MFC v Jeff Kennett

[Rooney]

Ah Jeff. As the previous Hawk supporters have said - please accept our apologies (as little as that means obviously).

My main problem with Jeff is that I don't think he really is a footy person. He gets the business side of things (hence this latest 'idea') but he really has no idea about the unquantifiable 'passion' side of things. I seem to remember he was all for the merger in 96?

I think he has been OK for our club but can probably be moved on now that we've got our off-field stuff in order. (which Dicker needs most of the credit for anyway)

Good luck on Sunday (but not too much)

 

[malodeez]

didnt alistair clarkson only last week say if someone at hawthorn ala choker williams did not respect the opposition they would be out the door. looks like clarko will be giving jeff the arse then

 

[mick]

....
It's nice to see most hawthorn supporters admitting that what he said is stupid, but there are a few morons around the place who agree that what he said was right.

I haven't heard or read one Hawthorn fan say that what Jeff said was justified at the forum it was given.

I have heard a few supporters from Hawthorn and other clubs say that Jeff's views are justified from a rationalist economy POV, but I have yet to hear anyone say that it should have been said at a charity benefit.

I reckon Jeff is on his own with this latest outburst, so please do not confuse the ramblings of an unelected club president with those of Hawthorn members who are yet to have the chance to vote him out.

By and large Hawthorn has been successful since Kennett has been at the helm, and I do appreciate some of the things he has done, but outbursts like his latest are not winning the hearts of members.

Kennett doesn't speak for Hawthorn members any more than Ridley spoke for true Melbourne members when he suggested the merger.

 

[Goldhawk]

Jeff is right by what he said,at least he has the guts to say these things that are warranted,i'm sure that most Presidents would think along the same lines but haven't got the guts to say it.
Melbourne must starts to get their act together such as their financial sponsorship income etc and increase their membership base, they will struggle to stay competive in this city of 3.8 million people as there is just not enough financial support to keep 10 clubs going in the long term,it's quite obvious that some teams will eventually go or get re located.And for all those Demon supporters going off and abusing Jeff,just think about it,the truth hurts.You had your chance back then and voted to merge with the Hawks,if it wasn't for Don Scott the merger might have gone ahead,so what has happened since then not one thing and you are still struggling.

 

[whelan=legend]

Goldhawk, another idiot who has no idea about the merger. STILL struggling? Melbourne was one of the only teams in the competition who WASN'T in debt in 1996. You were.

And what HAS happened since then is that Diamond Joe got us up shit creek.

 

[Marns]

I haven't heard or read one Hawthorn fan say that what Jeff said was justified at the forum it was given.

I have heard a few supporters from Hawthorn and other clubs say that Jeff's views are justified from a rationalist economy POV, but I have yet to hear anyone say that it should have been said at a charity benefit.

Who's going to be that specific? I could say that "I have yet to hear anyone say that it should have been said at a charity benefit wearing a black suit, black tie, white shirt and red socks. Therefore, nobody agrees with him."

The problem MOST people have, is that he said it in a public forum. I don't care if he thinks it in private, he's entitled to his own opinion. In this case, he should've just kept his mouth shut. All it does is create more bad press for our team.

 

[rdhopkins2]

Jef has ensured a crowd at this majestic event. Melbourne v Hawthorn has taken on a new edge. You guys have the gate receipts so will reap the benefit!

I don't think he was trying to be a total timmy tool but he does have some points in the AFL aren't going to prop up the stragglers, the new drafting rules with the new clubs coming in will cause havoc for the old strugglers.

Time for MFC- its board, players and supporters to fire up and get out of this mess. Starting with this weekend. Be there if your a true blue and red Dee. Otherwise pack the car and move to Adelaide.

Look forward to a cracking game.

 

[Deenamite]

Jeff is right by what he said,at least he has the guts to say these things that are warranted,i'm sure that most Presidents would think along the same lines but haven't got the guts to say it.
Melbourne must starts to get their act together such as their financial sponsorship income etc and increase their membership base, they will struggle to stay competive in this city of 3.8 million people as there is just not enough financial support to keep 10 clubs going in the long term,it's quite obvious that some teams will eventually go or get re located.And for all those Demon supporters going off and abusing Jeff,just think about it,the truth hurts.You had your chance back then and voted to merge with the Hawks,if it wasn't for Don Scott the merger might have gone ahead,so what has happened since then not one thing and you are still struggling.

You were gone 10 years ago. We were on the verge of taking you over until Don saved you. Like a few people have said, he doesn't understand the passion we feel for this club and wouldn't completely understand the feeling of having your footy club taken away from you like that. Annoying and over-bearing tosser.

 

[rdhopkins2]

We were gone 10yrs ago indeed. If anything what eventuated was fantastic for our club. Supporters rallied, bought memberships, attended games and the club looked to become more professional off-field not just winning on-field.

The ordinary Hawthorn fan dug deep volunteering time and money to get us back up off the ground. The ordinary Hawthorn fan enlisted the help of fellow Hawthorn supporters who worked as a team to resurrect a dead and buried club by coughing up for membershipsn rather than being a mere supporter. Losing Hawthorn was too much for many and that is what made them get off their butts and do something about it.

Compare the membership no's and $$ to the glory days of the 80's. Can you believe the turnaround (and we haven't won a premiership since '91) off-field. On-field we are improving. Look at Hawthorn now. Think how rubbish we were at the time Don Scott tore up the Hawk logo off the Melbourne jumper.

Look at Hawthorn now. Not world beaters by any means but oh what a turnaround. MFC should use this as a chance to fire themselves up and get on with the job from hell in resurrecting the demon that is Melbourne.

I'd hate to see Melbourne out of the AFL. 150yrs of history should not be allowed to go down the drain. Let this be a lesson Melbourne for future so that history never repeats. Time to stand up, be counted whether your a Toorak tractor driving Buller ski bunny or an ordinary Joe Smith off the street.

It's a grand old flag that should be flying high...not consigned to the graveyard. It's the emblem of the team you love, the team of the red and the blue (not blued and white and red etc). So may every heart beat true full of red and blue so that you have a grand old song to sing to. Should old aquaintence be forgot...get behind the red and the blue!!

 

[mick]

... In this case, he should've just kept his mouth shut. All it does is create more bad press for our team.

Agreed. Bad for you blokes and bad for my club's image.

Melbourne must starts to get their act together such as their financial sponsorship income etc and increase their membership base, they will struggle to stay competive in this city of 3.8 million people as there is just not enough financial support to keep 10 clubs going in the long term,it's quite obvious that some teams will eventually go or get re located.

Bullshit.

The AFL had 308 Million dollars in revenue last year and operating costs of about $81 million. This means the clubs should be entitled to about $14 million each. Instead the AFL doles out on average 7.8 Million dollars to each of the clubs including extra payments. I am no accountant but to me that suggests that if a club received its full entitlement of 14 million dollars they would easily cover most costs without even dipping into gate receipts, club sponsorships or member contributions.

There is plenty of money in the game, even if there isn't then it is not Kennett's job to tell another club with 27K passionate supporters to pack up and leave. If that is his view, he is entitled to it but it should have been expressed to the AFL commission when he had the chance or to the Administration or even privately to the MFC. There was nothing to be gained from publicly bollocking another club.

 

[McLean_4_Captain]

There was nothing to be gained from publicly bollocking another club.

There's plenty to be gained. He'll gain the ire of every melbourne supporter and of any football supporter that has any respect for the melbourne football club

 

[The Demon]

Kennett is a "PUBLICITY SEEKING BUFFOON", who is giving everyone depression!

 

[halfback dasher]

MISTAKE1. jeff ,let supporters of a club choose there own fate,and with that i mean dont try to tell them wrong from wright!
2.let them stnd up and FIGHT for there club(s) future SO YOU OUT THERE.....YER ALL OF YOU.................GET YOUR CLUB OUT OF THE SH....!!!!!!BECAUSE ONE DAY YOU WILL REGRET THE FACT YOU DID NOT

 

[Hawkk]

Kennett’s done a pretty good job for Hawthorn in his short stay in the presidency, but I'd laugh if he was challenged at the Hawthorn AGM this year and lost - bare in mind he was elected unopposed in '05, especially if Hawthorn don’t win the flag this year but won next year

Alligances aside, that would be GOLD

 

[dutchy12]

Kennett’s done a pretty good job for Hawthorn in his short stay in the presidency, but I'd laugh if he was challenged at the Hawthorn AGM this year and lost - bare in mind he was elected unopposed in '05, especially if Hawthorn don’t win the flag this year but won next year

Alligances aside, that would be GOLD

So?

He's still a tool

 

[CaptainDavey]

A true measure of this whole situation can be noted with the following. Had Hawthorn been 0-8 this season, or a slightly better record, there is no way that Kennett would have opened his gob and said the things he said. I don't want to call the Hawks arrogant, as I do believe they have some very redeeming qualities about them...Jeff needs to pull his head in for a minute, as kicking arse on field doesn't give you the right to read the riot act for others clubs.

In short. Mind your own goddamn business

 

[GAMBLER]

bulldogs 3rd on ladder. 27000 members
deez 16th on ladder. 27000 members
not bad for a team with no support and a list that isnt playing so well at the moment.
i blame melbourne victory for stalling the bloody stadium deal and making us wait 2 more years for our new facilities

Hawks have 40000 members and we're supposedly being shipped off to Tasmania

I'm amazed the Bulldogs get off without much media riducle. Your 100% spot on with this assesment, if Melbourne were in the Bulldogs shoes win/loss wise would they have more members, of course.

 

[Philhawk]

That entire football club just reeks of arrogance right now. I apologise to all hawthorn fans who are not arrogant, and who do not defend Jeff Kennett, but watching them on and off the field is quite amazing given the fact that they have won nothing yet. Shades of the West Coast Eagles pre-2006.

That's silly, Marns (IMO). Jeff and Williams aside, how is that comment justified? ...

Don't let the Hawthorn BigFooty pre-teens suck you in! ...

 

[McLean_4_Captain]

That's silly, Marns (IMO). Jeff and Williams aside, how is that comment justified? ...

Don't let the Hawthorn BigFooty pre-teens suck you in! ...

I think it's a justified comment. With success comes a certain amount of arrogance, it's just a fight to try to keep a lid on things, the lids is about to be blown off.

8 games on the trot is good for any team. If buddy wasn't arrogant, he wouldn't be buddy. Clarko is fighting a losing battle of trying to instil a certain level of arrogance into the way that you play but then try to keep everyone modest about their outward appearance. He's starting to lose

Williams last week, Kennett this week. Now Geelong has lost and most likely after the weekend you will be sitting on top of the ladder as the sole team to win every week. Next round you play the dogs, if you beat them watch the bubble turn to a boil.

The lid will go through the roof next week, but we'll have to wait a while and see if that ceiling is made of glass

It's not just the bigfooty pre-teens, being in your position is exciting for everyone. Most people can control their arrogance, but the more successful you get the harder that becomes. I'm sure Kennett wouldn't have spuds to say what he said if you guys were having a mediocre season and sitting 3-5

 

[Karl Pilkington]

Kennett’s done a pretty good job for Hawthorn in his short stay in the presidency, but I'd laugh if he was challenged at the Hawthorn AGM this year and lost - bare in mind he was elected unopposed in '05, especially if Hawthorn don’t win the flag this year but won next year

Alligances aside, that would be GOLD

Make no mistake, Kennett is just riding the benefits of Dicker's good work. I had a lot of time for Ian Dicker, he saw your club through its toughest period and without him I doubt you guys would be around anymore.

Kennett has just been embarrassing.

 

[alfonzo]

I've been a HFC member for decades and Jeff is the most embarrassing thing about the club.

He is all of the things being sad about him.

Please accept our apologies.

 

[whelan=legend]

Guys, he doesn't understand passion at all in football, which like it or lump it is the major factor.

Remember, he wanted the hawks to be takenover by us back in '96, what kind of supporter is he?

 

[Karl Pilkington]

51% of Melbourne members voted to take over Hawthorns players and home ground, and retain their identity as the Melbourne Football Club.

The membership disputed the validity of this vote, and subsequently voted Joe Gutnick to the Presidency based on the fact he was leading this charge.

33% of Hawthorn members voted to get taken over, losing their players, home ground and identity, and Kennett was one of them.

He is now leading your club. How embarrassment.

 

[The Birch]

Jeffs comments were taken out of context, by savy football editors.

Jeff was asked a question by Hutchy ( he's the flog) " what would you do if you were Jim Stynes" ( likely to be your next president) and Jeff replied with " relocate to the Gold Coast and take full advantage of what the AFL package has to offer, so you can properly rebuild your club from the ground up. Jeff went on to say that it will be impossible to build a club in the coming yrs with the new franchises coming in, as they will be taking all the top draft picks.

What Jeff said was his opinion, and at no stage did he demand that this what Melbourne should do, more so stating that this was an option he view at doing, if he was Jim Stynes.

As we read todays papers, there are fellow journo's that share the same opinion!! funny that, but are they being published in the footy world as being flogs??

 

[RandB]

Jeffs comments were taken out of context, by savy football editors.

Jeff was asked a question by Hutchy ( he's the flog) " what would you do if you were Jim Stynes" ( likely to be your next president) and Jeff replied with " relocate to the Gold Coast and take full advantage of what the AFL package has to offer, so you can properly rebuild your club from the ground up. Jeff went on to say that it will be impossible to build a club in the coming yrs with the new franchises coming in, as they will be taking all the top draft picks.

What Jeff said was his opinion, and at no stage did he demand that this what Melbourne should do, more so stating that this was an option he view at doing, if he was Jim Stynes.

As we read todays papers, there are fellow journo's that share the same opinion!! funny that, but are they being published in the footy world as being flogs??

Any respectable club President would have answered that question either diplomatically or not at all. If you are blaming journos for the questions they ask instead of Kennett for the apsersions he cast on our club then you are in trouble. Even if Kennett genuinely felt that way (which I might add would be from the perspective of what Hawthorn would have to gain out of it all) the guy needs to remember what his position exactly entales as a club president. He was out of line.