Whispering_Jack

And let's not forget that we were paying some of Travis' wages this year as well.

Fact is that with our young list it would be irresponsible for us to be shelling out the same amount of pay to players as a club with a list like Geelong's.

As time goes on and our young blokes develop and mature and the team starts achieving some success, we will have the room to increase our player payments without straining our salary cap position. It makes sense to me that we should be stating our rebuilding phase at 92.5% rather than waste a lot of $'s chasing high priced recruits that don't fit in with our plans to develop a team of the future.

The other problem we've encountered over the past two years has been injury payments. There's not a great lot you can do about that other than employ the best fitness staff. I'm sure that must be high on the club's list of priorities.

We've opened up the 2008 Drafting and Trading Board for posting specifically on those subjects - http://demonland.ugbox.net/forum/index.php?showforum=18.

Thanks to Nasher!

Posted by Grand Plan on Demonology:

Just been to the council meeting thought ide let u know as much as i know.

Plans have been passed by Casey Council, i think it was 7 in favour and 3 against. Development will cost 2.1 mil. The agreement is for 10yrs initially and the MFC has agreed to train there 8 weeks a yr over pre-season for 10yrs. Option for 20 and 30 yrs on the agreement.

We will train there until MRS is complete. So going by that football opereations will relocate for a yr and a half or so...

Funding breakdown:

$1,25m Council

$500,000 MFC

$350,000 VFL

Total $2.1m

MFC will not acquire an asset through the deal, and the $500,000 we are contributing will be secured/gaurantaured by an organisation other than a bank. The deal also depends on the VFL funds being transfered which hasn't been agreed upon by the state government.

I'm not sure if there are options on the contract as I'm just going by what was provided at the Casey Council Meeting and contracts were only completed this morning. So whether or not there is an option on us acquiring an asset or not after 10yrs was not revealed.

The community partnership program we will be undertaking will amount to be worth $6.53m over 10yrs to the local municipality.

Full marks to whoever it was at the MFC who decided not to pursue the so-called purchase of land that would, in time, have become a potential millstone around the club's neck. That parcel of land would IMO not have increased greatly in value over the years because unlike a commercial use or residential zoned use, this would have remained a special use for commercial purposes. If the club decided to move away at some tme in the future it would not have been readily sold. In the club's hands hpwever, it would have been subject to rates and taxes which might over the years have become a burden (land taxes on some properties have escalated enormously in the past decade). Now the club can strike a reasonable rental deal albeit without a title but also without some of the high ongoing costs that go with it i.e. the best of all worlds.

Not impressed by the councillors who fought this issue - they have achieved nothing for their constituents.

perhaps the part about bringing his brother to the club is the best thing he'll do was harsh, i'll admit that...

but i stand by the remainder of my comments... i think eventually Chip Frawley will overtake him, and warnock won't be a part of our backlnie when we make a real tilt for a flag... in the meantime he'll be serviceable at full back and do a solid job...

wouldn't matter if lloyd kicked 8 or 2 today, i'd be saying the same thing

When Warnock first played at Sandringham, it was as a full forward. Given our problems up there atm, why not try him up there again for the rest of the year and bring Frawley and or Carroll into defence for the rest of the eyar?

But worse soon followed when Cameron Bruce marked 45m out with his Essendon opponent stumbling and hanging on to prevent him breaking away.

Not only did the umpire rule Bruce had played on because of his apparent desire to do so, he overlooked the hands around Bruce's ankles when he was forced to move the ball on. "

What is it with Cameron Bruce, umpires and Essendon?

I'm certain he was legged in the dying moments of last year's game at the Telstra Dome and the call was "play on" leading to a Scott Lucas goal in a game where we lost by a couple of points.

Or do the umpires support us and are really helping us get the first draft pick?

Good to see the Poms losing to SA despite the great innings of Mr. Collingwood. He and Mick Malthouse have a lot in common.

One other consideration might be Ricky Petterd.

As far as I'm aware, there's been no reason given for him not being selected in today's Sandringham team. I'm speculating but perhaps if he isn't injured then the thinking might be to play him on Friday night rather than play today and make his return on a 5 day break.

I would like to donate some money but dont have a paypal account. Are there any other ways to do this besides paypal?

Your thoughts are much appreciated Demon85.

Can we suggest that during the club's debt demolition month, that instead of donating to us, all donations be made to the club's efforts to remove its $5m debt.

After all, if the club's no longer around in a few year's time, then neither are we!

DEBT DEMOLITION

I've been a great wrap for the club's youth policy and it will clearly reap great dividends for the club's future.

However, I noticed Dean Bailey, when asked about the club's veterans who were playing at Sandringham, said that the club would be discussing their future with them this week. Jeff White and Adem Yze have been among the greats of the Melbourne Football Club and it would come as no surprise that they are not part of the club's plans for 2009 and beyond. They deserve a send off game and what better occassion than against one of the top clubs on Friday night live television in the lead up to the Olympic Games ceremony?

Hopefully, their selection will attract thousands of additional fans to the game to show their appreciation.

The only problem here might be that they would be coming off a 5 day break but then so too would anyone else playing for the Zebras today (e.g. Nathan Jones).

Obviously, I wouldn't be suggesting something like this if we were in the running for a place in the finals but the only prize we can win this year is made of wood and you cook things with it.

In: Carroll, White, Yze

Out: the 2 injured players and Aussie for a bit of confidence building at Sandy.

Was listening to this station news at 2.00 pm yesterday, and just heard the last part of the news, where Jimmy was on commenting "that is why we had to separate, and with the strong AFL draft " or words similar.

Did anybody here this news broadcast, and can you post what Jimmy was talking about ?

Thanks

Probably discussing the separation of the football and cricket clubs in the early 1980's - Demons mend fences with MCC

FWIW Official Injuries

Melbourne: Davey (heel), Garland (hamstring)

Bartram - (almost) kept Jetta kickless

ok...someone has to say it.. This is very one dimensional !! Many of us have come up with ideas that would not only facilitate greater donations..Arguablynot al lin a one hit block..but certainly able to do greater damage over a year. And be TAX DEDUCTABLE.

Those that want to say Im just be negative.. go for it..all line up over here >>>>>>>>>>>>

This is very gung ho and not too bright.

I will be giving in other areas.Surely we have greater acumen at the club to come up with better ways than this.

Sorry folks .very disaappointed if this is "The great plan !!"

Agree with you that if rattling tin cans is all there is to it then we're in trouble. However, I've had discussions with Jimmy and one other director and they assure me that the debt demolition plan is only the first phase or the first quarter. An outline of the plan has been placed on the club's website and further details will be made public in due course.

It's up to the club's members and supporters to support the board's efforts and to also keep the board on its toes if they're not doing their job.

Could someone tell me where the umpires live so i can murder them!

I think you might find that's illegal dazzledavey36.

I do agree however, that it's time for the AFL to adopt uniform laws for the game i.e. they should apply to both teams.

He keeps improving every week and on today's performance, must be one of the contenders for a nomination ... surely?

DEBT DEMOLITION

GET ON!

Come on Demon fans. The site says on $11,276.00 collected to date. When you take into account the ten grand put in by the Richmond supporter, that's almost nothing from the true faithful!

As the man says -

GET ON!

Morton certainly looks confused a little....

The day his voice broke!

Petterd - excellent (make sure GC don't get their grubby hands on him)

GC17 enters the AFL the year after his contract expires. If he kicks on as many of us think he will, Petterd will be a prime target for the new club. Let's hope we look after him and he appreciates us for it all.

plenty of carlton players named for the Bullants, not so many dees lining up for the Zebras... will be a big ask for the Zebras...

it would also appear Carlton has all but taken over the Bullants from the look of that side...

The composition of the Bullants team which includes 18 Blues players, clearly demonstrates one of the main reasons why Carlton is travelling so well at the moment. They have 40 out of 44 senior and rookie list players available and, of the players missing, only two would be considered selection chances for the AFL side - Richard Hadley and Setanta O’hAilpin - and they would be on the fringes of selection at best. And that's been more or less the situation with Carlton all year. If you gave them an injury plagued season or two like those experienced by Melbourne recently, they'd be back on the tankwagon very quickly.

AFL CONSIDERS BUILDING A THIRD STADIUM IN MELBOURNE

AFL BLUEPRINT FOR THIRD STADIUM

Well this is something that some of summised some time ago.. its all a bit 5 into 4 once the new franchises hit the deck !!

Ought to be interesting watching this develop.

This really sounds like paper talk to me. Designed to strengthen the AFL's hand in its negotiations on behalf of the clubs for a better deal from the stadium managers.

Still, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the AFL to kick some additional funding into Casey Fields to ensure the ground has sufficient capacity to hold a crowd of 15 - 20k for home games for clubs like Melbourne, Western Bulldogs, North Melbourne and hawthorn against the lesser interstate draws like Fremantle, Port Adelaide, GC17 and WS18.

I wish they had of delayed the 1988 grand final so it didn't clash with the 100m mens' final.

So does Ben Johnson (by at least the three or four days needed to get the drugs out of his system).

Is this the new idea, it's pretty good. If we have to have white this works really well

I don't see why the need for the white in the jumper at all.

I agree with the others who are saying that an all red number with the navy blue monogram would be sufficient to cover any possible clash with existing clubs.

Do you think we'll win WJ?

Probably. A few gold medals in the swimming, equestrian maybe and we'd have to be a chance in the men's pole vault.

I am super impressed with Dean Bailey.

Probably one of the major criticisms of Neale Daniher was the fact that he persevered with players whose behaviours did not reflect the club we wanted to be, whether those behaviours were attitudinal or skills-based. We wanted ruthlessness.

On the other hand, Dean Bailey seems to have an almost uncompromising attitude that the club and its players will do things the way he wants them done, or he will drop them. Key position youth is developing at a rate better than I can ever remember, because it is clear that Dean is focused on being a great teacher.

Take Nathan Jones. He will learn so much from being dropped after having had his most possessions all year. Jonesy is clearly a competitive beast, so this will be a tremendous opportunity for him to understand what is expected from him. The same thing happened to CJ, who had to earn a game, and Miller, who was backed to the hilt by Bailey. Having had the opportunity to speak to a few of the players recently, I know also that Dean demands "smarts" from his players and makes the players do substantial homework on the opposition.

Where Ross Lyon dropped 2 players for 1 week on the back of pressure from the media, Dean Bailey has gone about doing things his own way quietly and effectively. I know we're not there yet, and of course I see some weakness in Dean. But as long as the club "sticks fat", I think we have an extremely exciting opportunity in the next few years.

Just announced that the Round 19 Geelong vs Melbourne game on Friday August 8 has had a change of time.

The game originally scheduled to be played at 7.10pm will now begin at 7.05pm.

Thought everybody would be eager to know about this world shattering piece of news from the AFL. Apparently has something to do with some other sporting event going on in another part of the world on the same day.