Diamond_Jim

I was listening last night to the BBC and they had a story of the Red Bull Liepzig Football team. For those who are not aware of this team, who are currently sitting second in the Bundesliga (the German version of the EPL) was founded seven years ago when it began playing in fourth division. With the backing of Red Bull they have moved through each division to their present status. (The club itself has not been without controversy as its meteoric rise has questioned some of the fundamental tents of club football in Germany). Okay ... it works because of no salary cap and money being thrown at a team (not unlike Manchester City and others in the EPL). My point for discussion is whether supporters would give up the name Melbourne in return for relatively unlimited funds and putting the sponsors name into the club name. Given the inexorable rise of GWS and the financial strength of the usual five or six clubs do teams like the MFC need to think outside the square to guarantee its future. We have the salary cap so you cannot put your money directly into players but there are other things that money (and lots of it ) can provide. Training facilities are obvious but what about paid media promotion and subsidised ticketing to increase the fan base. I am sure others could come up with some ideas for how to spend the money. The idea of company sponsored teams is not limited to red Bull. The J league has a few and I am sure there are many others. In other discussions about our future many posters have mentioned that the name "Melbourne" guarantees our future in the competition. This could be right but it does not of itself bring in any money. Interested in people's views on this and related topics.

The closeness of the competition underscores how we suffer (and will continue to do so) by our requirement to play at less than ideal venues. Darwin, Alice Springs and Kardinia Park spring immediately to mind. Throw in our inability to win at Etihad and we have 6 games (one win in Darwin aside against a very out of form Freo aside) that have proved unwinnable in the past. Need to win probably three to four of those 6 to show real improvement yet already people are expressing fear about what is possibly the easiest (or should be ) ... St Kilda at Etihad. That opening game is a real test !!

Netflix, Stan , Amazon etc..... they are all nibbling away if not devouring Foxtel. Optus took the EPL. A matter of time until the AFL takes broadcasting in house and then streams it onto the internet. The only thing that will keep it on Foxtel is if Foxtel is prepared to pay over the odds and then use it as the hook for the bells and whistles subscriptions. I wonder what the price would be for a direct pay per view/season if the AFL took it in house. It would have to be less than the $1K per year approx that one pays for Telstra bundle with the AFL In a few years perhaps we will think of Foxtel as we now think of video stores.

Interesting that Jim Stynes appears in most peoples teams as the first ruck. A magnificent club man, a wonderful man and a very good player but was he the best ruckman? I would think Jeff White pre injuries and rule changes was more dominant and Strawbs was not too bad. I am sure there are many others. I suppose it comes down to a point I raised earlier.. are we rewarding consistent great effort or are we looking for that special spark of brilliance that was displayed only on occasion but when they did... fireworks !!. (Jakovich and Travis Johnstone are excellent examples of the latter players.)

So true... was wondering if there were other MFC players about which the same comment could be made

Good Post Lord Travis Do your stats show how many of those 29 possessions were in the third quarter? Of course they were 29 "real" possessions in a time when 20 was probably considered outstanding You are also right about the tag. In the game for last place on the ladder (known by some as the Kreuzer Cup .... as he was the stand out number one draft pick for the next draft) the Carlton Coach did not tag Johnstone and he got around 40 possessions if I remember correctly. It was not a game that will be remembered as an AFL highlight.

Travis Johnstone..... perhaps I would not have him in my team based on most consistent players but if I was picking a team "hoping for a player to display some pure elite magic" he would have to be on my list. Who could possibly forget the third quarter against Adelaide in that final (the exact year escapes me). It was maybe one of the best quarters ever played by an MFC player (certainly was the best I ever saw). Unfortunately consistency was not his best suit but never forget the brilliance !

I'll get mildly excited after we win 4 out of the first 5 or 6 out of the first nine. Having difficulties forgetting the round 21 let down against Carlton.... everything to play for and .... well we all know what happened

"The sub-committee also found that the Giants’ board, chief executive and chief operating officer had not been aware of the misconduct and the club’s governance could not be faulted." That's the trouble with governance if there is no corresponding moral values system to go along with it. The treatment by the media and the AFL of the EFC case and to a large extent this case means that we are further from instilling those moral values. I suspect it will only occur when sponsors demand it. By the way I have never seen the public apology to the girlfriend. One might dislike Collingwood but I think their treatment of the two suspended players was measured. O well.... let us see how long it takes until the next issue like this comes along.

From that article: " The loss of 1000 points will have a minimal affect on the Giants' ability to recruit academy graduates but it does limit their drafting capacity with 1000 points being about the equivalent of pick No.15, the selection the club took into the 2016 draft." So the player got one month effectively and the club got a limp slap over the wrist Makes you wonder if the "managers" were the fall guys

So we cannot select a category A rookie which as I understand it are those who have played in an AFL comp at any time in the last three years. Perhaps not really a great outcome then

Posted around six weeks ago on this thread that it was apparent (or at least likely) that H had played his last game. At that time my thoughts were pay him out but make sure it is done in a time frame that does not stuff up our draft choices. It is now apparent that he will go (when is the question) and that we will upgrade a rookie. My question to those who follow the draft closely is assuming H had gone pre draft would we have chosen a player in the draft that we did not rookie anyway. Secondly assuming we promote a rookie pre-season are we allowed to replace that rookie with another. Many thanks

great verse and here's the sound track for those who are wondering: Perhaps something for young Hogan to the tune of I am Pegasus

Out of interest has anyone found a link to the appeal judgement transcript. Wonder if it was ever published cheers

out of interest what is the definition of mid field these days. Seems to me you could easily argue that it is up to 13- 15 odd players

Last year the Dogs played all their youngsters and we played an almost first 22. They were up for the first half and then we ran away with it in the second half. happy not to visit Craigieburn again . Would be a nice ground with a few more trees but it was a sunbowl last year. What is Casey like on a warm day ... shade wise (Mind you Whitten Oval would probably be a little desolate on a hot day.) cheers

not sure what to say after reading that article

This was at best a neutral trading season. Without Lewis it would almost certainly be a negative. The real question is whether the 2014/2015 picks will come through Have no issue with the club's approach but 2017 is the time to deliver a significant improvement

I saw those stats fndee but perhaps they did not really feed into dominating the clearance stats (I think). For example our top ranked player was Viney ranked 14 in clearances, Jones at 25 and Tyson at 44. My feeling is that at present the opposition often rove to our mid field at the centre bounce (tackle... close down ) and then we have a secondary ball up. Could not find rankings for centre clearances or clearances from ball ups. Would be interested to see where we ranked. Interestingly North Melbourne players with their dominant ruckman were ranked around the same as ours. Perhaps the ruckman is dead and his worth is measured mainly by his round the ground skills ?

Interesting posts Pleasure to read many of the well thought out theses. As some have said the world cannot be reduced to a slogan. What Fidel did back in the late 50's was probably justifiable but at some stage over the next 50 years the ideal was lost. I always have a bit of a chuckle about Guantanamo and the American excesses at that place given their complaints about the lack of human rights in Cuba. Would like to think that Cuba can find its way without the need to become another Caribbean Las Vegas pandering to middle class America. Unfortunately with its rural based economy I do not hold out much hope.

A large part of the key to success in 2017 will be our tactics to take advantage of Gawn's ruck dominance. He gave great value around the ground but I feel that we did not take advantage of his ruck dominance. I have no idea of what the required tactic(s) might be but if we can master them and Gawn can remain fit nothing is impossible next year.

Farewell Aunty Jack....

The Essendon love in is interesting....... wonder if it is just the gambling industry keeping themselves safe from the sentimentality of Bomber supporters Along with many others I would be extremely disappointed if we do not beat and finish above Essendon, North and St Kilda

Cynicism is the natural protective blanket of most Melbourne supporters but I think there is a lot of sense in your post Beelzebub. When you combine the factors you mention with the natural enthusiasm injected by a new coach (okay not new in the ordinary sense) the players can enter the season with a feeling of confidence and commitment. Confidence can be a brittle thing however so it is very important that we get a few good performances under our belt early in the season. From there.... who knows....we may even come to look upon the Darwin game as a welcome winning break from the winter slog

Breaking news A charter flight carrying 81 people including 22 members of the Chapecoense Football team has crashed in Columbia. Six survivors reported. https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2016/nov/29/brazilian-team-chapecoense-onboard-plane-that-crashed-over-colombia-latest shades of Man U plane crash in Munich 1958