Fitzroys last days - Melbournes de ja vu?

[bulldogtragic]

Senior players and serious talent leaving.
Recruiting has beens or never was'.
Years of constant losses and failures.
Big losing margins.
Not being able to rebuild with many high draft picks.
Coaches rotating out.
Off field senior positions changing frequently.
Poor crowds.
Million PLUS operating losses.
Low sponsorship.
Etc, etc, etc.

Is it just me, or is the Dees position a lot worse than 16 out of 17 losses. Seems like de ja vu to me. But would the AFL prop them up or support a merge?? That is the question

[LostDoggy]

S***, that rings a bell about the team i barrack for.

[craigsahibee]

AFL needs 18 teams to fulfill it's contractual obligations to the host broadcasters.

AFL sponsored relocation may be an option but Melbourne would have to suffer consecutive years of on field and off field losses before this would be considered. Apart from their budgeted loss this year, they are not in too bad a shape financially considering the debt reduction program Stynes led a few years back. It does only take 2 - 3 bad fiscal years for the debt to mount up again and put some pressure back on the board.

[LostDoggy]

Melbourne being one of the world's oldest sporting clubs also won't help the AFL if it decides they have to relocate or merge. It won't save them though.

They can keep their players and their coach — they need a clean-out of the administration first.

[westdog54]

Melbourne being one of the world's oldest sporting clubs also won't help the AFL if it decides they have to relocate or merge. It won't save them though.

They can keep their players and their coach — they need a clean-out of the administration first.

I would want any bailout contingent on this. Anyone other than Peter Jackson is fair game right now.

[Greystache]

I would want any bailout contingent on this. Anyone other than Peter Jackson is fair game right now.

It's interesting that the AFL has sent Peter Jackson to both Melbourne and us in recent seasons. He's slammed Melbourne as being a rabble, yet he gave us a strong endorsement and even stayed on to get involved in a couple of initiatives. Probably just shows how difficult an environment we work in.

[Hotdog60]

I can't see Melbourne folding or merging purely on history and the very name of the club. If it was another suburb than it would be different.

AFL strong point is Victoria the capital is Melbourne and I think the AFL would like to keep that purity, so I think they would go to big lengths to make sure they survive.

[LostDoggy]

I can't see Melbourne folding or merging purely on history and the very name of the club. If it was another suburb than it would be different.

AFL strong point is Victoria the capital is Melbourne and I think the AFL would like to keep that purity, so I think they would go to big lengths to make sure they survive.

I agree, but the question then arises: Is this somewhat-false sense of security a good thing or a bad thing? I think Melbourne's "proud old club" sentiment isn't exactly helping them become a modern, professional sporting organisation.

[Ghost Dog]

I agree, but the question then arises: Is this somewhat-false sense of security a good thing or a bad thing? I think Melbourne's "proud old club" sentiment isn't exactly helping them become a modern, professional sporting organisation.

Well said BAS. Their logo / image is s***.

[LostDoggy]

S***, that rings a bell about the team i barrack for.

I laughed when I read this cause I was thinking the same.
But then I stopped laughing because I realized, we are the same!

[LostDoggy]

From my recollection of 1996, we were running right along Fitzroy and just barely dodged the bullet ourselves. As a result, I've always been very respectful to ex-Roy-Boy Lions fans when we've beaten them. Could've been us.

Of course, I was only 14 then and many of the finer details escape me. Oldies: were we really at close?

I do remember us turning it around in 1997 though.

P.S. Sorry to mention 1997

[Ghost Dog]

The VFL had stamped our papers. It was a done deal. Only a technicality saved us.

[Sedat]

From my recollection of 1996, we were running right along Fitzroy and just barely dodged the bullet ourselves. As a result, I've always been very respectful to ex-Roy-Boy Lions fans when we've beaten them. Could've been us.

Of course, I was only 14 then and many of the finer details escape me. Oldies: were we really at close?

I do remember us turning it around in 1997 though.

P.S. Sorry to mention 1997

In 1989 we actually had no footy team to support for 3 days. The then VFL commission had formally accepted the merger between Fitzroy and Footscray (after bullying the Bulldogs administration to accept the merger, which was more of a takeover) and we ceased to exist. Only a Supreme Court injunction by Irene Chatfield, which bought the club 3 weeks to raise the (from memory) $1.5m needed to keep the club afloat, kept the club alive.

In 1996 we were in trouble because we had something like 25 players out of contract - awesome list management there. Once Chris Grant signed to stay on the rest followed suit - we would have been in deep trouble if Granty had accepted the lucrative offer from Port at the time, and that is why Chris Grant will always be revered by the Bulldogs faithful. Of course 1997 ended horribly but the season was one long thrilling ride (up until halfway through the last qtr of the prelim at least) after we endured such a shocking 1996 season.

[bornadog]

Only a Supreme Court injunction by Irene Chatfield, which bought the club 3 weeks to raise the (from memory) $1.5m needed to keep the club afloat, kept the club alive. .

Set up by Peter Gordon and instigated the Save The Dogs Committee and raised the funds.

[PedroArvy]

Well I was one of those final Fitzroy fans. At the merger talks with Brisbane at the Fitzroy Townhall I was there yelling and screaming. No way I'd follow Brisbane, it wasn't a merger, it was a take over as the fans wishes of a merger with North weren't followed and the AFL did what it wanted as it could.

So then I decided to follow the Dogs as they seemed in a similar position to Fitzroy!

The thought of the Dogs merging with Melbourne has crossed my mind actually.