Diamond_Jim

Article in today's Age on the relative finances of the AFL clubs. While we're not a basket case suffice to say we're still on Struggle Street. Of Victorian clubs we were ranked second last both in members and revenue beating only North. On AFL handouts we scored a little better with North Saints and the Bulldogs getting higher handouts. This was a year to forget for the Demons. There was major on-field upheaval, while they also recorded a $4.45 million loss, significantly impacted by the decision to axe Goodwin and move on Oliver. This came a year after the Demons had to factor in a $3.1 million payout to Angus Brayshaw for his medical retirement. While they had a drop in membership to 58,563, the Demons insist their balance sheet is strong. They have net assets of $24.4 million, a Future Fund of $23.7 million and combined cash and financial assets of $6.9 million. Their membership and gate receipts were $18.3 million. https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/pokies-handouts-and-membership-records-inside-the-finances-of-the-afl-s-victorian-clubs-20251208-p5nlqd.html

Not great to have a leased facility which is open to rent increases/redevelopment adjacent to our rent free ovals. Hopefully it's a very long lease on the admin facility. Ideally the whole facility would be one parcel but we aren't exactly in a wonderful bargaining position. Would it not be amusing if MRC and co also opened the project up to bids by Collingwood

Why would you want to play for any AFL aligned club when you know you will be dropped for fringe AFL players who may not be as good as you. As a comp it has produced very few players at VFL level who get promoted to an AFL list. It simply doesn't work anymore on so many levels. With the inclusion of interstate teams it has also lost what little community feeling it had. I liked going to Coburg, Port etc but now we are lucky to get to play at the old grounds

Wait till we see what happens when we all add Demonland to our social media links for the US ETSA

The first test will be whether the GF guarantee is open again. IIIRC it has been full since 2021. TBH I have always found the GF guarantee for struggling teams a little sus but there's always optimists.

Not sure how Oliver's move puts us in the red. The subsidy we are paying is inside the salary cap which amount we pay anyway. I think it's an accounting entry akin to the new CEO and Chairman writing everything down so future years look good

Lever and Viney are probably the only candidates. Lever is fraught with injury issues and Viney is in his twilight. I'm for keeping Gawn for one more year and then perhaps Rivers. I wouldn't be averse to Rivers moving up to VC in 2026 if the explanation to Viney and Lever can be managed but probably not worth the angst.

I love it that we ask the big questions on this Board. Must say I'm worried what will happen if I hand out my DL user name as part of my next ESTA application for USA. Then again Satanic Worship is probably a recognised religion over there so Demonland might not ring any of the wrong bells.

I wonder why Kalani is in Melbourne for 2026. With a structured training plan and some hands on mentoring from his father he could benefit from another year in the QAFL or whatever it's called. He would be on the MFC list. I suspect it's just too hard from a liability viewpoint but given that he's 3 year minimum from a senior game what is the hurry to drag him away from family and support etc.

The two Tier 1 players is a conundrum to say the least. It was designed to encourage movement from the founding clubs and it's still working

Ditch the jingoistic US theme song. While they're at it the Fitzroy/Brisbane song is indefensible.

In simple terms the tax is up to 75% so no one does it. It's only a matter of time for the mega clubs though. The problem is demonstrating the on field benefit of the extra payment. You are seeing more and more clubs complain about the soft cap but they frame it in terms of having to cut back on player welfare. Of course if you paid less to coaches etc you'd have more for player welfare. In 2023 Collingwood suggested they would pay the tax in order that they could pay coaches at the same level as pre-covid. They were going to fund it by selling a game to Queensland. Soon after the soft cap was relaxed marginally and Collingwood stayed home.

It would be reasonably paid but not overwhelmingly paid. Life after recruiting would be limited but perhaps you can transfer the skills to other areas. With the soft salary cap the AFL is full of "underpaid jobs" that really do not reward success. What would the Eagles or the Pies pay him but for that "cursed cap."

Interesting that you include Windsor and no fifth player. Must say I have a similar problem. Langford in the top 5 as a first year player is rather damning but I can't disagree.

Given that we finished 14th there's not too far left to fall but I would not be surprised if North overtake us. Staying ahead of Essendon and Richmond will be a mini win.

An interesting but irrelevant table in itself. As others have said it's all about the age of your best group of five (1-5, 5-10 10-15 etc) Collingwood have Pendlebury, Sidebottom and the former MFC fellow in their top ten and they had Mihochek. That's why they're exposed. We have Gawn and now Mihochek in our top ten. Viney and Salem are in the 10-15 group. I see Melksham, May and TMac as depth this year and would put them in the 20-25 group. BTW who are top 5 these days. Gawn, Pickett ???

In the scheme of things in Sports AFL is small business. One of the major US College Conferences probably dwarfs it in turnover

I see that the price of the new stadium is now $1.13Billion and that's before a sod is turned. My guess is $1.75B if not more by the time it's finished. Schedule wise I'm backing a minimum 50% over run with a few contractors going broke. Have a look at the price and Union deals that were done to get the Perth stadium and the MCG Northern Stand built if you want some precedents. It will also be built in the same window as Brisbane builds its Olympic games infrastructure. What was the original estimate... a couple of hundred million if I recall funded by all those offsets

To make this even have a chance of stacking up visiting fans will need to be encouraged to stay a week and spend accordingly. Hobart is a beautiful town and has some stunning day trips. My issue has always been planes. To get only 5k fans from the mainland you need 25 empty flights there and another 25 back. Those flights simply do not exist and airlines have no spare capacity these days. Perhaps the AFL could buy a cruise ship or two.

It involves allegations that MA is operating a shadow security guard workforce of several thousand migrant employees across Australia who, while wearing MA uniforms, are employed by front companies that in turn utilise corrupt payroll firms to underpay workers, denying them superannuation or other entitlements, while avoiding tax obligations. When the Tax Office seeks to recover what it is owed, these subcontractors and payroll firms collapse and their directors disappear overseas or refuse to assist investigators, according to liquidators’ reports and company sources. Oh well at least we're not alone in using them but taking them as a sponsor.......such timing !!

The North/South divide is electoral dynamite in Tasmania. You would think that they would want to play 11 games at the Taj Mahal. This means buying in extra games for Devonport. I can see North v Devils being played in Tasmania. Similar for some other teams even dare I suggest.... us. Then again where does the Tassie gov't find the money??

You have to wonder when one of the mega clubs (Eagles, Pies etc) is going to get a spring (in this case late January) training package for fans a la US baseball. A hosted package led by a former player with catering etc could be a great money spinner if done well.

Going to put a big dent in North's bottom line. Hawks should be able to cover off their loss. They may be asked to play in Devonport but you have to wonder how long the State Government can support the bread and circus brigade. Ticket pricing will be interesting for such a small stadium

Reading an article on BBL clubs possibly being sold into private ownership for an amount totalling $400-800M. It's a matter of time until the money men do the number crunching on the AFL and NRL. Private ownership was a failure in the 80's but I'd be amazed if it's not looked at again https://www.theage.com.au/sport/cricket/the-400-million-reasons-behind-cricket-australia-s-big-bash-sale-20251201-p5njqb.html Estimates of the value of a sale – based around the concept of selling 49 per cent stakes in six clubs and 100 per cent stakes in one each of the two Melbourne- and Sydney-based teams – have ranged between $600 and $800 million. But the strategic imperative of budget repair ahead of the next round of domestic broadcast deals in five years’ time has been a key focus of negotiation between CA chief executive Todd Greenberg, the state associations and the players.

Congratulations to North Time tomorrow onwards to review this season and the comp generally