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'Optics' be damned!! I'm sure the AFL ran many fixtures until they got what they wanted ie 7 games (that would help the AFL's 'favourite' teams; the big Melb clubs, Pies and Blues). So, fake Conferences were born and they then found weasel words to justify them. I say 'fake' because 'real' conferences do not have 'crossover' games. The concept of 'crossover' games may be 'innovative' but makes no sense. The AFL compounded the problem by having one very strong conference (A) and a weak one (B). I believe it is no coincidence that Pies and Blues are in the weaker B. Note: Blues play only one of the two prior premiers (both in Conf A) and Pies play neither while other Conf B teams play both. The cynic in me thinks this is tailor made for them to make the finals - the old story: good for tv ratings!! If either team does make the finals the AFL can really start worrying about the 'optics' as those finals are bound to be scrappy, one-sided affairs. What about Home Ground for finals? With the current ladder Freo would play Blues and because Blues are on top of the Conf B ladder they would be the Home team. Enormous disadvantage for Freo, especially as they will most likely have to come back to the east cost for the GF. If the AFL focus on what is good for the game and developing a worthwhile competition the 'optics' will take care of themselves and there will be no need to be 'innovative'.

Max said a similar thing at the Best an Fairest but I love that quote. “You can’t win premierships early in the season, but you can definitely lose them. We’re doing everything we can to be able to set ourselves up and give ourselves the opportunity again ” Neville's interview is from 33 mins 50 secs.

When I moved to WA as an 18 year old I dumped my MCC membership and retained my MFC membership, having both as a young person became too expensive. If the choice is between one of the two, personally I’d prefer to support the club.

I met one a few weeks ago for a business venture and asked point blank if he had signed up as an MFC member and he said no. I told him our business interests would only progress if he signed up. He laughed and I asked why he was laughing and that I was serious.

Daisy was spot on with her ‘gimmicky tournament’ comment all those months ago. The season should have been extended after the introduction of two new teams. Everyone plays each other once and be done. Can’t imagine what will happen next year when more teams come in. The AFLW doesn’t need to compete with the mens game, it needs to become the most popular female competition in the country and this isn’t the way the AFL should be going about growing the game in my opinion. The players sacrifice a lot for a 7 week season in the hottest month of the year. Our Demons have been very enjoyable to watch this season, probably more so than the previous two and we as fans should be peeved if we miss finals due to this botched system.

How the hell do you know who can & can’t afford it? I’ve just become a country MCC member & are finding it hard to pay just that. l live in East Gippsland on the land & are in the middle of a severe drought, in case you didn’t know. We have to buy feed & water for our cattle. I get to about 5 games a year, Its 650klm round trip to get to the game so it ends up quite an expensive day. Im not whinging but we all can’t afford the Footy club membership aswell

It's about time the club was actively trying to convert our MCC brethren using the players. More of this please MFC.

I’ll be interested to see how Richmond go with 6-6-6. They were pretty much the worst centre clearance team in the league last year, and started with at least one spare in defence something like 96% of the time. Unless they change their centre clearance work I can’t see them being top 4. I’m sure they are working hard to rectify it, but Nankervis is just not that great a ruckman, and their best mid doesn’t like to tackle.

I’ve been making the donation for 11 years. I’m happy this year they offered a $25 dee shop voucher in lieu of a scarf. Id love a guaranteed opportunity to buy a reserved seat for grand final in the reserve grand final if the Dee’s make it. Offer that as premium offer and watch the cash role in. I’ve bern a restricted member for MCC for what seems like forever, and make financial contributions, but if we had made the grand final I would have had no opportunity to purchase a legit grand final ticket.

AF, it matters little that you were on record as being negative about this guy. The fact is that you had lots of friends. Many informed Demon fans were dubious about Melksham and there were many Bomber supporters who told us that we had picked up a dud. Also since coming over to MFC, Jake has had his moments and played some very poor games. I remember sitting in the stands at the beginning of last season and cursing him as he appeared so slow and appeared to lack effort and intensity. Lets face it, he had been in the system a long time and had a less than stellar career. He got better as the season progressed and blossomed in the second half. It is the second half of the season that really turned around opinion on his footy and his impact on games. It shows how coaches influence the careers of players. Giving a player the right support, encouragement and the confidence can make or break careers. At times, it appeared that Goodwin was gifting him games. Another one in that category was Neal-Bullen. However, Goodwin got it right on both counts. Let's face it, sometimes people surprise us. Too often we pass judgement prematurely or unfairly on others. We get it wrong. We would live in a much better world if there were more people who were prepared to say "I/we got it wrong". Imagine if we had Governments, political leaders and community leaders with the honesty and guts to say we were wrong. Imagine the improvement to personal relationships if admitting to wrong opinions and wrong doing was the rule rather than the exception.

same same - ( you do get a scarf !) - i get pleasure from the club and it i see it as paying for that pleasure..

Your comments are spot on. I also have been a MCC/MFC member since 1993 but my MFC membership clicks over to 60 consecutive years this season. Seen the best and the worst and am really excited by our future.

Like many others I'm an MCC/MFC member. The MFC component is of course a donation. Although I do like the exclusive MCC/MFC scarf! (lol) I wouldn't even consider not renewing my MFC membership. You're either a supporter or you're not**. A mate of mine is the greatest tightarse in Melbourne. He's my age (nearly 60) and has been a Carlton "supporter" all his life. He has never been a Carlton FC member. He is VERY well off. (Worth maybe $5 million). Disgraceful ... I repeatedly tell him that. He would have seen his side win at least 6 or 7 premierships in that time. He says he already gets into the MCG on his MCC membership. Talk about miss the point!!! **Having said that, I do acknowledge that some people are not in a financial position to pay for such memberships. And of course they cannot be expected to do so.

No you should shout her both for her birthday each year!

MCC member and also an MFC member. I made the decision many years ago when we were close to going to the wall. I could not face the idea of not doing my bit if we had gone bust. I only sit in the MCC for away games and Cricket.

Any MCC member who claims they support Melbourne but won't by a membership is a bum

Rjay is too polite to say your point is silly. I'm not. Although, naturally, you're welcome to it. Averaging 25 disposals per match for his last 9 games and kicking 7 goals while nullifying some of the best players in the game is enough of a sample size to say Harmes is the real deal as long as injury doesn't raise its head, or his application drops. I don't see the latter happening. Clearly, the club was also happy with his output, as a top 3 placing in the B&F for a prelim team attests. He's fast, aggressive, and he's strong bodied. He's also improved his foot-skills.

Fox Footy's 2019 Top 8 Prediction 1. Melbourne 2. Richmond 3. West Coast Eagles 4. Essendon 5. Geelong Cats 6. Adelaide Crows 7. Collingwood 8. Brisbane Lions

It's how one responds to a loss ... that's all that really matters Wadda. Whether playing, as a spectator, involved somehow or even when punting. Soccer can be notoriously difficult sometimes as the scoreline often doesn't reflect the actual game. For that reason I may switch to the NBA for my pick ... that was my immediate reaction when I saw the Napoli/Torino scoreline on Monday morning. No chance of a nil-nil with the Warriors, Celtics, Rockets and a few others! (esp with those teams at home)

Yes, we're all scared of the hype but the thing is its's possible that this prediction could come true. For the first time in an eternity, the dees are capable of finishing sky high, if not on top of the ladder. To paraphrase Big Ted, " I'm excited"

Dont get "The Scully" I heard its full of chunks of carrot

Kingy getting them all onboard

Yep got to agree with you there. It just felt like the 2000 GF all over again. IT was painfully obvious after 15 mins we were not going to win. To think they had Gaff and Nik Nat to come back in makes me think not much will change this year. They will take a power of beating both on the field and off. But bring it on. Go Dees.

We are a sporting section again. Jimmy brought us back together. Hence the MCC logo on the back collar of the jumper

Two things 1. I said to him the other day 'you played well the other day in the praccy match at Casey on Saturday' Nev 'I have to if I want to keep my place in the team, even at training' How times have changed 2. His comments re fitness and rehab, what I have been saying

I'm a Restricted Member of the MCC, won't be a Full member for at least another 6-7 years. In the event that MFC make a Grand Final i'd have no chance through the MCC - would need to rely on MFC/MCC (Premium) with Grand Final Add on. (Also get the 3xGuest Pass for selected games (have these been announced?) and a Young Demon membership, just need to find a young demon ahah. ) $545 (MCC Restricted Membership) $219 (MFC/MCC Premium Membership) $229 (Grand Final Guarantee) So In essence that's a $448 'donation' on top of $545 for the chance to buy a GF ticket - Not that I'd be complaining if it occurred!

How many of the MCC members would remain if they could only access the cricket with their membership? I'm sure the waiting list would collapse. The truth is the MCC is dependant upon football for their revenue, and they take from the football clubs who play at the MCG to their benefit, which means other clubs as well as Melbourne ( who currently have the biggest affiliation in the MCC). Those who are already MCC/MFC effectively make a donation. I think the MCC currently provides some support to the MFC, but it is totally inadequate for what the MCC gain in gate receipts/membership of the MCC/ ground advertising during football season. How to convince the MCC to contribute a just amount, rather than just those passionate MCC/MFC members alone? Or to provide names of MFC supporters in the MCC, to increase MFC membership numbers, to appear more attractive to sponsors. Trouble is if the MCC were to do this then all the other clubs would be looking for the same, which would really challenge the future of the MCC.

An example of my own version of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind' (good movie) is that I have zero intention of ever watching the Prelim final from last year. It has been eradicated and I made that decision at half time of that game. Goodwin can and could use the game as a teaching tool though. But as a supporter, I am not interested.

I just never sweat the small stuff or at least I make every endeavour to not sweat the small stuff And if I do, make sure you let me know about it! To me, this is all just a few bets here and there and if I win or others win great ... if not, no big deal. I am not a bad loser or a sour loser but being reminded of a loss can annoy me. Sonetimes I will put a bit extra on 1 of my choices so if that choice loses, the last thing I want to do is explain the loss. Prefer to move on quickly. We are all different.

No disrespect intended @Macca. I often watch highlights of all leagues in my spare time during the week as I enjoy the sport punt or no punt. My reaction was to do with the content and the chances Napoli missed, that’s football though. My pick was no good, I’m actually quite interested to see the stats/record of the top teams in their domestic leagues on the weekend following midweek Champions League/Europa League/Domestic cups. The schedule seems quite daunting sometimes.

Yeah i guess thats right. The team is good. It just seems we are picking horses and sport but not all together, who ever gets the horse seems to miss the sport pick and vise vesa. But its good weve settled on a 3 pick strategy in both. We are overdue and the odds will favour us now, one would think. (hope)

Ancient history as far as I'm concerned Wadda ... I get over a no result in a nanosecond and quickly move on. Therefore I am not interested in the Naples video. It is just how I am wired. I never complain about umpiring decisions in footy nor do I play the blame game in horse racing ... in any given race I fully expect 4 or 5 horses to get hampered for a run. And a least 1 of those horses could be mine Mulling over losses is a complete waste of time & energy. As for winning ... now that is something worth talking about. Your pick 《Roma) got up but the team multi lost ... and it is all about the team.

Wow, when the ball doesn’t want to go in, it just doesn’t go in.

Naples should have scored 5 goals !

Everyone could see from the get-go that it was a terrible idea, even if they managed to guess well enough to make even conferences - and yes, it would be a guess! It's nigh on impossible to know who will rise and fall from season to season, with expansion teams, the rate of improvement, the significant movement between clubs, the immediate influence of draftees. Having said that, they sure did make some weird choices based on teams' standings in the first 2 seasons. Regardless, it's not a true competition if all teams don't play each other once. It just isn't. The number 1 thing the AFL can do to improve the standard is to give teams the chance to play together for as many games as possible.

We'll have to disagree. I'm of the view that no-one (OK, virtually no-one) cares. If we were still hunting for a BOJ sponsor after the beginning of the season, that would arguably be a bad look.

Ohh, Viney, Viney, Viney, please play a full season. He looks ready to rip everyone a new one in that pic.

Who said anything about going home !!?

A couple of years ago, I had the pleasure of meeting (or fanboy ambushing, call it what you will) Daisy at my workplace. She graciously signed a picture, made out to my then two year old twin girls. The picture has been stuck to our fridge ever since. The other week, I took the girls to their first ever game of footy - the AFLW game against the Filth at Vic Park. The previous night, I proudly presented them with their first MFC jumper and revved them up for a day on the terraces. As my heart burst with pride, they declared they we 'just like Daisy' and proceeded to start training immediately in the living room. What a day we had watching the girls beat the old enemy on their own infamous, stinking turf! It worked on another layer too as my Pies loving father used to take me there as a kid before and after I 'Deefected', and he joined us, much to his spiritual chagrin. Poor grandpa. Anyway, the only issue I had was the girls craning their necks, frantically trying to find Daisy. I explained that Daisy wasn't playing because she was close to having twins, just like them, but this excuse didn't wash and I had to quickly placate them with popcorn and hot chips. They expected Daisy to have played yesterday too! I expect them to debut in 2034 at CHF/CHB, no pressure. How good is it that my little ones have such an awesome role model and a whole generation of girls can now look up to heroes just like them. Daisy is a massive asset to the MFC and AFL in all areas and she just bloody rocks. Congratulations to Daisy and her partner and welcome to the wild and wonderful world of multiple parenting! CARN DEES

The MFC membership is merely a donation on our behalf. In return we get a scarf and a sticker... I understand why MCC members don't buy one. It's like asking people to fork out $85 - $160 extra for the same product with little to no gain in return. If you want our money, then the MFC need to offer dual members extra add ons, or a reduced rate of membership. Hell, even put on a sausage sizzle for dual members one day of the year with a chance to meet the players and i'm sure they will all fork out the extra $85.

Yep... ha has to back up last years efforts again. The same... actually goes for the whole side. As 2019 is a brand new season approaching, and we start from the bottom of the ladder, along with all clubs.

Same for me. Its a donation. You get nothing for it.

I am very content to pay both, club membership is such a better model over the owner based system the seppos have.

I agree with your enthusiasm, but the bolded bit is simply a stereotype. Do you have facts to back it up? Last I looked, there was no income test on the MCC applications. My old man, for example, was a 50+ year member who struggled to find the money most years. I know of 2 other members who have let it lapse because of finances.

Hate to say it but Jake Lever has the skinniest set of legs in the AFL - look like they could snap with a slight breeze

Out of interest do you get to choose which MFC membership package you attach to your MCC membership? Great effort on taking both.

I'm a MCC/MFC member which costs an arm and a leg to renew annually. I get literally no benefits being an MFC member that my MCC membership doesn't already provide, I just do it to support my club. Perhaps if they reduced the MFC membership component by half then most would sign up.