iv'a worn smith

I had a drink with him at his pub in Hobart during the '87 finals, when we demolished Sydney. Great bloke and was as excited as I was about the Dees back then.

My mail is the MFC will soon announce a new sponsor. The reason for the delay was due to negotiation on "price". This delay was further impacted due to the fixturing. As a result and as I understand it, the MFC did not get the sponsorship fee it was originally hoping for. If this does indeed turn out to be the case, are we still not justified in "sooking" about our treatment at the hands of Vlad the Impaler? Cheers

And that is exactly the point. It is not about "sooking", or bagging our side, or not "sticking together". It's about business and marketing reality. The AFL have found yet another way to shaft us in our greatest hour of need. WE NEED MORE MEMBERS, REMEMBER!!!!!!!! TO ENSURE OUR FINANCIAL VIABILITY.

It did get a little embarrassing when I was in my office yesterday, when the "thing" just jumped out at me. I would prefer not to have to deal with it at all, but if the system is being upgraded to manage this problem, then the sooner the better. Regards

So what happens next year with Chopper Lovell and Brett Lovett, given our switch from Sandy to Casey?

Can the FM's do something about the continual invasion of porn sites on this forum?

No doubting Mark Williams' record in the 2nd tier of the comp, but I am not sure that necessarily qualifies him as a "specialist" mid field coach. That is a different scenario altogether. As someone else said on this thread, who is going to take over player development? Granted, we are limited by funds, but if we have to continually sacrifice, by not getting the best, then it can only be a spiral that could see us disappear up our own rectums. When we had someone like Ratten in that role, the guys loved him. Fingers crossed it works, but if we are continually compelled to penny pinch, it could end up being a self fulfilling prophecy. Let's hope for the best.

Fair enough. I think we all acknowledge that. What this is more about is attracting a major sponsor, which we currently lack, filling coporate seats and getting good gate receipts at games. Our fixture, as it currently stands does not assist in anyway, in terms of a marketing plan. We need, at the moment, all the assistance we can get.

Does anyone seriously suggest that a National competition can realistically go on in the future, without a marquee team, based in Melbourne and which carries the name "Melbourne"? The AFL knows it can't and while it wants to beat us around the head now, they will need a "Melbourne" Football Club identity long into the future.

Nugget, I have to agree with you mate. Up until recently, it is a matter of fact that we were the 3rd largest crowd drawing team playing at the 'G. Is does not matter what percentage of supporters were following which team, as long as we were getting the gate. Not all that long ago, that is what was happening when we played at the 'G, particularly on Saturdays. And I have to say, I never had the sense, given the crowd noise, that we were hopelessly outnumbered by opposition supporters. They were good times to be at the footy and guess what............it was Saturday afternoon at the 'G. Cheers

YM, You don't solve the problem by pushing our club deeper into the mire. We need sponsors and sure we need bigger crowds, but we simply won't get them if we don't get a fairer draw. This year's supporters survey, regardless of which club those surveyed supported, voted loud and clear that Saturday games are the preferred option. All we ask for, over the journey is a fairer share of the fixturing cake. There are other Victorian clubs who get a better deal than we do, who don't deserve it, based on your logic. Up until recently, we were second only to Essendon, in term of finals appearances over the last 15 years, in term of Victorian clubs. We are the oldest Footy club in the world, we carry the name of the city where the game was invented and we have roots in the hallowed MCG turf. Pure marketing kudos alone suggests we deserve better. If the AFL want to keep pushing us down, then they have no choice at the moment to keep supporting us fiancially. None of us want that in the long term. If the AFL used some common sense, they would not have to bail us out to the extent they are now.

Don\'t think so, but she might subscribe to the same book of etiquette that saw Jeff Punnett refer to a driver as a pr..k Still, I guess none of us on this forum have ever had a bad experience with a taxi driver, have we?

Too right it is!!!! Any institution with the history and heritage of the MFC is a fair cause in my view. Also, what cause motivates one, may not motivate others, but I don't want to die wondering, if something more could have been done and whether we used our available networks effectively and to best of our ability. OK, we know we don't get the crowds we should, but it's chicken and egg. Certainly you don't solve the problem by pushing down the oldest footy club in the world, while you prop up others who are in no way more deserving than we are. Maybe a bit more equity in the fixturing is a better way than pouring money into a flawed market, simply to keep it on life support. Cheers

Nugget, its an old axiom generally attributed to politicians, when they use statistics in an attempt to back up some less than viable plan. It was not an attmept to have a go directly at you. Cheers

Anybody who can grab attention. By the way, I don't think G Lyon has ever been shy when it comes to speaking his mind, if he believes the cause to be a just one. Cheers

RR, Brayshaw certainly did comment as NM President, but he ably used his media nous and savvy through the airwaves, to which he had ready access. G Lyon and the OX don't have to make a meal of it, they just need to utilise their media contacts a little better. In fact, maybe they don't have to do the talking at all, they just use some other media heavyweight to do the talking for them. Where there's a will, there's a way. Cheers

Given their obvious networks within the media, G Lyon and the Ox should be the "mouthpieces" for such a "protest" Brayshaw did for North, what 2 of our former greats could do for us now.

How about a petition as well. We could do this online and have it sent ot AFL house with copies to all all the major newspapers

I also agree with Caro and Reilly. The AFL rightly wants the MFC to lift our game, particularly off the field, but their bloody mindedness only hinders and limits the good work already done to this point in time. However, what worries me more is that the Club has been very quiet of late, in terms of its communications with members. No major sponsor so far, games scheduled for next year, which we know by bitter experience, do not draw good crowds on Sundays and a seeming acceptance that we deserve a good kick in the teeth.....again. How's the business plan going guys and when we will we hear more about it? It would be nice to hear something positive from the MFC before Christmas, beside the draft. I wait with bated breath. Cheers

Sorry, missed it.

I am in the office and have had no news on the trade today. I received an email which suggested, Green to Sydney, O'Keefe to Hawthorn and the Hawks pick 16 to the Dees. Has anyone heard anything?

HT, I can't be specific in terms of timelines, but it comes from someone who knows them both reasonably well.

Sorry WYL. "Geeper" is the affectionate nickname Jimmy gave to one G Lyon.

We need to do all we can to get the Warnock boy and upstage the Carlton cabal.

No-one questions the obvious need for natural talent, which CM has in abundance. Even more impressive about this kid is the way he conducts himself. He is a natural with the media and it is clear to me he is a future leader of the MFC. That is what will have him stand out from others who were taken high in the same draft. They say, these days, footy is played 95% above the shoulders and that is what will make him a champ. Come to think of it, that is also a great argument to have a team from Tassie enter the competition