MCG needs to increase capacity

Should State/Federal Government redevelop MCG to increased capacity?

  • Yes

    Votes: 134 49.1%
  • No

    Votes: 139 50.9%

  • Total voters
    273

dave123

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Apr 13, 2010
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Well if you've been to one then I guess that's the end if it.
Last year crowd was 3 short of maximum capacity.
That's full.
And your concept of fining people and stripping memberships for not showing up is laughable. Mcc members do not have allocated seats unless they actually purchase a reserved seat through ticketek in the same way as anyone else has to. Anyone who does so is showing up.
You're out of your depth.
Yes last three has been better
 

2009premiers

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Aug 15, 2009
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Watch alot of the 40-50k attended games, and the MCC looks so empty it's embarrassing.

Dumb whinge. The whole stadium is at less than 50%, MCC or otherwise.

Plenty of examples where the MCC is the most packed area of the ground. Usually weeks 2 and 3 of the finals.
 

rado

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Feb 18, 2007
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Dumb whinge. The whole stadium is at less than 50%, MCC or otherwise.

Plenty of examples where the MCC is the most packed area of the ground. Usually weeks 2 and 3 of the finals.
Let’s see ....... finals last year!!

Tigers v Cats sold out, MCC 5k vacant
Tigers v Giants sold out, MCC 6k vacant

...... let’s see where the vacant seats are this Thursday? Old and archaic MCC walk up for a major event should be shelved, whether voted for by members or not at major games.

The simple solution to all access issues is if you are not a competing club member of the GF team, access only after competing team members ........ AFL - take the game back on GF ...... simples!!
 
Sep 11, 2008
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Let’s see ....... finals last year!!

Tigers v Cats sold out, MCC 5k vacant
Tigers v Giants sold out, MCC 6k vacant
How do you know it was MCC that was vacant?
I didn't notice any chunks of seats empty in those games. Any empty seats would have been scattered around the stadium. The seated capacity of the G is something like 96-97k. They sell a few thousand standing room tickets for the GF and max out every corporate space/dining rooms etc to get it to 100k.
95k is pretty much full house for other games, just means they didn't max out the standing/corporate areas.
 
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They open up 3 bays on level 4 to the public if the public area is close to capacity and MCC isn't. I have seen this happen.
Fully ticketed MCC would help in that case. Don't sell those seats until every other seat is sold. If they don't sell out by say 2-3 days before then they go to sale for the public.

Don't understand why people would want to queue for hours rather than pay a booking fee. I borrow WACA passes for the test, when Ashes is on you need to be queuing by 7am to get a seat. Would gladly pay $10 to not have to get there that early.
 
Oct 22, 2008
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Fully ticketed MCC would help in that case. Don't sell those seats until every other seat is sold. If they don't sell out by say 2-3 days before then they go to sale for the public.

Don't understand why people would want to queue for hours rather than pay a booking fee. I borrow WACA passes for the test, when Ashes is on you need to be queuing by 7am to get a seat. Would gladly pay $10 to not have to get there that early.
fully ticketed would make the problem worse. People purchase a seat then don't show up. And the cheap skates who still can't get in have an even bigger sulk.
 

2009premiers

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How do you know it was MCC that was vacant?
I didn't notice any chunks of seats empty in those games. Any empty seats would have been scattered around the stadium. The seated capacity of the G is something like 96-97k. They sell a few thousand standing room tickets for the GF and max out every corporate space/dining rooms etc to get it to 100k.
95k is pretty much full house for other games, just means they didn't max out the standing/corporate areas.
He doesn’t. He is making up crap to suit his agenda
 

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Sep 11, 2008
11,199
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Melbourne
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Hawthorn
$650 a year shouldn't get you free entry into the grand final. The AFL ****** up allowing it.
The MCC have control of and manage the ground. They existed way before the VFL or AFL. What they charge their members to attend events is up to them, nothing to do with the AFL. They pay their membership fees every year, not just the years they attend the GF, they also pay fees for decades without access to the GF. They are the ones allowing the AFL to use the ground, it's not the other way around with the AFL letting them come to the GF.
 

rado

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Feb 18, 2007
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How do you know it was MCC that was vacant?
I didn't notice any chunks of seats empty in those games. Any empty seats would have been scattered around the stadium. The seated capacity of the G is something like 96-97k. They sell a few thousand standing room tickets for the GF and max out every corporate space/dining rooms etc to get it to 100k.
95k is pretty much full house for other games, just means they didn't max out the standing/corporate areas.
As an AFL menber looking across at the MCC reserve one of the top bays was not full in both games, where as everywhere else in the ground was full.

In finals, the reason this occurs is because of ticketing. Everywhere else in the ground it’s fully ticketed, yet walk up still exists for MCC, including the GF.

But that’s not my real issue, I’m not here to bag AFL or MCC members, my problem is with the AFL. As they cannot and will not demand their premier event GF to be available for competing club members.

I agree with interstate supporters that if the GF was rotated, that would start putting pressure on the MCC. Rotation could still be based on a % weight of where clubs are located, but rotation will start to stop this complete dark age stupidity!!
 
Sep 11, 2008
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As an AFL menber looking across at the MCC reserve one of the top bays was not full in both games, where as everywhere else in the ground was full.

In finals, the reason this occurs is because of ticketing. Everywhere else in the ground it’s fully ticketed, yet walk up still exists for MCC, including the GF.

But that’s not my real issue, I’m not here to bag AFL or MCC members, my problem is with the AFL. As they cannot and will not demand their premier event GF to be available for competing club members.

I agree with interstate supporters that if the GF was rotated, that would start putting pressure on the MCC. Rotation could still be based on a % weight of where clubs are located, but rotation will start to stop this complete dark age stupidity!!
You said 5-6 thousand empty seats in MCC. That would be about 8 bays on level 4 completely empty, not just a few bits in one bay.
 

rado

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Feb 18, 2007
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You said 5-6 thousand empty seats in MCC. That would be about 8 bays on level 4 completely empty, not just a few bits in one bay.
Seems your convinced MCC completely full for big games including finals, if 100k don’t turn up Thursday and your there ...... take a look along either end of the top decks of the MCC members ...... you’ll have the answer!!
 
Sep 11, 2008
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Seems your convinced MCC completely full for big games including finals, if 100k don’t turn up Thursday and your there ...... take a look along either end of the top decks of the MCC members ...... you’ll have the answer!!
?????? Not sure if you are mistaking me for another poster. I wasn't claiming it's always completely full for big games.
I was debunking your theory that 5-6 thousand seats were empty in the MCC. Ludicrous stuff, that would mean about 8 bays of seating completely empty.
The reason the crowds were 95 is that they dont allocate 100k tickets for the QF. Fewer people in standing room, less in corprate/dining rooms, some no shows spread all over the stadium and of course a few empty seats in MCC but not 5k empty.
 
Last edited:
Jul 2, 2010
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The MCC have control of and manage the ground. They existed way before the VFL or AFL. What they charge their members to attend events is up to them, nothing to do with the AFL. They pay their membership fees every year, not just the years they attend the GF, they also pay fees for decades without access to the GF. They are the ones allowing the AFL to use the ground, it's not the other way around with the AFL letting them come to the GF.

And that aside, the MCC pays the AFL for every member and guest that attends the grand final.
 

screech

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The MCC have control of and manage the ground. They existed way before the VFL or AFL. What they charge their members to attend events is up to them, nothing to do with the AFL. They pay their membership fees every year, not just the years they attend the GF, they also pay fees for decades without access to the GF. They are the ones allowing the AFL to use the ground, it's not the other way around with the AFL letting them come to the GF.

Time to find a new ground in that case, surely the Vic gov will step in to correct this wastage of their asset. An additional 10000 tickets to interstate visitors = an extra 10000 tourists spending money in the local economy, rather than locals who don't need accommodation, travel, eat at home, etc.
 
Jul 2, 2010
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Cheers - i never knew fa about waverly despite seeing it mentioned - never had any idea of the scale of it.


No public transport would be a nightmare for sure.

The 1980’s

In 1981, after a unanimous vote of the VFL Board, the League announced the Grand Final would move to VFL Park for 1984[2] as the VFL set about its $14 million plan to expand and inprove the facilities at Waverly Park[3]. As 1983 approached the premier was threatening to force the Trust to intervene, and the MCC was flat out refusing to lease the ground to the VFL instead offering to waive a $250,000 rental fee[4]. The Government also declined to approve the VFL plan to extend the seating capacity at VFL Park to 104,000. The plan had the support of the then PM, Malcom Fraser who felt the VFL should be able to spend their money on their own facilities.[5]

According to The Phoenix Rises (Ross Oakley)

Matters that had festered for 20 years had come to a head over the VFL’s determination to hold the 1984 Grand Final at VFL Park. The government of John Cain junior wasn’t having a bar of it, and the MCG trustees and the MCC were digging in on a VFL claim for a better financial deal on the use of the MCG by football. Dr John Lill, former secretary of the MCC, told me that at one stage Aylett — who was quite correctly pushing for a reduction in the percentage of gate receipts paid to the Trust, from 17.5 to 15 per cent—had been confronted with a “dead bat” from Trust chair and former premier Sir Henry Bolte. Aylett stated that if the Trust would not move, then the next game between Collingwood and Melbourne would not be played at the MCG. Bolte, in typical style, said, “That’s a chance I’m prepared to take.”

But the Grand Final discussion was at a stalemate, as Aylett recalls, and the VFL offered a“compromise”: “Late in 1983, when the matter was deadlocked, the League said we would consider the MCG as the 1984 Grand Final venue if we could lease the entire ground (including the MCC Members’ section) for the Grand Final day … VFL Park members would have had exclusive use of the MCC Members’ reserve.”

In the end Cain drew a line in the sand and threatened to prevent the Grand Final moving through legislation if he had to. The thing was a mess, but in many ways summed up the state of play and the strange, obstinate alternative realities inhabited by the MCC and the VFL. In truth, each needed the other and both could claim, with good reason, strong bonds to the MCG turf.

Our estimate was that football accounted for more than 70 per cent of revenues at the MCG, and yet the calendar of usage of the ground was split 50-50 between cricket and football and we had to put up with a wicket in the middle of the ground that routinely reduced the place to a mud heap in a wet winter. As we saw it, most cricket matches other than Tests and international one-day games could be played at smaller venues (John Lill told me money was spent on Punt Road Oval for this purpose64).

In all the research it was very clear that the majority of our supporters saw the MCG as the home of football. They weren’t too keen on Waverley. So it was clear that if we pushed on with Waverley we were making a rod for our backs. It would have been a total disaster. Waverley had a great surface and good corporate facilities, but it was in the wrong location for transport, and wasn’t a pleasant place to visit as it was in Melbourne’s rain belt.

Two things dominated our focus. First, we needed to lock in the Grand Final at the MCG on favourable terms, and we might need to sign a very long-term deal in order to do that. Second, we needed to gain rights for our VFL members and provide them with appropriate facilities at the G.

In early April 1987, Browne and I met with Cordner and Lill with the specific intention of getting the sticking-point issues formally on the table. Browne was a great sounding board in all the negotiations; he played a big part in what was eventually achieved. I reported back to the commission at the meeting of 7 April. As recorded in the minutes, “Chairman advised that the purpose of the meeting was to determine the areas of common interest between the MCC and the VFL … it was agreed this objective was now more approachable after the meeting.” There were seven key points to the discussion:

  • The general accommodation of 32,000 VFL Park full members at the MCG and the availability of acceptable seating and dining facilities
  • Future development plans for the Melbourne Cricket Ground and their impact on VFL involvement/tenancy
  • The issue of splitting the available accommodation for members between VFL Park and MCC members, i.e. MCC Members—traditional area, VFL Park Members—Northern Stand
  • Available advertising exposure for the VFL on fences and matrix screen
  • Season starting time, noting present occupancy arrangements in favour of cricket in February, and the availability of the ground for pre-season night series to be conducted by the League
  • Reciprocal membership arrangements between VFL Park and the MCC and the availability of rights during cricket season to VFL Park members
  • Length of tenure of any agreement to be entered into between the two parties.
There was a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. Accommodating the VFL Park members was a critical issue for the League, one of both finance and good faith. It all came down to which stand, and that came down to a narrow choice from the poor options available. We were offered the Olympic Stand. Nope, it was a hideous concrete wasteland. The Ponsford Stand? No, it was behind the goals and had no dining facilities. All that was left was the old Southern Stand, that long sweeping shed that filled half the ground. It wasn’t acceptable, either. It had no facilities of any sort—well, none that would be worth paying a membership to enjoy—and that was a deficiency that went further than simply satisfying the needs of the VFL.

This was a turning point. What emerged through our negotiations with the MCC was the pressing need for a refurbishment of the ground. It wasn’t spoken about at first but soon became increasingly apparent, in large part through one of those strange mergings of fate and common interest that played such a big part in the story of football through these tricky and eventful years.

In 1988, with negotiations between the League and the MCC progressing but really no closer to a firm and mutually agreeable conclusion—an impasse caused by the ground’s physical limitations as much as anything — a routine inspection of the structure of the 50-year-old Southern Stand found “concrete cancer”.

A disaster? No, a blessing. The balance between the MCC and the VFL shifted subtly. They had a major $150 million project to undertake, and to get it done they needed our help. An offer came from the MCC (how things had changed!): if we rebuild it, will you be involved? The conversation started along those lines. A letter from me to Cordner dated 8 June 1988 set out the deal. The League agreed to pay $1 million a year during the building process, and a section of the new Daryl Jackson-designed stand would be set aside for our members.

The eventual deal on the construction of the Great Southern Stand between the League and the MCC was for 30 years, and saw us in the new stand and pretty much looking at a new future for the game in 1992. Indeed, the capital payback had been budgeted at 27 years—which, with the increased crowds and more games at the ground, was achieved in about 17 years.

According to Football Limited (Gary Linell)

By 1988, the Melbourne Cricket Club and the MCG Trust was facing a delicate problem. The Souther Stand, completed in 1937, had developed a form of concrete cancer. Workers at the ground would able around it and discover large chunks of concrete on the ground. The stand, a sweeping to level viewing area that spanned much of the outer side of the ground, was falling apart.

Its condition was regarded as terminal, repair work could be carried out but there was no guarantee the cancer would not reappear elsewhere. It was a shame but also a blessing. The Southern Stand had been the true home to the people for half a century. Bay 13 at ground level had become an institution of its own, playing host to countless generations of barechested, beer-swilling Australian men who chanted during the dull moments in Test matches and entertained the rest of the crowd with their banners and wit. But, as the decade drew toward a close, Bay 13 had deteriorated along with the rest of the stand, the wit and repartee replaced by abuse and profanity.

The stand too had never kept pace with modern life. The toilet facilities had been abominal for many years whenever a big crowd was present, and food outlets were also scares or barely worth visiting.

The cricket club and the trust commissioned several reports into the problem. They all reported back that to scrap the stand and build a new one, which seemed the only feasible long term solution, about $100 million would be required. The cricket club required a partner, it had to chance of raising that sort of cash because it had no assets.

In early June, an envelope arrived at the MCC addressed to Donald Cordner. Lill, who had been granted permission as secretary to sort through Cordneres mail, opened it and began reading a letter many thought would have been impossible a few years before. Oakley was proposing a long term arrangement that would see football and cricket share the MCG for 30 years.
 
Jun 30, 2009
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The 1980’s

In 1981, after a unanimous vote of the VFL Board, the League announced the Grand Final would move to VFL Park for 1984[2] as the VFL set about its $14 million plan to expand and inprove the facilities at Waverly Park[3]. As 1983 approached the premier was threatening to force the Trust to intervene, and the MCC was flat out refusing to lease the ground to the VFL instead offering to waive a $250,000 rental fee[4]. The Government also declined to approve the VFL plan to extend the seating capacity at VFL Park to 104,000. The plan had the support of the then PM, Malcom Fraser who felt the VFL should be able to spend their money on their own facilities.[5]

According to The Phoenix Rises (Ross Oakley)



According to Football Limited (Gary Linell)
Interesting.

Especially the bit about the premier threatening to legislate.

Now you would hope that a threat like that would result in a counter- threat to send it interstate.
 

Konrad2709

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I’ve thought about this mildly for a number of years and after attending last years GF as a full AFL member of one of the competing clubs, I was astounded by the amount of neautral supporters both in the AFL and MCC reserve.

Thousands of Crows members and Tigers members missed this game because neautrals attended ....... in all conscience this is WRONG.

Interstate members cannot be expected to join the AFL or MCC as they would only get to use it in the event their team made finals or GF ...... what a financial impost.

Now I hear all the AFL and MCC members ready to tear me down, but think LOGICALLY about what I’m saying rather than thinking it’s an entitlement. If your club competes, you get access, if not, you don’t and this is fair.

As a further example of the archaic MCC ....... to have any MAJOR event in any city not fully ticketed is absurd. Walk up availability should be a thing of the past, especially finals and the GF.

Make no mistake, the MCG is rarely full outside the GF because the MCC do not fully ticket the event, further impeding more to attend.

No ....... it’s time we bring this sport and venue into the real world and allow greater access to those who support the GAME and tell those who support the VENUE to eff off!!
Neutrals are not just in the MCC, they're all over the ground.
Every full member (60k) of the MCC currently (and previously) pay for the right, every year, to attend the GF. The committee and members have deemed the current system the fairest.
The MCC is rarely full in the AFL members and GA sections of the ground. The MCC reserve is *NOT* the limiting factor!
If you *REALLY* insist on bringing the sport and event into the real world, then like Gill (and Andrew), they'll look to the US for their vision and you'll find *LESS* fans attending as they strive for even more high paying corporates and exclusivity.
As an MCC full member of 18 years and Tigers supporter, I went to two non-Tigers GFs in recent years to experience the spectacle. Last year, I went to every Tigers final (inc. GF). The Prelim crowd was certainly more yellow and black then the GF, but I don't ever see that changing. The AFL simply doesn't care.

Grand final tickets would be half the price if they pissed off all the entitlement reserves, non-competing players' parents, flog politicians who don't even understand the rules, and various corporate hangers-on. You can bet that Scott Morrison, the avid Cronulla fan who probably hasn't watched an AFL match in his life, will get the best seat in the house next month.
Exactly. The MCC aside, why not pick on the corporates, non-competing clubs, VIPs, etc. Although a portion of those corporates will be in corporate boxes, which they've paid good coin for each year and decked out. These can't be easily released to 'public'.

MCC is $600 odd a year, cheaper than some club memberships. It's not a rich person thing.
$690-700 I think.

What if you came to Australia when you were 25? Have to wait to 60 to purchase your MCC membership.
I believe the waiting list reached roughly 40 years and then the MCC introduced a few measures, one of them the introduction of a provisional membership. I'm not sure where it's at now, should've dropped a bit.
I've signed people up who are 40 years old. Their reason? Once retired, they'll be able to attend any and all games as they see fit.

Here is simple idea

As part of your mcc memberships your required to go ....or Give the seat to someone who can go

If you don’t you are fined 500 bucks ......do it two times then sorry your membership is revoked ....seeya piss off.

Sorry I’ve not sympathy for rich toffee nosed mcc members who dont show up ......yeah they would then come ...problem solved .....yup I’ll get shouted at again in this forum...but seriously every seat on grand final should be filled ...


It’s the people’s game ...I’m disappointed when I see 95,000 at a gran final when we know 105,000 could fit in if everyone went
You're only going to get shouted at because your spouting an obvious ignorant view. First understand how the MCC works and then provide an informed opinion.
1. A portion of the reserve is allocated via a completely random ballot. If you get a seat, you can give it up if you decide to not go. I forget the % of all seats, it might be 9k of the 23k.
2. The rest are walk up seating, which the members and committee have deemed the fairest method. It was challenged a few years ago.
3. If be a given time the reserve isn't at capacity, the MCC will use social media to announce the release of seats to restricted members, then potentially provisional members. The MCC wants the reserve full and normally it is.
4. There are 60k full members and 23k capacity, how does everybody be 'required to go'?
5. If you have a balloted seat and don't attend (and give it up), you're penalized. I believe you can't ballot for the following year, not sure the details.
6. I'm an MCC member because my dad put me down at birth. I'm by no means 'rich toffee nosed'. I'm definitely in the middle income earners bracket. I keep it because as a Tigers supporter and cricket fan, I use it a fair amount, easier access to finals and the GF are a good benefit too. ~$700 is a decent hit to my pocket, but I do make use of it.

Every member doesn't have their own seat. There are over 100k members and something like 21k seats. Capacity is 100k, they've been getting very close to that for 10 years now.
23k capacity in the MCC reserve I believe.
100k+ members, 60k full members, 40k restricted members (no access to GF)

Here is my other idea ...if the stadium isn’t full at quarter time ...then you can get a seat by lining up outside .....

Sorry we need to fill the friggin joint

Have big screens set up outside to watch .....and if there empty seats it’s announced and you can get in ....or you can purchase an ampty seat ballot qtr time ....if you don’t show up for the game and your allocated and you miss out too bad

Sorry but we need to fill it ...
Another ignorant comment. See my other replies, there are mechanisms in place to fill the MCC reserve.
There are big screens up in Yarra Park for people to watch, along with foot stalls and other entertainment around the ground.

The MCC situation is a traditional oudated boys club. It's for cricket and always has been, Lords and The Oval have it. It's an unfair system that allows neutral, part time football fans of no clubs to just go as they please, because they have the money or inherited.

It should be a system where you have until the week leading up the game to confirm you're going otherwise your ticket is prohibited/voided, particularly for GFs. That ll sort out alot of the problems quickly.

Watch alot of the 40-50k attended games, and the MCC looks so empty it's embarrassing.
There's a decent portion of women in the club.
MCC membership cannot be inherited. A 20-40 year waiting period, plus time served as a provisional and then reserved member before being a full member and having the right to attend the GF. There isn't a short cut.
As others have said, the MCC members support the development of the MCG and surrounds.
As above, there are means for those with a balloted ticket to return it and if they don't they'll be penalized.
If the attendance is 40-50k, then the MCC isn't your problem.


There's naturally a lot of angst against the MCC in this thread, forum and just ongoing in the AFL community. I don't mind people having a differing opinion, but please know the facts before becoming a keyboard warrior.

I'd love for more competing club members to attend, however first and foremost the AFL is in control of the corporates and non-competing club allocations. Fix these first. I don't know so much about the AFL members reserve, but the MCC does strive to ensure the reserve is full on the day and for most attending, the effort required to get in and get a good seat does bias those who are more desperate to attend (i.e. the fans of competing clubs).
 

dickballsack

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Dec 15, 2009
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Of the6 can’t make it that’s fine ...if they have legit reasons

Seriously irks me when we get 96,000 to grand final

4000 missed out ...that’s what irks me
What are you actually upset about mate? You’re calling out mcc members as rich toffs but the reality is that anyone can be an mcc member, there’s no criteria to join. It’d also be a long time since there were 96k at a GF which again has me wondering why or what is upsetting you.
 
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