Swooper Northey

Realistically, even if Caulfield was given the green light tomorrow, it's several years away from being ready. I've warmed to the idea of Waverley as an interim solution where we can actually bring the administration and primary training facilities together in one location rather than the current situation of administration at the MCG and training facilities / football department at AAMI Park. The facilities look fine (see link below) and we have the benefit of Casey down the South Eastern Fwy. The club could even bus players from Waverley to Casey on the days when they train there. If we resign ourselves to waiting for the finished product at Caulfield before trying to address the disconnect between administration and training base, it will set us further back. https://www.realcommercial.com.au/sold/property-2-stadium-circuit-mulgrave-vic-3170-504798612

I'd heard that the MFC is aiming to move to Waverley in about June, once the facilities have been fitted out.

I think it solves co-locating the administration with the primary training base. Casey would still be used to complement Waverley for the reasons you mention. If Caulfield does eventually happen the club has said it will still need Casey to cater for all of the extra demand.

Yeah, that's gone to Dingley.

Here's a look at the Waverley facilities which would be an upgrade on the split AAMI / Gosch's Paddock / MCG training and admin set up, allowing the club to bring everything under one roof. https://www.commercialrealestate.com.au/property/2-stadium-circuit-mulgrave-vic-3170-2019818740 If this in used in the interim while Caulfield is being approved and eventually developed, it could be a positive.

Very well said Redleg. Couldn’t agree more. Very well said Redleg. Couldn’t agree more.

The pic doesn't do justice to the size of that carpark. It's enormous.

High first rounder + Jake Soligo.

Picture a player with a matchstick physique but with the grace of a ballet dancer and the skill to make the game's giants look like schoolboys. But his greatness lay not just in his extraordinary abilities, but in his humility and loyalty.

Apparently Jake Melksham won the James McDonald ‘Memorial’ Trophy. Unless I’m mistaken, Junior is very much alive..

I dare say they'll use a section of the enormous racecourse reserve closer to the training and admin base to develop the ovals. There is an existing tunnel from that side of the racecourse to the infield.

Not really. An existing tunnel beneath the track would lead straight to the infield where the ovals would be.

I went past Caulfield this evening to have a look at the area mentioned in yesterday's report. That car park opposite the station is enormous, even with some of it fenced off as the set up begins for Spring Carnival. So there would be absolutely no problems for space if the club could build on this land. To have an elite training facility in this precinct, so close to public transport and the inner suburbs of Melbourne would be an absolute win. I left thinking that we could go from having the worst training facilities in the league to the best when this development is done. Bring it on.

Yep, that's a weakness that's crept into his game this year. Very neat and effective in 2024 but has turned the ball over far too often this season. Liked him playing in the middle though. Plenty of upside.

I think Buckley's an impressive character. This is worth watching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rNMCZd0trc

Brad's intentions were good, just needs to work on his method and delivery.

Yet again, McClure references unnamed sources and somehow that gets treated as fact. Meanwhile, Clarry—who's openly battling mental health issues—gets hounded for a response. This isn't journalism; it's harassment. What twisted message does this send? Disclose your struggles publicly, and watch as clowns reporting for TV news bulletins circle anyway, demanding answers while accepting baseless claims without question. Pathetic.

I'd like to raise some constructive feedback for the club that is a lot easier to solve than forward connection, the search for a new CEO or a permanent training base. It's the over the top pre-game audio at MCG home games that is dressed up as 'match-day experience' but only serves to detract from the experience itself. I love concerts and live music, but when I go to the footy, it would be nice to be able to hear the person next to me, rather than having music blaring and the match-day hosts screaming over the top of each other. I get that this is meant to create energy, but the real energy isn't the manufactured stuff. It's what happened in the last quarter on Saturday when 25,000 passionate Demon fans turned up their own volume and cheered their team to victory.

Andy, your well-timed spray during last week's podcast, fire and brimstone that would have made Barrass proud, clearly had the desired effect. Well done!

Welcome back Andy, George and Binman. Looking forward to another year of the podcast. It's early March so I'll stick with the positives following the preseason match against Freo. The pleasing takeaways for me were: 1. The return of Trac - looks like he hadn't missed a beat. Great for him to get a game under his belt without injury. 2. Clarry's comeback. He looks fit, strong and quick - dare I say it, back to the Clarry of old. 3. Sparrow playing ANB's role. 4. Our clearance dominance in the second half. 5. Greater use of forward handball to keep pace on the ball. 6. AJ looks to be a ripper.

I felt dreadfully sorry for Tim Lamb.

And that's part of my point. The AFL media environment is littered with people who are desperate for the next sensational headline. Unfortunately we've dished that up consistently in recent years, so they're simply looking for more, even if it's illogical. For the club, dealing with the media can no longer just be an afterthought. We have to get serious about it including understanding what can happen when we get it badly wrong. Right now our inability to manage the message is destabilising the club and harming our future prospects.

Let's face it, in the AFL world, you've got to deal with problems quickly. It's like putting out a small fire before it turns into a bushfire. Most issues aren't black and white, but try telling that to the AFL media - they're not big on subtlety. This is where Melbourne keeps getting it wrong. The club had plenty of chances to get on top of issues early, but time and again, they've let things spiral out of control. It's like they're allergic to nipping problems in the bud. When stuff hits the fan, Melbourne seems to freeze up. They don't tackle problems head-on, and when they do speak up, it's often too little, too late. Meanwhile, some media outlets are having a field day, churning out endless clickbait. Every time Melbourne drops the ball like this, they're basically handing the media a golden ticket to blow things out of proportion. Before you know it, a small hiccup turns into back-page news, and the club's scrambling to put out fires everywhere. All of these media issues would be making life really hard for our list management team to entice players to join the club. Players have choices, and who wants to join a club that's always in the headlines for the wrong reasons?

Clayton Oliver AFL Premiership player: 2021 2 x AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award: 2021, 2022 3 x All-Australian team: 2018, 2021, 2022 4 x Keith 'Bluey' Truscott MedallistL 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022 In return, Geelong will offer up Spiro Malakellis, David Mensch and pick 53

Here's the link to his new business: https://www.telosperformancepartners.com.au/who-we-are