NATHAN THOMPSON’S season is over

[Dutchy]

9 games outside Melbourne...not an easy draw...compare to Essendon and Collingwood

[Rik E Boy]

9 games outside Melbourne...not an easy draw...compare to Essendon and Collingwood

Everyone has a tough draw in comparision to those two clubs, remember that the Roos chose to play three games at Manuka.

regards,

REB

[Dutchy]

9 games outside Melbourne...not an easy draw...compare to Essendon and Collingwood

Everyone has a tough draw in comparision to those two clubs, remember that the Roos chose to play three games at Manuka.

regards,

REB

still doesnt change the fact that they travelled 9 times outside Melbourne, including AAMI stadium twice in 7 days...

[mal]

The former superpower of the 90s are now struggling
They play on a road in Melbourne and now travel on the road to play interstate.
They play about 18 games at TELSTRA DOOM and Interstate venues in 2007 ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuch !
The switch to TD has coincided with the teams lapse.

Nathan THOMPSON how soon some forget, he was on the scrapheap not so long
ago with his mental problems, and then reserected his career with some good
efforts up forward in a struggling team.
To kick 50+ goals in an era of tagging and flooding is a good effort.
He will be missed, EDWARDS might be better but needs to be to be as good as THOMPSON.
He scored about 12-13 votes in the Brownlow ??? If thats the case he will be missed.

[Rik E Boy]

Nice try with the telstra DOOM angle mally but North are struggling now for the same reason we did when Ablett, Brownless, Hocking, Bairstow, Couch and Stoneham faded from the scene. You just can't replace these sort of blokes overnight.

regards,

REB

[Hondo]

At the risk of upsetting Kangaroos supporters, as a neutral observer I think their best opportunity for long term success is the relocation to the Gold Coast. I don't like the '1/2 in, 1/2 out' approach they used in Canberra. I think unless they fully commit to their new home, the Gold Coast supporters won't fully embrace them while the Melbourne supporters will lose touch as their team seems to be moving out without actually doing it.

The Gold Coast offers the Kangaroos a bright future in a growing market rather than trying to compete with 9 other teams based in Melbourne. This is always an emotive subject and I am not trying to disrespect their proud history as North Melbourne. Hey, there are one of the few Victorian based teams to win a premiership (2) in the last 15 years.

The recent television deal has locked in a 16 team comp for the forseeable future but that doesn't mean keeping 10 teams in Melbourne. There are a whole lot of issues to be sorted before such a big move is made and I freely admit these are 'arm-chair expert' views only.

[Dutchy]

who do you follow Hondo?

[Hondo]

Crows man ...... hoping we can cross that prelim final hurdle this season but not making any bold predictions this early ...

[Dutchy]

WOuld you be happy with the Crows relocating to Darwin?

[McAlmanac]

My first instinct is keep North at North - and call them North. However, I must admit that I went to that Elimination Final shellacking by Port and was disturbed at the paltry crowd. It just didn't feel like a final. It struck me that if they were to take a dip on the ladder then they would be in real trouble.

To stay in Melbourne, North are going to need a (dare I say it) Eddie-like figure with real charisma to get people on board. Unimaginative footy last year didn't help, but their president is too anonymous. David Smorgon is a good example of a passionate successful bloke who is a great spruiker for his club.

[Dutchy]

My first instinct is keep North at North - and call them North. However, I must admit that I went to that Elimination Final shellacking by Port and was disturbed at the paltry crowd. It just didn't feel like a final. It struck me that if they were to take a dip on the ladder then they would be in real trouble.

To stay in Melbourne, North are going to need a (dare I say it) Eddie-like figure with real charisma to get people on board. Unimaginative footy last year didn't help, but their president is too anonymous. David Smorgon is a good example of a passionate successful bloke who is a great spruiker for his club.

I think Ron Joesph knows this and hence the reason the Brayshaw brothers are on the board...when them in charge Im confident things will mov ein the right directions wherever we are based....heard the other day that we have signed 1000 new members on the Goldy already...and we are not in as bad a financial state as we were 3-4 years ago....remmeber Geelong in trouble 6-7 years ago? we are following a similar business plan

[Macca19]

Big loss. Will probably have quite a short forward line now. Dont think they were ever a serious threat for the 8 but it will be made tougher now.

Its not the end of Thompson, though he will be 30 when he returns and will be tough to repeat his form of the past two years.

[Hondo]

WOuld you be happy with the Crows relocating to Darwin?

I would be as happy with it as you would be to see North move.

I think in the long term the AFL cannot sustain 10 teams in Melbourne. I also think that 16 teams are here to stay so, under my scenario, that means Melbourne-based teams relocating.

When I then try to pick which teams might move, I naturally look at the clubs with lower supporter bases and those that have already dropped their original names and are actively looking at new markets.

I don't own a crystal ball though. Maybe I am off beam and all 10 Melbourne-based clubs will be able to generate enough finances to stay where they are. Maybe the way of the future is to play half home games in Melbourne and the rest interstate and have the best of both worlds?

[Dutchy]

WOuld you be happy with the Crows relocating to Darwin?

I would be as happy with it as you would be to see North move.

I think in the long term the AFL cannot sustain 10 teams in Melbourne. I also think that 16 teams are here to stay so, under my scenario, that means Melbourne-based teams relocating.

When I then try to pick which teams might move, I naturally look at the clubs with lower supporter bases and those that have already dropped their original names and are actively looking at new markets.

I don't own a crystal ball though. Maybe I am off beam and all 10 Melbourne-based clubs will be able to generate enough finances to stay where they are. Maybe the way of the future is to play half home games in Melbourne and the rest interstate and have the best of both worlds?

It very easy to promote other teams moving if you dont follow them....I think your last sentence is exactly what will occur....As the Roos came into the comp late and have a very limited terriotorial part of Melbourne they are looking at other markets to develop their fan/membership base...it can and most probably will work if the crowds on the Goldy in the NAB cup are anything to go by...Melbourne fans will accept this if the majority of games are still played in Melbourne...better than no team at all

[McAlmanac]

Maybe the way of the future is to play half home games in Melbourne and the rest interstate and have the best of both worlds?

That's an extrapolation of the notion of franchise. Australian Rules is built on clubs. Brisbane and Sydney have Melbourne links borne out of insolvency of the relevant Melbourne clubs - the Kangaroos will need to reach that point before they leave Melbourne.

[Dutchy]

Maybe the way of the future is to play half home games in Melbourne and the rest interstate and have the best of both worlds?

That's an extrapolation of the notion of franchise. Australian Rules is built on clubs. Brisbane and Sydney have Melbourne links borne out of insolvency of the relevant Melbourne clubs - the Kangaroos will need to reach that point before they leave Melbourne.

Use the word franchise when talkign Adelaide, West Coast...but never North Melbourne

[am Bays]

No mention of North Melbourne in todays rebuttal in The Age by your President, Dutchy, merely referred to the Kangeroos football Club if that aint a franchise I don't know what is.....

As a member don't ever call my club a franchise, we are a footy club, a proud footy club...to those born of envy it may appear to be a franchise but to us members we are a footy club.

[McAlmanac]

Maybe the way of the future is to play half home games in Melbourne and the rest interstate and have the best of both worlds?

That's an extrapolation of the notion of franchise. Australian Rules is built on clubs. Brisbane and Sydney have Melbourne links borne out of insolvency of the relevant Melbourne clubs - the Kangaroos will need to reach that point before they leave Melbourne.

Use the word franchise when talkign Adelaide, West Coast...but never North Melbourne

Move to Gold Coast = Move to being a franchise. I'm sure you would agree.

[Hondo]

Maybe the way of the future is to play half home games in Melbourne and the rest interstate and have the best of both worlds?

That's an extrapolation of the notion of franchise. Australian Rules is built on clubs. Brisbane and Sydney have Melbourne links borne out of insolvency of the relevant Melbourne clubs - the Kangaroos will need to reach that point before they leave Melbourne.

Use the word franchise when talkign Adelaide, West Coast...but never North Melbourne

Sorry guys ... you have lost me with the 'franchise' concept. Both in how you are defining a franchise and why it matters if your club is one. I think this started with the assertion that playing with 2 home bases turns a 'club' in to a 'franchise' (1st time you lost me), then there was the implication that being a franchise is a terrible thing (lost me a second time) and then we had the assertion that non-Victorian teams are 'franchises' and Victorian teams are 'clubs' (what the .... ? - lost me again).

A franchised business is one where a business owner sells licenses to sell identical products in a particular location - ie, McDonalds, Bakers Delight, Subway, etc. That's not how AFL teams operate and, if it was, they would ALL be franchises. And, if they are, so what .....?

[Rik E Boy]

This 'franchise' concept is not so difficult to grasp. People who call the Sydney West Crow Dockers a 'franchise' are saying that they are really just souless corporate entities that aren't really football clubs at all. Many people who use this line are spewing (read jealous) because our clubs can't afford the same level of facilities and coaching staff as the 'franchaise' clubs and use this derisive term to vent our frustration.

regards,

REB