Diamond_Jim

I think people underestimate the power of FTA television. The Foxtel ratings are almost non existent but the FTA is another matter. Would love to see the FTA appearances club by club for the last five years. Someone mentioned we have 13 FTA matches for 2019. I'll take a punt and say Collingwood have 17 or more.

fantastic book I read it while travelling in India and it allowed me to discuss things with many people I met. A must read and a very easy read.

In the last two years the team who was 13th has gone on to win or challenge for the flag, Guess who was 13 this year.... yep the Bulldogs

Fascinating...as I grow older, I have become very interested in reading histories from alternative aspects and understanding the power of written histories. India under the British from the viewpoint of the Indians is an easily accessible example. A useful piece of trivia.. there are actually three people who could rightly claim to be the "founder" of Singapore. After Raffle's death his widow wrote a book pushing his story forward as the new Clive etc to enhance her chances of getting a pension from the East India Company and as they say "the rest is history." Hopefully the dark lessons of history that came from the EFC drug saga are not lost but I suspect like in many other areas we will repeat it.

Carlton played there last year but I agree Geelong has been allowed to pick and choose it's Karidinia opponents. Time for them to have their MCG opponents rotated between the remaining Melbourne clubs. Let's face it though... the compromised draw has become a monster that has the potential over many years to destroy the competition. I don't have the answer but there has to be a better way or we will end up with an EPL like competition. Luckily MFC has the MCG which gives us some bargaining power... woe be tide the other 3 Melbourne losers ... Saints, Bulldogs and North.

So realistically who are vulnerable in the sliding stakes.... Would not surprise me if Collingwood struggle... they had a good September but without Sidebottom and Pendlebury firing will they be as good? Essendon.. a real unknown... performed maybe two rungs below where they should have ended last year. Could go up or down. Sydney and Hawthorn... down slightly. Who is on the up..... not sure.. perhaps Freo and Brisbane will worry a few more teams thus making them danger games. Cannot get a handle on North. So.... overall it's once again anyone's flag next year with Richmond and WCE deservedly favourites.

wow... an incredible situation

And from the AFL site... "COLLINGWOOD will be the darlings of prime time next year, with the Magpies handed 11 blockbusters matches following the release of the official 2019 AFL Toyota Premiership Season Fixture. In addition to the annual Anzac Day and Queen's Birthday matches, the Pies will feature in two Thursday night games and seven Friday night games throughout next season." Such a level playing field ....

Rotate the opposition... it's simple Why should we forever be stuck with the left overs. It's a fight for exposure.. and we're losing

why not..we drew 90+k last time we played them and we are being asked to go to a ground where there is a virtual lock out. If it's good enough for Essendon etc why are we the perpetual bunny

dudded again but hey... what's new

We're in a fight for survival with nine other Melbourne clubs. At present we sit in the bottom 4 with North, Saints, Bulldogs and ourselves. Survival means exposure in the main markets and NT doesn't deliver that in any meaningful way. If it was so good to play up there I think there might be a few other clubs going for the silver arrow but no one wants to grab the nettle. Memberships expand and contract at geometric rather than arithmetic rates. By 2025 assuming we grow by 20% we will be around 70,000 members less than Richmond if they grow at the same rate.

makes sense and you could follow it with the bye. The problems I see are accommodation costs etc (not insurmountable but not chicken feed) and more importantly the absence from the MFC home market for a three week period. If we could guarantee good FTA coverage back in Melbourne this impact could be minimised. Technically it would be two home games in a row which would then be followed by the bye and an away game (which one would hope would be in Melbourne) .. so you could go four weeks without a Melbourne based home game. BTW who gets the money from the attendance of MFC members at the so called make up games?

Slightly related to the issue of sartorial elegance in the sporting arena, I had cause to go to the Washington Redskins website yesterday. (Presently on top of the NFC Eat after many many lean years.) Anyway last week they played in NY against the Giants and the website had a section on the players travelling to NY. To say there was the full range of fashion was an understatement. https://www.redskins.com/photos/photos-redskins-travel-to-new-york-2018#cc9427d1-9e25-4f62-89fa-3cea4cfd3412 Go Skins !!

the Darwin and Alice grounds have a capacity of around 12 and 6k respectively so I doubt that crowd numbers drive the dollar return. It is just so disappointing that we have saddled ourselves with this five year impediment without looking at alternatives. Even if you equate the money to two game points on average per year the incremental loss from the reduction in ladder position and associated returns makes it a line ball decision. Did the club ever consider a membership levy for example... ten dollars per member or say a levy on blockbusters. Given the money people were willing to fork out on the GF tickets ballot that we never needed don't tell me members couldn't afford the extra $10 each season. Did we look at playing at Mildura and having the State government fund a game a la the Bulldogs at Ballarat. How about playing in rural SA or WA and getting money from their State governments. And of course why not just say it's Alice only to the NT government. So many alternatives and in reality so little discussion. Commercial in confidence.... from whom... don't see many competitors lining up to take the "hot dollar."

would have got a 30k crowd at least for this match at the MCG if not more. The idea that it would be loss making holds no water any more unless we are talking of Gold Coast or Freo. NT just makes no sense from so many angles.

Was assuming the Alice game would be in May like this year... By late July I am usually seeking warmer climes in Asia. Darn ... looks like no road trip or perhaps a re-org of my year ?

Is he doing VCE? cheers

Well past my student days but I know we have a few teachers on here and I remember some sage advice that many have posted over the years. My advice.. Do your best.. Don't stress and remember to take some time away from the books to clear the mind. Throw a basket ball, go for a run or just get away. Not sure that computer games serve the same aim but nothing wrong with a couple of half hour stints if that floats the boat. Perhaps minimise the social media as it may just leads to a communal worry fest or similar. But most of all remember that in no way does your VCE determine the rest of your life. You do. Good Luck and Go Dees

The outside is definitely part of Yarra Park. The oval and immediate environs as I understand it are the property of the RFC but I could not confirm that. Here's an article from earlier this year where RFC talk of redevelopment of the oval surrounds. Needless to say if they could get a commercial development going the land would be worth a fortune. They talk in the article of the land behind the goals in particular. No way should they be allowed to touch the old stand. https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/richmond-to-consider-all-options-for-upgrading-punt-road-oval-facilities-including-demolishing-jack-dyer-stand/news-story/bf5edb57c7ee4e9146c73506dd351173?nk=34fd14988ab099a0a18aab69e413ab5d-1540858399

Looking forward to the fixture as I am going to try and make the bucket list road trip to Alice and the Rock while taking in the big clash.. (remind me what they called it ?) Now... "The Road to Alice" or similar could make a great summer time thread. Pro Hart in Broken Hill, bacon and egg sandwiches at renowned road stops... the possibilities are limitless

Understood but then again I have always enjoyed the more esoteric discussion of football politics that the lazy summer months encourage. Go Dees

The drip feed of the fixture including the hints as to who will play when (I see North are now confirmed for Good Friday against either Essendon or Richmond) is so amusing. This desire of the AFL to occupy the entire media space and more interestingly the willingness of the media to lap it up is a marketer's dream. Anyone else feel that it is just getting too over the top?

If we are serious about expansion, Carlton membership is what we have to surpass. Won't happen in 2019 but 2020 is a possibility. Shame about the prelim performance.. probably cost us 2-4k of new members immediately signing up. The other impact of the low key first round fixture is on reserved seats. No encouragement to sign up to a season of reservation as we all know there will be plenty of seats.

Dropped over to the Port forum in the last few rounds of 2016... they seem to be quite realistic in the main. Should be a win for MFC but nothing is certain with the MFC as we well know.