In the Australian context, you can't argue it's complete crap.

Richmond remains strong after a lean period, but in their case it's only 33 years since they last won a flag (well short of 83 years).

Can you think of any Australian club in the top tier of any sport which has survived 83 years without success? (examples might exist in the SANFL, WAFL and Tassie, or the QRL, QRU, etc, but if they do, I'm interested in hearing about them).

I know there are no examples in the AFL (St Kilda took nearly 70 years to win their one and only flag). I'm not sure about the NRL - I get the feeling the older, weaker clubs were weeded out after the Super League wars.

Hard to imagine any A-League club would continue growing and thriving if they had zero success for more than 80 years.

In fact, the NZ Knights disappeared after two consecutive wooden spoons. Both of the Fury and GCU disappeared after one wooden spoon. The Jets nearly disappeared after one wooden spoon. You get the feeling that the Nix wouldn't survive a second consecutive wooden spoon.

I'm not saying it's inevitable in all cases, but there's plenty of history across many sports to suggest that lack of success does matter.

The one proviso I would throw into the mix is that it can be a chicken and egg type of question, i.e. rather than on-field success breeding off-field success, there are probably cases where it's the off-field success (from inception) which breeds the on-field success, and thereafter, success breeds success.

There's an argument to be made the that the original 8 VFL clubs exist to this day because they represented the strongest VFA clubs back in 1896, i.e. they were already strong clubs before the VFL actually started.

When North, Footscray and Hawthorn entered in 1925, they started with a distinct disadvantage, and all three had to put up with decades of being at the other end of the ladder.

Hawthorn eventually managed to break out of the new-kid-on-the-block syndrome, but arguably, North and Footscray are still there. In other words, they are not small solely from lack of success, but they are small because they started small and stayed small relative to the more established teams, and small teams are likely to achieve less success than big teams (you can bank that one as a universal truth over the long run).

These are all teams in volatile markets being run by unsavvy management.

We don't have these cases of prolonged title droughts in Australia because when things go badly we feel bad for the team and give them ridiculous things like "priority picks".

Didn't you give an example out of the NFL?

Damn those logal issues!!

If an upgrade at Punt Road Oval was possible it wouldn't have any of those problems, no idea how possible it is though, there's definitely not enough room for much on the Punt Rd side.

Mister Football please answer this vital question.

I agree it's a subject worthy of discussion.

But the mullet trend is actually small fry compared to the bigger trend of Ned Kelly beards.

I can understand the mullet - I wore a magnificent mullet for much of the 80s - the Bowie cut is the coolest hair you can have (circa Ziggy Stardust), but surely the mullet is a close second.

Mullets I appreciate, but the Ned Kelly beards? Get rid of 'em!!

2013 Membership Totals (as of 15/4/2013):

Collingwood - 70,000+ (Target - 75,000)
Hawthorn - 59,022 (Target - 65,000)
West Coast - 55,516
Richmond - 55,009 (Target - 60,000)
Essendon - 49,739 (Target - 50,000)
Adelaide - 45,000+ (Target - 50,000)
Carlton - 42,626 (Target - 50,000)
Fremantle - 40,000+
Geelong - 37,279
Port Adel. - 37,410
Sydney - 33,172 (Target - 37,000)
St. Kilda - 31,060
North Melb - 30,050 (Target - 40,000)
Melbourne - 29,265 (Target - 40,000)
Western B - 25,377
Brisbane - 20.078
Greater WS - 11,537
Gold Coast - 11,215

List of Dreamteam participants categorised by team supported:

1. West Coast 24466
2. Adelaide 20621
3. Collingwood 16811
4. Essendon 16485
5. Carlton 14547
6. Hawthorn 12657
7. Fremantle 12203
8. Richmond 10113
9. Geelong 9774
10. Port Adelaide 9155
11. Sydney 8379
12. St Kilda 7500
13. Brisbane 7246
14. North 6828
15. Melbourne 4786
16. Bulldogs 4390
17. Gold Coast 2305
18. GWS 1467

I agree Simpson looks ridiculous and Schofield looks like he'd be more at home bartending on Sydney Rd than playing footy.

Schofield is doing his for charity. I think. I heard something about him doing it for charity a while ago.

Just saw on AFL360 that he has shaved it off today for charity.

Essendon has a drug addict of a coach. Bet they will lose a few thousands of fans if proven true.

:lol:

These Ned Kelly bears look bloody ridiculous.

He used to come into one of my old bars with Mick Martin.

Does anyone know why a black guy deciding to play Aussie rules big news ? (majak Daw)

He's the first Sudanese born AFL player. Also the hype train is getting pretty big on him, meant to be incredibly skilled.

Many fans consider him to be an exciting prospect - what's wrong with that?

AFL expecting more than 20,000 at historic NZ match between Saints and Swans:

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-04-18/more-than-20000-expected-for-nz-clash

I will be there, with one of those signs. I fucking love Essendon, I fucking love Hirdy, will be sticking with all the way. Actually met Jobe Watson and Dyson Heppell last night. Its amazing how upbeat they continue to be with this whole thing going on. The wins look like they're really keeping us afloat.

Melbourne has been dragged into the drugs scandal amid claims it received injections from Steve Dank
Staff writer From: Herald Sun April 18, 2013 7:58PM


MELBOURNE has been dragged into the performance-enhancing drugs controversy that has engulfed Essendon with claims its players received injections from Stephen Dank.

A series of texts messages spanning more than six months between Melbourne club doctor Dan Bates and Dank, the man at the centre of the Bombers scandal, surfaced tonight.

The 7.30 program, screened on ABC, showed messages between the pair sent between August last year and February, when the Essendon scandal broke.

Several Demon players were named in the messages, including co-captain Jack Trengove.

Melbourne has emphatically denied any of its players have had contact with Dank. It also refuted claims the club employed Dank.

"He applied for a job at the club late last year but he was unsuccessful. He has never had any direct contact with the players," the club said in a statement in February.

It is believed the Dees board met for an emergency meeting at the MCG tonight.

SOME OF THE ALLEGED TEXT MESSAGES:

Dank to Bates: "Meeting with Neil Craig next Tuesday or Wednesday. Spoke to Dave today."
Bates to Dank: "Great."

Dank to Bates: "When we will start Jack Trengove on the AOD?"

Bates to Dank: "Tomorrow"

Bates to Dank: "Where can I get him to pick it up from?"

Dank to Bates: "The pharmacy. Tell him to ring me and he can meet me there."

Bates to Dank: "...Lynden Dunn would like an injection on Thursday if possible (good about Dunny asking, as he is doing it because the other guys have said they feel good). Dan."

Dank to Bates: "Great. I will book him in."

More to come...

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-has-been-dragged-into-the-drugs-scandal-amid-claims-it-recieved-injections-from-steve-dank/story-e6frf9mf-1226623810469

Melbourne should ask for a refund.

Melbourne caught danking.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-18/text-messages-reveal-danks-demons-involvement/4637954

"PRP (platelet-rich plasma) is injected into muscle to treat sporting injuries.

In 2011, the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) removed PRP injections from its prohibited list citing a lack of evidence to prove PRP enhanced performance.

AOD is a reference to what is marketed as the anti-obesity drug AOD9604.

It is currently being considered by ASADA for prohibition after WADA advised it could be banned for athletes."

...
...

Around this time, Dank also told Bates he had consulted with ASADA.
Dank to Bates:
"Sorry mate. In a meeting. Spoke to ASADA. No problems. They will confirm by email. No issues their end."
Bates to Dank:
"Excellent"


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-18/text-messages-reveal-danks-demons-involvement/4637954

He's a bloody brilliant player with an insane vertical leap. He has a lot of promise but he needs to get his attitude right and refine his skills a little more. Hopefully he can make the leap this season.

31,060 last night at the SCG for Swans vs Geelong.

Ratings for last night's game:

Mediaweek ‏@Medi
Fri STV #AFL #AFLSwansCats 298k Post-game 134k Pre-game 96k #FoxFooty


Fri TV #AFL Seven 568k (Mel 460k Ade 108k) 7mate 141k (Syd 36k Bri 27k Per 78k) #AFLSwansCats


Over a million without regionals.

Melbourne Demons stand down club doctor Dan Bates over links to Stephen Dank
Sam Edmund From: Herald Sun April 20, 2013 12:00AM

MELBOURNE club doctor Dan Bates last night stood down after the Demons' dealings with controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank

Bates and football manager Josh Mahoney were yesterday part of a Melbourne delegation ordered to AFL House for a five-hour grilling by Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority and league investigators.

The Demons said Bates would be suspended from working at the club pending the outcome of the investigation, which would also examine the football department.

Biochemist alleges drugs and match fixing

In a statement released last night, Melbourne president Don McLardy said the medico had been interviewed three times as part of an internal review into supplement use after the launch of the Essendon investigation in February.

"We have sufficient concerns about an identified breakdown in reporting protocols that we believe it is appropriate that Dr Bates stands aside until these matters are further investigated," McLardy said.

AFL boss Andrew Demetriou was yesterday furious at what he labelled "inconsistencies" and "omissions" in Melbourne's initial response to questions about Dank's involvement with the club.

Demons officials told the league the club had no formal links to Dank, but text messages between Dank and Bates suggest he worked closely with players.

It is known coach Mark Neeld was assured by a senior club official in February that he had nothing to worry about.

The AFL is less concerned about what may prove "legitimate substances" being administered to players than about being allegedly misled by the Demons.

"I don't want to speculate on that (possible Melbourne sanctions) other than to say you'll have heard me say countless times that this issue of ethics and trust in our code ... is something that you can't play ping-pong with," Demetriou told ABC radio.

"If anybody hasn't got the message that they must be absolutely truthful and be absolutely honest and upfront with the AFL, then there will be consequences."

Demetriou also told 3AW: "We asked the specific question the media had asked: Was Stephen Dank approached? Or did Stephen Dank approach Melbourne? Or was there discussion around employment at the Melbourne Football Club?

"You would expect that when we sat down with every club that was an opportunity for every club to be full and frank, to put their cards on the table, given the gravity of the situation".


Melbourne refused to comment yesterday, instead standing by a statement released late on Thursday night that said an internal review of its supplements program had found no evidence of illegal practices.

The Demons now face a month of uncertainty, with ASADA and the AFL set to probe deeper into the club.

Melbourne told the Herald Sun in February that Dank "has never had any direct contact with the players".

that said an internal review of its supplements program found no evidence of any illegal practices.

It also said: "As soon as the investigation was launched into the Essendon Football Club, the Melbourne Football Club instructed all staff including Dr Bates to sever all ties with Stephen Dank, which occurred."

It remains unknown what justification the club has shown for not admitting its full involvement with Dank to the AFL.

The Demons now face a month of uncertainty, with ASADA and AFL investigators set to probe deeper into the club.

Melbourne told the Herald Sun in February that Dank "has never had any direct contact with the players."

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/afl/teams/melbourne-demons-stand-down-club-doctor-dan-bates-over-links-to-stephen-dank/story-e6frf9mf-1226624758330