Dr. Gonzo

Round 1? No. Mid year? Yeah I'll start to worry.

The Swans who would've gone out of business in the early 90s if not for the Vic clubs. Who have been propped up for 25 years by the AFL to ensure they never drop out of the finals for too long because they "can't afford to be a poor performer". The Swans who had COLA for years until they [censored] off the AFL by snatching Buddy from under the Giants noses. The Swans who get priority draft picks every year in the form of Academy selections (top 3 picks Heeney and Mills as well as Blakey and that's just in the last few years!) They've got some cheek.

They point to participation rates as the key metric of success. Their strategy is over the course of 2-3 decades to get the kids playing footy and grow up to be adults who support the Sun's/GWS. On that metric (participation rates) the expansion clubs have been a success and I think they should remain where they are so they can reap the benefits of this in the future.

I created a thread when Kennett first raised this a few months back. The AFL has pursued agendas for 27 years that have benefited the big clubs at the expense of the smaller clubs. They have an agenda to maximise crowds/ratings at the expense of the middle-smaller clubs who have been hamstrung by these policies to be able to grow their brand. They also did not put in place a revenue sharing model which meant that the ones who benefited from these policies were those clubs who were preferences by the AFL. Now the piper has come calling they want these smaller clubs to explain why they are in financial strife! Decades of poor scheduling has led to this, minimal exposure on tv, constantly fixtured for dead timeslots against interstate clubs, big clubs getting return fixtures each year against each other, clubs sold a lemon with ground rationalisation and being stuck with poor stadium deals so they AFL could meet their own contractual obligations etc etc The small clubs did not stand up for themselves at the time and push back on this and now they are at the mercy of the big clubs The WA clubs and Adelaide will no doubt join Thai chorus as they are tired of what is seen as their financial success propping up the Vic clubs. Reducing the number of Vic clubs will also swing the balance in their favour so they have greater control over the commission's decisions particularly when it comes to decisions such as the location of the Grand Final for example

Not to mention their pokies licenses

The Swans!! That is bloody rich coming from them

If he is seriously upset about the b&f finish he needs to get a reality check. Why would be be so upset, perhaps there are bonus triggers in his contract for a top 3 finish? His first half of the season was pretty poor so he wouldn't have done too well votewise up until the Crows game.

C'mon binman, Watts was a no hoper. Guys like that who see footy as a hobby rather than a profession are locker room cancers. He had 10 years to prove his worth here and has subsequently retired without firing a shot at Port. Good luck to him it seems he got what he wanted out of footy but the club was right to move him on if anything they probably did so too late in the piece.

You could have stopped at "plus brown is one of those forward who marks the ball"

Which were proven right

Actually Charlie Cameron kicked 9 goals in 7 games (average about 1.3 goals a game) Kozzie kicked 7 goals in 14 games (average 0.5 goals a game) I love Kozzie, I love watching him but for him to prove his worth he needs to kick goals. He missed several opportunities throughout the season which are gimme goals for small crumbing forwards. I'm not saying he's a bad player because he is young and has time to settle and prove he belongs. All I'm saying is the jury is out

As a player he drove me nuts. Seems to have the pedigree for the board position offered to Green though, would like him to come back on board.

Jackson and Rivers look like fantastic picks. Jury still out on Pickett for mine. He needs to hit the scoreboard to prove his worth as a small forward. Encouraging signs but still needs to show it.

So they're getting rid of him because....

He dropped the ball with last year's review failing to make significant changes to the FD and instead electing to shuffle the deck chairs. He does seem to have a good record of "getting his man" which can't be understated and I would be extremely reluctant to move him on in place of Richardson who doesnt do much for me. But he has been around for a long time, hasn't helped foster and environment of success and there is the nagging issue of the CEO position. I think it's time for him to move on but it depends on who will replace him.

While I think Mahoney's time is up if he is made the scapegoat and we go into 2021 with basically the same list of assistant coaches and FD staff it will be a joke.

How about 1 finals series in their careers to date? Guys like Petracca and Oliver are made for September and if they see MFC failing again and again you can understand the second guessing. They don't want to wind up like Jones who has given everything for the club, turned his back on potential money and success elsewhere, played in only 5 finals games and is now close to being turfed out by the club because they think he's done. That's not to say the club shouldn't move on from Jones but you could understand some players thinking "that's where loyalty gets you".

Viney was better early in the season, Oliver better late. I don't think the B&F placings were that shocking Did Chook state this in this thread? I must have missed it but I haven't read every page either

Cards, Rams, Bills If Bills/Titans is postponed then I'll take Cards, Rams, Panthers

Nah we are a dumpster fire. If we couldn't beat the Broncos with a 3rd string QB we've got no hope and our schedule only gets harder after the next two weeks. We've got Cards and Chargers and then have Miami x2, Pats X2, Bills, Seahawks, Chiefs, Rams, Raiders & Browns for the rest of the schedule. Darnold is inactive this week (not that it would make much difference) so we've got Flacco starting. Our D was always our weapon but now we're not even that strong defensively especially since the Jamal Adams trade. We lost our best receiver Robbie Anderson last year, Gase is an [censored] and hates Bell, our Oline is trash and now Bekton is injured after we put him in injured against the Broncos The entire organisation is an absolute shambles, they need to blow the whole thing up and start again. Bekton, Maye, Mosely (opted out this season), Crowder and Bell probably the only 5 you would hate to lose. Blow up the rest, sack Gase, tank for Trevor and pray Joe Douglas knows what he is doing.

They're pushing him out the door, how can they be making demands? They should be expecting a 3rd or 4th rounder for him really

I got one

Don't hold your breath haha

Sometimes the best people are those who have a vested interest in the club, or those who can offer an alternate view. I never voted in board elections because I wouldn't know any of them from a bar of soap. I'm sure they're all very successful in their own professions but it doesn't hurt to have a footy person on the board as well even if they may not make it onto a corporate board.