Bye Bye, Bye Bye, Bye Bye Kangas Bye Bye...

[John Ibrahim]

North are gone. Some one posted some time ago that they were financially stuffed and todays headlines prove that they are on the one way road to economic hell. They are the banana republic of the football world as Paul Keating would say.

So long.

 

[Gonzo]

Yawn!

 

[McKenna for PM]

I for one will be praying for their financial souls. They have acheived the ultimate in footy prizes and have proven that money is not needed to do so. I have harped on this before, but I'm sick of the game being run by the rich teams.

They are my second most hated team, and yet I have nothing else but respect for them. I hope they survive to prosper (as long as they lose to West Coast).

 

[Rooboy 96]

well said Gonzo.........

 

[Pessimistic]

If it goes on financial results - Colonial wiil be gone long before the kangaroos

- And which would be missed the most ?

 

[elt]

Pess,

What's even funnier is that after managing to lose $25m in only four months the response is "I don't think it's appropriate to respond in detail". Talk about trying to sweep it under the carpet.

 

[Tiger_Of_Old]

with colonial,s 25mil loss if another huge loss is repeated next year all i can say is watchout essendon,stkilda and the bulldogs fans as always the 1st to be hit will be the fans in the outer.
cheers!

 

[Bernie]

Don't you just LOVE the MCG ! The screws will be on at Colonial to 'leverage cost savings' - i.e. absolutely play hard ball.

Nice picture of Collo on the AFL web site - not happy ! Ohhhhhhhhh !

 

[Pessimistic]

I'm stirring it today

Someone mentioned the 'Banana Republic' quote by Keating. It was actually in relation to the A$ to $US exchange rate - if it dropped to a certain point we would be a Banana republic.

Well I've got my Panama hat because the dollar went below that and stayed below -

Funny how the Conservative side of politics never gets taken to task as much as the left when these 'milestones' happen

 

[John Ibrahim]

That is because the Labor ratbag side of politics is too busy bribing other parties to change their preferences or handing out how to vote cards for the Nuclear Disarmament Party in Nunawading and looking suspiciously like Peter Bachelor

 

[Olmy]

Originally posted by McKenna for PM:
I for one will be praying for their financial souls. They have acheived the ultimate in footy prizes and have proven that money is not needed to do so. I have harped on this before, but I'm sick of the game being run by the rich teams.

Here here!

 

[Roach]

Damn those rich clubs making a profit. It shouldn't be allowed.
Then again if it wasn't for those clubs the crowd figures for North home matches would be sicker than their bank balance.
Don't blame the more sucessfull clubs (financially) for Norths failure to attract a following.
How much success have they had and why can they not capitalise on that?

 

[Shinboners]

To answer Roach's question.....

The big clubs (Carlton, Collingwood, and Essendon) are guaranteed two games against each other every year, and all these games are money spinners as they all attract crowds of at least 70,000. Meanwhile, North Melbourne get to play Fremantle at the MCG every year, so while we get to keep the gate takings as the home team, we're not going to make that much money out of it as Melbourne isn't exactly teeming with Docker fans (although neither is Perth from what I can gather).

If North fall over because of truly incompetent administration and the apathy of the fans, then so be it. But our administration isn't incompetent and our membership has risen up to 25,000, and so, the main cause of our projected loss is a draw that favours the blockbuster games ie., and uneven financial playing field.

 

[McKenna for PM]

Originally posted by Roach:
Damn those rich clubs making a profit. It shouldn't be allowed.
Then again if it wasn't for those clubs the crowd figures for North home matches would be sicker than their bank balance.
Don't blame the more sucessfull clubs (financially) for Norths failure to attract a following.
How much success have they had and why can they not capitalise on that?

It's not that the rich clubs cause the failure, it's that the rich clubs are setting too high a standard for the low support base Melbourne clubs. Take West Coast for example. We have over 40,000 members and are certainly not struggling. The AFL and supporters then compare that to teams like North Melbourne, who can never hope to match that in Victoria. What figures like West Coast's say is that interstate areas should be given mre footy (ie. more teams) which would reduce some of the memberships, and hence the dichotomy between the rich and the poor would be lessened.

 

[Arch]

shinners,

My idea would be for Dennis Pagan to come out&publicly bag Fremantle, then get a huge war of words between the two clubs- a huge slanging match, if you will, in the lead up to the game.
Get dennis to personally tie down the MCG's windsocks before the match, and have Wayne Carey publicly abuse Peter Bell for being a traitor.

If you could start a huge bitter rivalry- the North v Freo game could become the next Anzac Day !!!!

oh PS- John Ibrahim- its totally obvious that youre G4E. You just cant help yourself can ya ?

 

[Shinboners]

Arch

The letter has now been sent to the North Melbourne Football Club.....and we've decided to pelt Peter Bell with something a little bit harder than marshmallows too

 

[CJH]

Arch,

The only thing you didn't suggest for Pagan to do was change his name by deed poll to Kevin Sheedy!

In a vain effort to keep fit I usually go for reasonably long walks at lunchtime. Most often it is a lap around Colonial Stadium but the other day I went for a longer walk around the Arden St. ground.

I think it is fair to say that there are some country league clubs that have better facilities than what North. A small, disused grandstand, a tiny social club building, a brick shed which contains the players rooms and gym and some portable offices for the administration.

This only served to add to my admiration and amazement of the management of this club. As good as they are, however, I do not see them being able to continue in this vein for much longer, and should move to secure their future now while they can do it on their own terms. I would really hate for this proud club to die a long and painful death as happened to Fitzroy.

My feeling is that a relocated North is infinitely better than a dead one!

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This is a hallucination and these faces are in a dream. A computer generated environment; a fantasy island you can do anything and not have to face the consequences.

[This message has been edited by CJH (edited 29 November 2000).]

 

[John Ibrahim]

Arch

If I am G4E (Heaven forbid) then you must be either Dan 24 or Sandie.

Which is it, and how is the hormone replacement therapy going?

 

[sainter]

Shinboners,

Exactly right. I probably sound like a broken record but certain Victorian teams are being guaranteed potentially over $1 million extra in revenue every single year. Just because the AFL recognise that certain clubs will draw higher attendances and make more money for themselves (and the AFL)

It is rather ironic when you consider that the salary cap and national draft are both aimed at promoting equality throughout the league.

It makes you wonder what the AFL's intentions are, when the revenue gained from the home club in some of these larger matches could quite possibly be the difference between an operating profit or loss for a smaller club.

And I could also talk about the inequitable AFL draw but I will spare everyone the sermon. Needless to say, it is a sham.

CJH,

Although there have been quite a few improvements to Moorabbin at the present time, I think it would be a serious challenger to Arden St for the worst facilities.

But as Malcolm Blight said upon viewing the facilities at Moorabbin, they are certainly nowhere near the million dollar facilities at the crows but this had no bearing on a player getting a kick on the field.

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Fortius Quo Fidelius

 

[DEES RULE!]

YES! YES! YES!
HELLELUYAH! (thought i'm sure its not how you spell it)
i hate them so they might as well die!

 

[Aussie_Roo]

Exams must be over, we seem to be getting a lot of immature people here ie: Dees Rule..

Maybe we might merge with you and become the Melbourne Kangaroos. How would you feel about that?

 

[Interesting!]

Sainter,

I've been through this with Shinboner before.
You are asking for a dollar each way.

Whilst the draw is uneven (as in playing teams twice) you are asking basically for more home games against the big 3 - I know you didn't have a home game against us (Collingwood) last season.

This of course means a rotation system which will inevitably cost the big 3 their 'traditional' 2 games per season & hence money in the pocket.
In essence you're asking Collingwood to take a paycut.

But at the same time you're still putting your hand into the slush fund that has been robbing (sweet sweet Dr Aylett) the power clubs of huge merchandizing dollars for years & is STILL robbing them.

Exactly how much do you want?
At the Collingwood v Saints game this year literally bugger all Saints supporters fronted.

It is a food chain. You look at Collingwood but Collingwood looks at the interstate clubs.
And when faced with examples like the one above & when we also have to play interstate clubs as home games & they draw similar crowds, it is even harder to be sympathetic to your cause.

Good managemment is a step in the right direction. Hawthorn are a smaller club than St. Kilda but seem vastly better run these days. Whether the gambling dollar that they milk now will continue to grow with football's inflation is another issue facing many clubs.

But, until the day that Gran can buy her grandkids club merchandise from a retail store in her own suburb & that money goes solely to that individual club or the AFL re-introduce a proper fixture you will have to cop it sweet.

 

[sainter]

Interesting, I don't understand what you're point is exactly.

What I am asking for is a fair draw. A rotation system that does not guarantee the so called 'big 3' (I would say 4) their regular 'blockbuster' matches. With the exception of the SA/WA teams who I have no problem playing two local derbies each year because of constant travel, this is a necessity.

I understand what you are saying. Yes, a larger team may suffer in terms of gate receipts when opposition fans don't turn up in as many numbers as what would to a blockbuster game. But is that any different to teams like St Kilda, Kangaroos and the Western Bulldogs playing more games against interstate teams because 3 of the 7 games that are played twice by these so-called 'big 3 (4)' teams are against their larger counterparts? I don't think it is.

You seem to be a Collingwood fan. Even if you are not, I'm sure you aware that there were a series of matches played between the saints and the magpies towards the beginning of the 1990's that attracted over 80,000 people. Three of these games were decided by less than a goal. Using an example of a crowd between the 15th and 16th teams is hardly a good example. Many saints fans had a gutful of losing and did fail to show. Particularly as they were hardly playing a competition heavyweight according to ladder standings.

Collingwood may be facing a paycut? Why should Collingwood or an Essendon deserve to play each other twice and gain an extra chance to maximise their revenue at the expense of other clubs. All I want is a fixture that allows all clubs to earn their rightful income. If that means the fixture is drawn up over a three year period, then so be it.

Look, I am an advocate of the Ansett Cup being scrapped and a 30 round competition introduced. Every team would play each other twice, once home and once away. However I am a realist and know that this will not happen. The current system of working the fixture out around the 'local derbies' and 'blockbuster games' is just plain unfair - both financially and for on-field equality.

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Fortius Quo Fidelius

[This message has been edited by sainter (edited 29 November 2000).]

 

[DEES RULE!]

please Aussie_Roo DO NOT MAKE ME SICK!!!!
that is the last thing melbourne would do, they would merge with Gelong before they merged with the roos
oh yeah and did i forgot to mention:
yes roos are broke!
Melbourne DEMONS rule!

 

[Shinboners]

What a short memory you must have Dees Rule....what exactly do you rule anyway? Biggest loss in a Grand Final? Most prima-donnas that have ever lined up in a forward line? Most fans who have missed the final quarter of any given game 'cos you must get to the Club for drinkies?.....aren't you forgetting a proposed merger between Melbourne and Hawthorn? So, while your members rolled over and played dead, it was the Hawks that ensured that both clubs remained independent.