hoopla

why not all of our offices? Is there a social club there? No more junction oval? Blitz!

We hear a lot of promises about our future home - but nothing tangible.

I'd like to see Bubbledome/Olympic Park plans with our name on it - and I'd like to see plans at Casey with our name on it.. And then there is the redevelopment of the Southern Stand at the G.When's that happening - and is that prospect going to be used to explain more temporary accommodation?

These concepts have been bandied around for a long time now - the concepts were developed by the previous committee.Yet our pre-season is at the Junction Oval yet again.

Carlton showed Bradshaw, Brock and Co a half finished gym. What will we show Luke Ball?

As I've asked on another thread why aren't we promoting the Red & Blue Foundation to fund the equipment our new gyms are going to require?

I'll be very disappointed if we don't get some firm information in the Annual Report.

There are about 10 kids on our list who could be the next captain. By the end of next season we will have a pretty fair idea who it is.

Which is why i say we are an outside chance to make Position 8 by years end. If players are desperate enough to prove themselves then we could win a few more games than the "experts" Predict.

Maybe thats a reason behind why Beamer made his statement at the B & F.

We won 4 this year despite all the "positional experiments" So you'd expect 7-8 this year ... and 10 can put you in the mix for the 8. The 8 means nothing ... its the top 4 that counts - and that's years away

There's a lot more to being captain - than simply displaying passion. Beamer is no more than a contender right now

I like your passion, but as the ultimate pessimist I think it'll be a couple of years for us before this happens. But mark my words, it will happen.

It will take a while - but we have to show tangible progress this year. Otherwise doubters will start questioning the coach, the media will start stirring the pot, the players will lose confidence................ and unlike this year we won't have a priority pick to look forward to

Nev Jetta is no mug.

If there was a choice between him and Bartram, Cheney or McNamara I know who I'd take.

And don't forget that 2003 was regarded as a weak draft but Sam Fisher was taken at pick 55 and Rischitelli at 61.

Even Brad Sewell, Joel McDonald and Matthew Boyd were taken in the rookie draft that year.

Being a weak draft doesn't preclude you from being able to find a gem with a later pick.

The odds might not be on your side, but i'd roll the dice rather than persevere with a player who has pretty much been measured and found wanting.

Well said!!

On another site I read that the hold up with Bartram is due to him being offered a one year contract and he wants two years.

If this is true, and Clint signs on again, the way I see it is we will have only:

Picks 1,2,11 and 18 + Ball; or

Picks 1,2 11 18 and 34 and no PSD pick.

I would have liked us to use 34 but it looks unlikely.

I agree.... in this last uncomprised draft you'd like to think we could add at least 6 to our list plus 3-4 rookies.

Its beginning to as though we are going to waste a rookies position on Daniel Hughes again - so we're only going to a have a couple of rookie positions available as well

I am under the impression casey is for match day simulation and summer training, Being spring and very early pre season with weights being the order of the day.

I thought everything was going to be in the one place. Perhaps that is pending building works out at Casey. As long as we have to use the Junction Oval for weights etc, we have crap facilities..... hardly the sort of facilities that will attract Luke Ball

Agreed.

Bartram doesn't have the ability to run and carry the ball like Buckley does though. That was something I liked about him.

Yeah .. Buckley's ability to break the lines gave him an upside

Anyway, it's looking more and more like Bartram is going to stay. I hope that's because this really is a very thin draft!

A bit of passion never hurts especially in this day and age of micro-managed, mind your P's and Q's responses. I actually saw it as more of a dig a Carlton than at Chook, CJ etc. To me he seemed to be saying that Carlton was the place for footballers that put themselves before the jumper, and I don't see it as a comment that was that far off the mark. Anyway I wouldn't expect any less from a bloke that bleeds red and blue.

I'd certainly be far more comfortable about it if it was a dig at Carlton - as long as he doesn't get himself reported when we play them!

At the end of the day I guess I believe that Brock has always been about promoting Brock - and I don't like seeing him in the headlines.

The majority of supporters did seem to love it - so I'll just shut up!

This video is old (but still golden) From memory it was early this season, no focus at that stage on Casey and OP sites... Plus, who cares, it's just a bit of a joker video.

Thanks for that. It is a bit of fun - but posting it now does create the impression that it is current.

Anyway pre-season did start at the Junction Oval ... so my question is the same - why aren't we out at Casey?

http://www.afl.com.au/Video/tabid/76/video...px#VideoPlayerB

Haha, Junior Mac is a legend!

Don't understand why we would be making a video at the Junction Oval - without any mention of Casey or Olympic Park. I thought the Casey deal was done. Why aren't we out there now?

Hmm. I don't really agree. I'd take Buckley over Bartram any day.

I hope we use 34 too, but we won't.

Agree - Buckley has twice the upside Bartram has

I'm getting concerned that we are not going to use Pick 34- and that Bartram is going to stay on the list. If Barts is in our top 22 in 2012, we won't be playing finals footy

yes

I hope I don't get attacked for this - but I don't reckon Beamer should have a had a crack at Brock. Brock's gone. Don't give him the satisfaction of knowing that we care enough to highlight his departure in a public forum.

Beamer has the passion to be key member of the leadership group - but has he got the judgment to represent the club as its captain ? Perhaps he has ... and perhaps he will develop it.

Flash's speech was gracious and sincere - and he is passionate about the MFC. He's got to be a strong contender..... and I wouldn't write off Greeny who is clearly a a good on-field general

Hoopla -you should be running the club.

Don't know where you get that from Darren. If I was we'd be promoting the Red and Blue Foundation - and Barts would have been delisted weeks ago

Junior's the captain and he won't be dropped. I think it will be his last year but if he can go around again, then I'm all for it.

Half way through last season I thought Junior was finished. He was clearly struggling with the pace of the game and injury.

But at season's end he was playing good footy - I reckon a lot of his votes would have been in the last few games. On that form - he definitely warranted another season. He'd have to fall way badly not be in our Best 22... quite apart from his value as a leader

Hoopla -was the Red and Blue Foundation your idea?

No - unfortunately the credit has to go to John Phillips, the former Vice Chair. The idea was picked up by a small sporting body I am involved with - so I know how it works.

Foundation funds must be spent on sporting equipment - so that donations could be applied to Casey facilities as well as Olympic Park facilities.

Money contributed to the Foundation won't directly reduce current debt, but it will reduce future debt . As long as the club needs equipment and replacement equipment, money donated to the Foundation will assist the club financially.

Donate $1000 to the Foundation - and pass on half of the resulting tax refund , typically $380. This will enable the club to spend $1190 on equipment - of which you will have contributed $810 - and the community $380.

Good result all round!!

Ok ... two points

a/ as you said he would have to obviously make it through the ND ... which IMHO would be a massive risk in this draft he would be a good pick up 50-60 ish

b/ pre-selected rookies have been in the past a trade-off for your number of veterans ie 2 Veterans = 0 preselected rookies or 1 veteran = 1 preselected rookie etc.

However, I've not read the new rookie rules so I'm not saying thats definitely the case this year

However, assuming nothing has changed there - wanting to pre-select McNamara would come at the cost of retaining Bruce on our full-list which means no pick 34 or PSD1 I would suspect and suggest is not our desired option.

We do have a problem. Bartram is the only out of contract player most of us would delist.It seems our only options are undesirable

- Bite the bullet with McNamara;

- Pay out a contracted player; or

- Pass up Pick 34 ( or PSD)

Hawks sniffing there. Paucity of defenders and talls is the reason.

Hard to believe? What's the source ?

I'm with Rhino - they should be a bit more cautious and stick with Biffo

bartram and one other to get the boot i reckon!

dont know who?

maybe Dunn?

Has to be Bartram for one.

If we are not going to pay out anyone then McNamara will have to be the other. Herein lies the problem - because at 19 McNamara has shown enough to have his contract renewed. Presumably we would try to re-rookie him...........

i donate $20 a month for the last 2 years and at 1 stage it was $40 a month, i hope it is helping out the club

That's fantastic Bruce...

If you can do that then you must be paying some income tax .You should be aware that if you had channelled these donations through the R&B Foundation, you would have got some money back from the government ( $5 plus per month ) - to keep or pass on to the club as an additional donation.

Why don't you contact the club and ask them to arrange it for you from now on?

Why is that? A lazy $800+K not good enough?

Debt Demolition should (and I imagine it will) run until the debt is...demolished.

Unfortunately the lazy $800k is not enough. If it had been donated through the R & B Foundation, the Govt. would have chucked in another $300K-$400K

Don't forget that as soon as we demolish the present debt, we'll have to turn around and incur some more to upgrade our facilities. Why not get the taxpayer to cover 30% -40% of that for us - and why not start now?

Never look a gift horse in the mouth!

The way I figure is look at the Collingwood and Geelong lists, they have 40 seniors and 7 rookies for a total of 47 spots on their list. We have 39 seniors and 7 rookies for a total of 46, I am certain we are a player under the maximum as it stands. Plus the 6 blank spots, which makes 7. Then factor in Junior McDonald being considered a veteran (outside the list), that makes 8. But I'm not entirely sure about the veterans part, whether that is subtracted already or not, I don't know, I do know Collingwood only has one veteran on their list and an extra player. So I'm certain we have a minimum of 7.

And it's not just a "URL" as you put it, it's from the official AFL website. I think that is as credible of a source as you can get.

I'm not sure about the total numbers incl veterans either. But if you assume that our numbers were right last year when JMac was also a veteran, we presently have just 5 vacancies ( Whelan,Wheels, Robbo,Brock,Bucks) - to be taken by 1,2,11,18 and PSD ( Ball). If Spencer is promoted, then we don't even have the space to use 34. Bottom line is that if we want to use 50 and keep Spencer) , we've probably got to delist 3 more .

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.

You are right of course

To be precise , the taxpayers will contribute $30 if your annual income is $35000 to $80000. Above $80000 it will be $38 ..... and if you are one of wealthy supporters earning over $180000 per year (equals $3500 per week) it will be $45.Give the club $10,000 and the government will give you back $4500 !!

I really think Don McLardy should get on to this for the next campaign

The Debt Demolition plan has been brilliantly executed and well received. At long last we may be able to get on our feet financially. But after 2 years the campaign appears to have run its course.

Unfortunately to capitalise on the generosity of these donors - we are going to have to ask supporters for still more money to meet the cost of fitting out the new facilities at both Casey and the Bubbledome.

With this in mind I am surprised that the club has not strongly promoted the Red and Blue Foundation. The Foundation was established to take advantage of tax incentives to develop the State's sporting facilities. Donations to the R&B Foundation are fully tax deductible.

For a net (after tax) outlay of $60 , you give the club $100 with which to buy state of the art gym equipment.

I wonder how many supporters know this - and I wonder how many would put in $60 if that knew the taxpayer ( including the Collingwood taxpayer!) would contribute $40 to MFC facilities as a result?

I'd just be interested in peoples'views

Sorry Danny ..you are 23-24 - and you have now had 3 years on our rookie list. [Edited] You are not up to it - and I will be very disappointed if for any reason the club keeps you on. Best wishes for your career outside the AFL

First things first.

I'm afraid I can't get too excited about the balance of our picks at this stage . I just wonder how many picks we are going to have. If we promote Spencer and leave a spot in the PSD, then we are going to have to delist three more players.

I just hope hope that we can pick up 2 quality talls at 11 and 18