Diamond_Jim

That could do it assuming that in the off years we finished 8-12 and broke even at worst in those off years. First step is to overtake Carlton in an off field sense. They are vulnerable. Also if we can swing Carlton, Dogs Port and Freo (along with Saints and North) to our side we could push the AFL for a realistic draw. Mind you if the comp made a loss we would be cutting our own throat in the short term. It would be a high stakes gamble. In ten years the game will be saved by TV/media rights of some kind.I have no idea what it will be but the challenge is to be there as a real player in ten years.

the system works well for the AFL and for about ten of the 18 clubs. Unfortunately it wont change.

that is simplistic....you need sustained results for five plus years and you need them at a time that delivers maximum revenue. One bad year will easily wipe out four good ones for a club like the MFC Unfortunately we are just horribly vulnerable to this downturn and without the AFL we would be well and truly insolvent.

Collingwood sold off its pokies in 2018 for $12M ... repaid its then debts of $1.6M and invested the balance in what it calls the CFC Future fund. For the 2019 FY it had an operating profit of $6M resulting in a net profit after interest etc of $4M. North has little long term debt ($650k) but had current liabilities of several million over and above receivables. Mind you this is at end October 2019 so you really need to know their annual cashflows. It has non current assets (long term leaseholds) values at cost of around $20M (North will almost certainly have a cashflow problem) The rest are all here if you want to look http://www.footyindustry.com/?page_id=4982

You echo the thoughts of many of us AF. The positive is that we now have four winnable games. Goodwin has backed his system.If we don't win three of those games the season is almost over.

the AFL are just hooked on the compromise draw. This year was the perfect opportunity to have a random draw subject only to hub requirements but no...if anything it is even more compromised. As mentioned the power clubs will soon tire of not being able to spend their money as they wish. If the Dogs have joined the dark side we had best watch out as there are now only three weaklings waiting to be picked off by the metaphorical lions

What could possibly go wrong..... Dominic Cummings may be weathering the storm that engulfed him for apparently flouting the government’s coronavirus lockdown guidance but that has not stopped Boris Johnson’s top adviser being ridiculed on the other side of the world. As Australia’s NRL season restarted this week, the Fan in the Stand initiative allowed the public to pay $22 for a cardboard cutout of themselves to be placed in a seat to “watch” their team in action. It seems one Sydney Roosters fan with a sense of humour had other ideas. A cardboard cutout of Cummings appeared at Bankwest Stadium for the Roosters’ match against South Sydney Rabbitohs and did not go unnoticed by TV viewers. “He’s travelled to Sydney now. Cummings doesn’t give a [censored]!” posted Sam Rowlett, along with a photo of the match coverage – a post which quickly gained several thousand likes on Twitter. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/29/dominic-cummings-cutout-appears-at-rugby-league-match-in-sydney-australia

The argument for GCS and GWS was that you needed the second team to maintain interest in the home market. The ninth game being marginal is I think more a message for Melbourne clubs... Mind you I think we could easily do without GCS.... GWS I hold some hope for based on the Western Sydney/ ACT/Riverina corridor. I find 3 games ample over a weekend from a TV viewing angle. I have a friend who watches them all so there are some people glued to the box.

winning this year is important for the future but money wise this year it means nothing. Could we be the only team in the AFL era to register a loss in a premiership year... now that would be typical MFC ?

The premiership win didn't deliver anywhere near the money that the power clubs get. IIRC it was around 20-30% of what Richmond received from additional merchandising etc. The Whitten Oval upgrade was substantially funded by Federal money and they run it in conjunction with Victoria University. Revenue streams include a childcare centre for example. How they have managed to stay in the black is a real credit to them and to their Board. Never thought that the Bulldogs would join forces with Kennett and Hawthorn but I have noticed that Gordon when on the ABC Jon Faine program often questioned the lack of a solid business case for many of the AFL's exotic ventures (China etc) Interesting that there is a story in the Age today saying that the increase in TV money as a result of the ninth game each week is marginal.

Top right is the playing jumper for the Broncos. Couldn't find an image for the back and the sleeves but they are full of ads.Walking billboards...

I was thinking of another word that starts with "D"

Was watching the NRL last night. I messaged my brothers who live in rugby states that the players looked like walking advertisments. Would hate to see the MFC go like that. Where do you stop ...we may as well call ourselves the Sexyland xyzs !! a la the Japanese leagues. Interesting aside with the NRL coverage was tight camera shots focused on players meant the round the ground ads became almost invisible. I also see that we have moved to a one minute break between a goal and the resumption of play.I assume this is a TV demand to allow for more ads.

If they cut the lists there will have to be a mechanism where you can also pay out contracted players. To have the whole cut fall on OOC players doesn't make sense on so many levels. It may also rescue Sydney from their Buddy deal (grrrrrrrr)

Being brutal about the players listed for contract renewal in 2020 it would seem that only Viney and Fritsch are certainties. Lots of others are probables (some more than others) but there's a few that could be hit by list reductions if they occur. Big year for quite a few of those on Lucifer's 2020 renewal list.

Is there some reason we can't fit out a bar at the MCG as the Barassi Bar with our memorabilia. The other tenants wouldn't complain as it's predominantly an MCC choice. Open it on match days with say a $10 cover charge and we're away.

Given the permitted crowds... say one third of usual.... there's no money in it for the arenas or the clubs

I suspect this has something to do with the absence of the VFL. Not really in favour given 16 minute quarters

Cannot help but notice that in the match simulation sequence where Bennell got several touches that the final kick inside 50 by the player to whom Bennell gave it off to (not sure who it was) was not to advantage. The clip doesn't make it clear exactly what happened between the attacker and defender.

so true..to use that cliche.. shovel ready projects will be prioritised Push the AFLW and VFLW angle together with the elite medical centre etc etc and you're ready to go. The great thing about Casey is that the long lead time facilities such as the ovals are already there. Indoor training centres gyms etc are relatively simple things to construct. The land is there at the Berwick goals end. Yes I know we would all love to be at the MCG but this is there now !! IMO we should have a space at the MCG itself for our memorabilia. That is our home.

I was wondering if we were the only club whose principal training ground was not capable of being closed off from the public. North at Arden street sprung to mind.A long time since I've been down that way. The ability to close the oval is perhaps going to be a problem with any redevelopment of Gosch's paddock

no criticism of you and much appreciated. Just missing the objectivity and detail we have become used to in comparison to the puff coverage from the club (mind you I would expect little else)

must say..the faux training reports are in keeping with season. Never thought I'd miss the training the house down versions from our usual followers. Tis a strange world

Not sure whether it was McLure or Healy last night that made the excellent point that he had never heard a fan calling for shorter quarters. It always came from football commentators who they thought were simply bored with the game. Eddie was given a special mention. Frankly this year was one for normal length quarters plus shortened quarter and half time breaks. No need for food/toilet breaks for fans this year.

couldn't make the practice games and without VFL his season is almost finished. If we see him it means the season is over for MFC and we are simply going through the motions. A real pity as we all like him as a player. Training must come hard for the fringe players. I would like to see the Melbourne teams pair with another club so that their fringe players could have a match each week. It would give them some hope.