Diamond_Jim

Agree with the above posts. I was not however really pushing for the relocation of the training site but that could be considered. Doubt that the cost/reward equation for a supporter would be overwhelmingly positive. It was more about how one can leverage aspects of the summer training season in Melbourne to enhance the fan experience. We have kids off school for eight odd weeks... things like the grand final parade (which strikes me as underwhelming) are a great success which shows there is space for add ons. My post was intended to get people thinking about the possibilities. Perhaps there is nothing to be had but it is worth discussing.

While I have never been many of my American contacts talk of the joy (or the dream) of attending Spring training for their favourite baseball team. A team like the New York Yankees bases itself in Florida to do its pre-season training. Fans attend in an almost party like atmosphere to hang out for a few days and watch their players up close. It does not extend to the whole of the off season and is a ticketed event. Not sure what elements we could take from this activity to increase the "fan experience" but perhaps it is worth a look. Not suggesting we move our training interstate but perhaps some things like names on training singlets, a roving low key commentator that gives insight.... who knows.We could do without the paid tickets element perhaps I suspect that if the big clubs like Collingwood could "crack the code" it could become a pleasant activity during the off season. Perhaps MFC could trail blaze (with an AFL grant)

According to Caroline Wilson of the Age the decision is delayed as ASADA want more info The article includes at least two comments of some interest: "Fairfax Media understands that the prevailing view at ASADA was that the two club officials involved appeared more culpable than Whitfield and should receive harsher penalties." and "While the AFL had stated it would examine the wider issues associated with working with ASADA and its rules after the Bombers' affair, it remains determined not to move on Allan, Lambert and Whitfield without the anti-doping body's blessing. Both parties had previously been advised that, on all available evidence, the three had breached the national-doping code, a transgression that draws a four-year penalty. The expectation was that the AFL would negotiate down from the punishment." http://www.theage.com.au/afl/asada-delay-on-lachie-whitfield-affair-20161107-gsk193.html

Call me a cynic but I hope we have our rookies all in a row as I would not be surprised by a mid season retirement. Hope I am wrong but the MFCSS tends me to think otherwise.

DV8 raises some good points that warrant discussion. The fact is that that the MCG is now home to at least 4 teams and is occasional home to a few more. Teams other than Melbourne provide the bulk of the revenue to the MCC. (The conflict is obvious whether it be actual or perceived.) Take a walk around the outside of the MCG and tell me how as an objective observer you would associate the history of the MFC with that stadium. Okay there are some photos on the inner walls and a few rooms named after players. In contrast the statues outside (quite rightly) include greats from all clubs. As the years go by the percentage of MCC members that also support Melbourne will continue to decrease. In other words our seemingly existing irrelevancy will worsen not improve. Not saying that the MCC alignment is not beneficial but never think they have best interests of the MFC at the forefront of their future plans. Perhaps we need to be more demanding of the MCC rather than continue like the infant supplicant that we may have become.

Another way of looking at it is to think about success and if so how are we going to leverage that success into becoming a team that is relevant to the competition. North Melbourne is proof that success does not guarantee relevance. At least NM have Arden street but having worked around that area and wandering past the complex a few time I never got the feeling that it was an historical base. Funnily enough every time I pass the old Victoria Park ground on the train one is immediately hit by the big Magpie on the Social Club and the fantastic black and white pannelling of the stand. That is "history." As I have often mentioned on other posts the next five years or so will shape this club for the next twenty. It will be a hard road (even if successful on the field) to move out of that group of Melbourne teams that are merely there to make up the television numbers but we need to give it a "hell" of a try.

Docklands is not the only stadium that has problems. West Ham Football Club have just moved into the main Olympic Stadium that was built for the London Olympics. The stadium is now called London Stadium. Apparently it had a retractable seat system where the seats would come out and cover the athletics track. The budget for reconfiguring the seating (each time they were rolled out) was GBP300,000 (about A$500K). It is now estimated to cost around a reported GBP 8 Million !! for each roll out. It also suffers from a number of other problems including fan dissatisfaction. Here is an article that touches on some of the issues with the stadium. It has as its basis some potentially serious safety complaints. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/nov/03/olympic-stadium-chris-baker-ravi-sharma

I thought that the diversion to the Holy Roman Emperor and the discussion of Caligula's horse was fascinating but this latest dialogue has taken the thread to almost Twin Peak level By the way who really did kill Laura Palmer? I kind of got lost in the Indian Smoking Lodge (or whatever it was)

Seems that the Saturday afternoon 3pm free to air broadcast may be sold to Pay TV in 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/oct/28/fewer-afl-games-to-be-screened-on-free-to-air-television-in-2017

would you go if both games are in Alice Springs? Many of us can understand the need to play interstate (hell.... how many games did we gift Brisbane during their ascendancy) but the climatic differences between Melbourne and Darwin when taken together with the closeness of the comp make Darwin a high risk game against clubs where we should have a home ground advantage. Even the Dogs who play in Cairns (once) only move to a 26 degree environment ..... Darwin is 30 degrees mid winter

It's the extreme weather in Darwin. Happy with two games in Alice as long as they get good coverage and exposure back in Melbourne. (Similar to Tasmanian games) Would be better if air fares to the Centre and the North were not so expensive !!

Crowd funding.... then say goodbye to Darwin !! Less concerned about Alice Springs provided we can turn it into an Event rather than a distraction.

Average Max at Alice = 19.8 and 19.7 degrees in June and July Average Max at Darwin= 30.6 for both June and July A very big difference

So important to get your version of the story out if you want history to favour you. Reading a book recently about early Singapore. There were at least three people who could perhaps claim to be the "founder" of Singapore but Raffles wife wrote a "best seller" and the rest is "history."

Average highs in Darwin for May to August It's hot and humid all winter !! 32.0 (89.6) 30.6 (87.1) 30.6 (87.1) 31.4 (88.5

I think perhaps we need to consider new approach to the Darwin game and pick an extended squad. The ones that are not playing in Melbourne the week before would be sent to Darwin two weeks before. I am thinking of fringe fast players that then play the Darwin weekend. (Perhaps Spencer to help Gawn.) I would also encourage the club to study how the Socceroos deal with their road trips to inhospitable climates. (Not sure that Melbourne people understand the climatic differences .... they are extreme.) On a related note I get emails from the club but I have never seen any travel deals for these games in exotic places. Is there a link on the website or the like that I am missing?

Caligula .... an emperor of Rome with somewhat unusual tastes... was said to have planned to appoint his horse Incitatus a consul. He was assassinated before he could complete his plan. Mind you the history writers of the time were a little biased so truth was a moveable concept (much like it seems to be with the AFL and others on this and related issue)

Perhaps the simple equation is the difference between each payers best and worst. Good teams have 3-4 players who 80% of the time will have a good game and 30% of the time will have a very good game. Who are Melbourne's 3 or 4? If we can get consistent performance by key players we can build a team around them. My hopes for such players include Watts, Petracca, Gawn and perhaps Oliver and Hogan. I am not convinced that Jones is such a player notwithstanding that he is a great contributor.

sorry my mistake.... it was against Port but it was the game at the Adelaide oval The live free to air game shown in Melbourne that night was Western Bulldogs v Geelong (underscores my point..... we get very low coverage........ other than Richmond we did not play one night game in Melbourne)

Not only does the MFC rarely see a Friday night slot we do not even get a prime time Saturday night slot. Our only night games last year were the Anzac eve and the non free to air televised games in Darwin and Alice Springs

we get the Monday night before Anzac day against Richmond ..... will be lucky to get another game in anywhere near prime time Perhaps we could get an interstate game on a Thursday night but don't hold your breath

Ah..... grasshopper.... the rules exist for the betterment of the game.... top team = better game .... so the masters say

Up against live free to air telecast of the Grand Prix..... what a bonanza for our sponsors However you spin it we have been once again allocated the graveyard shift !!!

Very good points Dee Spencer In the case of Whitfield we probably have one of those situations where because of ignorance and stupidity he did the wrong thing. While youth is some excuse for him it does not extend to the club officials. Moreover if the "girlfriend was harassing me story" is proven to be wrong all sympathy goes out the window. If you want a real miscarriage look at the Ahmed Saad case and the sports drink which was fine all week but not on match day. If he got 18 months and ASADA then appealed asking for 2 years what is appropriate for Whitfield?

And of course the offence here is not the taking of any drugs but is the "deliberate avoidance of a drug test" Classic Watergate syndrome where the "cover up" far outweighs the original wrong (in this case the possible taking of a recreational drug which may or may not have been in breach of WADA rules).