darkhorse72

Interesting article but I know I read it about a year ago, I think they have simply decided to reprint it again for some reason!

Suits me, I get to see the boys live Hopefully with all our new picks in action.

Just shows despite poor results if you have a CEO who can be strong with the AFL you get results, Waiting to see what we end up with.

Get him in case they decide to introduce a high jump onto the field! Maybe he has a turning circle of a super tanker and can't side step so learnt to jump over opponents instead! Or the linebacker had already developed dementia and forgot was he was supposed to do.... (Gridiron players have 4x the incidence of dementia above the population)

I had a soft spot for Fitzroy virtually everyone did, but for the wrong reasons. I wished they won every game except when they played the dee's. I remember going to their games against Melbourne till the mid eighties when they had a good side,played finals etc and then started selling off the players to survive!! That year when Bernie Quilan game back and doggie played for them was cool to watch, but it was really just an encore. They ended up where the AFL wanted them as they were the team nominated to go north to the Gold Coast, they refused and the unfortunate bears were born. Some parallels to the Roos there I feel. Roos was the reason to watch them play, the way he covered the whole ground (A License to run) in those wouldn't be possible today, the ball moves too fast. Martin Pike went there in 95 after he dumped him, as Garry said at the time a very talented player but wouldn't stick to club rules.

Whoever makes the aussie rules world cup vs australia Though we would sit out an australia team allow foriegn teams to recruit maybe 2 local players to assist their development. It would only grow the game. They could bring back the game I remember from the early 80's or late 70's, where the premiers played an allstar team. It was good, a team of stars v a star team!

Sorry typo fixed now FIFO = First in First Out ? The problem with soccer in Oz if they are any good they go to Europe. That will always be their problem so the standard will not improve. Same reason soccer suffers in the US and they tried the beckham experiment to raise their profile. The only place outside Europe where you can make real money is South America, but your also likely to be killed too for screwing up.

Article on it now: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jeff...f-1225790667135 http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/worl...f-1225790667294 Yeah I know its normally held around that time which suits the northern hemisphere where it is summer. So Australia should think outside the box and make a unique bid. But the important part of your comment is "premier sport in Australia," despite where is sits elsewhere in world the cup would be hosted here and is not ranked in the top three ball sports here. Which is why A-League here does not go head to head and plays over the summer as they wouldn't get any decent media coverage during the winter. One article makes 1 interesting point: "For a parallel, look to America, where Major League Baseball was permitted to carry on during the 1994 World Cup, and it's expected would continue if America hosted another World Cup." Though I think that is because they have a lot more venues to host events than oz. But the AFL has first option under contract same with NRL at their venues, so its up to soccer Australia to come to us with a solution, not the other way round.

Didn't buy the west today but read the article on the back page. AllI can say is FIFO know how to control an event. Basically if Australia Wins the World cup in 2018+ (yes a long way off) they enforce this: 1: No grounds used by FIFA can be used for 4 before before the event and all existing advertising removed. 2: No other football codes can run at the same time in the city Which means in Melbourne they will have the MCG and Docklands, but the AFL still couldn't host a game at say Optus. In Perth they would have Subiaco, and couldn't use the WACA as they did in the past. They would need to send match to country grounds. Which means AFL/NRL/Union wouldn't be able to run a match within any hosting cities for 8 weeks!! This is okay for a country that only plays soccer but since we have two other more dominant football codes I can't see them getting away with being such a bully. Apparently all parties are in discussion. Since the AFL etc have first rights to the grounds over everyone else it will be an interesting development if Australia wins it, despite the public support by the AFL at this time. Personally I think the AFL should stand their ground and get them to host it in Summer/Spring instead or host the AFL world cup at the same time on the premier grounds A nice discussion topic for the off season... Thoughts?

yeah it should be held before any delistings and trades. For the guys delisted it would be funny being back there to help celebrate with the club.

A brillant read and gives great insight into Melbournes most successful period from the late thirties to 70's. Also shows the contribution that the Smith family made to the advancement of footy. Especially Len Smith, Norm's Brother. But such as sad ending

great article

Silly topic, he come or go on his own. We have only had a couple leave us, most notably Scott Thompson. But think we got Jeff White going the other way! We'll sign him for 2 and 1 year in extend it as we have done with other young players. I assume he's already looked at our young list and knows once they all hit their straps he'll be in a very successful team ina couple of years. Mates that are successful together stick together.

Hope so as I need a new one.

It is a good idea, but he tax rebate is dependant on income: I gather most people are in the 30% tax brackets. so maybe $30 from the tax department come back.

"Melbourne is also awaiting league confirmation on a range of other fixture requests, some of which are left-field. Schwab said the club had been creative in its proposal, but declined to go into detail. "We were pro-active in regards to our submission, but we have also been pragmatic knowing it is geared towards television and maximising attendance," he said. "We need to improve the quality of our entertainment and we're confident that will happen. We think we're going to end up with a very watchable team over the next few years." I wonder what the club are trying, I assume its to get more TV exposure to promote the club. After the fixture is out it would be nice to know what was really asked for. What sort of left field ideals do you think they had?

A good article and interesting to see what fixture requests we have put in.

I just have to add to the demographics comment. Being a "lower" working class supporter base Collingwood supporter families will have more kids than "Upper" class Melbourne supporting families. For example: Collingwood family 70's - 6 kids Melbourne 70- 2.5 (avg) 80's Collingwood girls get pregnant in middle teens - 80s - (*avg down to 4) 24 kids Melbourne educated kids Study and go to Uni - 80's NO kids 90' Collingwood supporters, things are a bit better for them, some finish high school so the kids don't start popping out until the late 90's/ early 2000 - Still have 4 kids though - 96 kids Melbourne supporters start to ge married etc: (avg 3 kids, as Costello said, 1 for one for mum one for dad and one for the country) 7.5 kids So really in a generation and a bit the respective support bases could be, by now: Collingwood: adults: 32 Kids: 96 Melbourne: Adults: 4 Kids: 7 The basis for this scientific calculation is the movie "Idiocracy" about the decline of the human race. Given the nature of collingwood supporters their will be little loss of kids supporting a different side. This high scientific formula can be applied to all other clubs except maybe Carlton So in reality the MFC should provide financial support for us great supporters to have more kids for their future. But Seriously: Basically melbourne has a lot of supporters the problem is very few of them are active supporters/members. You can see this when the team is travelling well and in the finals as you look at the crowd makeup's from the finals Melbourne have played in since 87' there is a lot of red and blue there. And I remember when we played in the 2000 GF, there were complaints for the first time by MCC members not being able to get their GF ticket easily. If jimmy can keep up his good work (Which we all hope to god he can) he will eventually get those supporters back to the club and combine this with our rise up the ladder starting next year we'll only get stronger. The club that will struggle is North, as it has no latent supporter base to build on despite its success. While Hawthorn had the same problem in the 90's it was able to engage with them as we are doing now. As for them picking up 12k GF members wouldn't we love them too. The golden period was when the club had a few strong leaders at the top, Norm Smith and our Secretary Jim, while Jim was not a president etc, he was more influential than the committee during his tenure in bringing success to the club. While I don't expect another golden era and time os sustained success with only a short downtimes is something we are building to.

Thats why the GC were given so many 1st round picks.

true But such an experience isn't unigue to a soccer match, same as going to a concert, but others have said there is always something happening in AFL. Also the chanting/signing is a string part of English culture, even in pubs etc. Doesn't happen here which is a pity.

They chant because their games are slow with lots of boring time to fill in. As you gather I'm not a fan of soccer but I watched the last world cup (Which most Aussies did as its a sporting spectacle) , and you get about 5 minutes of excitement in a full match, broken into maybe 30second lots. I'm surprised there aren't more beach balls at their games as well. As for naming rights, its up to us to market ourselves and be damed what other clubs do.

Most likely the debt was around 1.2m in August and then you add interest Raising up slightly again. If you think at the rate that the debt is being reduced their isn't much more that the club can do without straining its relationships with its members and supporters. Think of it this way, if you had a $500,000 mortgage on your house and it two years you had it down to $120,000 wouldn't you be stoked! I know I would be. Remember each year the interest competent is less so the principle is reduced faster therefore raising say another $800k next year will have more impact on the debt. Personally I think the club will able to wipe the debt next year even if they draw money out of the normal operations of the club. Also maybe come to an arrangement with the financiers of getting a discount by repaying it early/now. I remember Geelong getting a million and a bit off heir stand debt by cook arranging to pay the debt in full earlier a few years ago.

The reasons for leaving was to the benefit of the football club ands attempt to become more professional, RDB was a huge factor behind the push when he returned to coach. The issue was how the split was done, in speaking with Cameron earlier this year about it, he thought the MFC should have been given a percentage of the wealth it help build when it left, instead it was sent away with nothing and had to start from scratch. Also the footy club was sending the MCC broke buying expensive duds through the 70's...

Mine never make it to the car, my oldest daughter incorporates them into her drawings and paintings instead.

Hey all! According to the news last night, Allen Jakovich will line up in the second Chris Mainwaring tribute match and play on his Brother . WA only with no television I imagine. Thinking of going except the rest will be all old shockers and weagles who I despise!