Lucifers Hero

I agree dc. Was just indicating all options will be looked at so folks don't assume that shutting down gws and gcs will solve the financial problems ahead. Just can't see an 18 team comp.

It may be bye bye to those teams but will a Vic team be relocated to/merged with GWS or GCS? I have little doubt all options will be on the table.

Hmmm. You know nothing of my background so it isn't wise to make claims like 'you clearly have no idea'. To address your comments: 'Money in the bank'? $225k isn't very much. 'Substantial assets can be made liquid'. Our only asset is the Bentleigh Club while worth more than $8.7m value in the Balance Sheet, it is not easily 'made liquid' . We don't have debt because we used up the $10.0m in Cash at the end of 2018 (a large part was the sale of Leighoak. Money that had been earmarked for our new Club facilities). Without the $10.0m we would be deeply in debt. For more detail, the 2019 Annual Report shows: Total Assets: $21.2m of which only $2.7m are 'Current Assets' (ie Cash or easily converted to 'Cash'). At the end of 2018 the 'Current Asset' figure was $11.2m with over $10.m in the bank in part from the sale of Leighoak. Total Liabilities: $10.1m of which $7.9m are 'Current Liabilities' ie due in the next 12 months. Note: That our Current Liabilities are 3.5 times our Current Assets is not a good sign! Net Assets: $11.133m - primarily the Bentleigh Club valued at $8.700m altho worth a lot more but not easily 'made liquid'. A Loss of just on $2.000m That does not look financially sound to me. That we used up $10m in cash in 2019 to pay bills shows how poor our cash flows were in 2019. We are one of the very vulnerable Victorian clubs, not just financially but also poor on-field performance over many years, small membership, fluctuating sponsorships (we may be the only club that does not have a long term 'anchor' sponsor). You may like to think we are we are not vulnerable, that is up to you. Media Rights agreements has gone up in smoke. It is now meaningless - Fox and Ch7 have stopped paying the AFL. No games, no broadcasts, no money. Any new Broadcasting agreement will match the landscape of the AFL at the time: 18 teams? 16 teams? 14 teams? Who knows. I will but money on 14 or 16 teams after shutdowns, mergers and relocations. Tbh, selfishly I just want mfc to be one of them. Time will tell if we survive.

Staff Reductions Update The league has effectively taken control of all clubs and ordered the measures as they renegotiate with banks to secure lines of credit to keep the competition operating. Players are paid after work is completed and are certain to be paid up until March 27, the end of the current pay period. What happens after that is uncertain, given no games will be played. Up to 80 per cent of staff at the AFL and clubs have been stood down without pay Gold Coast and GWS had already told staff they were being cut back to the bare minimum and further meetings were being held at all clubs throughout the day.

Has the axe already fallen on the Suns? "Gold Coast Suns football department staff have been stood down indefinitely and advised to explore their employment options". That sounds rather permanent. Source: Suns-football-department The article doesn't say if coaching staff are also stood down. Players must be feeling very restless. The dozen top 10 draftees of the last few years will find homes quickly but who knows for the rest if the worst comes to pass. While we would all agree that the Suns have been the least viable both on-field and off-field it is still sad if they go and terrible for the families. Realistically, 18 teams just can't survive post 2020.

It seems the AFL has stopped clubs re-signing players out of contract this year. footy-s-over-and-getting-it-back-will-be-hard From the Table in post #9 above we have 23 players OOC this year. Obviously many will be re-contracted but how many have played their last game for our beloved Demons... There will be many nervous AFL players and this may include those with contracts but are long-term injury players. Difficult and sad times ahead.

There was a hint in Gill's comments that all 18 clubs may not survive: "Asked whether some clubs would battle to remain solvent, McLachlan said: “It’s a challenge but we will get there … we are working collectively to secure liquidity so we can protect the AFL and all our 18 clubs.” Season Postponed I don't wish to be too pessimistic but we may not survive. We are in a poor financial state and it will get worse with virtually no revenue after we give up pokies in June. Not many wealthy benefactors to bail us out. We are the only team without a base and without a heartland, as much as we fans like to think it is the MCG and surrounding areas, it just isn't. The other weaker clubs (Saints, Roos and Bulldogs) can mobilise their fans in their heartland to their suburban bases (when crowds can gather again) for fundraising, socialising etc etc. Get fan momentum back. Where does mfc go? We are more vulnerable than any other Vic team. And I don't think our proud history will protect us if crunch decisions need to be made. Nor will our 'parent company' the MCC. As I noted a few days ago it is quite probable there will be mergers and relocations. I just hope and pray we aren't one of them. The AFL becomes 16 teams. The AFL broadcast agreement expires at the end of 2022 but I would guess that it will soon be re-written to take account of no 2020 season. Beyond that there will be variety of scenarios - fewer teams and games could well be in those scenarios.

I think Gill said: Training is suspended, and They will revisit the situation resuming games at the end of April (if restart after May 31). No premiership will be awarded as all the options they considered were 'contrived'...did I hear that correctly? If AFL does resume it will be a long season of practice games. Under the circumstances I'll settle for that. It will be good for the soul to have some 'normality' back. It is going to be a very long winter. Hope Dan Murphys stays open!!

LOL!! I miscounted!!! It should be 8. Thank you. I'll go back and edit the posts I can. Edit: All posts have been corrected.

I meant that we could easily have 10 8 teams instead of 12 10 in Victoria. I also think it is a great result as long as Demons are one of the 10 8!! Edit: to correct the figures

If you do stream live, hopefully you will have a fee. If so post it here on DL. We can then be supportive and subscribe. Heaven's knows you and Liam have been great contributors to DL generally, with training reports and your lad's fantastic photos.

five-year-recovery-as-smaller-victorian-afl-clubs-battle-for-survival "Smaller Victorian AFL clubs Melbourne, St Kilda and North Melbourne face a fight for financial survival ... "If revenue goes down even 20 per cent, which is probably unders (conservative) if the season is cancelled, even with an above-average growth rate it takes five years to get back ...," Mr Youl said. "The AFL has been working to put in place a line of credit that would shore up their liquidity, with Marvel Stadium being raised as a potential asset they could use to securitise loans". "Mr Youl said the AFL would take a minimum of five years to recover financial ground with many... predicting it would taken even longer and the game's economic model would look different forever". Whatever happens this will cripple us, especially as we will have to pay back the Marvel Stadium 'securitised loans' provided by the 'line of credit'. While the 'economic model being different forever' means that funding sources will change/shrink, it is hard to see 12 10 AFL teams in Victoria at the end of this. Would not be surprised if mergers and relocation talks start in a year or two when the dust settles and maybe we end with 10 8 teams in Victoria. But in such dire financial times, surely the AFL needs to give up the luxury toy, pipe dream of GCS. Edit: to correct figures

Winner of Freo/Suns and they play soon. Would think it is Freo.

Fanastic. Desperate to win and that told in the end!

My original comment was in the context of how the CV-19 will change employment/work places and it may take a decade for it all to happen. I'm not a techie either. But I can see a situation where 5G (or its future replacements) is offered for 'work-from-home' clients via their employer subscription, not necessarily offering 5G for the whole population who stay on NBN or its future equivalent. Also, 'work-from-home' folk won't be using the service non-stop all day and very little at night. A far out idea is maybe for employers to pay for fibre to homes for those who will work from home. Whatever the technology I feel the workplace for many people won't be the same again. Not sure if this is good or bad...

Nope - 5G will be the 'go-to' technology. A bit expensive now but it won't matter if one's employer pays the cost. Will be much cheaper to the employer than providing full scale office facilities.

Jackson wasn't announced as a debutante so he probably won't play and be an emergency. Every chance the club has thoughtfully included him in the squad so he can get home and see his family and friends.

Agree no need for @faultydetto feel guilty. We need such people to help each other. The government is going after the hoarders and profiteers. AFP pursuing hoarders for the black market Dutton: "He said Australians who had photos or information such as vehicle registration numbers of mass hoarders should contact Crime Stoppers". There seems to be a criminal element behind the hoarding etc. Let's hope enough aussies report the profiteers. I certainly hope the AFP is looking at ebay! Its plain to see there.

Some insane profiteering going on: A 1 Lt bottle of Aqium hand sanitzer which retails for $20.00 (but very hard to get) just sold on ebay for $390 after 66 bids. I guess it is worth a lot more on the black market here or overseas. Hope the government catches the folks who are clearing stores then selling stuff on ebay or on the black market. A scum thing to do; be it medication, toilet paper, Aqium or whatever.

I don't think there is a ban on clubs inviting a couple of family members along. As guests, they could sit with club officials ie non-football staff.

The cynic in me thinks that including the top 4 in each Conference (rather than the original finals structure of top 3) is to ensure Collingwood get into the finals! While they are on four wins like other teams in the top 3 of each Conference many AFLW teams have missed finals because of %'age. The AFL would have the finals over in two weeks if they stuck to the original finals structure.

This happened regularly in the early GWS games when they scored a goal. The tv broadcasters may even put images over the empty seats to make it look more realistic. Agree with you, hope radio and tv juice things up a bit - as long as it isn't more of BT and Darcy etc. btw I believe BT is subject to the 14 day self isolation...

If the season goes ahead, it seems the two most likely scenarios are the top team in each conference (North and Freo) play the GF this weekend. Or, The top two teams of each conference play the top two of the other conference and the winners play in a GF next week. Sadly, we lost second spot by losing to Carlton so we won't feature.

The big risk is resurgence ie the 'second wave'. It looks to have peaked and when restrictions are lowered it comes back. One way or another it will be around for a while.

^^^ @Sir Why You LittleThat headline is scaremongering. Its that sort of stuff that induces panic. Did you notice this part of the article, I listed: "Boris Johnson's government is mounting the argument that the outbreak is now so far gone that it is actually desirable for people to get infected. And a lot of people – potentially up to 70 per cent of the country's population, or roughly 47 million". Even with a miniscule death rate that will be a lot of people dying. How a government can risk so many lives with what is a complete mystery is incomprehensible.