MFC Fans Only Non-Dees AFL Discussion - 2017 - Finals. And yes , again its non Dees discussion

[PerfectFooty]

dickhead of the year goes to Lindsay Thomas

 

[Ablett2Garland]

Nothing funnier than getting home drunk and reading the bitchmond board after another choke. bahaha

 

[Topkent]

Carlton are bloody good defensively but the hardest thing to do in footy is to teach a team how to attack properly. Be interesting to see how we go against them, if we can get an early 4-5 goal break we 'should' be able to extend it as they'll have to stop their ultra defensive structure.

Carlton are us under Paul Roos. Stoppage based an play on the counter. It's no surprise they beat GWS as we always troubled them with that style. Main difference is they have Simpson and docherty to generate attacks and we had lumumba

 

[ThePuppetMaster]

Carlton has some quality experience now as well, especially with Kruezer and Murphy fit.

 

[Topkent]

Carlton has some quality experience now as well, especially with Kruezer and Murphy fit.

Good spine as well and decent midfield
Casboult Kreuzer Gibbs Murphy Cripps Docherty Simpson Weitering Marchbank. Its a reliable core

 

[Russian Demon]

Good spine as well and decent midfield
Casboult Kreuzer Gibbs Murphy Cripps Docherty Simpson Weitering Marchbank. Its a reliable core

I never thought I would see that name associated with the world 'reliable'

 

[Topkent]

I never thought I would see that name associated with the world 'reliable'

He's a reliable FF who gives them structure. He's a better mark than Hogan and his kicking has improved. He's not the quality of the other blokes but he's good for a young carlton side

 

[Russian Demon]

He's a reliable FF who gives them structure. He's a better mark than Hogan and his kicking has improved. He's not the quality of the other blokes but he's good for a young carlton side

Yeah, I'm not disagreeing. But a year or two ago when he was a useless big body who could take a grab semi reliably and miss goals very reliably, I thought he'd be delisted.

But he's definately got to servicable status.

 

[LeverPuller]

He's a reliable FF who gives them structure. He's a better mark than Hogan and his kicking has improved. He's not the quality of the other blokes but he's good for a young carlton side

He's in the top 3 contested marks in the comp IMO

 

[Topkent]

Yeah, I'm not disagreeing. But a year or two ago when he was a useless big body who could take a grab semi reliably and miss goals very reliably, I thought he'd be delisted.

But he's definately got to servicable status.

Oh yeah the way Bolton and his coaching staff have got the best our of a couple of average players has really helped them. Dale Thomas is even going OK again

 

[stabler]

I wish we'd taken Curnow over Weid. Thought it at the time and still do

 

[Ablett2Garland]

Dont like Hutchy but he is suggesting North playing more home games in Tassie. What do you guys think?

 

[schmuttt]

Dont like Hutchy but he is suggesting North playing more home games in Tassie. What do you guys think?

Their crowds and membership are awful this year, when was the last time a club had nearly a 15% membership drop like this?

 

[Theseventhhamster]

The only other thing for the Roos to do would be to hope to out-survive the Saints.

 

[LeverPuller]

The only other thing for the Roos to do would be to hope to out-survive the Saints.

They won't though.

You can't talk about it on the MB on BF because it's the home of North's online fans (they don't have a Demonland equivalent unlike every other Melbourne club) but there's a real issue with North that has been around despite the 2 flags in the 90s and multiple years of prelims since.

They. Just. Don't. Have. Fans.

Last year. 9-0. North on top of the ladder. Off the back of a preliminary final.

Average attendance of 30,539 - almost 700 people less than Melbourne, despite their record. And that's with 45,000 members (Melbourne didn't crack 40k). Admittedly they have 3 games in Hobart, but Melbourne also plays 2 games in the NT which evens it out fairly well.

This isn't a new problem. The only time North out-crowded Melbourne in recent years was 2013. And it's probably not going to happen this year either.

They're stagnant. At least with Melbourne you can argue that there's something of a latent supporter base because of the 10 years of disaster. With North there's just...nothing.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Real shame about north honestly. JB fought hard for that club as chairman, renamed them back to North Melbourne rather than just the kangaroos and stopped Gold Coast talks. Now after his tenure what to the supposed loyal fans do? Not turn up, and it puts north right back where they were years ago, it's a huge ****ing slap in the face

 

[Ablett2Garland]

They won't though.

You can't talk about it on the MB on BF because it's the home of North's online fans (they don't have a Demonland equivalent unlike every other Melbourne club) but there's a real issue with North that has been around despite the 2 flags in the 90s and multiple years of prelims since.

They. Just. Don't. Have. Fans.

Last year. 9-0. North on top of the ladder. Off the back of a preliminary final.

Average attendance of 30,539 - almost 700 people less than Melbourne, despite their record. And that's with 45,000 members (Melbourne didn't crack 40k). Admittedly they have 3 games in Hobart, but Melbourne also plays 2 games in the NT which evens it out fairly well.

This isn't a new problem. The only time North out-crowded Melbourne in recent years was 2013. And it's probably not going to happen this year either.

They're stagnant. At least with Melbourne you can argue that there's something of a latent supporter base because of the 10 years of disaster. With North there's just...nothing.

North have a weird supporter base, all the 90s success and their pretty decent win/loss record since until this year has been pretty good. you'd think they'd pull bigger crowds, especially with the kids born around than. To drop off after just a few bad games this year would be worrying, do North fans not like Etihad or? having said that they did have 45k memberships last year and since '07 gold coast talks JB did a great job. I think if North land Kelly or a star player that will bring more fans in.

 

[schmuttt]

They're the smallest Vic club, unless one of us/Saints/Dogs are right down the bottom they're always going to be first cab off the rank for getting merged or relocated (Not that I could see that happening in the next 5 years, maybe later on).

Their crowd against the Tigers was horrid earlier in the year, I know the Tigers are a big club but it was a 70% Richmond crowd at a North home game, and at a venue that Tigers fans hate.

 

[Topkent]

Thing about north Is because they have never dropped out they have never had star players

We haven't been any better but pick a best north side of players (without any of the premiership guys of 99) and it's just so bland.

Waite Petrie N.Thompson Swallow Rawlings Rocca Harvey Wells Ziebell etc. Just all good players but nothing that makes you want to watch. Even the current north side is bland.

 

[Russian Demon]

I get a bit of a Martin Niemoller vibe (First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out...) from this whole thing. Yes its true our supporter base has seemed to hang in just enough through the decade of misery, but the calls to ship us off or merge were strong circa 2013.

It feels a bit odd though to ship off a vic club that despite a temperamental supporter base, is still viable in Melbourne. There is a couple of points the entire discussion leaves out on the MB:

1) Melbournes population is growing by 3x North's membership numbers a year. There are plenty of opportunities to get new members (Eddie had great strategies over his time).

2) Due to this growth, Melbourne's economy is also growing fast, giving the consumers, the investment dollars, and the foundation for clubs. Whilst I tend to agree we probably have 1 or 2 too many clubs, the reality is that with that sort of growth, it should get easier with time to fit them all in, not harder. Not every sporting club has to be a single or one of two in a town, meaning tickets costs a bomb and only a fraction of a team's supporters can ever see any given game.

3) Tasmania's bid for a team is so heavily reliant on the Mars sponsorship and money from the State govt. The Govts can change sides, policy, economic spending. Its hardly certain. Also, Mars is food manufacturing business. It will move to somewhere closer to a port/major city eventually, because it costs to much to do business in Tasmania (unless youre a brewery, a farmer or an artist).

4) Tasmania's population is tiny. Vic has 10 teams and a population of 5 mill. Tassie could have 1 with a population of 500,000..... but there is a big difference. In Tassie, there is a different demographic, as so many young people leave to find work. The work that is there is largely not highly paid (i.e not many investment bankers down there to join the coterie), and they plain don't get behind sport in the same way (I mean they don't even rock up to the cricket when they get a Test). If you think Melbourne is saturated, the addition of 1 team in tassie would be over saturated. Add the fact half of them barrack for the Hawks/other teams, then its even worse.


TLR Tassie isn't economically sound enough to justify a new team, let alone a transplanted one. Would be GC 2.0 with empty stands and bugger all members.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

They won't though.

You can't talk about it on the MB on BF because it's the home of North's online fans (they don't have a Demonland equivalent unlike every other Melbourne club) but there's a real issue with North that has been around despite the 2 flags in the 90s and multiple years of prelims since.

They. Just. Don't. Have. Fans.

Last year. 9-0. North on top of the ladder. Off the back of a preliminary final.

Average attendance of 30,539 - almost 700 people less than Melbourne, despite their record. And that's with 45,000 members (Melbourne didn't crack 40k). Admittedly they have 3 games in Hobart, but Melbourne also plays 2 games in the NT which evens it out fairly well.

This isn't a new problem. The only time North out-crowded Melbourne in recent years was 2013. And it's probably not going to happen this year either.

They're stagnant. At least with Melbourne you can argue that there's something of a latent supporter base because of the 10 years of disaster. With North there's just...nothing.

Saints might have access to 10,000 extra bandwagoners when things are going well but that's about the difference.

 

[Tulip]

I get a bit of a Martin Niemoller vibe (First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out...) from this whole thing. Yes its true our supporter base has seemed to hang in just enough through the decade of misery, but the calls to ship us off or merge were strong circa 2013.

It feels a bit odd though to ship off a vic club that despite a temperamental supporter base, is still viable in Melbourne. There is a couple of points the entire discussion leaves out on the MB:

1) Melbournes population is growing by 3x North's membership numbers a year. There are plenty of opportunities to get new members (Eddie had great strategies over his time).

2) Due to this growth, Melbourne's economy is also growing fast, giving the consumers, the investment dollars, and the foundation for clubs. Whilst I tend to agree we probably have 1 or 2 too many clubs, the reality is that with that sort of growth, it should get easier with time to fit them all in, not harder. Not every sporting club has to be a single or one of two in a town, meaning tickets costs a bomb and only a fraction of a team's supporters can ever see any given game.

3) Tasmania's bid for a team is so heavily reliant on the Mars sponsorship and money from the State govt. The Govts can change sides, policy, economic spending. Its hardly certain. Also, Mars is food manufacturing business. It will move to somewhere closer to a port/major city eventually, because it costs to much to do business in Tasmania (unless youre a brewery, a farmer or an artist).

4) Tasmania's population is tiny. Vic has 10 teams and a population of 5 mill. Tassie could have 1 with a population of 500,000..... but there is a big difference. In Tassie, there is a different demographic, as so many young people leave to find work. The work that is there is largely not highly paid (i.e not many investment bankers down there to join the coterie), and they plain don't get behind sport in the same way (I mean they don't even rock up to the cricket when they get a Test). If you think Melbourne is saturated, the addition of 1 team in tassie would be over saturated. Add the fact half of them barrack for the Hawks/other teams, then its even worse.


TLR Tassie isn't economically sound enough to justify a new team, let alone a transplanted one. Would be GC 2.0 with empty stands and bugger all members.

Agree with the first part of your post. If North can't make ends meet or attract supporters, then maybe a move will eventually be in their best interests. But it certainly shouldn't be relished. The sooner North goes, the sooner it becomes 'nine Victorian teams are unsustainable' and the whole circus starts again.

On the second point, Tasmania wouldn't always pull if crowds but they'd pretty quickly get 20-30k rusted on members who attend most games. It's a footy state and people would jump on. Can't really compare it to the GC, a rugby town who's League club still struggles in a flaky culture.

 

[Russian Demon]

Agree with the first part of your post. If North can't make ends meet or attract supporters, then maybe a move will eventually be in their best interests. But it certainly shouldn't be relished. The sooner North goes, the sooner it becomes 'nine Victorian teams are unsustainable' and the whole circus starts again.

On the second point, Tasmania wouldn't always pull if crowds but they'd pretty quickly get 20-30k rusted on members who attend most games. It's a footy state and people would jump on. Can't really compare it to the GC, a rugby town who's League club still struggles in a flaky culture.

Fair criticisms of the logic. I'm really just impressed you read it all!

 

[Bluelegs]

 

[Proper Gander]

What's the deal with JOM's bone stress thingy? My brother in law was just telling me about it over drinks (he's a medical type and a w***er) and it sounded dire. Came home saw bits on telly and its all 'nothing to see here... managing new injury' stuff.

Can't tell if the Hawks are drawing a blanket over a disaster or what. To be fair, I guess they have to damp down discussion as best as possible to shield the player.

Even though its the Hawks etc. I hate hearing about players with really bad injury battles. I really felt for Jong on the weekend, he was putting together a decent year too, or getting there anyway. And Trengove's issue is one of the saddest things in footy of recent times. So tough when you see some young guy who is really gifted and probably feels invincible have something like this happen.