Rhino Richards

All of them wont go in the one year. And you have to look at those junior players that just dont cut it at AFL level Of those you list these are certainties..... Neitz, Yze, Holland will retire. That's 3 Whelan, White, Junior are possibles. That say 1 Warnock. CJ, Weetra will be delisted. 3 Possibly Miller or Carroll will go depending on junior player development Say 1. And that before trades of players of any value. That can be address later in the year. We missed the boat over the past couple of years to extract value out of Yze and Robbo in the market and are paying the price for such inspiring leaders.

Disagree. I dont accept that a BOG at Sandy guarantees a recall to higher grades. He was kept on the list for a purpose and should only play in the line with that or if there are serious injuries. I would rather find out what we can get out of younger alternatives. I know what I get out of Benny. At best he is passable, at worst he looks inept. BTW who is his direct match up for a short team like the Bulldogs?

Absolutely spot on Bob!

To set the record straight you have a history making inflammatory and hyperbolic statements about Brad Miller which have been both insulting to the player (in fact any player from a Club you claim to support). You've been shown up as an egotist who beats his own hollow tin drum with demonstrating any cause to do so. There have been a number of posters who have far more intelligently than know analysed and assessed Miller's skills as ordinary. The fact is for all his endeavour and effort Miller is a limited footballer. In a game when the side is getting flogged he does not have the class or capability to turn it around. What more disturbing is the myth promulgated by those who grasp to the hope that Miller is more than a barren goldmine by blaming ND for moving him about. What a load of rot. Miller has been an earnest but ordinary footballer throughout and was overhyped as an answer to the CHF role. For the past four year he has continually proven he is not. But he hardly alone after Saturday. He has more front running compatriots in the leadership group that should be subject to criticism on here.

Your call on that. Any of my comments on Ox have all been consistent with statements that have been published in the press over the past 12 months or so regarding him. Dont be fooled Ox had alot of issues off field. Particularly during his playing days and soon after retired. From his own admission they have been damaging to him and he is dealing with them. Like I have said before he seems to be making steps toward addressing these matters. Good on him. That said I dont think he is a capable behind the scenes operator and is not media savvy. BTW, the word is alluded.

I have covered Schwarz with you in the past and gave you a clear account of where I see it with him. Dig it up. He has burnt alot of bridges in the past within football and I dont think comes across as the most media savvy operator in handling issues. I dont view him as a capable operator behind the scenes or as good a door opener as a McGuire or a Lyon. If anything you should have issue its with those that want to brand him as a "tool" as a means of making an assessment of him. Unnecessary and uncharitable.

Regardless of our pre season this is the final nail in the coffin for us. We're done for in this game now

People are entitled to their opinion but name calling people in the media on a public website says more about the author than the target. How can you assume that? Do you know what these Board members are doing behind the scenes being "faceless"? David Schwartz has enabled to shut quite a few doors over the years with his behaviour and misinformed swipes. And Garry Lyon would be a good candidate for the Board. Why hasn't he accepted the invitations and the challenge to contribute MFC at a very important level. I have seen the sterling work of Mark Brayshaw with North. Why cant Garry Lyon do something like that? Achieves more than the articles in the media stating the bleeding obvious about MFC.

Correct. The 12 month extension of Harris's contract is a myth. Incorrect. You can do either method depending on the situation at hand. Given there were existing projects that Harris had past knoweldge on at the time, which interim CEO did you have in mind that could ably fill the role for three months more appropriately than Steve Harris?

Without coming up with a better solution. You just failed your own standard.

Woop de do. His article does not shed any great light on the issue (but may be for you). They are issues which the Board has been aware of and has had to confront for some time. Does Lyon have any greater knoweledge than the Board about these issues? How would you know? I thought as much. PG might not be the best option but give me a better and available option?? Seemingly the message is!

AFL Annual Report 2007. Sorry I dont have a link. I did not get the information off the web and had temporary access to the data.

Oh reallly! Derrrr! Garry Lyon says we should be seeking financial independence from the AFL. Thanks Garry. But as the figures I put on anoher thread suggest no Victorian Club. Its blind Freddy stuff where our struggles are and understand the relativities. They are not easy fixes. Its ironic that PG is getting hammered on this site for being so positive when things have been tough. Lets not forget that in the past six months MFC have overseen the replacement of the Football coach and coaching staff and also the CEO. What would you like a song and dance act? What a load of self serving crap. Only evidencing how little you are attuned to the facts. Given the rubbish we have had with Szondy and Gutnick, Gardner has indeed provided a level of leadership and has made some progress in most of the key areas. The Board has indeed been rather stable and united relative to the Szondy/ Gutnick fiasco I just deal in the facts and realise where things are at. In all your hyperbole, I have yet to see you post constructive substantive solutions to old wounds you decry. I forget you get you kicks out of the HS. I guess we cant expect too much can we?

You have to wonder Maurie. We are not better off than NM and haven't been for a while. Unfortunately you both are wrong! Why does Garry Lyon state that we need to be independent of the AFL? If you check the other thread you will find that not one club could survive if it were independent of it. He should know better. But you enjoy your read of the HS. Riveting stuff that.

In the AFL Financial Year to 31 October 2007 all Clubs received base funding of $4.913 million, totalling $78.61 million. Other payments (total AFL funding in brackets) were as follows: W Bulldogs $4.570 million ($9.484 million total) Kangaroos $4.104 million ($9.017 million) Carlton $3.668 million ($8.581 million) Melbourne $3.326 milliuon ($8.239 million) Collingwood $3.294 million ($8.207 million) Geelong $3.269 ($8.172 million) St Kilda $3.021 million ($7.934 million) Richmond $2.915 million ($7.838 million) Sydney $2.865 million ($7.778 million) Essendon $2.755 million ($7.668 million) Port Adel $2.615 million ($7.528 million) Hawthorn $2.458 million ($7.372 million) WCE $2.231 million ($7.144 million) Fremantle $2.013 million ($6.926 million) Brisbane $1.909 million ($6.822 million) Adelaide $1.872 million ($6.786 million) Other payments totalled $46.88 million resulting in total AFL funding of the Clubs of $125.5 million. Included in the "other payments" were Annual Special Distribution payments totalling $6.3 million. Recipients were W Bulldogs ($1.7 million), Kangaroos ($1.4 million), Melbourne ($1 million), Sydney ($700k), Richmond ($400k), Hawthorn ($250k), Port Adelaide ($250k) and $600k paid to "Telstra Dome to assist (home) clubs playing at this venue" which by my reckoning includes Essendon, St Kilda, Carlton and (getting a second dip) W Bulldogs and the Kangaroos. Some observations are: - no Club is capable of financial independence of the AFL given the financial model of the industry. I wish someone would tell Garry this - 3 Clubs including Carlton received greater financial support that Melbourne. Collingwood received $32k less than us. Why are we singled out as receiving "welfare"? Why is Collingwood's $8.207 million in funding their God given right and our $8.239 million classed as "Life Support"? - the Annual Special Distribution accounts for a tiny proportion (5%) of AFL payments to Clubs. Ten clubs share directly or indirectly from the ASD. It is particular ironic when Kennett rails against the evils of an equalisation formula like the ASD then happily pockets the proceeds from same. - if all Clubs including Melbourne were allowed to compete on an equal footing eg no protected sponsors, equal stadium economics, equal draw, equal demographic/population base etc then maybe we would not need to be 4th ranked in the funding queue.

If you had been reading this site I have taken issue with the Board but that would not fit with your uninformed generalisation. Have you actually done the hard yards on this? Nah. Its easy to take broad brush swipes. Despite your woe is us attitude I dont think the Hawks, Bulldogs or the Saints are much further ahead than us. They do enjoy both community and membership numbers support (and have some time) but financially they are not sound. If you think NM's supporter base is galvanised you would believe anything. Thanks for the floss.

While we had some cash in the bank at the time the sustainability of the financial position of the Club was illusory as the Ridley administration realised that with the way things were heading MFC could not continue to survive in its own right. If the conditions that prevailed in the early to mid 90's continued he was right. At that time we still had no home base facilities and a small membership base. However his bravery at addressing the long term financial position of the Club was countered by the solution he and the committee put forward.

And if you think that pundits on a forum are more informed about Club financial matters and other issues plaguing the Club then you are indeed naive. Far from playing the hard basket routine, i think the Club has actually had the guts to address some of the long term issues. Home base, debt and membership are not easy fixes. FCS, they have just dumped the CEO on the basis that he is not meeting Kpi's and putting in place The Club for sometime has acknowledged the seriousness of the situation. I do not expect a Chairman of the Club to perform a warts and all digression of the Clubs issues in front of the media. Generally Gardner has been quite media savvy in the way he has handled himself in the media and it would be ludricious for him to make negative comments about the Club in public to satisfy a couple of pessimistic agony aunts. It does not take a North Melbourne scenario for the Club to realise the gravity of the situation because we are and have been a NM scenario for the last 10 years. This current administration has realised that for some time. Have you? Dont fool yourself that anyone on the MFC board sees it rosier than it is.

Before you pat yourself too hard on the back, Lyon's comments stated nothing that has been regularly and routine discussed on this site for years. The problems have been there for some time and well know. He said nothing new and the article was lightweight and suited the media's desire to kick something when its down. The issues are not an easy turn around at MFC. CB I dont know why you need to overrate the reaction to your comments. There is usually a vacuum of fact and a wealth of hyberbole. Just for your information ND is not contracted to the Club and we are not still paying him. What you believe and what is fact seem to be fair way apart. BBP, despite the media attention James Brayshaw has acheived little at North. That not to decry his efforts. But its a pin [censored] in the ocean. I spoke to a NM official who said that they dont expect membership numbers to grow much above where they are now as they believe that all people that will buy a membership have done so. In addition he did not believe that this year's membership performance will be sustainable given the member turnover. Which ever way you look at it commercially North are stuffed. Correct Diablo about other Clubs receiving handouts. Only 2 of the Victorian clubs are stand alone profitable. But if you follow CB's hyperbole you would think we are the only basketcase and oh yes ......we are a rabble and that's an understatement!

Both stats and game observations. Dont think Moloney played much of 2006. I just dont see how Davey can win enough of his own ball in tough contested situations in the midfield and will be more reliant on other stronger first dibs midfielders like Jones, McLean. I dont think Davey has the fitness beyond a cameo to play solidly in the midfield. Our midfield should be better for their return this year.

Jako was jokingly knick named the Pope becasue he would not pass the pill. He made Yze look like a team player. Team orientated play was not part of Jako's forte. When he was hot he was white hot and a one man show! When he was not he was terrible. He was an enigma. At his best one of the most gifted footballers that I have seen in MFC colours. And his crap fitness regime and attitude. Thanks for getting it on You Tube. Let us know when you have done it.

Its the midfield. And a focussed in form Pickett and a fit Bartram and McLean

You raise a good point bigc. There is a naive assumption that because White wins the hit out and midfield loses the clearance that it is the hit out that the problem. Its not necessarily true. White has issues but our midfield last year was crud particularly at centre bounces and stoppages. We need our rucks to be competitive but we need our midfield to be better than the opposition. That is where many games are won and lost.

Very Easy. He is not quick at VFL level and can get away with it on small grounds like TBO. He wont get quicker elevating to AFL and the lack of pace will be punished in the AFL on larger grounds when you have and dont have the ball. He has a number of attributes which are noteworthy at VFL level yet unproven at AFL. He will at some stage get a chance to make the full list. Good on him when he does. I hope he stars but dont think he will. But his strengths come with critical limitations that can be fatal at the top level.

I do. I saw it and made that assessment.