Redleg

6th rookie on the list. I wouldn't panic. If he makes it great, if not we move on with another rookie. That is what the rookie draft is all about.

As we all know membership is not only money for the club but an indicator of our strength in the AFL. I have posted something similar in the past but it is obviously worth repeating at this time. The club can only get so many members through its advertising, the real impact will be if the members act to get more people involved themselves. To that end here are a few ideas. If every current member got another we would have 60000 members and be the number 1 membership club in the AFL. That won't happen of course but it shouldn't stop us trying. Sign up a friend as a birthday present and get a few demon mates of the friend to chip in for the present now. Give the membership as an early birthday present. Sign up a relative: grandparent, child, parent etc and then get them to chip in or pay the whole fee. Sign up a girlfriend/boyfriend even if they follow another club or don't watch footy and sacrifice a couple of nights out and a few drinks to pay for it. A romantic night at home with your friend admiring the new membership card could be beneficial. Sign up newly born babies for families that aren't already committed to a club. Sign up workmates who aren't committed to a team even if it means a group of them share one membership and get to go to a few games each. Two memberships would allow a workmate and his/her partner to go a few times. Sign up friends interstate/country and tell them if they come to melbourne for a game they can stay overnight at your place and go to the game with you. These memberships are cheaper. Buy two memberships and raffle them off at work with enough for a ticket to cover the cost. There are probably a million more ideas but the secret is not to leave it to the club but to do it ourselves. That is the only way it will happen. A large membership will mean more attraction for sponsors, more income for the club and a better chance of a good fixture and some much needed respect in the football world. Come on every demon get off your arse and secure at least one more membership for the club we love.

Just seen it via the email. Think it is great. The only problem is I can't work out some of the players. I must be getting old.

Be patient. Discussion continues.

They are not correct. We have been getting assistance from the MFC for years and will continue to do so. There is a dispute at the moment between the AFL and the MCC over ground receipts and that is what this is all about. We are not a party to that dispute. I am confident the relationship between us and the MCC will strengthen in due course.

No need to lock a thread that discusses our summer training base. Posters should just stick to adding constructive posts rather than personal abuse, not that this thread has had a lot of that.

That sort of call just had to be a hoax. People like Peter in positions they hold are not that stupid. I also wish Sandy all the best and as a fairly regular spectator over the years of our alignment I will find it pretty difficult to barrack against them, but I will when they play Casey. On other occasions I wish them success.

Congrats on the new Demon.

Thats four more members, my family have renewed. Thrown in a prospective new member as well.

Wasn't Miller drafted late as a Half Back Flanker? We have tried to turn him into a key forward with stints in the backline as well. He was never going to be a star when drafted but I think he has come a long way.

Good post, well written and interesting. It has made me think.

Hope you are right. I am sick of watching us play our NAB cup game on TV, lose and then never see them until the season proper because they play challenge matches in Nar Nar Goon or Wagga Wagga. Have I told you I hate the AFL, lately?

Agree HT. 31-32k would be a great result, any more fantastic. I believe that would easily be our record. Anyway you can add 4 more as I am about to renew for my family as soon as I finish this post.

Chris had arranged to give me a tour next time I came out there, while we were discussing Casey some weeks before. Don't expect him to be a tour guide, he does have a job to do, which he does very well.

I didn't realize the back of me was that ugly. I suppose given what I see of the front of me in a mirror I shouldn't be too surprized.

No we didn't. As we aren't Melbourne players or Casey schoolchildren we didn't get the chance. It did look in great condition though.

With their shaved heads Miller and Zomer look very similar out on the ground. Incidentally i thought Zomer was moving extremely well at training. He was attacking the ball hard and would then go again for extra efforts. He also baulked and twisted much better than the rather clumsy boy I watched last year. I think he may be an improver this year. Whether he is AFL level is yet to be seen.

No, more likely one session each fortnight.

I did it at training in the flesh not from the photo.

Well done again WJ. In relation to Brent Moloney he was walking laps in a blue rain jacket. Pretty inconspicuous.

Yes. It will be our complete summer ( pre season ) home.

WJ and I went on a tour of the area with Chris Connolly and boy was I impressed. The main arena is MCG size with a lovely surface. There is room for development of the stand and facilities including the addition of terraces. The total park area is huge and includes a bicycle track that is great for player rehabilitation. Access to the area is to be improved and hopefully the train line will be extended to close by. Nearby is a set of indoor facilities including tennis courts and a basketball centre that is ideal for inclement weather training. Under construction is an aquatic centre that looks enormous. While we were watching training a large group of school kids arrived to join in a clinic with the players. They were given fruit by the club while watching the end of training and then addressed by Connolly. He found out from one girl that her favourite player was Robbo and promptly went in and sent Robbo out to say hello to the kids. After the players finished training, several of them took the clinic with the kids. Just on Chris he is an unbelievable asset of this club, more so than most will ever know. He is always promoting the club. As I watched I realized that I was looking at the new future members of the club. This area is a huge developing area and we are going to be the resident AFL club. The opportunity to grow our support is unlimited. The fact that we now have a permanent summer home on a wonderful oval with great facilities and are smack dab in the middle of a huge developing area is an enormous positive for the club. Next on the agenda, a reconnection with the MCC.

Disagree. Nathan "chunky" Jones head is shiny while the other two have stubble.

1. No 2. Yes 3. Maybe 4. Yes 5. No 6. Yes.

Right.