Re: Patrick Smith Blasts Carlton
Reply #34 –
Thomas is damaged goods and would not get a gig with any club apart from ours ever again. He was a huge risk that hasn't quite paid off yet. Patrick Smith is not saying anything that isn't true. Its about time people listen and do something about it. We can't let Victorian sides struggle to the point that they need to hand the keys back to the AFL. South Melbourne managed to get out of jail. However they would have lost many supporters along the way. Brisbane/Old Fitzroy is struggling even though they have 3 flags since the take over, I mean merge. How many Fitzroy players were kept ? Half a dozen. Lynch and a few others ?
The Victorian sides are disadvantaged by the current system. Recruiting/academy players and picks. Salary cap. Living away from home allowances to interstate sides. All of these issues make it difficult for Victorian clubs to exist long term. Its bad enough the trade pool is feels shallow with so many sides in the league.
Then you have clubs that can't run a professional unit like our club. We need to act fast and the AFL need to assist in any way it can. Dillon has a big mouth to state how poor our club is at the moment. Step up to the plate and help us sort things out. Help support the sides that started this game more than 100 years ago. The sides that built the foundation of the best sport in the entire world. Its your duty to keep this game where it should be.
Otherwise with poor numbers through the gates you lose money. Broadcast negotiations for the future will drop. Sponsors will be limited and lose interest. Clubs lose money and need finance help from the AFL. Its lose on all levels. Just look at some of the poor numbers through the gates this season. Its a joke for a national sport. Obviously interstate games are expected to be lower. However the crowds appear lower, and the atmosphere sounds dead and lost from seasons years ago.
Crowds for Collingwood vs Carlton years ago would have 90,000 plus at Waverley Park. Not the MCG. At Arctic Park. I doubt we would see more than 45,000 go to the MCG in round 19. Half of what we would see when the clubs were on an even level, and true rivals. They were the good old days.