Macca

Ha ha! Just goes to show how people can start believing an obvious untruth (or a myth) ... folklore then somehow becomes the truth Upon hearing what was said (about the snow) I felt the question was asked in a serious way too ... not to get a reaction. Goodwin to his credit just ignored the question as if the journo had asked another type of question So said journo has probably thought long and hard about the question as they all knew the Goodwin presser was being held today But it is true that the filth fans are mostly unemployed and don't have any teeth, isn't it?

Putting aside TV numbers etc Right now the issues surround crowd numbers ... and the AFL have admitted they have got a problem Now they need to do something about it ... logistics, parking, cost of tickets, prices of food & beverages, covid/flu, weather, blaring music, seating arrangements and then there is the game itself (umpiring, congestion, too many stoppages etc) which can all be addressed (although I'm not sure we can do much more re covid & the flu) I wish the AFL well because I want to see the crowd numbers at big numbers again

Well my sample size of 20-30 people who I regularly talk footy with are often staying away for the reasons stated previously and the same people are watching way less neutral games. It's fair to say that the sample size involves people over the age of 40, 50 or 60 The interest is still very high but the sport is not as good to watch on TV as other sports. And in general, the over 40's are watching a different version of the sport than the version they were brought up on They still like footy but I'm not sure they love it The TV numbers during covid were great but that was when we were locked up and couldn't go to the games What about your mates & acquaintances? What are their habits re footy, old dee? n.b. I also reckon that the TV numbers could be maintained or increased

The Rugby league model doesn't involve 'falling' crowds though, old dee

Yes, he's always been the AFL's version of Bill Belichick! Who, by the way, could be considered the best ever coach (in a league where parity is a striving point - the NFL) So I really like Goodwin's deadpan approach ... but I understand it's not for the majority

If we see a trend away from the numbers we've currently got in terms of watching on the various platforms (FTA TV, Foxtel etc) then that can affect the money on offer for the broadcast rights Now I'm not saying the above will happen but it could happen. The AFL should be rightfully concerned and the TV execs would be concerned as well (as they are the ones forking out the dosh)

21,800 or thereabouts

Ultimately, sparse crowds can effect the numbers viewing on TV And it could be that those staying away are not staying away for the more obvious reasons (covid, cold weather etc) The AFL needs to promote the games in terms of people attending the games

Exactly ... over 100k members on the back of 3 premierships? Who are the self-satisfied lot? But we're the scapegoat/whipping boy and it will remain that way Crowds are down right across the board so the AFL has got a real problem on it's hands Overall, Simon spoke very well and gave nothing away other than mentioning that the club was handling things and would learn from what had happened

One of the journo's made a comment about Demon supporters being at the snow on Monday instead of the game How childish and he should have been told to shut up by his peers Supporter-speak I don't mind, but a professional journalist? And the media wonder why we have little respect for the way they go about their job It's a serious press conference interrupted by a comment that is better suited to the schoolyard

Ha! I'm following through on my assertion that the latest H/S expose would serve to galvanise the team The restaurant fiasco can be turned into a positive as well (somehow) ... but that's up to the coaches as part of their job description is to show the players how to deal with and react to adversity I'm a great believer in the 'Us against Them' mantra. In its basic form it still works. We can thrive with being the hunted ... feed off it and use it to our advantage Every week the players and coaches are looking at ways to keep the players up and about and fully motivated. That way of thinking has now come from an outside source and from within. A two-fold effect so we will be focused in my opinion

Fair enough We see things differently as I have fond memories of those Finals campaigns under Northey & Daniher. And you'll be pleased to know that I was there at the games yelling my head off in support! But if I carried on like that now I'd give myself a coronary! (John Wren style) '94 was a great ride too under Balmey Even 1976 was exciting when we just got pipped for a finals berth after storming home in the last part of that season Certainly not mediocre in my view but we all see things differently, RBG

For what its worth I reckon we'll beat the Pies even without May We will see a very fired up team on Monday ... and Collingwood aren't that good a team anyway The only way we'll lose is if we put in an average performance ... and I can't see that happening There will be 19 premiership players take the field (20 if we include an improved James Jordon) Relax, we've got this!

You are ruining your own argument talking in such a frustrated manner We all know how much value May brings but it's fair to say that he's made a few errors of judgement of late I want him to play against the Pies but the decision has been made to suspend the bloke and we have to deal with it

They did and if the Swans had have kicked straighter we would have lost by 5 or 6 goals We need to start playing a lot better A lifetime of mediocre rubbish? Are you serious? We were terrific during the Northey years as well as in the Daniher era. A total of 11 finals series contended during that time We didn't win the ultimate prize back then but we played some great footy We're you around then and if so, why would you describe those times as mediocre? I was lucky enough to see Robbie Flower's entire career. Was he mediocre in your eyes as well?

That was one of the best Origin games I've witnessed. Munster & Cherry-Evans were immense and Billy Slater gets a win on the board in his first outing as head coach of the Maroons (in Sydney)

Well, if we're going to win that flag in Melbourne we need to smarten up Brawling in French restaurants, a forward line that is fast becoming dysfunctional and a backline missing it's best player because he can't adhere to the no grog rule All the yelling & support won't matter a jot if the players can't get focused Sydney & Freo made the team look rather ordinary in the last 2 games. The Pies will smell blood and so will the Lions in 2 weeks Need a win don't we?

It's not unusual for there to be disagreement on decisions within the hierarchy of a club. Goodwin would dearly want May to play as he improves the team by at least 2 or 3 goals (in terms of saving goals and setting up goals with his precision kicking) That's not to say that Goodwin doesn't endorse the decision

He struck it very very hard - not sure the keeper would have caught it cleanly so the possible/probable fumble could have been pounced upon ... on the scale of own goals it's low And we know know the Socceroos aren't that good but our lack of high end talent makes getting this far to be all the more meritorious As a realist, I reckon we've done exceptionally well for a bunch of no-names. Bit like the '74 Socceroos As Graham Arnold noted, we are drawing on good old fashioned Aussie spirit Peru will be tough and will go in as favourites but it will be played in front of an empty stadium (due to their crowd trouble) Australia to win in a penalty shoot-out!!

Could the AFL step in with their own sanctions with regards the unruly behavior? Of course, we still don't know all the details and the latest is that May didn't make the jibe about the GF & Jake

Are we still in possession of Schwabby's $80k desk? If so, that should cover things

Sometimes there is a simple explanation to a complex question Not only do we not have anywhere near enough younger supporters but because our members are generally much older, they are staying away for all sorts of reasons. And I suspect the oldies much prefer day games And the oldies aren't very loud nor do the oldies like noise. Especially loud nouse. This is true even when we're not talking about the footy. Nothing much is going to change either despite all the urgings. It's not rocket science And it will take more than a decade to change the age demographics of our supporters. And only after a long period of sustained success So we're not necessarily introverted, we are just a quiet, older, more consevative crowd situated mainly in a conservative and more quiet part of the MCG (MCC area & Northern stand) That is who and what we are

Socceroos get past the UAE This team of largely unknowns might just make it to the world cup One last hurdle and it's a tough one ... away to Peru at 4 00am next Tuesday

Yes it was a particularly nasty thing to say - could be the grog talking but that's no excuse It's lucky he's such a good player but the club and leadership group saw fit to suspend him anyway. A brave call If we defeat the Pies without May all will be ok (at least for us supporters) but if we lose, there could be some fallout and the natives could get restless. And the media will get stuck in you'd imagine We just have to win ... forward line needs to fire and the backline will have to make do without May again And as we all know he's way more than just a top level full back. He's the general back there and organises the other backmen like he's another coach. And the other backmen play better with May playing his role We didn't need this sort of thing to happen but it has happened and we're just going to have to make-do without him

I did a thread here on our inside 50's in the GF with a full description on what happened with every entry - took me a day to do it! Easy to find with a quick search We win another one I'll do it again. We had a very open forward line in the GF & Prelim but since both those days our forward line has been crowded by nearly every opposition team with Sydney doing it and then playing us on the fast break - soccer style So targeting our forwards hasn't been easy this season ... we've become the hunted and that was to be expected