERY impressed.

My gripe was the amount of leeches (IE - the sports memorbilia sellers) who took advantage of the day and brought along collectables for players to sign and then to no doubt sell on Ebay etc. There were 8 'professionals' (for want of a better term) in front of me lined up for Ronald Dales signature with dozens of things for him to sign (EG. Old style boots, old photos, No. 31 jumper numbers etc) which the great man signed. These leeches were no doubt going to sell these at HUGE profits and not 1 dollar was to go to Ron or the club. I heard them talking about the other club days that were coming up and the stuff they had for signing there. Not one of them was a Melbourne supporter or Member (From the lack of teeth in their mouths they were obviously Collingfilth of Caaaaaarlton parasites).

Something really needed to be done to stop them from this blatant profiteering and holding up the queues. Other than that we had a great time.

Mr Moose - Proud Melbourne Member

At last something in relation to the MFC 150th!

from Members email overnight

News: Get ready for Season 150

With our season opener against the Hawks just twelve days away, it is time to start getting excited about our 150th birthday year. To launch this special season, this Friday’s edition of The Age newspaper will include a 36-page MELBOURNEfc commemorative liftout reflecting on our Club’s grand history, including interviews with Club greats including Ron Barassi and Robert Flower, and those responsible for the next chapter of our history in Dean Bailey and Chris Connolly.

On the eve of his first season as senior coach, members are invited to join Dean Bailey for breakfast at Leighoak this Thursday (see below for details).