norff are a dud team

  • Thread starter zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
  • Start date
  • Tagged users None

Remove this Banner Ad

Status
Not open for further replies.
Z

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Guest
North Melbourne get the crowds they deserve. The 12,000 odd who turned up were probably Fremantle supporters.
 
I presume you are referring to last week's mother's day match (ie, not the match against carlton). I will be surprised if North Melbourne will get more than 5000 fans at the scg for their upcoming match against port. who was the clever person to schedule that one? a person who wants to sabotage the move to sydney, I would suggest.
 
I find myself having to agree with you King Kong (if that is your real name).

It is a very big concern for the club that they are unable to attract any interstate supporters.

But, in all fairness, even though they have attempted to change their name to the Kangaroos, everyone in Sydney still knows and refers to them as North Melbourne. I do not understand why anyone in Sydney would want to follow a team that flies in and out of the city and makes only token appearances... like in the bad old days when South Melbourne were relocating. It did not work then; it will not work now.

What use is it having 2 premiership trophies if you are unable to attract a supporter base. Isn't that something fundamental to every club: that they need supporters. Otherwise, what are they playing for? Their pay cheques only, I fear.
 

Log in to remove this ad.

Yes, Allison (no relation to Brett, I hope). You make a number of valid points. I think the discussion started by zzzzzzzz was that norff are a dud team. A team is, of course, more than just the players running out onto the field. It is the whole culture of the club, and the failure of norff to attract suffient numbers of supporters would suggest that, while they enjoy considerable on field success, they are not doing things in a way attractive to the fans at a club level. People are finding it difficult to identify with this team.
 
Agreed King & Allison.

North have always struggled with their supporter base. And they have had fairly good success going back to the early 70's in Barrassi's days. They are still the only club owned and run by a corporation rather than a club in the true sense. Maybe that has something to do with it. Perhaps their attitude to the grass roots style supporter is different.

I don't know as I live in Adelaide and don't see what they do to attract supporters but over here we always see membership drives and rallys for clubs like Essendon, Geelong, Melbourne, Collingwood, Carlton. But I can't remember hearing of a Kangaroos one.
 
servo--I think you might have found the reason why they have struggled. Your reference to Norff being run and owned by a corporation, I feel, is very pertinent to the issue. Fans are the be-all and end-all of a clubs existence.

I can imagine that Norff supporters will disagree and argue vehemently against these postings. However, it is my humble opinion that these issues need to be discussed in a rational and clinical manner for the wider interests of the game. If norff are making mistakes in Melbourne and cannot attract supporters there, it would hardly be good 'business' to send them to Sydney where they will just make the same mistakes and spoil things for the afl in general. I think their early forays into Sydney suggest that they are making precisely those same mistakes.
 
Hey guys fairs fair! I know we have to cop it sweet because of our lack of a supporter base but I have to draw the line when you start knocking the club's culture and administration. If you visited Arden St and saw how that club operates on the smell of an oily rag and compare it to ,say ,Adelaide or Essendon, then our success is truly amazing and that success is totally due to the club's culture. Our lack of support is purely social and historical. We entered the league late and had lost the support of a lot of people to neighbouring suburbs Essendon and Carlton as they wanted to follow VFL teams,despite us having extraordinary success at VFA level. North Melbourne then became a mainly industrialised suburb so there were very few locals in the area anyway, as opposed to Essendon which became a much desired residential area. As a kid growing up in the 60's I despaired at our lack of support but I would say our support has grown significantly since then due to success in the 70's, and will continue to grow due to this recent run of success. "Norff", as you call them, supporters seem to have become blase for some reason due to success and are not going to games. I went to a Freo-Roos game 2 years ago, in similar weather, and there were over 20000 there, still not great but better than this year! Where'd the other 8000 go? We also have a membership of 25000, many of which are interstate members, and our membership has increased every year for 10 years. The Sydney venture looks doomed,true,but it was the Roos who first identified that you could at least make money out of such ventures, something the Bulldogs and others have been slow to realise. Knock us if you will but at least TRY and understand why!!
 
Now now, groucho--no need to get defensive. As I said, its better to discuss these things so that we can help Norff to improve their chances of getting more supporters. You take it all too personally, and it is certainly not meant that way. There does, however, seem to be something stopping you from improving your supporter base, despite on-field successes. So, what is it? Why do people stick with a club like St Kilda, who has not known as much success in recent years, but not with norff, which has.
 
I don't think anyone is knocking North as team (I'm not) but anyone who thinks that North will fill the SCG this week is mad. Port can't get 20,000 fans to turn up at home, they are bottom of the ladder have a woeful percentage. It could be an all time low attendance record! They ought to hand North the points and save the effort.
 
I think that the port-north melbourne game is going to be a major embarrassment. And isn't that tragic. How will it affect the standing of aussie rules football in Sydney? Sydney are so crucial to the success of the league.

Its not enough to have a fantastic product. People actually have to want to go and see it.
 
Thanks for the informative post, Groucho. I never knew some of those things about the Kangaroos, whose lack of a substantial supporter base has always puzzled me.

Winning is everything, and with North being the most successful club in the last decade when footy was so popular, it is amazing and disappointing that they don't have more fans. I've always thought they deserved fans with the dedication of, say, Richmond. The Tigers flop every year yet their fans still turn up in droves.

It doesn't surprise that the Kangaroos have lots of interstate supporters, who logically would have been attracted by the team's success. It's just a shame they don't get more from Victoria. I fear that if the Kangaroos experience an extended poor run, which must happen eventually, the club will be in a lot of trouble.
 
I'm going to the Norff-Port game on Saturday and whats more I'm doing my bit for spreading the Gospel of Aussie Rules in Sydney because My wife and I are taking a couple of New Zealanders to their first game of Aussie Rules so I really hope they come away liking what they see. And why shouldn't they ? - It will be a good game I think with all the awsome talents of the Roo-boys on show and all that.

The problem is that I reckon the crowd will be around 8000 and thats not alot of atomsphere.

Its going to be a major embarassment because the AFL hasnot seen crwods this bad since Fitzroys last games at Whitten Oval. Or the really bad old days for the Swans when we struggled to get 6000 (masochists) to a game.

With Swans crowds dwindling away and embarrassment looming for Norff, I think it could be 'back to square one' as far as Aussie Rules in Sydney goes.
 
You forget that victorians are not big on going to see fremantle, a couple of hawthorn's recent freo game s have been 12,000 and 13,000. This weeks game is at colonic and if there were to be a boycott, there could be even less.

If supporters need to miss a game the freo one will be the first to be dropped.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

who was the bright spark at afl headquarters who thought this one up?

It will be more than embarrassing. They will have problems giving tickets away.

can a team really be that unappealing (ie, as north melbourne)? if they lack spectator appeal in one city, why do they think that spectators in another will not be just as discriminating. people in australia do not live in a vaccuum.

They should cancel the match due to lack of interest. Move it to docklands--or better still, to arden street
 
Craig, Fitzroy street is more in keeping with the harlots of the AFL.
biggrin.gif
biggrin.gif
biggrin.gif
biggrin.gif
biggrin.gif
 
kevin--I think you mean that they are the pimps of the league, living off the ill-gotten gains of others.
 
Come on guys. This post started out as a fairly well meaning analysis of why the Kangaroos have struggled to gain a large supporter base. Now it is degenerating into just another mud slinging post.

Don't always go in that direction please.

As far as game attendances go, Kangaroo supporters probably attend at very similar percentages as other clubs in terms of membership. Trouble is their membership low.

Groucho, your brief history was enlightening as I have never been there and now some of it makes sense.
 
Servo,

The fact is that the roos membership is currently in the vicinity of 24000 - 25000 which is quite healthy and a lot higher than many other clubs.

As Greg Miller said when replying to Eddie McGuire, they have been very successful in translating their supporter base to members.



[This message has been edited by sainter (edited 22 May 2000).]
 
In the vicinity of??? That does not sound too precise for me. Can anyone provide more precise figures please? Where were all the members when they were playing against courageous Fremantle? Very disappointing for such a successful club.

I find it very interesting that, when discussing certain clubs, you do see such acrimony emerging in discussions. Is this not relevant to understanding their appeal (or lack thereof) to supporters? What is the basis of this acrimony. One must return, once again, to the way the club presents itself.. its culture, traditions, values etc. Ability for people to be able to relate to the team on an emotional level--something which it seems quite difficult to do with North Melbourne.

Does anyone have figures as to how many supporters North Melbourne have actually managed to recruit in Sydney? I would be VERY interested in seeing the fruits of their journeys north of the border. How many new fans per year? I mean memberships, not spectators at matches.
 
Can't believe I'm responding to this post but here I am...

Mr Z man, on what do you base your assessment that North Melbourne Kangaroos are a dud team? Can't be on their onfield performances - two flags and countless finals appearances don't surely equal a dud team.

Their administration - surely not, as they're recognised as some of the most dedicated and professional people (Miller, Dawson etc. have all received lucrative offers to go to other clubs). How many other clubs would have achieved the same level of success with the same resources?

Lack of Club culture? Someone suggested the players play only for their paychecks...? Given that most of the players would command more money from other clubs money surely can't be the reason they play AND choose to remain at our club.

My assessment, North are a tight unit - supporters, administration and players. You only have to turn up to a training night to see evidence of this. Sparce supporters - yes but the kids are on the ground playing kick to kick with some players, others are talking to Greg Miller and Dennis Pagan while inside the temporary offices some of the admin. team are still hard at work.

Did you see the 1996 and 1999 Grand Finals? You probably missed the victory lap during the 1999 Grand Final as Chanel 7 saw fit to not televise it - the players spent 10 minutes sharing the victory with their fans. They hugged fans many they probably recognised by face or name - what other club cans experience such intimacy between players & supporters?

So we have success on field, a hard-working, dedicated administration and committed players and supports. So the reason North is a dud team must be because they fail to attract additional supporters? 25,000 members (confirmed 25,000 not in the vicinity of) but only 12,000 turned up to the last game against Freo. Reasons - mother's day, bad weather, lots of interstate supporters, Melbourne supporter complaceny - maybe a combination of all of these.

Truth to tell, I don't know why North fail to attract the support of the Saints or some of the successful Melbourne teams. Maybe it's because we're so keen to sell an image, the all conquering Kangaroos, so keen to lure the fickle supporter to jump on the bandwagon to grow our club and people aren't given the opportunity to see the real North Melbourne, the shinboner spirit and the thing that makes the existing supporters such passionate supporters of our club.

A
 
Marie, I love the way you put it, but don't forget.

The North Melbourne Kangaroos are the Reigning Premiers, and some people are just so jealous of our success.

[This message has been edited by Rooboy 96 (edited 23 May 2000).]
 
I maybe completely off track but I think the perception that North is disliked is not because they are sucessful but that they buy thier success?. I read in the Sun Herald that the Geel vs Ess match that Ess had 3 players that played for other clubs in the firsts.
North have how many?? Most people without knowing (and I don't) would think over half?
Getting Colbert and the circumstances he left Geel only helped this perception.
I know it takes talent (and Pagan has plenty) to forge a sucessful unit but still supporters from other cubs may think that the hard work was done before they came to North. Please shoot me down in flames if I am wrong.
 
Razza,

Home grown talent:
Lasscock
Rawlings
Martyn
Simpson
Stevens
Archer
Anderson
Capuano
Carey
Kingsley
Hewitt
Sholl
Spaull
Lange
Pickett
Harvey
Stephens
McKernan
Hay
Ainley
Makepeace
King
Watt
Smith
Van Der Klooster
Woodley
Motlop
Cochrane

Players picked up who had no club:

Chandler - not picked by Brisbane
Pike - not picked by Brisbane
Dhurrkay - delisted by Fremantle
Burton - delisted by Fremantle
Clayton - delisted by Brisbane
Bell - delisted by Fremantle

Trades:

Leigh Colbert: was leaving Geelong anyway - traded Mooney (premiership player) and 4 or 5 Draft picks.
Jason McCartney: Is a better player now - traded Stephens.
Shannon Grant: both clubs won - traded Scwhass (vice captain, b&f, premiership player).
Robert Scott: both clubs won - traded Brad Sholl.
John Blakey: lucky for him - traded Jason McCarthy.
Winston Abraham: Is a better palyer now - traded Stuart Anderson (premiership player).
David Calthorpe: Brisbane wanted him gone - traded not sure think Scotty Welsh (premiership player) fits in here.

It has either been smart recruiting or cost us a quality player, we have not been given any of these players.

Now I have a question for you, Razza. When was the last time the Kangaroos had a national draft pick in the first ten picks?
 
Razza

From memory, Peter Bell, Winston Abraham, Gary Dhurrkay, Martin Pike, Spider Burton, and Shane Clayton were all delisted by their clubs, and so, wearn't rated by them. They could've been picked up by anyone, so there were no deals done there.

Jason McCartney (for Mark Stevens), Shannon Grant (for Wayne Schwass), John Blakey (for John McCarthy) and David Calthorpe (part of the Colbert trade) were all picked up as part of trade deals and Stevens has done okay at Adelaide while Schwass has won a B&F for the Swans. As for the Colbert trade, Geelong picked up David Spriggs and Cameron Mooney while Adelaide got Scott Welsh, again, they'd be happy.

The rest came through the under 19s or the normal draft.

So it's hardly North getting off the hard work of others.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

Back
Top