Lucifers Hero

Hey Ds56, I'm curious to know how the club let members know of offer. I haven't received an email nor an sms and I couldn't find offer on the website tab 'Match Day Information' - the only ticket referenceon there is via Ticketek. Edit: I'm not on twitter but just checked mfc twitter feed and didn't see anything.

Agreed. For some reason our customer service has been a bit lacking this year. Lots of anecdotes throughout this thread on issues re membership packs: cards, scarves etc. Add to that DL commentary in the last few days on our website: lacking training times for the last month/yesterday's work out at Casey, lacking twitter advice of those, lacking advice of today's VFL practice game times - fair contingent of AFL players selected for it, lack of Twitter feed on said practice game (People were posting from the BH site onto DL). Not to mention the 'Get your finals tickets' fiasco last year when we didn't make the finals. I'm with you, if we make communications with the club, using its website etc good experiences they can only help keep the members we have.

Some context needed. We are close to last years figure as at March 16. See dc's post below. Last years final tallly was approx 42,250, so there are still about 7,000 2017 members yet to renew. If there have been 'New' members then the 2017 members yet to renew is >than 7,000. TBH I'm surprised we haven't significantly exceeded last years tally and already pushing the 42,000 mark. The club (rightly) boasted record crowds at our games last year and for some reason we haven't converted those attendees to memberships in any significant number. On the back of last year's crowds I expected us to push close to 50,000 this year. While there is still time for that to happen, I no longer have that hope. I would imagine the club would be fairly disappointed with the conversion rate of attendees to members.

I think the article is fair and to me it highlights the ALFPA's (interfering) role. I don't take the article as a slight on mfc or anyone at the club. On a different note - I found it amusing that the camp is (ironically) called 'I Don't Quit' (IDQ). I just hope we learnt the 'I Don't Quit' lesson some other way in the preseason so we play 120 minutes each week. Too many players switch off for too long during games and leave too much work to too few. Blink and the quarter and often the game is gone. Only time will tell if we have have embraced the 'IDQ' mindset.

There are still 7,000 members from 2017 yet to renew! Hopefully, they all will but I'm not so optimistic about getting hundreds of 'New' members ie not a member in 2017, even if we do win early games. What is there to get 'New' members to part with hundreds of $ for each member of the family? Not many attractive games at the G. Some unfriendly time slots. People can get tickets to games at gate or days before the game. Can't get 'reserved' seats without buying a 'package'. The NT substitute games at the G aren't against the better teams. All in all, not a great offer to get 'New' members to sign up. We on DL dutifully pay our membership each year. I always think of mine as a donation to the club. But mfc need a lot more than us die-hards to join up and I suspect it won't be this year.

We were finals contenders in 2016 and 2017 but fell short at the last hurdle. Unlike us die-hard supporters on DL' some people will want more than hope and faith before committing. Just being finals contenders won't stir many people. Win a few finals, now that is something else.

35,485 We have added about 2,100 members in the last few weeks. I would think this is from the good work the club did getting new members to sign up on Family Day and the ring-around by the players this week. Perhaps a lot of the post round 23 disgruntled members have now re-signed. I think it is the first time we have edged ahead of the figure at the equivalent time last year. We might yet break last years record!

Therein is the truth of the matter ET. We couldn't have both, so Watts had to go - the rest is window dressing!

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-03-15/star-dees-to-make-r1-bid-in-vfl-hitout AFL players to play match against Box Hill at Casey Fields on Saturday. "The Demons have decided to take the opportunity to get valuable game time into Jeff Garlett (rib), Neville Jetta (quad), Dom Tyson(calf niggle), James Harmes (head knock) and Dean Kent (shoulder) after interrupted pre-season programs due to injury". Sam Weideman and Joel Smith will also play for Casey. Other updates: Melbourne expects Jordan Lewis (calf) to be available for round 1. Tom McDonald will need to prove his fitness in a solid training session planned for the rest of the AFL squad at Casey Fields on Friday. Good to see that so many players are ready to take the field at some level. If they all get thru it should be a pretty good list to choose from for round 1. There will be a few unlucky players at the selection table next week.

I cant get behind the paywall but the headline contradicts the quoted text which says: The AFL has joined ASADA in fighting a Freedom of Information request made by a member of the public seeking access to doping control forms Why would the AFL side with ASADA to fight release of info and at the same time threaten to spilt from ASADA if info is released. Is there something in the article that explains the apparent contradiction? If not pretty dumb of the HS to run with it. Anyway, who is the AFL supposedly threatening? It is up to the courts to decide what to released. A confused and not very logical person wrote that headline - Robbo perhaps?

See this thread.

Updated for Petracca and Hannan recontracting Other important re-signings for this year: Jetta, McDonalds, Brayshaw and maybe J. Smith and Harmes. Hope Balic has a good year and gets a few more - it will be good to see what he can do if given a good go at it. As much as I love all the players in Red and Blue many of the others will need a bit of luck to continue.

I assume that is rather tongue-in-cheek. If not, I would expect Peter Jackson to shut the idea down quick smart. I could not support a team with him at the club. To me he is no better than the drug dealer on the street selling gear to young people. They do it for money. Hird selfishly used players, who were entrusted to his care, as guinea pigs for his own egotistical purposes. Unforgivable in my book. Anyway, he doesn't have much to offer - is in the 'great player/average coach' category. No thanks! Keep him away from my club.

I think it was my post that referred to Paul Connors...A poster was speculating that Tom had influenced the club's decision to re contract Oscar two years ago. So I was using Connors as an example of a player manager likely to talk to clubs about their 'stable' of players at the one meeting rather than schedule separate meetings for each player. So to clarify, Connors isn't the McD brothers manager but I don't know who is. Like you, I haven't read the story and if is about $ without threats of leaving, I'm happy. FWIW, I think Tom will stay.

Thanks D. Nothing like speculation by a journo to grab a headline, eh! Last time the club sort to sign him to a longer contract but Tom chose 2 years because he wanted to see how the club improved (and I suspect because he would then be an UFA) . He has now seen our improvement. I would be surprised if he leaves for some extra $$ just when the club is on the cusp of good things. I reckon the club will look after Tom and will give him a decent pay rise with his fair share of the extra 20% pa salary cap in the new CBA agreement, while keeping to its policy of paying around market value.

That Salem is there suggests the coaches aren't satisfied with how the inside midfield is working. Perhaps, it is too one dimensional, lacking variety (excluding Oliver). FWIW, my thoughts are: Jones is quick but not clean as he tends to bomb it out to nowhere. Tyson is quick but not clean, bombs it out or gets caught HTB as he takes on the opposition. Viney, is Viney and takes on the opposition, sometimes gets away with it (and is a joy to watch when he does) but just as often gets pinned HTB. And I'm not sure any of them have a really high footy IQ. So our winning the hitouts isn't translating to winning the clearances often enough and immediately puts our defence under pressure. Salem is quick, clean, tough and has the footy smarts. He is one of those players for whom time stands still when he has the ball. He may yet end up our 'outside polish' player (he is only 22). Also, maybe the club is looking at one of the new recruits (eg Balic, Spargo) or even Hunt to take up that outside role. If Hunt learns to slow his last 2 steps just a fraction before kicking he will become a more accurate kick into the forward line. It is an interesting 'sub plot' to see how it plays out during the year.

The HS has an article titled 'Tom on Target for Bumper Payday'. Can someone who can get behind the paywall tell us if he is any closer to signing or if its just another HS 'fluff' pieces. Cheers,

Interesting, that he will be played as an inside mid as he was often touted as the outside, classy distributor. With his 21 centre bounce attendances, 5 clearances and 82.4% disposal efficiency, he will add class to the work engine and Max will love having his silkiness at his feet. It is a great move by the club to put him in there as Jones, Viney, Tyson are all bulls who can get the ball but often turn it over - either caught HTB or miss targets. Salem is not an eye-catching, 'flashy' player - he is the quiet achiever who many won't notice. He can do eye-catching things - his match winning, after the goal siren vs Ess in one of his first ever games. Cool as a cucumber. I forsee a very high performing consistent year from him and he is my smokey to rise up the B&F ranks this year. Salem lining up with Oliver will give other teams a lot of headaches in the middle! I'm rapt with this move!

Here is the clubs notice of Family Day next Sunday. http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2018-02-27/2018-family-day-guide It seems all our sponsors will be there with fun activities for kids: Enjoy badge making and colouring in at our Arts and Craft station! iSelect Obstacle Course Zurich photo booth Handball “around the world” at the China Southern Airlines handball target station Visit the Sporting Globe virtual kicking booth Additional activations from club partners including Fernwood, Hertz, Chisholm, New Balance, Haymes and VGRF Face painting, balloon animals, posters, giveaways and more! Melbourne's AFL and AFLW teams will be presented on stage at the conclusion of the day I suspect there wasn't enough space at Luna Park to host all these activities. The MCG brings people closer to our spiritual home and gives sponsors the rare opportunity to interact directly with members/fans. Good weather forecast so should be fun for all!

Does anyone know if the 'accussed' or their club can view the other club's medical report or submit info to the MRP before the decision is handed down? It seems not and their only course is to appeal the decision and risk a higher penalty... Tough spot for a player if the other club decides to go after him and submits evidence and medical reports that put mayo on the incident. I have vivid memories of how Carlton doctor's ensured the book was thrown at Jesse last year (with the delayed concussion claim) so he got the maximum rap when a lesser one (or none) was more appropriate.

dc, I think the club is trying to teach players to be disciplined and take responsibility for their behaviours so they won't appeal this and unless there is a lot at stake (eg key player missing finals) they won't appeal future decisions. It is a fair position by the club but I also think there are times when we should stand up for our players. What annoys me is the MRP has not stated what the 'incident' was so if it was a punch or a strike why not say so? If this fine is intended to deter others, it won't happen if the MRP doesn't say what the errant behaviour was. Crikey, the umpire was right there - I wonder what he had to say to the MRP? Poor performance by MRP on all fronts

What, an open handed tap to the chest that had no reaction! . It wasn't even a push!! What sort of medical report did they get? No wonder the MRP didn't describe the 'incident' - there wasn't one! I call BS!

I only noticed that line If the coach is that confident in Viney playing - I'm on board!!

But what did he do that was deemed to be 'misconduct'? Very odd that the MRP doesn't say what the incident was. 'Misconduct'. Maybe it is a new catch-all charge when they want to fine somebody! He needs to watch out. Two or Three fines like that and he gets a week on the bench.

There is nothing new in the article - just the HS re-hashing old news. Now, if he had re-signed that would be 'Great news!!!!' I do think it is only a matter of time before he does re-sign. If I recall correctly his manager, Paul Connors was quoted as saying he is going to make us pay top dollar for Christian's signature so it may take a while. But hopefully, it is sorted sooner rather than later - really don't want it to drag out.