iw_s

Blues are contesting tonight. If they lose, Judd is out for three weeks. Apparently Fev has been ruled out as a character witness.

Don is one of the most fiercely passionate Melbournefc members I have come across. He has put his time, money and effort at the club's disposal for years. He has helped introduced some brilliant initiatives to the club including Mates of Melbourne. He has excellent business skills with his own insurance broking business. He has excellent connections. He isn't all talk - he takes decisive action and enthusastically encourages others to do the same. In short: Is Don, Is Good! We're in good hands.

I'm not sure that "intelligence" was been on display much one evening a short time ago

Here's a link to the 2008 report as a .pdf: http://app1.mailout.com/mailout3/user/z8wQ...918469_9548.pdf The 2007 report is here: http://app1.mailout.com/mailout3/user/z8wQ...663970_1241.pdf

Re: the Foxtel mention... DB explained this during the week at the Premium Members' function at the MCG. In the pre-match show for the Hawthorn game, Dean had filmed a segment explaining our strategies for taking on the Hawthorn midfield. DB hoped it wouldn't go to air until just minutes before the game started but Foxtel screen it more than 20 mins before the bounce. As it turned out much of what we had expected Hawthorn to do didn't eventuate and I think there was a comment that we didn't fully execute our strategy anyway. DB explained that we did this deal with Foxtel in an effort to cultivate our relationship with them. One reason was simply in response to Foxtel's great support for the club during our debt demolition campaign last year when Foxtel was one of the first conributors with a sponsorship deal that meant they promoted the campaign - their contribution was a very significant $150,000. But DB also explained that media exposure if vital for every club and that Melbourne needs to get more media coverage. That requires us to be accommodating when it comes to media requests, as well as thinking proactively in how we can can gain media exposure by being a bit inventive - hence the clip for the pre-game show. He added that we can expect to see the club to do more of this things in future because we want the media to know we are willing to work with them. And of course, more media exposure is also sponsor-friendly.

Sydney already has a Bulldogs team located in the western suburbs: Canterbury Bankstown NRL club.

Did anyone else hear Doggies' supporters screaming? I'm talking not about vigorous cheering but outright high-pitched teeny-bopper screaming - like you would have heard at a Beatles concert in the early 1960s. I don't think it was coming from directly behind the goals with their cheer squad but from the pocket next door (and it wasn't coming from the AusKick kids either). And, perhaps more importantly, any reason why their fans were screaming?

Ta, thanks for that. I missed it.

You were there, Brocky?

In his speech? Or to Barrett? He said this to Barrett: "We are all only a phone call away from another scandal. I am not that naive to think our players are totally innocent when it comes to the way they treat and respect and communicate with women."

Perhaps they are both right. After all, here is what Damian Barrett wrote: "Stynes said he wanted to highlight Melbourne - along with all AFL clubs - needed to look at how they treat women. Yet Coglin saw it as Stynes misrepresenting the club in its past attitude to women and women's issues." The club achieved plenty in the past. But more may be needed from all AFL clubs.

Andrew Leoncelli and Peter Spargo were both at the lunch on Saturday. I'm not sure about Karen Hayes. All three served on the former board and all three are on the current board. I wonder what their view is? I didn't go to the lunch, I didn't hear Jimmy's remarks and I haven't seen a transcript. Indeed, the only record of what was said is from what Damien Barrett has reported in the Herald Sun today.

He also had great material to use: Vlad has blasted Jackson in a quite vicious counter-attack. Clearly, he's furious at his predecessor sticking his nose in and has given him a helluva spray.

I was talking about his playing career, that Collins details in the book - i.e. before Norm's sacking. I agree with you entirely, pitmaster, that Tiger's performance during that horrific committee meeting was utterly appalling - especially given the critical nature and magnitude of the events taking place. Indeed, there are plenty MFC people who performed shamefully during that entire episode.

At the time we were asset poor and had a weak playing list. Hawthorn had the players and were comparatively wealthier given the Glenferrie Oval. As Tiger explained in Urge to Merge, the deal looked great on paper and came on the back of numerous approaches from other clubs and constant pressure for mergers coming from the AFL (not to mention multi-million dollar sweeteners). The boards of the two clubs believed that if there had to be a merger, whichever clubs moved first would get the best deal and be able to create a wealthy powerhouse club with a playing list that would be the envy of the competition for a decade. The missing element, the unknown, was whether they could convince their members. The directors of the two clubs are just as passionate as any supporter - in fact, more so because they were prepared to volunteer their time (and often plenty of their own money) to contribute heart and soul for the betterment of their club ... for which directors rarely get any thanks. The merger didn't come off. I'm glad of that. I regret the hurt that was caused to great, passionate club men - particularly Tiger. I hope Tiger felt that he and the club and the supporters had got beyond the acrimony of that night and he understood he was revered and respected as the extraordinary Melbourne man that he truly was. If we ever need reminding of what a great man Tiger was, have a read of The Red Fox.