Sir Why You Little

Brock stood up at the Demolition Dinner and pledged $10.000 of his own money to the club. I think that signifies what the Melbourne Football Club means to him.

He also played a half of Footy this year with an apparrent broken ankle! I think he is Captain Material. I also think next year is very important to set the right example for the years to follow so make him the next captain now-don't wait.

Green & Bruce as Deputies.

Firstly, there is no choice of mediocrity or bottoming out, at the end of the day a team is only as good as their list.

Secondly, Hawthorn didn't have that luxury of 'mediocrity' because of the success of the 80's up to '91 - that's nonsense - they're list over time changed. Hawthorn copped the same sort of backlash for their performances when Schwab and Judge was coaching.

Finally, there will be a collective effort next year to improve and play to win. Where we end up will be as only as good as our list allows it to. Now if thats in 13th, 15th or 16th position, so be it. As long as there are signs of a young developing list advancing - having turned the corner - we should all look forward to further improvement.

It may be mediocrity to you, but it might be a vast improvement on '07 at least. If you're wanting finals next year for the Dees- fingers crossed. But don't put your house on it, otherwise you will lose it.

If the Club & players give 100% next year & we still finish on the bottom i can accept that. I won't like it and will be looking for answers, but at least i will know we gave our best.

What i object to is the notion that we need another year of first round Draft picks. Life aint that easy. This club needs to start looking up rather than down.

If we do finish 16th in 2009 then take those draft picfks for sure, But do not pencil them in now six months before the new season begins. Lets aim for major improvements to our young players and 8-10 wins next year. Grabbing the odd "Suprise" victory over a Top eight side-watch the MCG start to fill up again.

You make some good point,s but obviously our discussion is going in circles about trying to predict a few complete unknowns

Exactly how much of an advantage is that extra pick/upgrade worth?

Exactly how far off being a threat is our current list and how will it develop?

What effect will another bad year have on the development of the playing group?

What effect will another bad year have on the supporters, sponsors, attendences - our right to exist in the AFL?

Nobody can really answer these questions, we can only speculate. I guess as supporters we just have to pay up, go to the games and cross our fingers and hope for the best because we are certainly in a hell of a mire at present

GO DEES

No worries Mate, (Schtacker is a great username btw) This is a discussion site, & that's what we were doing. I stood up for myself as i have watched this club since Round 1 1971 and since then we have accepted second best too much. I want to see this club Fight for its survival the Hard way, rather than Take just the easy option of Play ordinary and be rewarded with Draft picks. During the '50's that was unnacceptable as it should be now. If we want the Best Footballers to play for Melbourne & WANT to play for melbourne then this club has got to get on field Pride which will then filter thru the whole place.

Hopefully both of us will be a part of it.

Go DEES

1988 First Semi Melbourne v Collingwood. First time we had played them in september since '64. We won and it felt good.

Totally agree with your above post, why you little.

If that is indeed our home schedule, then I'm happy all of our home games are at the G bar the one we [censored] off to Canberra. I'd imagine Demonland would have gone into meltdown had we been given two or three Telstra Dome home games like we used to cop. I'd take the G at 3am on a Tuesday over Friday night at the Dome.

Good point, i am just more concerned about attendance. But i guess the ball is in the court of the football club here. if we play well people will turn up to watch. Simple.

I have seen Rich play via WAFL Tapes at work. He is a ready made Gun so i would expect the MFC to check him right out. If we draft Dan Rich i would not be upset at all although because he is a victorian and rated i expect Watts to be picked up. But Fear not Dan Rich is Ready for Next years Mid Field Round 1

Funny that. Even when Collingwood was woeful a few years ago, it got a decent run with Friday night features the following year. Same with Carlton.

At least no-one can say we're not entitled to massive compensation in the millions for the unfair playing field the AFL presents us with every year.

Absolutely if the AFL want to dish up that Fixture Rubbish then as far as i am concerned they have a duty to pay up! With that 2009 Fixture it would be a bloody miracle if we get close to breaking even, although that also depends on the MCC Stadium deal which would be my number 1 priority if i was Prez. Time will tell.

Doubting Thomas.

Try this on for size - home games:

Round 1 vs. North at G (Sun 1pm);

R5 vs. Crows at G (Sun 4.40pm);

R6 vs. Geelong at G (Sun 2pm);

R8 vs. Dogs at G (Sat 2pm);

R11 vs. Pies at G (Mon 2pm);

R14 vs. Eagles at G (Sat 2pm);

R15 vs. Port at G (Sun 2pm);

R17 vs. Swans at Manuka (Sun 1pm);

R18 vs. Tigers at G (Sun 1pm);

R20 vs. Freo at G (Sun 1pm);

R22 vs. Saints at G (Sun 2pm);

Well i hope you are wrong, but somehow i doubt it. That is a very poor Home ground Draw for the G. No Hawks, Bombers or Carltank. Will be hard to draw big crowds with that soft Draw. Reinforces my theory-We gotta start winning with what we have otherwise Draft or no Draft we are dead.

unlikey and even if it does, it will be minimal - is actually what I said.

if you are going to talk about long term economics I will argue that we will be recouping any lost money when our team is actually good in a few years and everyone jumps on board. I am not confident we will get to that stage and at the very least we need that extra pick. Severe cattle shortage on the MFC pastures. Need some real stars like most of the 25 I listed for you a few posts ago.

I can see where you are coming from but i don't think this club can survive another uncompetitive year, with the 2 new teams being forced upon us. We lost that chance in 2007. We may end up on the bottom next year because we genuinely are crap, but i certainly don't agree with the notion of aiming for that outcome. 3 years of wooden spoon football may mean we end up playing with Fitzroy. If we are crap sponsors are not going to put hard earned cash into our club.

For all Carltanks Tactics and recruiting of number 1 Draft Picks etc. The bottom line is If Fevola went down & did his knee they would fall straight back down the ladder. Without him there forward line is pretty bare, and the backline when pressured still leaks heavily. Visy board has helped them as much as Drafting

I seriously hope our young players improve big time next year, win back pride & respect. After a full pre season with his own team How good is Bailey? I am sure he is not thinking about finishing 16th in 2009/

I agreed with your 2009 scenario until i found out the Club was $8 mill in debt. After that it was No we gotta show serious Fight and Business Smarts otherwise this Great Football Club & the oldest will be dead.

as i've already said the age restriction is unlikely to make any difference if we have the first 2 picks. even if it does and some kid is unavailable it will be like having pick 1 and 3 and therefore still well worth our trouble

You think it is unlikely...and you are willing to bank a whole season on that!!! Nearly $40 mill will pass through melbourne books next year on all up running costs. You are talking of a big risk particulairly with the world economies choking on their own greed at the moment.

Yes it was quite an inspiring speech.

It made me feel quite excited about the future of the Melbourne Demons.

Nevertheless, actions speak louder than words! B)

Exactly but i don't think Cameron is just Going to sit around. He is a mover.

Beating Carlton in the 2000 Prelim Final Thankyou. We were there!

A company to look at as sponser is CUMMINS DIESEL.

It is an american multinational, the largest supplier of diesel engines in the world .

This company has its south pacific HQ in Melbourne.

It used to be a minor corporate sponser in the 90s.

The company has just opened several joint ventures in China, so a connection there.

The company world wide prides itself on going green, with ever more strict emission controls and community programs.

Its profit worldwide has never been higher.

Its heavy into the heavy mining industry out west [Joe territory] and power generation Australia wide.

Been Sponsoring V8 Racing teams for years if it is the same company, Good Call

As midfield coach? <_<

FWIW, I am not sure we want to be a cesspool of ex players given we have had 40+ years of little success.

I want to ensure MFC gets the best coaches possible and I dont give a hoot where they have played.

FWIW, Ox can come to MFC if he indeed has something to offer the players as a Coach. His post playing influences have not always been the most preferred at MFC.

The ox would be a damn Good mid field coach i would think. He is now a married man with a kid and has stated often that his Punting days are over. If he is available i would hope he at least was given an interview. He played a lot of footy moving through the middle.

I am calling you a fool because you continue to state, despite being told many times, that GC will be taking picks in the 09 draft which is completely untrue

Everything else you are saying about 2007 and the club's image etc is a completely different issue that you are using to mask your stuff up

This is annoying to me because we are trying to have an important discussion are you are polluting it with misinformation- check your facts next time please

The Draft is affected by the GC next year. The age Criteria is being changed and they recieve heaps of 17 year olds. That changes the nature of the Draft Signifigantly..

Why hire a guys who's coached the worst midfield in the league for the past 2 seasons. Our 2007 year was abysmal in the midfield, absolutely abysmal, probably the worst footballing midfield I've ever seen and I try to be positive but sheesh!! Was he pushed???

Great opportunity for us but you have to wonder about the Doggies

Does than mean Schwarta is leaving the Doggies? He could have landed the job

Good point man. Could be the perfect time for the ox to come home. Cool

I was at this lunch and seriously fought the tears back when he was talking about Northey and the players running around

I remember that Elimination final well. The noise and colour when Melbourne ran out of the rooms both before & After they broke the Banner was incredable. I'm glad Schwabb recalls it similiar to me. Shows us he wants to see it again....

That's Good news as the last 2 years our mid field has been deplorable. If only we could get our old no 12 Todd Viney back in there. Patience GrassHopper

Wonder why Carltank have not signed him? Could be he is overseas still on holiday. But if there is "Trouble at mill" i would hope that the MFC would check out all avenues. Would be a great pick up in the PSD $$ permitting. It would be a great time to get him. He is good but not yet a Champion so his Price may be attainable.

Ray Biffin was playing when i was first taken to the Football. That old no 19 could certainly stand his ground. Opposition supporters hated him so i always reckon thats a sign that he wasn't too bad. He was Big i remember that alright. I think Biff enjoyed footy in the days of one field umpire!!

well mate your argument would have some merit if you had bothered to get your facts straight and not completely miss the point

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/09/05/2356155.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_AFL_Draft

2007 draft = Kruezer

2008 = Watts

2009 = Scully or whatever

2010 = Gold Coast plunders

SO, NOW do you accept what I am saying in that it is most certainly in our advantage to finish on 4 wins or less next year?

poor form

The point is if we were going to bottom out 2007-8 was the time to do it as you illustrate. Last year we stuffed up, our coach of the day then went to Carltank soon after. I don't think we should waste all of next year for one Draft pick. You Do-Fair enough but don't make out that i am a fool. The MFC has got to start looking like winning club or we shall not keep anyone, let alone a first draft pick.

except for draft pick 1 and 2 which we will receive the following year.

Having picks 1,2,3,5,7,9 etc unavailable is a real compromise. The chance we might have to settle for the 3rd best kid instead of the 2nd because of the age requirement is far less of a compromise. 09 draft is a bounty for the taking and it's a bounty we just to have to take

My understanding of the 2009 Draft is that the GC will have almost unlimited picks of all 17 year olds, add to that the shifting of age requirements i mentioned above makes this years draft the last one to be "as we know it" If these new teams were not being Manufactured i would totally agree with you, but i dont think we can afford to ever think like that again as the safety net is so much smaller from next year. I dont believe it is worth bottoming out for a whole year for a couple of 18 year olds who may be as successful as Luke Molan. The MFC must be a Strong Business not a cozy little soup kitchen for losers.

Some will, some won't. Let the choice be theirs.

Better warn the Administrators!

No RR I promise you it is like the MCC Members on Grand Final Day. People go Early

Many of you may have seen this before, if not I suggest you do as it certainly gave me a lift.

I hope our new CEO is the best we have had. Since leaving us 10 years ago i believe Schwabb is a much wiser man. T

The New Melbourne Journey Begins.

http://bigpondvideo.com/AFL/74447