La Dee-vina Comedia

I'm getting a bit sick of this type of comment. (Apologies to Pates - I'm commenting generally, not specifically about your post). We need as a club and as supporters to stop wishing ill on others and instead concentrating our efforts and our support on a philosophy of making the Melbourne Football Club one of those teams that are perennially successful both on and off the field. It's entirely within our own club's control (with "club" in this context meaning all of us). Let's make Melbourne a success and not care about who is down the bottom of the ladder.

The story attributes the plan to a guy called Julian McCrann, described as "a Poll Manager at research company Roy Morgan". What I didn't see is anything that says he prepared it for the AFL or that the AFL has considered it. I reliase Eddie McGuire mentioned it and Eddie is part of the AFL's crisis committee, so it is quite possible the AFL has done so. I'm all in favour of the AFL looking at all options and assessing them. I can see why this one has been prepared and it has some logic in that it recognises the State-based nature of lockdown rules. I'm not convinced, though, that the benefits outweigh other problems. However, if Victoria comes out of lockdown earlier than predicted and can become one of the "hubs", it could work. That's not a pro-Victoria comment for the sake of it, but because with 10 of 18 teams based in Victoria, it is pivotal to any model.

Mea culpa. And an apology to Bucket List. Mind you, if I'm a player, I'm not sure I want to be on something with the name "Bucket List". Would makes me feel a bit too mortal.

I'm quite surprised no-one has mentioned Bernie Vince.

The Ritterman twins, Henry and Michael. I remembered the names but had to check with Demonwiki whether they had even played any senior games. Turns out Henry played 23, while Michael didn't play any. This could lead to an even more obscure sub-thread: Jewish MFC footballers. Add Ezra Poyas and...anyone else?

It's obvious that big decisions will need to be made at AFL and club level to save each club. Every dollar is going to count. What are Demonland's ideas for either raising revenue or reducing costs? My suggestion, to get the ball rolling, is to suggest that the club hold on to the 2020 Membership Scarves and use them in 2021. I have no idea how many scarves the club gets and how much they cost, but if they get, say, 50,000 and they cost the club $1 each, that's a saving of $50,000. I'd rather that money be used elsewhere.

Do you mean Jaime Bennell? Otherwise I think I might argue with this choice.

Good question, although I wonder what might happen if we find out that "adult-oriented advertising" has the highest revenue-per-click. "I only click on it for the Demonland revenue" will be the 2020 version of "I only buy Playboy for the articles"

I'm now expecting you to advise which player has had his name mis-spelt the most different ways.

If Andy Maher has heard something from a reliable souce, I'd bet that it is just one of the contingency plans being put in place by the AFL. I would hope that an organisation like the AFL would have plans for all sorts of eventualities including re-starting the season as early as possible (say,mid-June) as well as re-starting it as late as possible. Or not at all, of course.

How's his luck? Holds the record among current players for most games without playing in a final. Gets to that number (196 games) and then has two knee reconstructions preventing him from breaking that record and reaching 200 games. Starts a career as an assistant coach with the Collingwood AFLW team only to find that most, if not all, assistant coaches lose their jobs because of the Covid-19 downturn. I confess to having not been a fan of his when he played with us, but since he left I've grown to appreciate his attitude to life. If anyone in the footy world deserves a break, it's him.

I think Eddie's saying "I wish he'd take the photo already so I can breathe out."

I live a boring life. The ads I'm seeing are for Officeworks and something called a Seniors Posture Corrector.

Everything on Demonland is true, isn't it?

I can only think of one player who left us and came back again. That's Carl Ditterich (who may be unique in the VFL/AFL having done that with two clubs). Have there been any others who left and came back as players? Edit: Did Gary Hardeman do that or did he play with a non-VFL side?

Who was Colin Graham? When did he play?

If this happens AFL might lose talented youngsters who choose other options such as soccer, cricket or basketball. That will diminish the quality of the game.

I think I read in today's Age that the list cut - if indeed it were to happen - would be in stages with an initial reduction to 40 and then subsequently to 35. That should ease the pain a little for the current playing group. Smaller lists will see the end of the perenially injured, the risky players (those known to be trouble off-field) and project players.

I'm not doing anything today. Where's it being played? I might head along although I guess given the circumstances (two poor teams, etc) I expect the ground will look empty.

Bad timing, if true. If lists are to be reduced to 40 and eventually 35 as has been suggested, clubs are going to reduce the number of players they put on the list who are deemed to be either risky or project players. Hogan would have to be considered to be a risk given his foot and mental health issues. I wish him well, but if he's going to make an AFL comeback, I think it will only be with his current club.

Sounds painful.

Look after yourself No10. I think I could safely say that all Demonlanders wish you a speedy recovery. To give you something to do while you're in lockdown, could you explain your name? Are you a particular fan of Melbourne players who have worn the No 10 guernsey or are you referencing instead your favourite British Prime Minister(s)?

I think you'll find that the AFL (perhaps when it was the VFL) tried that and found that the clubs became lazy. There was no incentive for individual clubs to do anything for their members and supporters as there was no additional financial benefit from doing so. The current model (pre-coronavirus), with all its flaws, might be the best because it encourges all clubs to maximise their revenue while still supporting those which need more support.

While I understand your point, I would rather those still working at the club spend their time securing its future rather than worrying about informing members of what they're doing. I know it might seem that preparing a bulletin for members and supporters should be a simple task that doesn't take much time, but given the shifting sands upon which we all stand, I don't think it is that easy at all. Would I like to be informed? Yes. Is it more important than doing everything else to protect the club's future? No.

I wouldn't be so sure. If some clubs have to go belly up, I suspect North and St Kilda are at greater risk. I could see North and Gold Coast merging and being based at the Gold Coast and similarly a combined St Kilda/ GWS operating out of Sydney. Purely from a business decision point of view it makes more sense to reduce the number of teams in Victoria, rather than NSW and Qld. (Especially if the NRL, which is reportedly in a worse position than the AFL, struggles to keep its teams afloat.)