Dante

I'm writing 2024 off completely, it was a [censored] year and was all over the place. I think everyone has a bad year and we had a collective one, things will turn around next year for Clayton and the club. We have to get on top of any negative press as soon as it hits and not just let it fester away as we did.

Who are you referring to?

George is doing part time fund raising for the club, as well as running his own business.

“I love my job, I’m passionate about footy, that’s all I’m really focused on now.” I would have preferred Tracc to have said after footy, "and the Melbourne Football club". But he didn't. Not reading anything into it, but it would have stopped any speculation.

Sorry to say that that won't happen.

Just what I was told, information is pretty solid.

It's my understanding that PJ will not be invited back to the club. Unless the review makes some radical changes.

Talking to a former Casey forward coach down by the pool and he told me he was talking to Tommo who thinks he's about a 60% t0 70% chance to get picked up by Collingwood. Speaking of which, Pendle's is up here on holidays too.

Currently in Port Douglas and I’ve run in to Thommo a couple of times and he looks really fit.

Even if you scored 20 per hole it would be in better shape than the MFC. The club is the only one I've ever seen that can turn triumph in to disaster, we self sabotage every time.

Maybe it was Tracc or Clarry, there could have been an ultimatum.

We have been talking about a training facility for as long as I can remember and will be in another 10 years. Let's just accept the facts that it will never happen. We have had many different Boards; they have all promised the same thing and it's all pie in the sky [censored]. I've heard some suggestions from time to time that sounded ok, but they've never come to anything. We've blown it, we needed to get in and grab some cash form the State Government, but surprise, surprise, there isn't any left and won't be for at least another 20 years.

In typical Melbourne style they will hit up the same supporters they always do and tell them, as they always do, that they will be recognized and be part of a group that will have their name on a plaque in the entrance hall. There are only so many times you can go to the well before it dries up.

I said some weeks ago, quite a few, that Hawthorn would win a flag before we do, I got a face palm but I think the person that gave it to me would be embarrassed now. We have Jason Taylor, who has provided us with some really good talent but we have, lately, picked some gap fillers who are just not up to it. Not only that, but we've hung on to them. Not sure if there is a disconnect between the coach and the football department but the refusal to play Schacke or Fullarton when a player of that type was desperately needed was nothing short of bizzare.

I think my boat's ok; it's yours that's sinking and not slowly.

Is this Demonland or Cat’s Corner, am I on the wrong board?

I have seats in N49 and quite often when I get there, there are other club's supporters sitting in my seats. I usually ask them to move, and they do, but one time they responded with "can you sit somewhere else?" The ground attendants are supposed to check tickets before allowing someone to sit there, but they don't always do it. Plus, a lot of attendees of the President's Lunch just move along the seats and sit where the best view is.

I've spent enough time on you already, why would I want to spend more discussing other clubs? Every time I answer you, I think to myself, WHY

Mate I couldn't give a rat's about other clubs, I only care about Melbourne. When I was a kid we were all powerful and if anyone had told me after the 64 Grand Final that we wouldn't win another Grand Final for 57 Years I would have laughed at them. But that's the reality of it. We have managed to stuff up our seasons because of poor management, poor coaching and just bad decisions. Lack of discipline, poor culture and just about every reason under the sun. When I was in my 20's I worked with a kid who was on the Melbourne under 19's and he said to me one day, Melbourne is a [censored] club, he wanted out. I asked him why and he said it was mainly the Board and some supporters who were so full of themselves, and I have to wonder if that has ever changed. You go on believing that we have a good culture and I'll wait to see what the review says.

A lot of issues that have been swept under the rug at Melbourne and I think we should thank Deemocracy for helping to expose these issues. Peter Lawrence is one member that has put his reputation on the line to advocate for change. We can rise up the ladder because of good selections and fall just as quickly because of poor administration, get the right people in the right positions and we will have a better chance of sustained success.

He will be left quaking in his boots.😬

Your information is on the money, and I believe it is. I think there will be a transition and then a review and I wouldn't be surprised if it's done by PJ.

It's difficult to debate with someone that won't listen, especially when that someone thinks they are coming from a position of superiority. I did vote for Peter, I have 13 memberships, two of them are junior so they don't have voting rights, so he got 11 from me. There was a rock group from England called Status Quo, I'm sure you would have supported that, what are you going to do when that changes, and it will, believe me. Never offered one. You'll have to find a new group of friends when the makeup of the Board changes, I doubt the new members will be as pliable as the old ones.

That’s the good thing about a public forum we are all entitled to our opinion. I thought I was kind to Saty, my original post was a lot harsher than the one I posted, I don’t believe it would have passed muster with the mods. So no, there will be no apology, in fact I believe what I said was pretty accurate. What I and others are looking for is an unbiased, external review one that the club has no control over. I’m sick to death of the club getting away with, no I won’t say it, it might get me banned and that would do me no good. I don’t post on here unless the issue is important, so I’ll keep my powder dry.

Let's call a spade a spade, you are a groupie and love the fact that you can talk to the players and probably some of the committee and and staff, it obviously makes you feel good and somewhat important. There were many like you, well that's an exaggeration, who denied there was any problem at the club, well we know that is just B/S. We have issues, how severe, we don't know. Even you would secretly recognise that, or maybe you are so enthralled with your apparent closeness with the club, you know that you can't see the forrest for the trees. Me, I love the club and hate to see it implode so often, especially when they are so close to sustained success. My view is that we need to nip this in the bud and if there are any problems, let's get to the bottom of it and eradicate them. Why should we be frightened to do this, if it's cost then I'm sure that there are plenty of supporters that would chip in for the cost, I would and I know a few more that would as well.